Boar odour for Oestrus stimulation and improved reproduction management

Introduction 

Servistim is a cientifficaly formulated product that contains the “boar odour pheromone, androstenone, synthetically produced.

Androstenone is a natural compound responsible for the stimulation of sexual responses in the female pig-both “before as well as during service or A.I.¹”

The odour of androstene is assumed to be mediated by the interaction of the pheromone with membranes receptor in the appropriate sensory apparatus, as in evidence, for example, by the isolation of androstenone receptors from the olfatory epithelium of the sow².It has been demonstrated that certain neurons in the olfatory bulbs of the sows produce excitatory responses to androstenone³.

Aggressive behaviour and stress among pre-puberal pigs have been reduced using a single application of as little as 0.5 micrograms. Research has shown that gilts can be stimulated to their first oestrus, 20 days earlier if they are exposed to boars pheromones than if they are not. It has been undoubtedfully stated that 16-androstene feromones from the boar´s submaxillary salivary glands are involved in stimulating puberty, with an early onset of oestrus.

One of the great challenges in pig husbandry is to understand the patterns of behaviour that are exhibited by breeding animals and then to provide conditions that match these as closely as possible with the aim of enhancing their reproductive performance.

Well known difficulties in heat detection (especially in gilts) can be minimized through proper stimulation on the reproductive cycle. Pre-insemination (or pre-service) stimulus needs a higher number of boars in the herd. Simply, in practice without sexual stimulus there is less accurate heat detection, poor standing oestrus and lower reproductive efficiency.

The 16-androstene compounds, notably androstenone can act as a priming pheromone i.e. to trigger a chain of neuroendocrine and endocrine reactions in recipients, or a signaling pheromone i.e. one that elicits changes in behavioural or sexual activity, as suggested in the findings of T. Krzymowski8.

Servistim has been formulated to prime and signal sow behavior and introduce a behavioural sequence that culminates in standing heat and optimal response to mating (A.I.).

References:

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2. N Gennings, D B Gower and L H Bannish, Biochem. Biophys. Acta, 496 547 (1974).
3. F E Ellendorf, N K McLeod and W Reinhardt, Neuroscience Letters , Sppl. 1, Abstract S 201, ef D Booth, “Olfaction in mammals” (Edited by D M Stottard) p 289, Academic Press, New York, 1980. 
4. J J Mcglone and J L Morrow, J. Animal Science, 66, 880 (1988)
5. I Karbom, Animal reproduction Science, 4, 313 (1981/1982)
6. G Pearce and A M Paterson, Animal reproduction Science, 27, 209 (1992)
7. J Behan, Pig Int., Feb 1997, vol. 29.
8. T Krzymowski, W Grzegorzeski, S Stefanczyk-Krzymowska, J Skipor and B Wasowska, Theriogenolgy, 52: 1225-11240, 1999.