Effect of immunocastration on sex glands of male Mangulica (Swallow-bellied Mangalitsa) pigs
Authors
Gogić, Marija
Radović, Čedomir

Čandek-Potokar, Marjeta

Petrović, Milica
Radojković, Dragan
Parunović, Nenad
Savić, Radomir
Article (Published version)
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Show full item recordAbstract
The objective of this research was to study the effect of immunocastration
on the morphometric characteristics of sex glands in male Swallow-bellied Mangalitsa
pigs. The study included 24 animals (13 entire and 11 immunocastrated males). The
research focused on the following traits: age at slaughter (days), live weight at slaughter
(kg), growth rate (kg day−1), and morphometric testicle traits (volume, cm3; weight, g;
length, width, thickness, and circumference, mm). The efficacy of immunocastration
was determined based on androstenone and skatole levels in adipose tissue. The
group of immunocastrated animals had higher body weight at slaughter (+18.8 kg)
due to higher average daily live gain (+87 g). Immunocastration resulted in reduced
morphometric measures of testes. The volumes and weight of testes/epididymes were
reduced by 28.9-54.4 and 32.1-53.3%, respectively. Testis length and other size-related
traits were significantly reduced by 17.4-27.6%. The linear regression ...effect of live body
weight at slaughter within the immunocastrated group on testis measurements was not
significant. Within the entire group of males, the increase of live body weight at slaughter
by 1 kg had an effect on the increase of volume and weight of testes/epididymes by
0.55-2.24 cm3 and 0.52-2.28 g, respectively. Other size-related testis traits increased
by 0.04-0.55 mm for each kg of body weight. Immunocastration also resulted in
79.6% decrease in the weight of accessory sex glands. The present study is the first to
demonstrate that immunocastration could be a method of choice for castration of the
local fatty pig breed, Mangulica (Swallow-bellied Mangalitsa).
Keywords:
androstenone / entire males / immunocastrated males / skatole / testis sizeSource:
Revista brasileira de zootecnia-Brazilian journal of animal science, 2019, 48, 48:e20180286Publisher:
- Sociedade Brasileira de Zootecnia, Brazil
Funding / projects:
- Implementation of various rearing - selection and biotechnological methods in breeding of pigs (RS-31081)
- Diversity of local pig breeds and production systems for high quality traditional products and sustainable pork chains (EU-634476)