Zykluslänge, brunstdauer und brunstverhalten bei weiblichen miniaturschweinen

Abstract

In 29 Göttingen Miniature Pig sows several behavioral parameters were recorded daily for a total of 261 sexual cycles. The sows were observed both in the absence of a male and when confronted with a mature vasectomized boar. Since most of the females had not reached puberty at the onset of the experiment it was possible to differentiate between first, second, third and later detectable cycles past puberty. Average cycle length for sexually mature young sows was 21 days. The first three cycles after puberty usually were slightly prolonged (1.6, 0.7 and 0.8 days for first, second and third cycles respectively).

Duration of standing heat in sexually mature young sows (from fourth estrus on) was 2.84 days with considerable differences between individuals. The first and second estrus periods were on the average 7.7 and 5.5 hours shorter than those of subsequent cycles. During the course of an estrus period the intensity of the behavioral symptoms was fairly constant from day to day.

Within the limits of a certain general behavioral pattern considerable differences in estrus behaviour displayed by individual sows could be detected.

Abstracting keywords:

• Estrus behaviour
• estrus cycles
• estrus duration
• sexual cycles in pig sows

Notes

Abt. f. Fortpflanzungsbiologie, Inst.f.Tierzucht u.Haustiergenetik, Univ, Göttingen, Thaer‐weg 1, 34 Göttingen, Germany.