title: Impact of boar exposure on puberty attainment and breeding outcomes in gilts.
abstract: We examined the most effective method of boar exposure for the attainment of puberty in 89 gilts. At 160 days of age, we allocated gilts to daily direct contact with a vasectomized boar after movement of pen groups of gilts to a detection-mating area (DGB: n = 30); daily direct contact with boars in the gilt home pens (DBG: n = 31); or daily fenceline contact between boars and gilts housed in individual gilt stalls (FBG: n = 28). DGB gilts were younger (P < or = 0.05) than FBG gilts at puberty. Direct boar contact reduced the interval from initial boar contact to puberty in DGB and DBG gilts, compared to fenceline contact in FBG gilts (P < 0.05). There was no difference (P > or = 0.05) between treatment for pubertal weight, backfat, lifetime growth rate, or duration of first pubertal estrus. Backfat depth and leptin concentration at 160 days of age were positively correlated (P < or = 0.05). We detected no relationships between leptin or IGF-1 concentration at 160 days of age and the interval from initial exposure to a vasectomized boar to puberty (P > 0.05). Based on objective criteria, fenceline contact with a boar (BC) during artificial insemination improved the quality of artificial insemination compared to no boar contact (NC) (P < 0.05).
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Willis
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Kirkwood
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Foxcroft
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D020738:Leptin; D008297:Male; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D013552:Swine / Q000502:physiology*; D014659:Vasectomy
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin