Definition of the summer infertility problem in the pig

European Commission Directorate-General For Agriculture And Rural Development Directorate-General For The Information Society And Media

Description

Agricultural and fisheries research
Veterinary sector and animal health

Sujets

• Animal breeding
• Domestic pig

Informations

• Publié par: EUROPEAN-COMMISSION-DIRECTORATE-GENERAL-FOR-AGRICULTURE-AND-RURAL-DEVELOPMENT-DI
• Nombre de lectures: 54
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

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Commission of the European Communities
AGRICULTURE
Definition of the summer infertility
problem in the pig
Report
EUR 10653 EN Commission of the European Communities
AGRICULTURE
Definition of the summer infertility
problem in the pig
A seminar in the Community programme for the
coordination of agricultural research, held at the Istituto
di Fisiologia Veterinaria, Bologna, 19 and 20 June 1986
Edited by
E. Seren, M. Mattioli
Istituto di Fisiologia Veterinaria, Bologna, Italy
Sponsored by the
Commission of the European Communities
Directorate-General for Agriculture
200 Rue de la Loi, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium
PARI P'-r?. ^lioth.
N.C.yL
V
1987 CL EUR 10653 EN Published by the
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Directorate-General
Telecommunications, Information Industries and Innovation
Bâtiment Jean Monnet
LUXEMBOURG
LEGAL NOTICE
Neither the Commission of the European Communities nor any person acting on
behalf of then is responsible for the use which might be made of the
following information
Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication
Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 1987
ISBN 92-825-7222-6
Catalogue number: CD-NA-10653-EN-C
© ECSC-EEC-EAEC, Brussels • Luxembourg, 1987
Printed in Luxembourg PREFACE
Although the domestic pig is generally considered to be
an annual breeder, an increasing number of publications report
the evidence of a narked reduction, in the reproductive effi­
ciency of this species during the sunnier, with obvious con­
sequent economic losses. Unfortunately the research so far
carried out is not able to identify the specific causes res­
ponsable for this sunnier infertility.
The EEC Seminar was organized to pool existing knowledge
about this problem and in particular to fulfill the following
aims:
a) Evaluation of the incidence of sunnier infertility in
Europe
b) Possible identification of the causes and mechanisms
at the root of this problem
c) Proposal of remedies to prevent, counteract or, at
least, limit the adverse effects of the sunroer season
The meeting brought together European experts to debate and
discuss their experiences and to design research projects in
an attempt to solve the problem of swine sunmer infertility. CONTENTS
PREFACE Page
FIRST SESSION - Chairman; M. MATTIOLI
The Problem of Swine Stumer Infertility in Greece 1
J. MENEGATOS.
Seasonal Patterns of Sow Fertility in Ireland 7
P.B. LYNCH, P.A. KEARNEY.
Evolution of the Fertility Numbers with the Seasons in Belgian 15
Pigs
J.M. ROBIJNS.
Seasonal Infertility in Portuguese Intensive Pig Herds 19
H.P. VIEIRA, R.P. VIEIRA.
Summer Infertility of Swine Stock in Spain 25
P. PEREZ Y PEREZ, J.F. PEREZ GUTIERREZ.
Infertility Problem during Summer Months in Large Swine Units 29
in Yugoslavia
F. CERNE'.
Investigations on Swine Summer Infertility in Italy 33
M. MATTIOLI, A. PRANDI, A. CAMPORESI, A. SIMONI, E. SEREN.
SECOND SESSION - Chairman; Dr. A.E. WRATHALL
Investigations into the Autumn Abortion Syndrome in British Pig 45
Herds
A.E. WRATHALL.
Seasonal Variations of Pig Litter Size 63
F. MARTINAT BOTTE, W.W. THATCHER, M. TERQUI.
Influence of Season on Boar Reproductive Functions 71
M. PAQUIGNON.
Effect of Season on the Fertility of Sows and on Applications 8
of A.I.
J.H.Z. te BRAKE, J.G. AALBERS.
Influence of Season on Semen Parameters and Male Fertility in 91
the Pig
H.C.B. REED. THIRD SESSION - Chairman: F. ELLENDORFF
Reproductive Biology of the European Wild Boar 107
R. MAUSET.
Quantitative Investigations on Seasonal Infertility with 121
Special Reference to Light Conditions in Mating Centres
H. PLONAIT, K.H. LAHRMANN.
Seasonal Variations of Fertility in the Pig and its Explanation 127
through Hormonal Profiles
R. CLAUS, U. WEILER.
Endocrine pathophysiology of Seasonal Anestrus in Swine 141
G.D. DIAL, 6.W. ALMOND.
Endocrine and Neuroendocrine Aspects of Seasonal Changes in Pig 15
Fertility
F. ELLENDORFF, S.J. Mc CONNELL.
CONCLUDING REMARKS 157
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS 161 THE PROBLEM OF SWINE SUMMER INFERTILITY IN GREECE
J. Menegatos
Agricultural College of Athens
Department of Anatomy and Rhysiology
of Domestic Animals,
lera Odos 75. Votanikos. Athens 118 55
Greece.
ABSTRACT
The warmest region of Greece is the Central Greece (Thess-
aly and Sterea Hellas). The 50% of the raised sows are in this
district. Collection of answers from 42 pig farmers, who raise
15500 sows (about 10% of the total sows) showed that the inter­
val from weaning to oestrus is increased 1-3 days during summer,
also an increase in proportion of returns to oestrus after service
about 10-20% occurs in summer except in the northwest Greece.
From the data of two 500 sows pig herds, one from the north and
the other from south Central Greece we conclude that, the inter­
val from weaning to oestrus is increased by 0.85 of the day during
the summer and the litter size of autumn is decreased by 0.5 pig­
let per litter.
INTRODUCTION
A dramatic increase in the proportion of the sows which fail­
ed to return to oestrus after weaning is observed during the
summer in many swine herds throughout the world (Aumaitre, et al.
1976' Paterson, et al. 1978" Hurtgen, et al. 1980). Also a marked
increase in the incidence of return to oestrus after service occurs
during the summer months (Corteel, et al. 1964' Jaussiaux, 1964'
Lowe, 1978' Paterson, et al. 1978). The problem of swine summer
infertility is believed to be more evident in warm countries like
Greece.
THE PROBLEM IN GREECE
Nowadays about 180.000 sows are raised in Greece. Their dis­
tribution is shown in Fig. 1 together with the isotherms of August.
The warmest month is July. The isotherms of months June and August
are 2°C lower than those of July. As is shown in Fig. 1 the warm­
est district is the Central Greece (Thessaly and Sterea Hellas).
This region includes 50% of all the pig population of Greece.
- 1 -In order to estimate the situation of the swine summer inter-
til ity problem in Greece, a questionaire was sent to 42 pig farmers
in different parts of the country that represent 15 500 sows (10%
of the total sow population). Most of them answered that the inter­
val from weaning to oestrus is increased by 1-3 days during the
summer. A number of them (70%) answered that there is an increased
frequency of return to oestrus after service in summer.
Fig. 1- The isotherm chart of August and
the pig population of Greece. Each point
represents 2500 sows.
Pig farmers from northwest Greece answered that they have an in­
creased return to oestrus after service in the winter.
- 2 -