Conception rate and litter size in multiparous sows after intrauterine insemination using frozen-thawed boar semen in a commercial swine herd in Thailand

J Vet Med Sci. 2014 Oct;76(10):1347-51. doi: 10.1292/jvms.14-0069. Epub 2014 Jun 20.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine the conception rate and litter size in sows after fixed time intra-uterine insemination using frozen-thawed boar semen in a commercial swine herd in Thailand. Sixty-nine Landrace multiparous sows were randomly allocated into two groups, including control (n=36) and treatment (n=33). The control sows were inseminated with extended fresh semen (3 × 10(9) motile sperm/dose, 100 ml) at 24, 36 and 48 hr after the onset of estrus. The treatment sows were inseminated with frozen-thawed semen (2 × 10(9) motile sperm/dose, 20 ml) at 24 and 36 hr after induction of ovulation by human chorionic gonadotropin. All inseminations were carried out by using an intra-uterine insemination technique. The time of ovulation was determined by using transrectal real-time B-mode ultrasonography. The conception rate, farrowing rate, total number of piglets born/litter (TB) and number of piglets born alive/litter (BA) were evaluated. The sows inseminated with extended fresh semen yield a higher TB (10.8 versus 9.0 piglets/l, P=0.015) and tended to have a higher conception rate (88.9% versus 75.8%, P=0.150) than sows inseminated with frozen-thawed semen. In conclusion, insemination using frozen-thawed boar semen can be practiced with convinced fertility under field conditions by fixed-time intrauterine insemination with 2 × 10(9) sperm/ dose of 20 ml at 24 and 36 hr after the onset of estrus.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chorionic Gonadotropin / pharmacology
  • Female
  • Insemination, Artificial / methods
  • Insemination, Artificial / veterinary*
  • Litter Size / physiology*
  • Male
  • Ovulation Induction / veterinary
  • Parity
  • Pregnancy
  • Semen Preservation / veterinary*
  • Swine / physiology*

Substances

  • Chorionic Gonadotropin