Follicle size and reproductive hormone profiles during a post-weaning altrenogest treatment in primiparous sows
J. J. J. van Leeuwen A B , M. R. T. M. Martens C , J. Jourquin D , M. A. Driancourt E , A. Wagner F , B. Kemp A and N. M. Soede A G
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, PO Box 338, 6700AH,Wageningen, The Netherlands.
B IMV Technologies, ZI no 1 Est, 61300 l’Aigle, France.
C MSD Animal Health, PO Box 50, 5830 AB, Boxmeer, The Netherlands.
D Elanco Animal Health, Turnhoutseweg 30, B-2340 Beerse, Belgium.
E MSD Animal Health, R&D Pharmaceuticals, BP 67131, 49071 Beaucouze, France.
F University Hohenheim, Institut für Tierhaltung und Tierzüchtung, Fachgebiet Tierhaltung und Leistungsphysiologie, (470A), Garbenstr. 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
G Corresponding author. Email: nicoline.soede@wur.nl
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 27(2) 304-312 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD13149
Submitted: 13 May 2013 Accepted: 12 October 2013 Published: 6 November 2013
Abstract
This study investigated the endocrine background of follicle size changes during post-weaning altrenogest treatment. altrenogest-treated sows received a 20-mg dosage daily at 8.00 a.m. from Day –1 to Day 14 after weaning. On Day –1, only 3/13 altrenogest-treated sows showed LH pulses compared with 8/8 control sows (P = 0.001). On Day 0, control sows showed a typical high frequency–low amplitude LH pattern, indicative for recruitment of oestrogenic follicles. In altrenogest-treated animals on Day 0, half of the sows showed high frequency–high amplitude pulses from 4–5 h after weaning. In altrenogest-treated sows, average follicle size increased from 3.1 ± 0.5 mm on Day 0 to 4.4 ± 0.6 mm on Day 5, then decreased to 3.7 ± 0.5 mm on Day 7 and stabilised thereafter. FSH and oestradiol (E2) concentrations showed a distinct diurnal pattern; high at 7.00 a.m. and low at 3.00 p.m. E2 concentrations (7.00 a.m.) showed a 2.5-fold increase from Day –1 to Day 2, and subsequently a 2-fold decline to reach a plateau at Day 8. FSH concentrations reached maximum levels by Day 5 and slowly declined afterwards. In conclusion, once-daily administration of altrenogest starting one day before weaning delays the weaning-induced increase in LH pulses. Although FSH and follicle size increase until Day 5 after weaning, follicle E2 production already decreased from Day 2 after weaning. Post-weaning altrenogest treatment thus results in a follicular wave of follicles that lose oestrogenic competence at Day 2 after weaning, presumably related to the changed LH dynamics during altrenogest treatment.
Additional keywords: FSH, LH, oestradiol.
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