Effect of boar contact on follicular development and on estrus expression after weaning in primiparous sows

Boar contact can induce ovarian activity, advance estrus and stimulate estrous behavior in sows. High amounts of boar contact can, however, suppress estrous behaviour. The present study with primiparous sows was designed to compare sows that had contact with a teaser boar during detection of estrus, with sows that had no boar contact at all. Number of sows detected in estrus within 9 d after weaning, onset and duration of estrus, follicular dynamics and timing of ovulation were studied. Boar contact increased the number of sows that ovulated and showed estrus from 14 of 47 to 24 of 47 (P < 0.05). Average timing of ovulation was later for sows with boar contact (165 h vs 150 h after weaning). Duration of estrus, detected without a boar, was similar in the two groups. For the sows with boar contact, duration of estrus detected with a boar was longer than estrus detected without a boar (56 vs 38 h; P < .01). Follicular dynamics were not affected by boar contact; boar contact only increased the number of sows with ovulation. Ovulatory sows showed a larger increase in follicular diameter (P < 0.01) from weaning to Day 4 after weaning (from 2.3 to 5.4 mm) than anovulatory sows (from 2.5 to 4 mm). Anovulatory sows did not show follicular growth after Day 4. It is concluded that boar contact can increase the number of sows that ovulate and show estrus after weaning. Estrous behavior does not seem to be suppressed by contact with a teaser boar, compared to sows without boar contact.