ABSTRACT Artificial insemination success in swine is mainly associated with semen dose quality. Thus, this study compared quality control parameters in 11 Brazilian boar studs after applying audit services for 24 months (1,650 boars). An extensive checklist was applied in each audit, registering ‘compliance’ or ‘noncompliance’ for 75 items. Semen doses produced were analyzed as regards volume and sperm concentration, and microbiological analyses were conducted for semen and water samples collected at distinct production stages. On average, boar studs produced 112.9 semen doses per boar per month, and the odds of raw semen contamination increased when boars were inadequately housed and doses were collected under increased temperatures, with no anti-slip rubber mat or after a poor prepuce cleaning (p < 0.05). Collection from boars with locomotor problems and no regular change of reverse osmosis filters increased the contamination odds in semen doses produced and stored at the stud (p < 0.05). As regards the water submitted to the osmosis reverse process, contamination odds increased as a result of deficient cleaning and disinfection of the purification equipment (p < 0.05). Risk factors for reduced sperm motility (< 70 %) were: no anti-slip rubber mat for semen collection, no cleaning program for automatic feeding system (drops) and bins, and inadequate intervals between semen collections (≤ 2 days or > 7 days; p < 0.05). Two boar studs had the best results for compliance with the checklist items. Constant monitoring, appropriate hygiene of facilities and equipment, and periodical staff training are highlighted as non-negotiable points for boar semen dose quality. Thus 1 1,650 1650 650 (1,65 boars. . boars) ‘compliance ‘noncompliance noncompliance items concentration stages average 1129 112 9 112. month temperatures antislip anti slip 0.05. 005 0.05 0 05 0.05) process ( % collection drops (drops bins ≤ monitoring nonnegotiable non negotiable 1,65 165 65 (1,6 00 0.0 1,6 16 6 (1, 0. 1, (1

Abstract Due to high annual culling rates, pig farms require a constant income of replacement gilts. Gilts typically reach puberty at nearly six months of age. Puberty may be induced through early boar exposure, therapy with steroid hormones and chorionic gonadotropins, and optimized by identifying biological predictors and risk factors. Old age at the time of the first mating is associated with an increased risk of premature culling, often attributed to reproductive failures and locomotor problems. While female prolifacy has increased substantially during the last few decades, selecting for litter size to optimize lifetime productivity would be more efficient after two parities. Additionally, uterine capacity and the number of functional teats should be considered in selecting future dams. For each female, the cost-effective number of parities at removal is determined by the cumulative number of pigs born and weaned during the total herd days. rates gilts exposure gonadotropins factors problems decades Additionally dams costeffective cost effective days

Este estudo testou o efeito de diferentes concentrações de lactato de cálcio e tempos de incubação sobre a capacidade de adesão e a penetração dos espermatozoides suínos nas membranas perivitelinas (MP) de ovos de galinhas, na expectativa de desenvolver um teste para estimar o potencial de fertilidade de machos doadores de sêmen. No primeiro experimento, amostras de sêmen (n=12) foram incubadas em meio TCM com lactato de cálcio a 1,1 e 2,2µg mL-1. Posteriormente, após definida a concentração de 1,1µg mL-1 de lactato de cálcio, um segundo experimento comparou três períodos de incubação a 39°C: 10, 15 e 20min. As respostas testadas foram: a taxa de adesão (TA) e o número de espermatozoides aderidos (NA) na MP externa, e a taxa de penetração (TP) e o número de orifícios (NO) na MP interna. A TA na MP externa foi de 100%, independentemente da concentração e dos períodos testados. Com a concentração de lactato de cálcio de 1,1µg mL-1, o NA na membrana perivitelina externa e TP e NO na membrana perivitelina interna foram superiores (P<0,05) aos com 2,2µg mL-1. O NA foi superior com incubação por 20min, em comparação aos períodos mais curtos (P<0,05). No período de incubação por 10min, não houve penetração na MP interna. Porém, com 20min de incubação, a TP na MP interna e o NO foram superiores aos obtidos com a incubação por 15min (P<0,05). A concentração de 1,1µg mL-1 de lactato de cálcio e o perídodo de incubação por 20min permitem a execução eficiente de testes in vitro usando MP para verificar etapas importantes do processo de fertilização.

This study tested the effect of different calcium lactate concentrations and incubation periods on the binding and penetration capacity of swine sperm to the perivitelline layers (PL) of chicken eggs, with the expectation of developing a test to estimate the potential fertility of boars used as sperm donors. In the first experiment, semen samples (n=12) were incubated with TCM medium ant two calcium lactate levels: 1.1 and 2.2µg mL-1. After the set up of fixed calcium lactate level (1.1µg mL-1), the second experiment compared three incubation periods: 10, 15 and 20min. The observed variables were binding rate (BR) and number of bound sperm (NB) in the outer PL, and penetration rate (PR) and number of holes (NH) in the inner PL. The BR to the outer MP was 100%, regardless of the tested concentrations and incubation periods. The NB to the outer perivitelline layer and the PR and the NH in the inner perivitelline layer were greater with 1.1µg mL-1 calcium lactate than 2.2µg mL-1. The NB in the outer PL was greater with 20min incubation than with shorter period (P<0.05). Using 10min incubation, there was no penetration in the inner PL, but, with incubation for 20min, the PR and the NH in the inner PL were greater than those with incubation for 15 min (P<0.05). Using 1.1µg mL-1 calcium lactate and incubation for 20min, the in vitro test using PL can be efficiently conducted to assess important steps of the fertilization process.

Foi realizado um estudo para identificar parâmetros de desempenho associados a indicadores de eficiência durante o parto de fêmeas suínas. Foram coletados os seguintes dados de 636 partos e 7.100 leitões nascidos: ordem de parto, número de leitões nascidos vivos, natimortos, mumificados, total de nascidos, aplicação de ocitocina, uso de palpação vaginal, momento do nascimento de cada leitão e do início e final do parto. O intervalo médio de nascimento dos leitões foi de 16,7 minutos e a duração média do parto, de 247 minutos. A duração média do parto aumentou conforme o total de leitões nascidos, o uso de ocitocina e a ocorrência de palpação vaginal. O total de nascimentos nos partos longos (> 211 min), de 13,1 leitões, foi maior que nos partos curtos (< 210 min), de 11,7 leitões, portanto, quanto maior o total de nascidos, maior a duração do parto. As leitegadas foram maiores nas fêmeas de segundo parto (12,8) em comparação àquelas de primeiro parto (11,9). A duração do parto é influenciada pelo total de leitões nascidos, que é maior em fêmeas de segundo parto e está associada à maior ocorrência de leitões natimortos e mumificados.

This study aimed to identify some performance parameters associated with the farrowing efficiency in sows. From a total of 636 births and 7,100 piglets born, data was collected for: parity (OP), number of piglets born alive (NV), stillborns (NAT), mummified (MUM), total litter size (TN), use of vaginal palpation and oxytocin injection, time of birth for each piglet, and beginning and end of the parturition. The average interval among piglets birth was 16.7 min and the average duration of parturition was 247 min. The average duration of parturition increased regarded to the number of born piglets, the use of oxytocin and with the ocurence of vaginal palpation. The total number of births in the long parturitions (> 211 min), with 13.1 piglets was higher than in the short parturitions (< 210 min), with 11.7 piglets, therefore, the higher the number of total piglets born, the longer is the duration of parturition. Litter size was higher for sows of the second parity (12.8) than for sows of first parity (11.9). The duration of parturition is affected by the number of piglets born, which is higher in second parity than first parity females and it is associated to the higher occurence of stillbirths and mummified piglets.