Hormonal and metabolic indicators before and after farrowing in sows affected with postpartum dysgalactia syndrome

Abstract

The results suggest that salivary CgA, cortisol and serum 8-epi-PGF2α may potentially serve as early diagnostic indicators for PDS. The consistently higher salivary CgA concentration in PDS+ sows compared to PDS- sows may indicate that homeostatic disturbances are present between 36 to 60 h before parturition in sows developing PDS. The higher serum and saliva cortisol concentration in PDS+ sows compared to PDS- sows could reflect an early sign of inflammation or stress. The significantly lower C-peptide in PDS+ sows compared to PDS- sows may reflect a lower food intake. Our results contribute to the understanding of the pathogenesis of PDS, and the homeostatic disturbances detected before parturition warrants further investigation. The diagnostic potential of the markers identified in this study should be investigated further in a larger population of sows.