Indomethacin blocks pre-partum nest building behaviour in the pig (Sus scrofa): effects on plasma prostaglandin F metabolite, oxytocin, cortisol and progesterone

Gilbert, C.; Goode, J. A.; Murfitt, P.J.E; Walton, Sarah L.

doi:10.1677/joe.0.1720507

Cited by 13 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…The plasma oxytocin concentration (measured hourly) increased during farrowing, and maximum concentrations were reached late in the farrowing rather than in the beginning. Plasma oxytocin has been reported to increase as farrowing approach [measured the last 24 h prepartum in Gilbert et al (2002) and the last 5 h prepartum in Damm et al (2003)] and also to increase immediately after each fetal expulsion [measured, however, only until 140 min after BFP in Gilbert et al (1994)]. Thus, the continued oxytocin rise in our study may reflect the accumulation of several fetal expulsions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 49%

Effects of thermal environment on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hormones, oxytocin, and behavioral activity in periparturient sows

Malmkvist

Damgaard

Pedersen

et al. 2009

Journal of Animal Science

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Provision of additional floor heating (33 to 34 degrees C) at birth and during the early postnatal hours is favorable for newborn piglets of domestic sows (Sus scrofa). We investigated whether this relatively high temperature influenced sow behavior and physiology around farrowing. One-half of 28 second-parity pregnant sows were randomly chosen to be exposed to floor heating 12 h after onset of nest building and until 48 h after birth of the first piglet (heat treatment), whereas the rest of the sows entered the control group (control treatment) with no floor heating. Hourly blood sampling from 8 h before and until 24 h after the birth of the first piglet was used for investigation of temporal changes in plasma concentrations of oxytocin, cortisol, and ACTH. In addition, occurrence and duration of sow postures were recorded -8 to +48 h relative to the birth of the first piglet. There was a clear temporal development in sow behavior and hormone concentrations (ACTH, cortisol, and oxytocin) across parturition (P < 0.001), independent of treatment. In general, hormone concentrations increased from the start to the end of farrowing. The observed oxytocin increase and peak late in farrowing coincided with the passive phase where sows lie laterally with an overall reduced activity. Floor heating increased the mean concentration of cortisol (P = 0.02; estimated as 29% greater than in controls) and tended to increase the mean concentration of ACTH (P = 0.08; estimated as 17% greater than in controls), but we did not find any treatment effect on mean oxytocin concentrations, the course of parturition, or the behavior of sows. Behavioral thermoregulation may, however, have lost some function for the sows because the floor was fully heated in our study. In addition, exposure to heat decreased the between-sow variation of plasma oxytocin (approximately 31% less relative to control) and ACTH (approximately 46% less relative to control). Whether this decreased variation may be indicative of acute stress or linked to other biological events is unclear. In conclusion, inescapable floor heating (around 33.5 degrees C) may be considered a stressor for sows around farrowing, giving rise to elevated plasma concentrations of cortisol, but without concurrent changes in oxytocin or behavioral activity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 49%

Effects of thermal environment on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hormones, oxytocin, and behavioral activity in periparturient sows

Malmkvist

Damgaard

Pedersen

et al. 2009

Journal of Animal Science

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“…As well as reducing pain and inflammation by reducing prostaglandin and thromboxane through the inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes ( 29 ), NSAIDs could also inhibit parturition, as prostaglandin increases toward the onset of farrowing and peaks at the time of birth ( 30 ). When the NSAID indomethacin was administered at the onset of nest-building in sows, nest-building behavior was reduced, and parturition tended to be delayed ( 46 ). In addition, NSAIDs can cross the placenta, which can result in detrimental side effects for the unborn fetus, where prostaglandins play an important role in developmental and physiological regulation ( 31 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Periparturient Behavior and Physiology: Further Insight Into the Farrowing Process for Primiparous and Multiparous Sows

Ison

Jarvis

et al. 2018

Front. Vet. Sci.

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Giving birth is a critical time for many species and is often the most painful event ever experienced by females. In domestic species, like the pig, pain associated with parturition represents a potential welfare concern, and the consequences of pain can cause economic losses (e.g., by indirectly contributing to piglet mortality as pain could slow post-farrowing recovery, reduce food and water intake, reducing milk let-down). This study investigated pain assessment and its management in primiparous (gilts) and multiparous (sows) breeding pigs, including the provision of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) post-parturition. Individuals were randomly allocated to receive the NSAID ketoprofen (3 mg/kg bodyweight) (n = 11 gilts, 16 sows) or the equivalent volume of saline (n = 13 gilts, 16 sows) by intramuscular injection 1.5 h after the birth of the last piglet. Data collected included putative behavioral indicators of pain (back leg forward, tremble, back arch), salivary cortisol concentrations pre-farrowing and up to 7 days post-injection. In addition, post-partum biomarkers of inflammation, including the acute phase protein C-reactive protein (CRP) and 3 porcine cytokines [interleukin-1 β (IL1 β), interleukin-6 (IL6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF α)] were measured in plasma collected 6 h following the injection. Behaviors were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models, and physiological variables with linear mixed models. No difference in putative pain behaviors, salivary cortisol, CRP, or cytokines were found between individuals treated with ketoprofen or those administered the saline control. However, there were some differences between gilts and sows, as sows exhibited more putative pain behavior than gilts, had higher salivary cortisol on the day of farrowing and had higher plasma TNF α. Conversely, gilts had higher salivary cortisol than sows on day 3 post-farrowing and had higher CRP. This indicates that, like human females, multiparous sows experience more pain from uterine activity following birth than primiparas. This study provides useful information for developing management practices relating to post-farrowing care for breeding pigs.

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“…A rise in plasma concentrations of prolactin is known to initiate NB behaviour in prepartum sows ( Widowski and Curtis, 1990 ; Castrén et al, 1993 ; Algers and Uvnas-Moberg, 2007 ), while the onset of prepartum NB behaviour has not been directly related to plasma oxytocin concentrations in the sow ( Boulton et al, 1997 ; Gilbert et al, 2002 ). In contrast, several studies have suggested that prolactin concentrations in prepartum sows might not be correlated with the degree of NB behaviour ( Lawrence et al, 1994 ), and played only a limited role in preparturient activity of sows ( Rushen et al, 2001 ).…”

Section: Interrelations Between Nest-building Behaviour and Endogenoumentioning

confidence: 99%

Benefits of Prepartum Nest-building Behaviour on Parturition and Lactation in Sows — A Review

Yun¹,

Valros²

2015

Asian Australas. J. Anim. Sci

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It is well known that prepartum sows have an innate motivation to build a nest before parturition. Under commercial conditions, however, the farrowing crate, which is widely used in modern pig husbandry, inhibits this innate behaviour through the lack of space, materials, or both. Thus, restriction of nest-building behaviour could generate increased stress, resulting in a decrease in maternal endogenous hormones. Hence, it could lead to detrimental effects on farrowing and lactating performance. Here we review interactions between prepartum nest-building behaviour, stress and maternal endogenous hormone levels, and discuss their effects on parturition, lactation, and welfare of sows and offspring.

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Indomethacin blocks pre-partum nest building behaviour in the pig (Sus scrofa): effects on plasma prostaglandin F metabolite, oxytocin, cortisol and progesterone

Cited by 13 publications

References 41 publications

Effects of thermal environment on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hormones, oxytocin, and behavioral activity in periparturient sows

Effects of thermal environment on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hormones, oxytocin, and behavioral activity in periparturient sows

Periparturient Behavior and Physiology: Further Insight Into the Farrowing Process for Primiparous and Multiparous Sows

Benefits of Prepartum Nest-building Behaviour on Parturition and Lactation in Sows — A Review

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