Sexual Maturation of Boars and Growth of Swine Exposed to Extended Photoperiod during Decreasing Natural Photoperiod

Berger, Trish; Mahone, J. P.; Svoboda, G. S.; Metz, K.; Clegg, Eric D.

doi:10.2527/jas1980.513672x

Cited by 21 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…The authors suggested that boars were able to adapt to these extreme photoperiods. However, similar to other studies, photoperiod did not have an effect sperm motility or vitality [46, 47]. …”

Section: Managing the Boar: Factors Affecting Semen Production And Qusupporting

confidence: 88%

“…The role of light regime on semen quality is controversial. Boars kept under natural light plus artificial light supplementation (10–500 lx) to maintain constantly 15 h of light/day from 11 weeks of age until puberty (24–26 weeks), had a faster sexual maturation and a higher libido than boars receiving only natural light during that period (15 h at 11 weeks to 9 h at the end of the trial) [46]. However, there was no effect maintaining a constant 15 h light on semen quality.…”

Section: Managing the Boar: Factors Affecting Semen Production And Qumentioning

confidence: 99%

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Boar management and semen handling factors affect the quality of boar extended semen

et al. 2017

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Artificial insemination (AI) is the preferred method for reproduction in the majority of the intensive pig production systems Worldwide. To this end, fresh extended ready-to-use semen doses are either purchased from AI-centres or produced by boars kept on-farm. For profitable semen production, it is necessary to obtain a maximum amount of high quality semen from each boar. This paper reviews current knowledge on factors that may affect semen quality by influencing the boar or the semen during processing.Genetic markers could be used for early detection of boars with the highest fertility potential. Genetic selection for fast growth might jeopardize semen quality. Early detection of boars no longer fit for semen production might be possible by ultrasonography of the testes. Seasonal variation in sperm quality could be associated with changes in photoperiod and heat stress during summer. Comfortable housing, with appropiate bedding material to avoid locomotion problems is essential. In some areas, cooling systems may be necessary to avoid heat stress. The sperm quality can be manipulated by feeding strategies aiming, for instance, to increase sperm resistance to oxidative stress and extend storage duration.High collection frequency will negatively influence sperm quality. Also, if collection is not hygienically performed it will result in bacterial contamination of the semen doses. The concern over bacterial contamination has risen not only because of its negative effect on semen quality but also due to the detection of antimicrobial resistance in isolates from extended semen. Moreover, bacterial and viral pathogens must be monitored because they affect semen production and quality and constitute a risk of herd infection. During processing, boar sperm are submitted to many stress factors that can cause oxidative stress and capacitation-like changes potentially reducing their fertility potential. Dilution rate or dilution temperature affects the quality of the semen doses. Some packaging might preserve semen better than others and some plastic components might be toxic for sperm. Standard operation procedures and quality assurance systems in AI centres are needed.

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Section: Managing the Boar: Factors Affecting Semen Production And Qusupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Managing the Boar: Factors Affecting Semen Production And Qumentioning

confidence: 99%

Boar management and semen handling factors affect the quality of boar extended semen

et al. 2017

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“…Of the environmental factors, only the influence of season or light duration and the influence of the social environment have been studied to the best of our knowledge. Even if some results demonstrate the opposite (Berger et al, 1980), most studies lead to the conclusion that decreasing day length and short days stimulate puberty attainment and testicular activity of the mature boars (Claus et al, 1983;Andersson et al, 1998). However, no clear effect of season or artificial light regimen was found on the fat levels of androstenone in the peripubertal boars (Andersson et al, 1998;Zamaratskaia et al, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of housing and season on pubertal development, boar taint compounds and skin lesions of male pigs

Prunier

Brilloüet²,

Merlot³

et al. 2013

Animal

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Rearing entire pigs may lead to meat quality and welfare problems in relation to pubertal development. A better knowledge of the sources of variation of pubertal development, behaviour and boar taint is needed before generalizing entire male pigs. From 84 days of age, entire male pigs were reared in groups of 10 either in a conventional (C, 1 m²/animal, slatted floor) or an enriched (E, 2.5 m²/animal, straw bedding, outdoor run) housing during spring or autumn and fed ad libitum (n = 10/housing/season). Mounting behaviour was observed for 3 h during the third (M3), fourth (M4) and fifth (M5) months of age. The total number of skin lesions was counted on both sides of the pigs 1 day before the behavioural recordings. The time spent in the outdoor run was also recorded during 3 days per month. The animals were slaughtered at 161 ± 1 days of age (122 ± 9 kg live weight). Blood samples were collected at 89 (M3), 119 (M4) and 152 (M5) days of age and at slaughter for the testosterone and oestradiol measurements. The testes were collected at slaughter, freed from the surrounding tissues and weighed. The fat samples were collected for the androstenone and skatole concentration measurement. Plasma testosterone and oestradiol-17β (oestradiol), fat androstenone and skatole and weight of the testes did not differ between the housing systems. Plasma testosterone (8.3 v. 3.9 nmol/l, P < 0.05) and oestradiol (12.0 v. 9.2 pmol/l, P < 0.1) at M3, fat skatole (0.124 v. 0.043, P < 0.03) and weight of the testes (587 v. 512 g, P < 0.05) were higher in the autumn than in the spring trial, suggesting that the pubertal development was accelerated. The number of received mounting behaviours was slightly higher in the autumn ( P = 0.08) trial and was markedly higher in the E than in the C environment ( P < 0.003). Skin lesions were more numerous in the C than in the E housing at M4 and M5 and in the spring than in the autumn trial at M3 and M4 ( P < 0.05). Fat androstenone and the number of performed mounting behaviours were significantly correlated between each other and with numerous indicators of the pubertal development ( P < 0.05). The number of skin lesions was correlated with plasma testosterone and live weight ( P < 0.05). Overall, this study suggests the effect of season on sexual development, the effect of the housing system on behaviour, and demonstrates the links between sexual hormones, behaviour and boar taint.Keywords: pig, season, housing, testosterone, androstenone ImplicationsFinding solutions to rear entire male pigs without drawbacks on the meat quality and welfare during fattening are essential for the EU pig industry that is engaged in a process of stopping surgical castration. The present study evaluates the housing system and the season as two possible sources of variation of pubertal development, behaviour and boar taint. We found a positive effect of enriching the environment on the number of skin lesions but not on the other parameters. Decreasing day length seems to accelerate the pubertal development. The m...

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“…Reproductive activity in the adult domestic pig and domestic rabbit is not limited to one season of the year (Asdell, 1964;Thibault et al, 1966). However, puberty in these species is regulated by daily exposure to light (Mahone et al, 1979;Berger et al, 1980;Kamwanja and Hauser, 1983). In addition, while daylength did not affect estrous cyclicity, testicular size or spermatogenesis of adult cotton rats, onset of vaginal opening and testicular weight in prepubertal animals was altered by length of daily illumination (Meyer and Meyer, 1944;Johnston and Zucker, 1979).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Photoperiod Influences Age at Puberty of Heifers1

Hansen

Kamwanja

Hauser

1983

Journal of Animal Science

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Two experiments were conducted to determine if exposure of prepubertal heifers to supplemental lighting hastens the onset of puberty. In Exp. 1, 16 heifers were paired according to birth date (April 21 to July 4) and assigned randomly to exposure to either 18 h light/d (L) or natural photoperiods (N) from 22 wk of age until puberty. Twenty-two heifers in Exp. 2, born between February 27 and March 31 and between May 3 and May 17, 1981, were exposed to L or N from 24 wk of age until March 23, 1982. In Exp. 2, animals were bred at all estrous periods until conception. Age at first ovulation and first estrus were less (P less than .01 for Exp. 1 and P less than .10 for Exp. 2) for L than N heifers. Average ages at first estrus were 318 (L) and 367 d (N) for Exp. 1 and 367 (L) and 394 d (N) for Exp. 2. Age at conception in Exp. 2 was similar for L (380 d) and N (396 d) groups. There were no significant differences between L and N heifers in changes in body weight for either experiment. There was a photoperiod X age interaction (P less than .06) for ovarian volume in Exp. 1 because the rate of ovarian growth was greater for L than N heifers. Concentrations of LH were not affected by photoperiod in Exp. 1 and not measured in Exp. 2. There were no significant changes in LH concentrations between 22 and 34 wk of age. When expressed relative to first ovulation, LH levels were highest at 7 and 2 wk before first ovulation. Concentrations of prolactin in Exp. 1 were not significantly affected by photoperiod. It was concluded that supplemental lighting after 22 or 24 wk of age reduced ages at first ovulation and first estrus in heifers born from February to July. These effects of photoperiod were accompanied by changes in ovarian development.

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Sexual Maturation of Boars and Growth of Swine Exposed to Extended Photoperiod during Decreasing Natural Photoperiod

Cited by 21 publications

References 7 publications

Boar management and semen handling factors affect the quality of boar extended semen

Boar management and semen handling factors affect the quality of boar extended semen

Influence of housing and season on pubertal development, boar taint compounds and skin lesions of male pigs

Photoperiod Influences Age at Puberty of Heifers1

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