Research

Plasma concentrations of cortisol and PGF_2α metabolite in Danish sows during mating, and intrauterine and conventional insemination

Mattias Norrby¹ , Mads T Madsen² , Charlotte Borg Alexandersen³ , Hans Kindahl⁴ and Andrzej Madej¹

¹Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7011, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden

²Danish Pig Production, Axeltorv 3, DK-1609 Copenhagen, Denmark

³65 Rigtrupvej, 8370 Hadsten, Denmark

⁴Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Reproduction, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7054, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden

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Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 2007, 49:36doi:10.1186/1751-0147-49-36

Published:	5 December 2007

Abstract

Background

The aims of the present work was to study whether there are any relationships between cortisol and PG-metabolite in mated sows or inseminated with the intrauterine technique and compare these to changes occurring in conventionally inseminated sow.

Methods

Thirty three crossbred sows (Danish Landrace × Danish Large White) were fitted with jugular vein catheters through vena auricularis from one of the ears. The sows were randomly divided into three groups (Boar-, IUI- and AI-group) and blood samples were collected before, during and after service. In a final evaluation only 25 sows that became pregnant and farrowed piglets at full term were used.

Results

Cortisol concentrations increased in all groups but Boar-group (n = 8) had a significantly higher cortisol during 10 to 20 min after service than sows in AI-group (n = 8). In mated sows cortisol concentrations peaked at 15 minutes after service. The Boar-group (n = 8) showed no ascending PG-metabolite levels during the whole experiment, while both IUI- and AI-groups (n = 9 and n = 8, respectively) had a 2.5-fold increase in PG-metabolite 15 minutes after service.

Conclusion

In conclusion, mating of sows by a boar results in a greater increase of cortisol than AI and without an elevation of PG-metabolite levels, which was seen in both the inseminated groups. It was also demonstrated that IUI-group had an earlier significant increase of PG-metabolite levels than sows inseminated conventionally. Further investigation using different semen extenders or even different type of insemination catheters might be helpful in understanding the reason for an immediate increase of PG-metabolite after insemination but not after mating.