Fixed time insemination (FTI) in sows: a controlled field study

An effective insemination management is the basis for a successful piglet production. Hormonal stimulation and synchronization is common practice in farms, mostly using equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG). A FTI protocol is now available using Buserelin (Porceptal®, MSD Animal Health), a synthetic GnRH-analog compound. The main feature of this protocol is the requirement for only one insemination per sow. This study was conducted to compare the FTI with a toleration oriented approach using eCG for stimulation.

The farm houses 600 sows (DanAVI) in Northwestern Germany. It operates in a 4 weeks cycle with a suckling period of 21 days. The herd had no signs of any reproductive disorder in the last years. Sows are weaned and moved to the service center on Wednesdays. Starting from Sunday the sows have boar contact twice a day. One group of sows was divided into two groups: Porceptal 1 (P1, 52 animals) and Control 1 (C1, 62 animals). The same applied to another group six weeks later (P2, 46 sows and C2, 71 sows). The inclusion was not randomized, as groups P1 and P2 consisted of sows with 3 or more farrowings (mean 4.21 and 4.89), whereas groups C1 and C2 included all gilts and younger sows (mean farrowings 1.97 and 2.62). Groups P were injected with 2.5 ml Buserelin (Porceptal®, MSD Animal Health) 85h after weaning; groups C were injected with 800 IU eCG (Pregmagon®, IDT-Biologika, Germany) 24h after weaning. Sows treated with Buserelin were inseminated once 33h after the injection. Control animals were inseminated 2-3 times 16-18 h apart, depending on their toleration.

The reproductive performance showed no significant difference. Regarding the farrowing quota P1 and P2 had 90% and 83.93%; C1 and C2 had 89.2% and 94.37%, respectively. Mean piglets born alive in the P groups combined were 13.4, in the C groups 13.5. For weaned piglets, the groups P showed a mean of 12.4, the control a mean of 12.5. Other traits, like piglet losses, mummies and the variation of farrowing dates did also not differ significantly between groups.

A FTI protocol using Buserelin resulted in an equivalent reproductive performance, compared to standard protocols using eCG. However, the trial was conducted on a well-managed farm with no history of reproductive failure and on this farm focused on the experienced sows. Here the FTI yielded equivalent results in all important reproductive traits. This management tool can improve the performance in respect for costs and workload of healthy and well managed herds. Further investigations should be conducted regarding the use in younger sows and on farms with reproductive problems.

Disclosure of Interest: None Declared.