INDUCTION AND SYNCHRONIZATION OF PRECOCIOUS PUBERTY IN GILTS

摘要

Age at puberty in the gilt is influenced by many factors: genetics, age, weight, boar exposition, management and nutritional level. Usually more females than necessary are selected as replacement gilts and only those who show estrus within a specificperiod of time are inseminated. Induced estrus would facilitate the arrangement of the gilts in the sows groups and the producer could sell the excedent females at market prices. The induction and synchronization of the estrus in the gilt advantages include AI and farrowing synchronization, making possible the better use of the "all in - all out" program. At the same time, if gilts could have more cycles before being bred, it would improve first litter size.