UNASSIGNED: Boar stations raise only entire male @entity1707 for selection as reproductive boars, but the majority of them will fail the selection process, ending at slaughter with a high risk of boar tainted meat. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a single dose of Improvac given to 16-week old boars had a negative effect on their subsequent sperm numbers and motility in 16 artificial insemination boars. We also aimed to generate more knowledge on incidence of boar taint at slaughter among Finnish @entity1707 , compare production performances as average daily gain, feed conversion ratio, and carcass and meat quality (lean meat percentage, back fat, pH, color, @entity29562 , and skatole) of immunocastrated boars (n  =  248) with those of entire boars (n  =  268). Moreover, we aimed also to explore whether a fat biopsy taken at 16  weeks of age could already reveal the presence of boar taint compounds and be predictive of boar taint development at slaughter age. We found that 32% of entire boars (Figen Landrace, Figen Large White, and their crossbreed) slaughtered at an age of 25  weeks presented levels of @entity29562 and/or skatole above the threshold for boar taint in their meat. These boars (control) had higher @entity29562 and skatole levels in the back fat samples at slaughter (0.77      0.55 and 0.09      0.06   g/g, respectively, mean      standard deviation) than those in the immuno group (0.20      0.25 and 0.06      0.03   g/g, respectively, P  <  0.001). A single dose of anti- @entity1176 vaccine, given at 16  weeks of age, did not affect future sperm numbers and motility of boars selected for artificial insemination. We found no difference in the levels of @entity251 , anti- @entity1176 antibodies titers, testicle morphology, and sperm numbers and motility between the boars vaccinated once, at 16  weeks of age, with anti- @entity1176 vaccine and the control boars (no vaccination). There were no differences in average daily gain, feed conversion ratio, lean meat percentage, and back fat between the immunocastrated boars and entire boars. Meat from immunocastrated boars had a higher pH and better color than meat from entire boars (P  <  0.001), suggesting slightly improved meat quality.

Strategic use of anti- XXXX vaccine allowing selection of breeding boars without adverse effects on reproductive or production performances.

@entity1707 :: ('9823', 'Species') :: ['pigs'] @entity251 :: ('MESH:D013739', 'Chemical') :: ['testosterone'] @entity1176 :: ('MESH:D007987', 'Chemical') :: ['GnRH'] @entity29562 :: ('CHEBI:37894', 'Chemical') :: ['androstenone']
@entity1176 :: (MESH:D007987,Chemical) :: ['GnRH']
