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Blood Flow, Steroid Secretion and Nutrient Uptake of the Gravid Uterus during the Periparturient Period in Sows¹

Iowa State University, Ames 50011 and US Department of Agriculture, Clay Center, NE 68933

Abstract

Blood flow to one uterine, horn of six Yorkshire sows was measured daily from d –22 to 0 (d of parturition) using an electromagnetic blood flow transducer surgically implanted around the middle uterine artery. Immediately after measurement of uterine arterial blood flow (UABF), samples of femoral arterial (FA) and uterine venous (UV) blood were collected via indwelling catheters and concentrations of progesterone, estroneandestradiol-17β, oxygen, glucose, total -amino acid N and urea N were determined. Throughout the experimental period, sows were maintained in farrowing stalls. Surgical procedures used in this study had no effect on length of gestation, litter size, number of live piglets born or average weight of live piglets when compared with noninstrumented littermate controls. The UABF remained constant from d –22 through –1, then declined dramatically on the day of parturition with delivery of the fetuses and placentae. Concentration of progesterone in FA and UV blood of sows remained constant from d –22 to –3, but was higher (P<.01) in FA (12.68 ± .48 ng/ml) than in UV (7.56 ± .20 ng/ml) blood. Progesterone concentrations in FA and UV blood began to decline 2 d before parturition to reach low levels on d 1. Estrone and estradiol-17β concentrations were greater (P<.01) in UV than in FA blood, and increased progressively from d –22 to reach peak levels on d –4 through –1 which averaged 7,245 ± 655 and 1,001 ± 88 pg/ml in UV blood and 3,923 ± 157 and 547 ± 35 pg/ml in FA blood, respectively. Concentrations of both estrogens then declined rapidly to reach low levels by d 1. The FA concentration and FA — UV difference in oxygen, glucose, -amino acid N and urea N did not vary from d –22 to parturition, suggesting that both oxygen and nutrient uptake by the gravid uterus remains constant during the last 22 d of gestation even though fetal weight increases dramatically during this period.

¹ Cooperation of the Nebraska Agr. Exp. Sta., Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln is acknowledged. The authors gratefully acknowledge Bill McDonald and Fred Philips, for their laboratory assistance.

² Dept. of Anim. Sci., Iowa State Univ., Ames 50011. Journal Paper J-11328 of the Iowa Agr. and Home Econ. Exp. Sta., Ames. Proj. 1994, 2443 and 2444.

³ Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, AR, SEA, Clay Center, NE 68933. Mention of trade name, proprietary product or specific equipment does not constitute a guarantee or warranty by the USDA and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other products that may be suitable.