Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Original article
Austral J. Vet. Sci.
Vol 50, 27-34 (2018)
DOI: 10.4067/S0719-81322018000100106

Effect of climate and insemination technique on reproductive performance of gilts and sows in a subtropical zone of Mexico

1 Autonomous Agrarian University Antonio Narro, Department of Animal Nutrition, Saltillo, Mexico.
2 Autonomous Agrarian University Antonio Narro, Department of Veterinary Science, Torreon, Mexico.
3 Autonomous University of Baja California, Institute of Agriculture Science, Mexicali, Mexico.
4 Autonomous University of Chapingo, Regional Unit of Arid Zones, Bermejillo, Mexico.
Keywords: sows seasonal infertility litter size stillborn piglets temperature-humidity index

Submitted: 2017-05-10

Accepted: 2017-10-03

Published: 2018-01-01

*Corresponding author:
zukygay_7@hotmail.com

How to Cite

Mellado, M., Gaytán, L., Macías-Cruz, U., Avendaño, L., Meza-Herrera, C., Lozano, E. A., Rodríguez, Álvaro, & Mellado, J. (2018). Effect of climate and insemination technique on reproductive performance of gilts and sows in a subtropical zone of Mexico. Austral Journal of Veterinary Sciences, 50(1), 27–34. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0719-81322018000100106

License

Copyright (c) 2018 Miguel Mellado, Leticia Gaytán, Ulises Macías-Cruz, Leonel Avendaño, Cesar Meza-Herrera, Eloy A. Lozano, Álvaro Rodríguez, Jesús Mellado

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyse the reproductive performance of hybrid (Yorkshire x Landrace) gilts/sows in relation to temperature-humidity index (THI) at artificial insemination (AI), season of AI, occurrence of estrus >8 d post-weaning, repeated estrus, insemination technique (cervical, CAI or post-cervical, PCAI) and parity. Data included 8851 reproductive records (1771 for gilts and 7080 for sows) from a pig farm in a sub-tropical zone (THI ranged from 72.9 in January to 81.8 in June). A decrease in pregnancy rate (PR, 89.8 vs 93.0%; P<0.01) and a tendency to decline farrowing rate (FR, 87.9 vs 90.3%; P=0.07) following AI during high THI (>82), compared to AI at <74 THI were observed. The spring and summer season were associated with decreased (P<0.01) PR compared with fall and winter (90.0% vs 93.0%). Likewise, FR decreased in spring and summer compared to fall and winter (88.5% vs. 90.9%). FR was higher (P<0.01) in non-repeat breeders compared with that of repeat-breeders (90.3% vs 76.2%). Litter size increased (P<0.01) from 10.8 ± 3.2 to 11.1 ± 3.1 pigs when the interval from weaning to estrus was >8 d. The insemination technique did not affect PR and FR but the litter size decreased (P<0.05) from 11.3 ± 3.0 to 11.1 ± 2.9 pigs when PCAI was used compared to CAI. This study reaffirms the negative effects of the hot season on reproductive performance of gilts/sows, although thermal stress at AI did not cause foetal losses. Also, there is no advantage in using the PCAI as compared to the CAI in gilts/sows with high numbers of sperm cells per AI.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

  1. Almond PK, Bilkei G. 2005. Seasonal infertility in large pig production units in an Eastern-European climate. Aust Vet J 83, 344-346.
  2. Auvigne V, Leneveu P, Jehannin C, Peltoniemi O, Salle E. 2010. Seasonal infertility in sows, a five-year field study to analyze the relative roles of heat stress and photoperiod. Theriogenology 74, 60-66.
  3. Bertoldo M, Grupen CG, Thomson PC, Evans G, Holyoake PK. 2009. Identification of sow-specific risk factors for late pregnancy loss during the seasonal infertility period in pigs. Theriogenology 72, 393-400.
  4. Bertoldo MJ, Holyoake PK, Evans G, Grupen CG. 2012. Seasonal variation in the ovarian function of sows. Reprod Fertil Dev 24, 822-834.
  5. Bloemhof S, van der Waaij EH, Merks JWM, Knol EF. 2008. Sow line differences in heat stress tolerance expressed in reproductive performance traits. J Anim Sci 86, 3330-3337.
  6. Borges V, Bernardi M, Bortolozzo F, Wentz I. 2005. Risk factors for stillbirth and foetal mummification in four Brazilian swine herds. Prev Vet Med 70, 165-176.
  7. Britt JH, Szarek VE, Levis DG. 1983. Characterization of summer infertility of sows in large confinement units. Theriogenology 20, 133-140.
  8. Christianson WT. 1992. Stillbirths, mummies, abortions, and early embryonic death. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract 8, 623-639.
  9. Clark LK, Leman AD. 1987. Factors that influence litter size in swine, parity 3 through 7 females. J Am Vet Med Assoc 191, 49-58.
  10. Dewey CE, Marti SW, Friendship RM, Kennedy BW, Wilson MR. 1995. Associations between litter size and specific sow-level management factors in Ontario swine. Prev Vet Med 23, 101-110.
  11. Distl O. 2007. Mechanisms of regulation of litter size in pigs on the genome level. Reprod Domest Anim 42, 10-16.
  12. Egbunike GN, Steinbac J. 1980. Seasonal changes in sow fertility in a humid tropical environment. Zbl Vet Med A 27, 109-117.
  13. Fontana DL, Ulguim RR, Sbardella PE, Bernardi ML, Wentz I, et al. 2014. Fixed-time post-cervical artificial insemination in sows receiving porcine luteinizing hormone at oestrus onset. Anim Reprod Sci 144, 109-114.
  14. Gourdine JL, Quesnel H, Bidanel JP, Renaudeau D. 2006. Effect of season, parity and lactation on reproductive performance of sows in a tropical humid climate. Asian-Aust J Anim Sci 19, 1111-1119.
  15. Hemsworth PH, Barnett JL. 1990. Behavioural responses affecting gilt and sow reproduction. J Reprod Fertil Suppl 40, 343-354.
  16. Holtkamp DJ, Kliebenstein JB, Neumann EJ, Zimmerman JJ, Rotto HF, et al. 2013. Assessment of the economic impact of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus on United States pork producers. J Swine Health Prod 21, 72-84.
  17. Hurtgen JP, Leman AD. 1980. Seasonal influence on the fertility of sows and gilts. J Am Vet Med Assoc 177, 631-635.
  18. Iida R, Koketsu Y. 2013. Interactions between climatic and production factors on returns of female pigs to service during summer in Japanese commercial breeding herds. Theriogenology 80, 487-493.
  19. Iida, R, Koketsu, Y. 2016. Lower farrowing rate in female pigs associated with higher outdoor temperatures in humid subtropical and continental climate zones in Japan. Anim Reprod 13, 63-68.
  20. Isom SC, Prather RS, Rucker EB. 2007. Heat stress-induced apoptosis in porcine in vitro fertilized and parthenogenetic preimplantation-stage embryos. Mol Reprod Dev 74, 574-581.
  21. Janse van Rensburg L, Spencer BT. 2014. The influence of environmental temperatures on farrowing rates and litter sizes in South African pig breeding units. Onderstepoort J Vet Res 81, 1-7.
  22. Johnson JS, Sanz Fernández MV, Patience JF, Ross JW, Gabler NK, et al. 2015. Effects of in utero heat stress on postnatal body composition in pigs: II. Finishing pigs. J Anim Sci 93, 82-92.
  23. Koketsu Y, Dial GD. 1998. Interactions between the associations of parity, lactation length and weaning to conception interval with subsequent litter size in swine herds using early weaning. Prev Vet Med 37, 113-120.
  24. Kornegay ET, Thomas HR. 1983. Effects of air-conditioned versus naturally ventilated housing during hot weather on the reproductive efficiency of gilts and sows. Livest Prod Sci 10, 387-395.
  25. Le Cozler Y, Dagorn J, Dourmad JY, Johansen S, Aumaitre A. 1997. Effect of weaning-to-conception interval and lactation length on subsequent litter size in sows. Livest Prod Sci 51, 1-11.
  26. Liao CW, Veum TL. 1994. Effects of dietary energy intake by gilts and heat stress from days 3 to 24 or 30 after mating on embryo survival and nitrogen and energy balance. J Anim Sci 72, 2369-2377.
  27. Lopes TP, Sánchez-Osorio J, Bolarin A, Martínez EA, Roca J. 2014. Relevance of ovarian follicular development to the seasonal impairment of fertility in weaned sows. Vet J 199, 382-386.
  28. Love RJ, Evans G, Klupiec C. 1993. Seasonal effects on fertility in gilts and sows. J Reprod Fertil 48, 191-206.
  29. Mazzoni C, Tonon F, Borri E, Raffi V, Scollo A, et al. 2014. Distribution of regular and irregular inter-oestrus interval in sows during different months of the year in Northern Italy. Large Anim Rev 20, 255-257.
  30. Muns R, Malmkvist J, Larsen MLV, Sørensen D, Pedersen LJ. 2016. High environmental temperature around farrowing induced heat stress in crated sows. J Anim Sci 94, 377-384.
  31. NRC, National Research Council. 2012. Nutrient requirements of swine. 11th ed. National Academy Press, Washington, DC, USA.
  32. Nteeba J, Sanz-Fernández MV, Rhoads RP, Baumgard LH, Ross JW, et al. 2015. Heat stress alters ovarian insulin-mediated phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase and steroidogenic signaling in gilt ovaries. Biol Reprod 92, 148-156.
  33. Olanratmanee EO, Thanawongnuwech R, Kunavongkrit A, Tummaruk P. 2014. Reproductive performance of sows with and without PRRS modified live virus vaccination in PRRS-virus-seropositive herds. Trop Anim Health Prod 46, 1001-1007.
  34. Peltoniemi OA, Love RJ, Heinonen M, Tuovinen Saloniemi H. 1999. Seasonal and management effects on fertility of the sow, a descriptive study. Anim Reprod Sci 55, 47-61.
  35. Peters AR, Pitt RL. 2003. Seasonal infertility in pigs in the east of England. Pig J 52, 13-27.
  36. Prunier A, Messias de Braganca M, Le Dividich L. 1997. Influence of high ambient temperature on performance of reproductive sows. Livest Prod Sci 52, 123-133.
  37. Sbardella PE, Ulguim RR, Fontana DL, Ferrari CV, Bernardi ML, et al. 2014. The post-cervical insemination does not impair the reproductive performance of primiparous sows. Reprod Domest Anim. 49, 59-64.
  38. Serret CG, Alvarenga MVF, Coria ALP, Corcini CD, Correa MN, et al. 2005. Intrauterine artificial insemination of swine with different sperm concentrations, parities, and methods for prediction of ovulation. Anim Reprod 2, 250-256.
  39. Suriyasomboon A, Lundeheim N, Kunavongkrit A, Einarsson S. 2006. Effect of temperature and humidity on reproductive performance of crossbred sows in Thailand. Theriogenology 65, 606-628.
  40. Thom EC. 1959. The discomfort index. Weatherwise 12, 57-61.
  41. Tompkins EC, Heidenreich CJ, Stob M. 1967. Effect of post-breeding thermal stress on embyronic mortality in swine. J Anim Sci 26, 377-380.
  42. Tummaruk P, Lundeheim N, Einarsson S, Dalin AM. 2000a . Reproductive performance of purebred Swedish landrace and Swedish Yorkshire sows, I. Seasonal variation and parity influence. Acta Agric Scand Sect A Anim Sci 50, 205-216.
  43. Tummaruk P, Lundeheim N, Einarsson S, Dalin AM. 2000b. Reproductive performance of purebred Swedish Landrace and Swedish Yorkshire sows, ll. Effect of mating type, weaning to first service interval and lactation length. Acta Agric Scand Sect A Anim Sci 50, 217-224.
  44. Tummaruk P, Tantasuparuk W, Techakumphuk M, Kunavongkrit A. 2004. Effect of season and outdoor climate on litter size at birth in purebred Landrace and Yorkshire sows in Thailand. J Vet Med Sci 66, 477-482.
  45. Vanderhaeghe C, Dewulf J, Ribbens S, de Kruif A, Maes D. 2010. A Cross-sectional study to collect risk factors associated with stillbirths in pig herds. Anim Reprod Sci 118, 62-68.
  46. Vanderhaeghe C, Dewulf J, de Kruif A, Maes D. 2013. Non-infectious factors associated with stillbirth in pigs, A review. Anim Reprod Sci 139, 76-88.
  47. Watson PF, Behan JR. 2002. Intrauterine insemination of sows with reduced sperm numbers, results of a commercially based field trial. Theriogenology 57, 1683-1693.
  48. Wettemann RP, Bazer FW, Thatcher WW, Caton D, Roberts RM. 1988. Conceptus development, uterine response, blood gases and endocrine function of gilts exposed to increased ambient temperature during early pregnancy. Theriogenology 30, 57-74.
  49. Williams AM, Safranski TJ, Spiers DE, Eichen PA, Coate EA, Lucy MC. 2013. Effects of a controlled heat stress during late gestation, lactation, and after weaning on thermoregulation, metabolism, and reproduction of primiparous sows. J Anim Sci 91, 2700-2714.
  50. Wu G, Bazer FW, Wallace JM, Spencer TE. 2006. Intrauterine growth retardation. Implications for the animal sciences. J Anim Sci 84, 2316-2337.
  51. Young B, Dewey C, Friendship R. 2010. Management factors associated with farrowing rate in commercial sow herds in Ontario. Can Vet J 51, 185-189.
  52. Zhao Y, Flowers WL, Saraiva A, Yeum K-J, Kim SW. 2011. Effect of heat stress on oxidative stress status and reproductive performance of sows. J Anim Sci 89, 108.

Make a Submission

Make a Submission

Journal Metrics (2023) & Ranking

Impact Factor
→
0.5 (2024)
5 years Impact Factor
→
0.8
JCR Quartile
→
Q4
JIF Rank
→
134/170 (Veterinary Sciences)
SJR (2024)
→
0.244
SNIP (2024)
→
0.35

 

 

SCImago Journal & Country Rank

Indexed in

Publisher


This journal is published by the Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile

Keywords