Effects of altrenogest supplementation during early pregnancy on litter performance

• Grant number: 21/14247-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2022
• End date: January 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Reproduction
• Principal Investigator: Cesar Augusto Pospissil Garbossa
• Grantee: Ana Clara Rodrigues de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Greater prenatal mortality, heterogeneity in litter weight and the occurrence of low-birth-weight piglets are negative consequences of the intense genetic selection aimed to improve production rates by increasing the number of born. In this context, progesterone (P4) is an essential hormone for the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in mammals and plays a key role in early embryonic development. Given the importance of progesterone during this period, studies have shown some positive effects of supplementing this hormone between the 6th and 12th day of pregnancy on embryonic development. However, the effects on the productive indicators of litter at birth have not yet been demonstrated. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of supplementing females with progestin (Regumate®) between the sixth and twelfth day of pregnancy on litter performance at birth. For this, three hundred commercial sows will be allocated into one of two experimental groups: CON (non-supplemented females; n = 150 females) and RU (females supplemented with 20 mg of progestin - Regumate® - from the 6th to the 12th day of pregnancy; n = 150 females). The experimental design will be a completely randomized design (DIC) in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement according to the experimental group (CON group or RU group - factor 1) and animal category (gilt or sow). The variables analyzed will be (1) mean litter weight at birth, (2) litter homogeneity, (3) percentage of piglets born with less than 800 grams, (4) placental weight, (5) placental efficiency, (6) total number of piglets born, (7) a number of live-born pigs, (8) number of stillborn and (9) number of mummified ones. The variables will be submitted to analysis of variance using the R software (R Core Team). At the end of the experiment, an economic analysis will be performed to assess the feasibility of supplementing the progestin. Progestin supplementation (Regumate®) is expected to improve the performance of piglets at birth, resulting in a more homogeneous litter with a lower occurrence of low birth weight piglets (less than 800 grams).(AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DONATELLI MURO, BRUNO BRACCO; RODRIGUES OLIVEIRA, ANA CLARA; CARNEVALE, RAFAELLA FERNANDES; LEAL, DIEGO FEITOSA; MONTEIRO, MATHEUS SALIBA; POOR, ANDRE PEGORARO; PEREIRA, FRANCISCO ALVES; DE SOUZA, LEURY JESUS; FERREIRA, JULIANA BONIN; ALMOND, GLEN WILLIAM; et al. Altrenogest Supplementation during Early Pregnancy Improves Reproductive Outcome in Pigs. ANIMALS, v. 12, n. 14, p. 8-pg., 2022-07-01. (21/14247-4, 20/11016-9, 19/01192-7, 20/02731-6, 21/07109-4, 19/23320-7)