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Breeding Herd Education Series 2008-2009

Timely, relevant & convenient learning

Induction of Farrowing

Dr. Tim Safranski University of Missouri

(573) 884-7994 safranskit@missouri.edu

SowBridge

August 5, 2009

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What?  

•  Physiological  processes  at  parturi3on  –  lower  serum  progesterone  – cervical  dila3on  – myometrial  contrac3ons  –  lacta3on  

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Isom

Reproductive anatomy of the sow. Source: After E. S. E. Hafez, editor, 1974. Reproduction in Farm Animals. Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger

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Hormonal Changes that Control Parturition

(CRF) Fetal anterior pituitary gland

Stimulates oxytocin receptor in myometrium

Steps Fetal ACTH causes - Fetal Corticosteroids causes - Progesterone levels placental production or CL regression - Production of Estrogens by placenta - PGF2α production by uterus -

Corticotropic Releasing Hormone

Fetal Adrenal

(ACTH)

Removal Blocks Parturition

Corticosteroid

Glucocorticoid

Estrogen (Increase)

Progesterone (Decrease)

Prostaglandin F2α (Increase)

Hypothalamus

Redrawn from Liggins, G.C. 1969. In Foetal Autonomy

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How?  

•  Regression  of  corpora  lutea  (CL)  on  ovary  – prostaglandin-­‐F2α  

•  Lutalyse™,  Prostamate™,  (Estrumate™)  

– CL  resistant  through  mid-­‐gesta3on  (un3l  d108)  

•  Induc3on  of  myometrial  contrac3ons  – oxytocin  

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Why?

•  Induce Farrowing to Reduce Variation – gestation length – hour of the day

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Reasons  to  Induce  

•  Reduced  gesta&on  length  varia3on  (111-­‐119d)  – cross-­‐fostering  

•  within  24  hr  of  birth  •  survival  and  uniformity  

– all-­‐in/all-­‐out  •  health  advantages  

– phase  feeding  –  facility  u3liza3on  – avoid  weekends/holidays  

-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

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Interval  from  PGF2-­‐alpha  to  First  Pig  

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

0 2.5 5 10 20

Inte

rval

, hou

rs

Dose (mg) Gall and Day, 1987

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Farrowing Distribution by PGF2-alpha dose

01020304050607080

<23h 23-33h >33h

02.551020

Perc

enta

ge fa

rrow

ing

Time interval after injection Gall and Day, 1987

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Response to topical vaginal mucosal Lutalyse application once or twice daily on d113 (and control)….. Topical application once was similar to controls while two applications increased synchrony of farrowing. Straw et al., 2005

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Response to vulvar mucosal injections of Lutalyse once or twice daily on d113 (and control). No treatment effect on litter parameters, number stillborn, survival, d12 weights. One or two injections equally effective. Straw et al., 2005

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Reasons  to  Induce  

•  Reduced  hours  of  group  farrowing  (24  hours)  – >20%  s3llborn  and  neonatal  mortality  – aUend  farrowing  

•  remove  placental  membranes  •  proper  environment  •  colostrum  •  avoid  crushing  

– schedule  labor  – obstetrical  assistance  

NPB 13

US 2008- Annual summary Total farms used for summary =343

Care3000 variables DOS variables used Mean SD

Upper 10 percentile

Lower 10 percentile

Total born per litter Average total pigs per litter 12.7 0.815 13.8 11.67

Liveborn per litter Average pigs born alive/litter 11.35 0.611 12.14 10.57

Stillborn per litter Average stillborn pigs 0.95 0.315 1 0.8

Mummified per litter

Average mummies per litter 0.25 0.207 0.5 0.04

Piglets weaned per litter

Pigs weaned per litter weaned 10.02 0.571 10.72 9.31

% Total losses of liveborn

Pre-weaning mortality 12.19 3.267 15.94 8.53

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USDA NAHMS 2007 15

USDA NAHMS 2007

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Value of Lost Pigs

•  piglet born value $13.50 (NSIF)

•  weaned pig value $33.00 (Dhuyvetter)

•  11,462,000 litters born (USDA)

•  0.87 liveborn piglets not weaned

•  11,462,000 x 0.87 x $13.50 = $134,621,190 •  11,462,000 x 0.87 x $33.00 = $329,074,020

Lay et al., 2002 17

Predisposing Conditions –  small birthweight –  prolonged delivery*

•  hypoxia

–  cool environment* –  scours (dehydration)*

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Supervision  Allows…..  

•  removal  of  placental  membranes  •  assurance  that  piglets  get  warm  and  dry  •  assurance  that  piglets  get  colostrum  •  fostering  •  reduc3on  of  crushing  •  preven3on  of  savaging  •  obstetrical  assistance  

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Thermal Environment

•  uterine to extra-uterine = 5-45 °F drop •  high and narrow TNZ

– LCT = 94°F at birth –  = 86°F 48h after birth –  = 77°F by one week of age

•  lightweight = high surface area:volume

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Disease

•  immunologically immature •  colostral IgG

–  most efficient 12 hours postnatal –  by 48 hours gut closure complete –  50% decline in colostrum within 6h of first nursing

•  IgG have 14d half-life •  IgA protects gastrointestinal tract •  sick pigs seek heat and move slowly

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Response to PGF2-alpha + oxytocin

0

20

40

60

80

100 controlPGF2-alphaPGF2-alpha + oxyt 24hPGF2-alpha + oxyt 20h

Inte

rval

to fa

rrow

ing

Holtz et al., 1983

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Cassar et al., 2005 similar results: Lutalyse 1x Lut1x+oxytocin Lut 2x Lut 2x+oxytocin

interval to farrow 25.8±2.3 hrs 24.8±0.4 26.3±3.1 24.8±0.6

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Holyoake, 1995

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Less than 4% stillborn Less than 4% prewean mortality Supervision of farrowing…….

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When Induction Gets a Bad Rap

•  reported to increase morbidity – ~8% vs ~16% (d114 induction) (Gunvaldsen et al., 2007)

•  reported to decrease growth (Gunvaldsen et al., 2007)

•  reports of increased splaylegs (Sellier et al., 1999) – 0.7% vs 0.3% (d112 induction) (Bolcskei et al., 1996)

•  if induced too early, pigs not viable •  non-induced gestation length must be

known! 29

•  472 sows induced d113, 114 or 116 •  Mostd116 sows farrowed spontaneously •  No effect on # born alive, stillborn, morbidity,

growth, splay leg or WEI •  Increase in pre-wean death in d113

a

b

Prewean death by treatment

a

Percentage spontaneous farrowing

Smith et al., 2008 (abstract)

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Swedish genetics Program (Rhydmer et al., 2007)

no routine induction 31

Swedish genetics Program (Rhydmer et al., 2007)

no routine induction

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Conclusions  •  Know  non-­‐induced  gesta3on  length  

–  induce  not  more  than  two  days  early  

•  Choose  appropriate  induc3on  protocol  –  reduce  number  of  days  or  3ming  within  day  

•  Be  aware  of  ac3on  of  prostaglandins  on  non-­‐target  species  (implica3ons  for  humans  -­‐  reproduc3ve  and  respiratory)