ORIGINAL PAPER
The size of pig embryos is not influenced by their
sex by day-10 after insemination
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1
August Cieszkowski Agricultural University,
Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding,
Wołyńska 33, 60-637 Poznań, Poland
2
University of Bristol, Department of Clinical Veterinary Science,
Langford House, Langford, BS18 7DU Bristol, England
3
Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University,
Department of Clinical Studies and Reproduction,
Bulowsvej 13, 1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark
Publication date: 2000-01-13
J. Anim. Feed Sci. 2000;9(1):113-121
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The extent of embryonic death in preimplantation period in the pig may reach even 40%.
Several factors contribute to this phenomenon (onset of oestrogen production, uterine space, chromosomal inbalance). The aim of the present study was to clarify whether genetic sex influences
the development of pig embryos in the preimplantation period since the already published data is
not consistent. Porcine embryos were flushed out post mortem on day-10 after insemination, photographed and individually frozen. DNA was extracted from 91 embryos and sex examined by use
of PCR method with pair of primers corresponding to the SRY gene. 94.5% of embryos were
succesfully sexed. Embryonic perimeter was measured by means of computer aided programme
and sexed embryos were classified and grouped into three categories: small, medium and large,
accorrding to their perimeter. According to statistical analysis, embryonic size was not influenced
by genetic sex. The overal sex ratio, females to males (1.4:1) was not significantly different from
the expected 1:1. Moreover, no significant difference between the percentage of males and
females was found in the three categories.
CITATIONS (1):
1.
Sex differences in rat placental development: from pre-implantation to late gestation
J. I. Kalisch-Smith, D. G. Simmons, M. Pantaleon, K. M. Moritz
Biology of Sex Differences