Effects of post-ovulatory food deprivation on oviductal sperm concentration, embryo development and hormonal profiles in the pig.
Nutrition is one of the multiple factors that modulate reproduction in animals. The effect of 48 h food deprivation on reproductive and metabolic hormonal changes in relation to cleavage rates was studied. Insemination of 15 sows was performed 20-10 h prior to expected ovulation and ova were recovered at slaughter 65-91 h post ovulation. Blood samples were collected every second hour, beginning from the time of insemination until slaughter, for measurements of progesterone, cortisol, the prostaglandin F2alpha metabolite (15-keto-13,14-dihydro-PGF2alpha) and insulin levels. The embryos from the food-deprived sows (D-group) had fewer accessory spermatozoa in their zona pellucida (ZP) compared with the control sows (C-group). A lower cleavage rate of the embryos in the D-group compared with the C-group was detected. Plasma progesterone, cortisol and prostaglandin F2alpha metabolite levels were significantly higher in the D-group compared with the C-group. Food deprivation is associated with changes in reproductive and metabolic hormones that might lead to changes in the oviductal environment, culminating in a lower cleavage rate of the embryos and presence of fewer viable spermatozoa in the reservoir.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Centre for Reproductive Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala.
J N
JN
Mburu
S
S
Einarsson
H
H
Kindahl
A
A
Madej
H
H
Rodriguez-Martinez
D000818:Animals; D002970:Cleavage Stage, Ovum; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D005508:Food Deprivation; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000662:veterinary; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D013076:Sperm Count; D013552:Swine / Q000502:physiology*; D015044:Zona Pellucida
D006728:Hormones; D007328:Insulin; C008228:15-keto-13,14-dihydroprostaglandin F2alpha; D011374:Progesterone; D015237:Dinoprost; D006854:Hydrocortisone