dinoprost and carazolol

Injection of prostaglandin (PG) F-2 alpha or its analogues has provided a technique to induce parturition after Day 110 of gestation in the sow. The mean interval from PG injection to parturition ranges from 24 to 28 h, but only 50-60% of the sows farrow during an 8-10 h working day, and as many as 20% of sows may begin parturition before the injection of PG or less than 22 h after the injection. The duration of parturition is positively associated with the incidence of stillbirths and perinatal death so that techniques to reduce the duration of parturition may save piglets. Early parturition has been prevented by feeding sows progestagens, PG synthesis inhibitors and hypothalamic function inhibitors. These compounds were detrimental to piglet survival if they delayed parturition too long after the expected time of parturition. Parturition was delayed in sows up to 1.5 days by altrenogest, 1.6 days by meclofenamic acid, 2.7 days by indomethacin, and 3 days by methallibure without increased incidence of stillborn piglets compared with control sows. Injection of PG after administration of altrenogest or meclofenamic acid was successful in experiments with sows; parturition could be confined to a 5-day working week with no increase in stillborn piglets compared with control sows. Relaxin injected at 48 and 24 h before or only 24 h before injection of PG increased the proportion of sows farrowing 22-32 h after PG to 86.2% compared with sows injected only with PG (53.3%, P less than 0.01). Oxytocin injected 20 h after injection of PG increased the proportion of sows farrowing 20-28 h after PG to 90.4% compared with sows injected only with PG (49.2%, P less than 0.005). Injection of 25-60 i.u. ACTH on Day 110 of gestation did not shorten the length of gestation, but did decrease the incidence of still born piglets by 0.2 piglets/litter (P less than 0.05). An injection of the beta-adrenergic antagonist, carazolol, during labour before the birth of the first piglet decreased the duration of parturition and the incidence of stillborn piglets particularly in primiparous sows (P less than 0.05). Carazolol injected with oxytocin 20 h after injection of PG decreased the interval from PG to parturition by 2 h compared with sows injected with only PG and oxytocin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Topics: Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; Animal Husbandry; Animals; Dinoprost; Female; Fetal Death; Gestational Age; Indomethacin; Labor, Obstetric; Meclofenamic Acid; Methallibure; Oxytocin; Pregnancy; Progesterone Congeners; Propanolamines; Prostaglandins F; Relaxin; Swine; Trenbolone Acetate

Twenty five Holstein-Friesian heifers, clinically normal and with regular oestrous cycles, were used for induction of superovulation (PMSG-PGF(2)alpha-Neutra-PMSG). Animals were divided into 5 groups receiving: I - detomidine (40 microg/kg b.w.), II - doxazosin (0.2 mg/kg b.w.), III - yohimbine HCL 1% (1 ml/50 kg b.w.), IV - carazolol (0.01 mg/ kg b.w., i.v.), and V - physiological saline (1 ml/50 kg b.w.). The heifers with PGF2 alpha-induced cycles were treated with the substances 88 hrs after being given a single i.m. injection of 2500 IU PMSG. All animals were examined by ultrasonography, and by the number and size of ovarian follicles > 3 mm in diameter. The follicles were divided into 3 groups according to the diameter. Blood plasma was stored at -20 degrees C until LH, P4, E2 and PGFM analyses. In the control (V) group, two waves of follicle growth were observed. Yohimbine produced a significant blockage of ovulation. The mean number of corpora lutea in the group III was significantly lower than that in the control group (p< 0.02). No significant differences in the number of corpora lutea were observed between the groups I, II and III. The increase in E2 concentrations could be the response to the PMSG treatment with two waves of growth of large follicles before and after ovulation. Pulsatile LH release was altered by yohimbinum injection, however, the greater amplitude of pulses immediately following yohimbinum administration are suggestive of a positive influence of the alpha-2 adrenergic receptors antagonist. Yohimbinum administration did not affect plasma concentration of examined hormones. There was a difference between the plasma levels of LH after the doxazosin injection. Single injection of the stimulators and blockers of adrenergic receptors did not affect superovulatory response in terms of the numbers of CL, unruptured follicles and embryos recovered. The affectivity of artificial insemination was not significantly different between the control group and the detomidinum groups, while in the yohimbinum group it was significantly lower.

Topics: Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; Animals; Cattle; Dinoprost; Doxazosin; Estradiol; Estrus; Female; Gonadotropins, Equine; Imidazoles; Luteinizing Hormone; Ovarian Follicle; Progesterone; Propanolamines; Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha; Superovulation; Yohimbine

Concentrations of the enzymes creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT/GOT) were determined in plasma of 100 gilts and 175 sows at the 112. day of pregnancy and one day after parturition. Gilts and sows were divided into a stress resistant (n = 146) and a stress susceptible group (n = 129) following the creatine-kinase-test carried out after the performance test period at a body weight of 90 kg (CK-90). Stress susceptible gilts and sows showed higher CK-values before and especially after parturition than stress resistant ones. Significant correlations were demonstrable between CK-90 and the CK values before and after parturition (r = 0.5). Regarding body temperature, respiration rate and heart frequency as well as the percentage of stillborn piglets, the two groups of sows did not differ from each other. The increase of enzyme activities after parturition was not influenced by prophylactic treatment with prostaglandin-F2-alpha or beta receptor blocking agent. The beta blocking agent Carazolol, however, caused a transient depression of heart rate after parturition.

Topics: Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; Animals; Aspartate Aminotransferases; Body Temperature; Creatine Kinase; Dinoprost; Female; Fetal Death; Heart Rate; Malignant Hyperthermia; Obstetric Labor Complications; Pregnancy; Propanolamines; Prostaglandins F; Respiration; Swine; Swine Diseases