New Techniques in Reproductive Management

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New Techniques in Reproductive Management

• Donald G. Levis, Ph.D.
• Ohio Pork Industry Center
• The Ohio State University
• 122C Animal Science Building
• 2029 Fyffe Road
• Columbus, OH 43210-1095
• Telephone [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• Cell 614 404 7248
• OPIC 800 398 7675

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New Techniques in Reproductive Management

• Applied management techniques
• Supportive biotechnology techniques

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Applied Management Techniques

• Stimulation/priming of uterus
• Intra-uterine insemination
• Hands-free artificial insemination
• Boar stink stick
• Number and timing of inseminations
• Pregnancy diagnosis
• Embryo transfer

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Stimulating/Priming Uterus

• Adding oxytocin to each dose of semen
• Adding prostaglandin to each dose of semen
• Inserting MR-A Predil prior to insemination
• Mating gilts with sterile boar
• Inseminating gilts with dead semen

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Farrowing rate and number of piglets born alive
per litter when oxytocin was injected prior to
inseminating with old sperm cells.
(BTS semen extender)
ab (P W. L. Flowers, NSCU
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Farrowing rate was enhanced when inexperienced
or experienced workers injected oxytocin just
prior to time of insemination
a Oxytocin (5 IU) was injected intramuscular at
time of insemination
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Number piglets born alive was enhanced when
inexperienced or experienced workers injected
oxytocin just prior to time of insemination
a Oxytocin (5 IU) was injected intramuscular at
time of insemination
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Farrowing rate was enhanced by adding oxytocin to
semen or injecting oxytocin in vulva just prior
to insemination
a 4 IU oxytocin added to dose of semen just
before insemination b 4IU oxytocin injected in
vulvar lips at time of insemination c Study was
conducted in Spain
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Litter size was enhanced by adding oxytocin to
semen or injecting oxytocin in vulva just prior
to insemination
a 4 IU oxytocin added to dose of semen just
before insemination b 4IU oxytocin injected in
vulvar lips at time of insemination c Study was
conducted in Spain
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Adding Lutalyse to a dose of semen increased
farrowing rate and litter sizeSummary of three
studies
.5 to 1.0 mL Lutalyse (PGF2?) per dose of semen
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Effect of adding Lutalyse to a dose of semen on
conception rate of repeat breeders
1.0 mL (9 mg PGF) Lutalyse per dose of semen
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MR-A Predil increased farrowing rate and litter
size of giltsSummary of three studies
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MR-A Predil increased farrowing rate and litter
size of multiparous sowsSummary of two studies
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Mating gilts at puberty with a vasectomized boar
increased farrowing rate
Note Gilts were mated to fertile boar at second
estrus.
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Mating gilts at puberty with a vasectomized boar
increased litter size
Note Gilts were mated to fertile boar at second
estrus.
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Effect of inseminating gilts with killed semen
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Intra-uterine Insemination
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Uterine body
Placement of DeepGoldenPig catheter in
female reproductive tract
DeepGoldenpig
8 inches
Goldenpig
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Influence of DeepGoldenPig and sperm cells per 80
mL dose on reproductive performance

• Notes
• Two inseminations at 24-hr interval
• Weaning-to-estrus interval was
• Parity was 2 to 7

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Influence of sperm per dose when using
DeepGoldenPig AI catheter
(All sows cycled by 7 days after weaning)
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Influence of sperm per dose when using
DeepGoldenPig AI catheter
(Problem sows)
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Hands-free insemination devices

• AI Buddy
• Weighted Breed-n Buddy
• Weighted breeding saddle (KUBUS)
• Weighed breeding saddle (Minitube)
• EZ Mate A.I. Belt
• Duct tape method

Weight Gilts 13 to 18 lbs Sows 31 lbs
These devices should only be used when carefully
supervised!!
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Effect of weighted saddle on percentage pregnant
at Day 23
Boar in front alley Suidor applied when placing
saddle on sows
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Use of EZ-Mate Belt Weight during artificial
insemination
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Stimulating standing response in estrous sows
without the presence of a mature boar!
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Boar Stink Stick
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Number and Timing of Inseminations

• Number of inseminations
• One, two, three, four
• Time of inseminations
• Once per day
• Ante meridian (AM)
• Post meridian (PM)
• Twice per day
• Both AM and PM
• Interval between inseminations
• Based on weaning-to-estrus interval

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Economics of inseminating once or twice per day
until sows are anestrus
Semen cost 7.50/dose Labor 10.00/hr Profit
15.00/pig
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Pregnancy Diagnosis

• Blood tests (23 to 30 days)
• Progesterone (RIA procedure)
• Estrone sulphate
• Estrone glucuronide
• Estradiol glucuronide
• Fecal tests (20 to 21 days)
• Progesterone (RIA procedure)
• Estrone (ELISA procedure)
• Urine tests (23 to 30 days)
• Conjugated estrone (RIA)
• Estrone sulphate (immunoenzymatic)
• Ultra-sound techniques

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Embryo Transfer (ET)
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Problems with adoption of ET

• High variability in synchronization of donor
  females
• High variability in super-ovulation of donor
  females
• Surgical collection of embryos
• Difficulty of cryopreservation of embryos
• Need for on-farm surgical transfer to the
  recipients
• Uterine environment of recipient has to be
  synchronized with stage of development of embryo

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Sources of embryos

• Live donor sows
• Surgery
• Non-surgery (endoscopic)
• Slaughter
• In-vitro
• In-vitro maturation (IVM)
• In-vitro fertilization (IVF)
• Major problem is polyspermic
• Cloning
• Nuclear transfer is undeveloped now

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Uterine body
Cervix
Uterine horn
The soft plastic tubing forms a loop in the
uterine horn embryos are released into the lumen
of the uterus.
Embryos deposited
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Results of embryo transfer
J. Anim. Sci. 772327-2329, 1999.
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Supportive Biotechnology Techniques

• Sexing semen
• Flow cytometric sorter
• Sperm surface proteins
• Computerized semen analysis

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Sexing of sperm cells(Beltsville Method)

• Sperm are separated on the basis of DNA using
  flow-cytometric sperm sorting.
• 3.6 difference in DNA between X Y
• X chromosome is female
• Y chromosome is male
• Sperm cells are stained
• Sperm cells are sorted at a rate of 11 million
  per hour in each direction (X or Y)

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Sexing Stained Sperm Cells
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Results of sexing boar semen
J. Anim. Sci. 77, Suppl. 2213-220, 1999.
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Computer Assisted Semen Evaluation
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Currently, CASA systems can not predicted the
fertilizing ability of individual ejaculates of
boars!

• Important traits
• Motility
• Morphology
• Seminal plasma?