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A note on the effect of exposure to a boar on the development of the reproductive system of immature gilts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

J. S. Walton
J. S. Walton
Affiliation:
Department of Animal and Poultry ScienceUniversity of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
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Abstract

Eight groups of six Yorkshire gilts were either exposed (BE) or not exposed (NE) to a mature boar at 160 days of age. These groups of gilts were slaughtered at 160, 165, 170 and 180 days of age for examination of their reproductive tracts.

NE gilts remained pre-pubertal from 160 to 180 days, with uterine weights of 121·6 g and 148·0 g respectively. Boar exposure induced ovulation in three out of five gilts by day 170 and in five out of six gilts by day 180. Uterine weight increased in BE gilts from 121·6 g at 160 days to 343·6 g, 298·0 g and 535·6 g by days 165, 170 and 180 respectively. This was accompanied by an increase in the number of large ovarian follicles (≤ 6 mm in diameter) from 0 at 160 days to 9·0 at 165 and 4·2 at 170 days.

These results confirm the potent stimulatory effect of boar exposure on puberty in gilts and suggest the use of ovarian status and uterine weight at slaughter 10 days after stimulation as a reliable indicator of the response of the pre-pubertal gilt to environmental change.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 39 , Issue 3 , December 1984 , pp. 483 - 486
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1984

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