Management and Nutrition of the Replacement Gilt
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Management and Nutrition of the Replacement Gilt A thesis submitted in total fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTORATE of PHILOSOPHY By William van Wettere B.Sc. (Honours) in the School of Agriculture Food and Wine Discipline of Agricultural and Animal Science The University of Adelaide, Australia March 2008 Table of Contents Table of Contents .................................................................................................. I List of Figures ...................................................................................................... V List of Tables ..................................................................................................... VIII Abstract ............................................................................................................. XIV Declaration ........................................................................................................ XVI Acknowledgements ......................................................................................... XVII CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW .......................... - 1 - 1.1 Preamble ............................................................................................. - 2 - 1.2 Reproductive development in the gilt .................................................. - 4 - 1.2.1 Pre-pubertal patterns of gonadotrophin and steroid release .............. - 4 - 1.2.2 Pre-pubertal development of the ovarian follicle pool ....................... - 6 - 1.2.3 Ovarian feedback control of GnRH and gonadotrophin secretion ...... - 8 - 1.2.4 Maturation of ovarian feedback mechanisms .................................. - 11 - 1.2.4.1 Development of ovarian feedback ............................................ - 12 - 1.2.4.2 Maturation of positive (stimulatory) feedback .......................... - 13 - 1.2.4.3 Maturation of negative (inhibitory) feedback ............................ - 14 - 1.2.5 Puberty attainment ........................................................................... - 16 - 1.2.6 Proposed sequence of endocrine and ovarian events leading to puberty ......................................................................................................... - 19 - 1.3 Factors affecting puberty attainment ................................................. - 21 - 1.3.1 Management cues: boar exposure .................................................. - 22 - 1.3.1.1 Boar component stimuli ........................................................... - 22 - 1.3.1.2 Variation in the boar effect: boar stimulus value ...................... - 27 - 1.3.1.3 Variation in the ‘boar effect’: Contact factors ........................... - 28 - 1.3.1.4 Gilt response to boar contact ................................................... - 32 - 1.3.2 Environmental cues: seasonal and climatic effects .......................... - 36 - 1.3.3 Developmental cues: gilt age .......................................................... - 39 - 1.3.4 Developmental cues: weight, body composition and growth rate .. - 41 - 1.3.5 Developmental cues: nutrition and metabolic signals ..................... - 44 - 1.3.6 Developmental cues: genetics and genotype ................................. - 50 - 1.4 Factors affecting first litter size .......................................................... - 52 - 1.4.1 Regulation of ovarian follicle growth and oocyte developmental competence ................................................................................................ - 53 - 1.4.1.1 Growth and development of the antral follicle ......................... - 54 - 1.4.1.2 Intra-ovarian control of follicle growth and development ......... - 56 - 1.4.1.3 Gonadotrophin control of follicle growth and ovarian steroidogenesis ....................................................................................... - 57 - 1.4.1.4 Metabolic influences on follicle growth and development ....... - 60 - 1.4.1.5 Morphological aspects of oocyte development and maturation ...... .................................................................................................. - 62 - - I - 1.4.1.6 Intra-follicular steroids and oocyte developmental competence ...... .................................................................................................. - 65 - 1.4.2 Follicle selection and ovulation ........................................................ - 68 - 1.4.3 Embryo losses during gestation ....................................................... - 72 - 1.4.4 Effects of dietary intake on litter size ................................................ - 74 - 1.4.4.1 Pre-mating dietary intake and follicle growth ........................... - 75 - 1.4.4.2 Dietary intake and ovulation rate .............................................. - 77 - 1.4.4.3 Post-mating feed intake and embryo survival ........................... - 78 - 1.4.4.4 Pre-mating nutrition, oocyte quality and embryo survival ......... - 79 - 1.4.4.5 Dietary intake and ovarian activity ............................................ - 81 - 1.4.5 Effects of age and oestrus at first mating on litter size ..................... - 85 - 1.5 Purpose and Scope of the Investigation ............................................ - 86 - CHAPTER 2 INCREASING THE AGE OF GILTS AT FIRST BOAR CONTACT IMPROVES THE TIMING AND SYNCHRONY OF THE PUBERTAL RESPONSE BUT DOES NOT EFFECT POTENTIAL LITTER SIZE ...................................... - 88 - 2.1 Introduction ....................................................................................... - 89 - 2.2 Methods ............................................................................................ - 90 - 2.2.1 Animals, housing and feeding.......................................................... - 91 - 2.2.2 Boar contact and oestrous detection ................................................ - 91 - 2.2.3 Artificial Inseminations ..................................................................... - 93 - 2.2.4 Animal Measurements ..................................................................... - 94 - 2.2.4.1 Gilt liveweight and backfat measurements .............................. - 94 - 2.2.4.2 Reproductive parameters: ovulation rate and embryo measurements ........................................................................................ - 94 - 2.2.4.3 Statistical Analysis .................................................................... - 95 - 2.3 Results ............................................................................................... - 95 - 2.3.1 General Results ................................................................................ - 95 - 2.3.2 Puberty attainment ........................................................................... - 96 - 2.3.3 Potential litter size ............................................................................ - 97 - 2.4 Discussion ........................................................................................ - 101 - CHAPTER 3 IMPACT OF PREPUBERTAL GROWTH RATE ON OVARIAN FOLLICLE POPULATIONS AND OOCYTE COMPETENCE OF 161- AND 175-DAY OLD, NON-CYCLING GILTS .........................................................................- 105 - 3.1 Introduction ......................................................................................- 106 - 3.2 Materials and Methods .....................................................................- 107 - 3.2.1 Animals .......................................................................................... - 108 - 3.2.2 Housing and Feeding ..................................................................... - 109 - 3.2.3 Animal measurements ................................................................... - 111 - II 3.2.3.1 Gilt liveweight, backfat and maximum muscle depth measurements ...................................................................................... - 111 - 3.2.3.2 Collection of blood samples ................................................... - 111 - 3.2.3.3 Collection of ovaries and follicle cells ..................................... - 111 - 3.2.3.4 Collection of uterine horns and liver ....................................... - 112 - 3.2.4 Oocyte developmental competence .............................................. - 113 - 3.2.4.1 Media and chemicals .............................................................. - 113 - 3.2.4.2 In vitro maturation of oocytes ................................................. - 114 - 3.2.4.3 Parthenogenetic activation ..................................................... - 115 - 3.2.4.4 Oocyte nuclear maturation ..................................................... - 117 - 3.2.5 Hormone assays ............................................................................. - 117 - 3.2.5.1 Statistical analysis ................................................................... - 118 - 3.3 Results ..............................................................................................- 120 - 3.3.1 Growth Characteristics ................................................................... - 120 - 3.3.2 Plasma hormone concentrations .................................................... - 122 - 3.3.3 Reproductive characteristics .......................................................... - 123 - 3.3.3.1 Ovarian follicle populations of 161 day old gilts ..................... - 124 - 3.3.3.2 Ovarian follicle populations of 175 day old gilts ..................... - 125 - 3.3.3.3 Developmental competence of oocytes obtained