The impact of induced stress during Days 13 and 14 of pregnancy on the composition of allantoic fluid and conceptus development in sows

Abstract

Stress due to regrouping of breeding females is difficult to avoid completely in loose-housing systems. The effects of stress during the maternal recognition of pregnancy on fetal development and survival at Day 30 of pregnancy was, therefore, studied in 17 sows allocated into one control (C-) group, one group deprived of food during Days 13 and 14 (FD-), and one group (A-), which was treated with ACTH (0.01 mg/kg body weight of Synacthen ® Depot) every sixth hour during the same period. Total number of fetuses, fetal survival rate, volume of allantoic fluid, and the weight and length of total fetal unit, placentas, allantochorion and fetuses were determined. The concentrations of progesterone (P4), PGFM, PGF2, PGE, estrone-sulfate, and estradiol-17β in the allantoic fluid were analyzed. No significant differences between groups were found for any parameter measured except for P4. Food deprivation increased P4 concentration in the allantoic fluid, and there was a positive correlation between the P4 concentration and the weight of the placenta. It is, therefore, suggested that P4 influences the placenta size among food-deprived sows.