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Puberty Related Changes in Hormonal Levels, Productive Performance, Carcass Traits, and Their Interactions in Slovakian White Gilts |
A. Kolesarova, A. V. Sirotkin, S. Roychoudhury, M. Capcarova |
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Abstract |
The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the levels of hormones (progesterone, IGF-I and IGFBP-3) in blood plasma, growth, carcass traits and their interactions of sexually immature (n = 18) and sexually mature (n = 17) gilts. To calculate average daily weight gain (ADG), gilts were individually weighed at the beginning of the trial and at slaughter (110??0 days old). Blood concentrations of progesterone, IGF-I and IGFBP-3 were determined by RIA. The right hot carcass sides were dissected and the individual basic parts from carcasses were weighed to record the carcass traits. IGFBP-3, ADG and carcass traits were not affected by pubertal maturation. Compared to sexually immature gilts, mature gilts had higher blood concentrations of progesterone and IGF-I. High correlations were noted between levels of some hormonal substances, productive performance and carcass traits of sexually immature and mature gilts. |
Keywords:
Gilt; Progesterone; IGF-I; IGFBP-3; Productive Performance; Carcass Traits |
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