Swine Flashcards
what is a gilt?
female pig that hasn’t had first litter
what is a barrow?
castrated male pig
what is a sow?
female pig that has had at least 1 litter
what is a boar?
intact male pig
what is a teaser boar?
boar used for detecting heat, usually had vasectomy/epididymectomy
what is parity?
number of litters
what is non-productive days (NPD)?
time when sow is not pregnant or lactating
what are the 2 types of AI?
cervical, post cervical (PCAI)
what is abortion?
expulsion of fetus after 35 d but before 109day of gestation
what is a still born?
fully matured fetus but born dead, lungs don’t float in water/formalin
what is the cycle of pig repro as it pertains to mgmt? like how many days at weaning, then nursery, etc
weaning: 21-28d –> nursery (until 77d) –> gilt developer (140d) –> quarantine (180d) –> sow barn
when is puberty in pigs? what is the trend with this number?
190-210d
this number is trending lower
what is important to know about the epididymus of the boar?
tail is at the top (sedate, pain control, castrate at head of scrotum)
how long is the pig estrous cycle?
21 days
can you short cycle pigs?
nope
when can you induce estrus in pigs?
only 12d post ovulation (sensitive to prostaglandin after day 12)
how long is the follicular phase? what hormones are present
5-6 days
FSH + LH
how long is the luteal phase? what hormones are present?
15 days
E2, P4
when does E2 peak?
estrus
when does P4 peak?
luteal phase
should you breed on the first estrus?
no… called heat no service
fewer piglets for whole live, repro poor
what are the steps resulting in ovulation?
LH surge –> follicle produces P4 –> follicle wall weakens -> egg and astral fluid expelled into oviduct
when should you start boar exposure? why?
21-24 weeks old
critical in determining how productive she is in life
when should you start mating or collecting semen in boars at least 1x week?
older than 12 mo
what are the pros and cons to heat no serve?
pros: increased litter size, more follicles = more eggs
cons: older gilt at first breeding, higher cost of production, older = more cost and sooner culling
how long is estrus?
36-96h
what are the 3 phases of estrus?
- indicators of estrus begins (red + swelling of vulva, restlessness, voiding small bits of urine, smelling for boar)
- standing to boar = in heat = 48 hr (reddened vulva w/ watery mucous, doesn’t stand to handler)
- standing to back pressure test = 36hr (stands to both boar and handler, vulva less reddened mucus thicker and more lubricating)
what is the goal for cervical AI?
breed within 15 mins of standing heat
if not: wait 2 hours at least (refractory period)
egg survival?
sperm survival?
egg: 8h
sperm: 24h
describe sperm transport in the female.
uterine muscle contractions (oxytocin bc boars are there)
up to 50% lost w back flow over 2 hr
uterine immune response removes remainder of sperm
how long is gestation?
114-117d
it is important to restrict movement until after _____ post-breeding.
21-35 d
pregnancy must have ____ embryos to occur
4, at least
for pregnancy to occur, there must be an E2 signal produced by day ____.
12
what are regular and irregular returns?
how to tell that our breeding practices aren’t working
what is the difference in days for regular and irregular returns?
regular: 17-24d
irregular: >24d
what are some reasons for regular returns?
- fertilization failure
- embryo loss/degeneration (before day 10)
- estrogenic mycotoxins
- poor timing of insemination
- ovarian/uterine dysfunction
what does early regular return mean? what days does this occur?
complete failure of fertilization
18-21d
what does late regular return mean? what days does this occur?
successful fertilization, unsuccessful implantation
21-24d
what are some reasons for irregular returns?
- death of embryos/failure of implantation
- disease (PRRS, endometritis)
- abortions
- poor nutrition
what is the goal in terms of returns?
> 60% returns to estrus between days 18-24
what are 3 reasons for maternal abortion?
- no infection (fall abortion syndrome)
- local disease
- systemic/organ disease
what are 3 reasons for infectious abortions?
- prostaglandin release –> luteolysis –> abortion (PRRS, SIV, CSF, Erysipelas)
- maternal infection and crossing of placental barrier (PRRS, Aujeszky’s disease)
- combo of the above (infected sow not affecting the piglets or pregnancy, but causes abortion)
what are 2 reasons for fetal death (no abortion)?
- parvovirus
- crowding in uterus
anything that causes prostaglandin release and crosses placental barrier causes ____.
abortion
what is fall abortion syndrome?
more abortions during fall. no one knows why. pigs aren’t supposed to farrow in the fall
how do you know when farrowing has started?
swollen vulva, swollen udder, restless, nesting behaviour
piglets should come out every ____ normally
15-20 min
when should you use oxytocin to induce contractions?
after no piglet for 40 mins
what is important to know about oxytocin?
use sparingly!!! can cause trouble because it causes painful contractions
can prevent milk letdown because of pain
wait until half litter has been more, max 2-3 doses per farrowing
list the types of insemination from most sperm cells to least sperm cells:
CAI, PCAI, natural
natural, CAI, PCAI
also from longest to shortest time for procedure to occur
what does PG600 (gonadotropin) do
stimulates estrus
estrus 4-6 days after admin
how can you induce estrus in pigs?
PG600 (gonadotropin)
what does altrenogest do? (Regumate, altresyn, altermate)
synchronization: suppression of estrus
batch farrowing
removal of altrenogest= return to estrus in 5-7 days
how can you suppress estrus in pigs?
altrenogest (Regumate, Altermate, Altresyn)
what does Cloprostenol do in pigs? (Planate, estrumate, cloprostenol veyx)
induction of farrowing, response in 24-36h
how can you induce farrowing in pigs?
cloprostenol (Planate, estrumate, cloprostenol veyx)
what does oxytocin (Oxytosure) do?
can induce milk let down and induce contractions if used conservatively
small doses at multi periods (max 2-3 doses)
how can you induce milk let down and contractions in pigs
oxytocin
when can you use U/S to dx pregnancy in pigs?
week 4 + 8
amount of fluid in uterus
fluid shrinks between day 30-40 (lots o false negs)
how can you use hormone concentrations to dx preg in pigs? what hormones?
PGF2alpha: <200pg/ml or undetectable 13-15d after mating
P4: 5ng/ml 17-24d after mating
what are 3 ways to benchmark + performance report?
- weaned piglets sow/year
- regular vs irregular returns
- predicting total born (wean to service interval & lactation length)
how does lactation length correlate with piglet health and follicular development?
longer length = better for piglet, better follicular development
what are the C/S of PCV2 (and PCV3?)
sows: pyrexia, lethargy, anorexia
abortions, stillborns, mummies, weak-born piglets, poor conception/farrowing rate
porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome
what determines the severity of C/S of PCV2?
timing of infection
tell me how timing of infection impacts the C/S of PCV2?
infected semen: successful conception –> mummies w myocardial lesions
early gestation: myocarditis-lie lesions, fetal death due to HF, mummies
late gestation: viremia, stillborn, weak born, live born
is PCV2/PCV3 zoonotic?
nope
how can you dx and prevent PCV2
dx: PCR, IHC
prevent: vaccine! (doesn’t cross protect with PCV3)
what are the C/S of PRRS?
late term abortions, premature farrowing, weak-born piglets, increase pre-weaning mortality rate, resp C/S (pneumonia)
what are the C/S of leptospirosis?
sows: off feed, mild fever, abortion, stillbirths, periods of infertility
young pigs: icterus + hemoglobinuria
what are the C/S of erysipelas?
abortions (any stage), mummies, absorption/delayed returns
depression, high fevers, diamond-shaped skin lesions, lameness, endocarditis
how can you tx erysipelas?
penicillin
