Maternal @entity2931 and @entity1420 have been shown to be important in the initiation of maternal behaviour. Thirty-three Large White x Landrace gilts, housed in groups during pregnancy, were observed and aggressive interactions recorded. Individuals had jugular catheters implanted 14.5 (s.e. 0.34) days before their expected parturition date (EPD). Five days before EPD gilts were randomly allocated and moved to either a conventional farrowing crate (C; without straw, 16 gilts) or a pen (P; 2.1 x 3.1 m2; with straw bedding, 17 gilts). Blood samples were taken at frequencies determined by the proximity to farrowing onset. Piglets were removed at birth and returned 2 h after placental expulsion. The reaction of each gilt to her piglets was monitored. Gilts savaging piglets were sedated with @entity46136 (n = 8). There was no overall effect of farrowing environment on @entity53 and @entity1420 concentrations. The pre-farrowing ratio of @entity1420 to @entity53 was higher for (P) gilts (0.45 vs. 0.25, (P) vs. (C); S.E.D. 0.085, P < 0.05) as was their overall maximum @entity53 level (3.39 vs. 2.29 ng/ml, (P) vs. (C); S.E.D. 0.39, P < 0.01). In contrast to @entity1420 , @entity53 patterns varied considerably between individuals. Dominance rank value during pregnancy, but not levels of @entity146 , correlated positively to pre-farrowing @entity53 concentrations. Treatment with @entity46136 was not related to farrowing environment, piglet weight or litter size. @entity46136 treated gilts showed a higher pre-farrowing @entity53 to @entity1420 ratio (0.55 vs. 0.29, +/- @entity46136 ; S.E.D. 0.10, P < 0.05), significantly higher levels of @entity53 post-partum (0.7 vs. 0.19 ng/ml, +/- @entity46136 ; S.E.D. 0.20, P < 0.001) and significantly lower levels of @entity146 during pregnancy (1.68 vs. 2.23 aggressive interactions/h, +/- @entity46136 ; S.E.D. 0.15, P < 0.001). The results indicate that there are no major effects of farrowing environment on sex @entity134 concentrations. @entity146 under these conditions appears to be negatively related to @entity146 during pregnancy, but this is not reflected in plasma concentrations of sex @entity230 around parturition.

Investigation of the relationship between farrowing environment, sex @entity134 concentrations and XXXX in gilts.

@entity1420 :: ('MESH:D011374', 'Chemical') :: ['progesterone'] @entity146 :: ('MESH:D001523', 'Disease') :: ['aggression', 'Maternal aggression'] @entity2931 :: ('CHEBI:50114', 'Chemical') :: ['oestrogen'] @entity53 :: ('MESH:D004958', 'Chemical') :: ['oestradiol'] @entity134 :: ('CHEBI:35341', 'Chemical') :: ['steroid'] @entity230 :: ('MESH:D013256', 'Chemical') :: ['steroids'] @entity46136 :: ('MESH:D001376', 'Chemical') :: ['Azaperone', 'azaperone']
@entity146 :: (MESH:D001523,Disease) :: ['maternal aggression']
