Progress 06/15/07 to 02/14/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Unfortunately, sow culling rates of 50% in the US pork industry force producers to maintain large pools of replacement gilts. A FDA approved orally active progestagen, MATRIX (altrenogest), effectively synchronizes the estrous cycle of females in the gilt pool. Greater than 85% of gilts display estrus within 4 to 9 days after withdrawal of MATRIX. The 4-5 day spread in estrus synchrony precludes use of fixed time or single service AI. Therefore, an additional treatment to more precisely control ovulation is needed so that all gilts in a group may be inseminated without regard to estrus. Pennatek LLC has developed the ovulation induction product, OvuGel, a slow release formulation of the gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) analog, triptorelin acetate, which is delivered intravaginally. This project was designed to understand the variation in onset of ovulation after the last feeding of MATRIX to post pubertal gilts, and to develop an OvuGel treatment protocol to precisely
synchronize ovulation in MATRIX-treated gilts. The objectives were: (A) to determine the effect of time of OvuGel treatment after last feeding of MATRIX on synchrony of ovulation and (B) to determine the effect of dose of OvuGel after last feeding of MATRIX on timing of ovulation and timing and magnitude of the periovulatory LH surge. In Objective A, gilts were individually fed MATRIX for 14 days. Gilts then received OvuGel without triptorelin acetate or OvuGel containing 200 mcg of triptorelin at 96, 120, or 144 hours after last MATRIX feeding. Results indicated that an interval between 96 and 120 hours after last feeding of MATRIX is the optimum time for OvuGel treatment. In Objective B, gilts were individually fed MATRIX as in Objective A. Gilts then received OvuGel without triptorelin acetate or OvuGel containing 100 mcg, 200 mcg or 400 mcg of triptorelin at 120 hours after last feeding of MATRIX. Blood samples were collected from a subpopulation of gilts in each treatment group
via a jugular vein catheter to characterize LH secretion. Collectively, there was a beneficial effect of the OvuGel treatments on ovulation synchrony. Results demonstrated that OvuGel doses between 100-400 mcg triptorelin, administered at 120 hours after last feeding of MATRIX advanced ovulation compared to placebo at 160 to 176 hours after last feeding of MATRIX. Therefore, this dose range of OvuGel is effective for synchronizing ovulation after estrous cycle synchronization with MATRIX in gilts. The serum LH data are consistent with these conclusions. Based on our previous investigations in gilts and postpartum sows and results from these studies it is feasible to develop a standard ovulation synchronization protocol, which is equally effective in both sows after weaning and gilts after synchronization of estrus with MATRIX treatment.
PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Stephen Webel is the Principle Investigator of this proposed research project. Dr. Webel is Director of Reproduction Research and Development at JBS United, Inc., which is one of the founding partners of the joint venture company, Pennatek LLC. He has over 40 of years of experience in research, teaching, consulting and administration in swine reproductive physiology. Dr. Webel is also an Officer at Pennatek LLC and serves as the company's Vice President of Research. Dr. Robert Kraeling, L&R Research Associates, Inc., is a co-principle investigator/collaborator on this research project. He has over 35 years of experience in research, teaching and administration in swine reproductive physiology. Dr. Kraeling retired from a 34 year career with ARS, USDA in 2004. Dr. Robert Knox is Associate Professor of Animal Science, University of Illinois is a co-principle investigator/collaborator on this research project. He has over 15 years of experience in research, teaching
and extension in swine reproduction, including specific expertise in transrectal ultrasound techniques used to monitor ovulation in swine. Mark Swanson, Vice President of Product Development at Pennatek, served a supporting role in administration and project management. He has over 21 years of experience in research and administration in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Chris Anderson of Pennatek provided administrative support. Dr. Clay Lents, Assistant Professor, Department of Animal and Dairy Science conducted the luteinizing hormone assays. Dr. Lents joined the University of Georgia faculty three years ago. His research program focuses on investigating neuroendocrine control of gonadotropin secretion in ruminants and swine. This project provided training opportunities to graduate students; primarily, Jessica Taibl and Shawn Breen, and others under the direction of Dr. Knox. These graduate students as well as undergraduate students assisted in the experimental
design, data entry and analysis, and report preparation. They also assisted with execution of ultrasonography, blood sampling and processing, and hormone assays. Farm managers and research technicians employed at JBS United's Sheridan and Burton Russell Research Farms provided animal handling support for the animals used in these studies, as well as the care and well being of all animals involved in these studies.
TARGET AUDIENCES: There are approximately 67,000 pig producers in the U.S. Of these, 25 producers maintain more than 25,000 sows/gilts and represent approximately 40% of production. These largest producers will be our primary target. Our secondary target will be the 130 producers with 2,500 - 25,000 sows/gilts who account for approximately 20% of production. We will also market to the 2,400 producers with 250 - 2,500 sows/gilts who account for 28% of production. The key players involved in the purchase decision, in order of likely influence, will include swine veterinarians, pig production operators, and purchasing personnel. Swine veterinarians may be employed by the producer or serve as independent consultants. We will also target pork producers in the U.S., Canada and the EU. When the results from this project are published, other scientists in academia and the animal pharmaceutical industry will use this information as a basis for further research and university extension
personnel will use this information to make swine producers aware of this new technology.
Impacts
Application of this method to precisely control ovulation in both weaned sows and Matrix treated gilts will revolutionize how pigs are mated. Synchronized ovulation facilitates the use of fixed-time, single service AI, while eliminating the labor previously required for detection of estrus. This synchronized estrus and ovulation system allows for insemination of all females in a particular group at the same time and at the peak time of fertility. Adoption of this system will result in increased genetic progress because sires of higher genetic merit will be used across the entire breeding herd. The labor costs associated with operation of the replacement gilt pool will be reduced due to elimination of estrus detection during the combined estrous cycle synchronization and ovulation synchronization procedures. This needle free administration system will reduce the risk of needle shafts in pork carcasses and the need to trim pork cuts due to the presence of needle injection
sites. Preliminary market research has demonstrated a very strong interest among swine producers for this technology. Because there are currently no products or technology available to producers for inducing ovulation to permit timed insemination, producer interest in this concept has been very high. Cost of feed, labor, manure handling, utilities, transportation expenses, insurance, taxes, facility and equipment maintenance, and animal health expenses, such as vaccines, parasite control, antibiotics and veterinary charges continue to increase, while the price received by pork producers has failed to increase at the same rate resulting in shrinking profit margins. Thus, pork producers are under pressure to do everything possible to increase efficiency of production. Demand for OvuGel is based on the fact that reproductive efficiency is a major factor in determining the overall efficiency of pork production. The key players involved in the purchase decision, in order of likely
influence, will include swine veterinarians, pig production operators, and purchasing personnel. Swine veterinarians may be employed by the producer or serve as independent consultants. In smaller companies, those with less than 2,500 sows, the owner of the company is the primary decision maker with the other key players serving as influencers. Currently there are no products on the market, nor are we aware of any products in development, that facilitate a fixed-time insemination of postpartum sows or MATRIX-treated gilts. We expect to successfully compete with competitive entrants by being first to market, providing a product with proven efficacy in a non-injectable form.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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