Abstract

ROMO-VALDEZ, J. et al. Effect of the supplementation of oxytocin to the semen on the seasonal infertility of the sows. Abanico vet [online]. 2017, vol.7, n.2, pp.22-33. ISSN 2448-6132.  https://doi.org/10.21929/abavet2017.72.2.

To determine the effect of oxytocin addition to semen on the performance of sows served, during summer-autumn, 223 multi parturient hybrid sows were utilized, assigned to one of two treatments in a completely randomized design. Treatments were: 1) Control (n = 111), sows inseminated with a reduced semen dosage (1.5 x 109 viable sperms cells in 40 mL of diluent), and 2) Test group (n = 112) Control plus the addition of 4 IU oxytocin to semen before service. Sows were inseminated from June to October 2012, using the technique of post cervical artificial insemination. The total number born piglet (TBP) and total number alive born (TAB) were registered at calving, those who were compared by ANOVA (P < 0.05). The farrowing rate was compared by X2 analyses, using 2 x 2 contingency tables. The addition of oxytocin to semen doses did not change (P > 0.05) litter size (11.03 vs. 10.78 TBP; 9.83 vs. 9.62 TAB). The 4 UI oxytocin addition to semen before service improved (P = 0.03) by 9.07 % the farrowing rate (84.68 vs. 93.75%). It is concluded that the addition of 4 IU of oxytocin to the reduced seminal doses, improves farrowing rate in sows inseminated during the warm season.

Keywords : Farrowing rate; litter size; oxytocin; sow.