Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T05:44:00.002Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The influence of social restriction during rearing on the sexual behaviour of the gilt

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

P. H. Hemsworth
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, Animal Research Institute, Werribee 3030, Victoria, Australia
G. M. Cronin
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, Animal Research Institute, Werribee 3030, Victoria, Australia
C. Hansen
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, Animal Research Institute, Werribee 3030, Victoria, Australia
Get access

Abstract

Four groups of 10 gilts were reared from an early age under four social conditions. The mating rate (the number of successful copulations as a proportion of oestruses) at the pubertal oestrus of gilts reared in isolation from boars was significantly lower than that of gilts reared near mature boars (P> 0·01). In addition, gilts isolated from boars during rearing had a significantly longer interval from the first mounting attempt by the boar until the display of the standing response (P<0·05) and a significantly higher proportion of these gilts were restless during copulation and terminated the copulation in comparison with gilts reared near mature boars (P<0·01). All gilts were ovariectomized after puberty or at 35 weeks of age and, following a standard oestrogen treatment, they were induced into a series of behavioural oestruses. There were no significant differences between the treatments in the mating rate at these oestruses. It is concluded that the social environment during rearing will influence the mating rate of the gilt at the pubertal oestrus.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1982

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Beach, F. A. 1976. Sexual attractivity, proceptivity and receptivity in female mammals. Horm. Behav. 7: 105138.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brooks, P. H. and Cole, D. J. A. 1970. The effect of boar presence on the attainment of puberty in gilts. J. Reprod. Fert. 23: 435440.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cronin, G. M., Hemsworth, P. H. and Winfield, C. G. 1982. Oestrous behaviour in relation to fertility and fecundity of gilts. Anim. Reprod. Sci. In press.Google Scholar
Einarsson, S. and Settergren, I. 1974. Fertility and culling in some pig breeding herds in Sweden. Nord. VetMed. 26: 576584.Google ScholarPubMed
England, D. C. and Spurr, D. T. 1969. Litter size of swine confined during gestation. J. Anim. Sci. 28: 220223.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hemsworth, P. H., Beilharz, R. G. and Galloway, D. B. 1977. Influence of social conditions during rearing on the sexual behaviour of the domestic boar. Anim. Prod. 24: 245251.Google Scholar
Hemsworth, P. H., Findlay, J. K. and Beilharz, R. G. 1978. The importance of physical contact with other pigs during rearing on the sexual behaviour of the male domestic pig. Anim. Prod. 27: 201207.Google Scholar
Hughes, P. E. and Cole, D. J. A. 1978. Reproduction in the gilt. 3. The effect of exogenous oestrogen on the attainment of puberty and subsequent reproductive performance. Anim. Prod. 27: 1120.Google Scholar
Jensen, A. H., Yen, J. T., Gehring, M. M., Baker, D. H., Becker, D. E. and Harmon, B. G. 1970. Effects of space restriction and management on pre- and post-puberal response of female swine. J. Anim. Sci. 31: 745750.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mann, T. 1964. Biochemistry of Semen and the Male Reproductive Tract. Methuen, London.Google Scholar
Rasbech, N. O. 1969. A review of the causes of reproductive failure in swine. Br. vet. J. 125: 599616.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Signoret, J. P. 1970a. Swine behaviour in reproduction. In Proc. Symp. Effect Dis. Stress Reprod. Effic. Swine, pp. 2845. University of Nebraska College of Agriculture, Lincoln, Nebraska.Google Scholar
Signoret, J. P. 1970b. Sexual behaviour patterns in female domestic pigs (Sus scrofa L.) reared in isolation from males. Anim. Behav. 18: 165168.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Willemse, A. H. and Boender, J. 1966. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of oestrus in gilts. Tijdschr. Diergeneesk. 91: 349363.Google Scholar