Altrenogest Supplementation during Early Pregnancy Improves Reproductive Outcome in Pigs
Bruno Bracco Donatelli Muro,
Ana Clara Rodrigues Oliveira,
Rafaella Fernandes Carnevale,
Diego Feitosa Leal,
Matheus Saliba Monteiro,
André Pegoraro Poor,
Francisco Alves Pereira,
Leury Jesus de Souza,
Juliana Bonin Ferreira,
Glen William Almond,
Cesar Augusto Pospissil Garbossa
Affiliations
Bruno Bracco Donatelli Muro
Department of Nutrition and Animal Production, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), Pirassununga 13635-900, Brazil
Ana Clara Rodrigues Oliveira
Department of Nutrition and Animal Production, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), Pirassununga 13635-900, Brazil
Rafaella Fernandes Carnevale
Department of Nutrition and Animal Production, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), Pirassununga 13635-900, Brazil
Diego Feitosa Leal
Department of Population Health & Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University (NCSU), Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
Matheus Saliba Monteiro
Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil
André Pegoraro Poor
Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil
Francisco Alves Pereira
Department of Nutrition and Animal Production, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), Pirassununga 13635-900, Brazil
Leury Jesus de Souza
Luiz Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba 13418-900, Brazil
Juliana Bonin Ferreira
Department of Population Health & Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University (NCSU), Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
Glen William Almond
Department of Population Health & Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University (NCSU), Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
Cesar Augusto Pospissil Garbossa
Department of Nutrition and Animal Production, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), Pirassununga 13635-900, Brazil
Progesterone plays an important role in initial conceptus development and in a successful pregnancy, but results related to progesterone or its analogues (altrenogest) supplementation in early pregnancy of pigs are conflicting. The present study evaluated the effects of altrenogest supplementation in sows during days 6 and 12 of pregnancy on reproductive performance. On day 6 of pregnancy, 301 females were allocated at random to one of the following treatments: CON (Control: non-supplemented females, n = 163) or ALT (females daily supplemented with 20 mg of altrenogest, orally, from day 6 to 12 of pregnancy, n = 138). Ovulation was considered as occurred at 48 h after the first estrus detection to standardize the first day of pregnancy. The supplementation increased the number of total piglets born (ALT: 17.3 ± 0.4; CON: 16.6 ± 0.4), piglets born alive (ALT: 15.6 ± 0.4; CON: 14.8 ± 0.3), and placenta weight (ALT: 4.2 ± 0.1; CON: 3.8 ± 0.1) and decreased the stillbirth rate (ALT: 5.9 ± 0.6; CON: 7.6 ± 0.6) and the number of piglets born weighing less than 800 g (ALT: 6.6 ± 0.6; CON: 8.0 ± 0.6), without impairment on farrowing rate. These results demonstrated that altrenogest supplementation on swine females between days 6 and 12 of pregnancy may be used to improve reproductive performance.
