Single Fixed-Time Post-Cervical Insemination in Gilts with Buserelin

• Published in: Animals (Basel) Vol. 11; no. 6; p. 1567
• Main Authors: Suárez-Usbeck, Andrés, Mitjana, Olga, Tejedor, María Teresa, Bonastre, Cristina, Sistac, Jorge, Ubiergo, Antonio, Falceto, María Victoria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 27.05.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Animals; Artificial insemination; Autumn; Birth weight; buserelin; Catheters; Cervix; Diffusion; Dosage; Estrus; fixed-time insemination; gilt; Hogs; Medical instruments; Motility; Optimization; Ovulation; post-cervical; Reproduction (biology); Semen; Sperm; Spring (season); Swine; United States > US; Spain; buserelin; fixed-time insemination; gilt; post-cervical
• ISSN: 2076-2615; 2076-2615
• DOI: 10.3390/ani11061567

Current protocols for gilts recommend the deposit of multiple semen doses in the cervix each 12-24 h after estrus detection. Our objectives were: (1) to determine the effect of buserelin and a single fixed-time artificial insemination using the new post-cervical artificial insemination technique (FTAI-PCAI) on reproductive and productive performance in gilts, and (2) to compare this protocol with conventional estrus detection and double PCAI without hormonal induction. In the control group (C; = 240), gilts were inseminated twice (8 and 12 h from estrus onset). Gilts in the treatment group (T; = 226) received buserelin (10 μg, intramuscular) 120 h after altrenogest treatment (18 d) and one single PCAI 30-33 h after buserelin administration. The groups did not differ in reproductive and production performance ( > 0.05). The T group showed greater piglet birth weight and shorter estrus duration ( < 0.001). Delivery batch length differed significantly depending on the season ( < 0.05); the shortest length corresponded to autumn. Both groups only differed significantly in spring ( = 0.018), with a shorter length in the T group. This new FTAI-PCAI protocol with buserelin is recommended in gilts, helping with optimization of genetic diffusion, boars, and semen doses.