Abstract:

Increasing the predictability of cloprostenol-induced farrowing in sows

Roy N. Kirkwood DVM, PhD; Frank X. Aherne, PhD

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Objective: To determine the effect of a second injection of eithercloprostenol or oxytocin after initial cloprostenol induction on the farrowingresponse of sows.

Methods: Two experiments were conducted. In experiment 1, sowsreceived one of two treatments: either a single IM injection of 175 µgcloprostenol at day 113 of gestation (n=49) or an IM injection of 175 µgcloprostenol at day 113 of gestation followed by second IM injection of175 µg cloprostenol 6 hours later (n=54). In experiment 2, sows receivedeither a single (n=59) or a double (n=48) cloprostenol injection, as above,or a third treatment in which an IM injection of 30 IU oxytocin (n=56) replacedthe second cloprostenol injection.

Results: After a single cloprostenol injection, 61% of sows farrowedduring the following working day. When a second cloprostenol or oxytocininjection was administered 6 hours later, 86% of sows farrowed during thenext working day.

Implications: A regime of cloprostenol administered twice or cloprostenolplus oxytocin markedly improved the predictability of induced parturition.This level of predictability should encourage more producers to employ inductiontechnology.

Keywords: sows, parturition, cloprostenol, oxytocin

Cite as: Kirkwood RN. Increasing the predictability of cloprostenol-induced farrowing in sows. J Swine Health Prod 1998;6(2):57-59.

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