Wang Yue, Qin Yusheng, Zhao Wei, Yao Fusheng, Wang Wenjing, Hu Xiao, Cheng Linghua, An Lei, Tian Jianhui
Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, China.
Front Vet Sci. 2022 Jul 22;9:875810. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.875810. eCollection 2022.
Sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE-5) inhibitor, provides an alternative and effective strategy to increase uterine blood flow and vascular development, thus improving fetal development. Previous studies have shown that sildenafil attenuates fetal growth restriction in rodents, sheep, and humans. However, the effect of sildenafil intervention on fetal growth in pigs remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with sildenafil on the reproductive performance of sows and gilts. Over 700 Landrace × Large White crossbred sows in the 3rd or 4th parity were randomly assigned to the control group and the sildenafil treatment groups. In brief, sows in the treatment groups were given a basic diet supplemented with sildenafil (0.32 g/day) during different stages of gestation: (1) gestation day (GD) 0-110; (2) GD 0-30; (3) GD 30-80; (4) GD 80-110; and (5) GD 30-110. At parturition, the total number of piglets born per litter, the number of piglets born alive or dead, the average birth weight, the number of weaned piglets, and the average weaning weights were recorded and analyzed. Sildenafil supplementation throughout gestation (GD 0-110) increased both the litter size and the average birth weight. To reduce the cost of extended sildenafil supplementation, time-phased strategies were further tested. Sildenafil supplementation during early gestation (GD 0-30), mid-gestation (GD 30-80), and late gestation (GD 80-110) partially improved litter performance. Notably, sows fed sildenafil supplementation from the mid-to-late gestation period (GD 30-110) showed significantly improved litter performance, approaching the levels in the sows supplemented with sildenafil throughout the whole gestation period. Taken together, our results showed that maternal sildenafil supplementation during gestation can effectively improve the reproductive performance of sows and gilts, and enhance the growth performance of neonatal piglets, thus providing a promising and practical intervention strategy to improve reproductive management in pig farming.
西地那非是一种磷酸二酯酶5（PDE - 5）抑制剂，它为增加子宫血流量和血管发育提供了一种替代且有效的策略，从而改善胎儿发育。先前的研究表明，西地那非可减轻啮齿动物、绵羊和人类的胎儿生长受限情况。然而，西地那非干预对猪胎儿生长的影响仍不明确。本研究旨在评估日粮中添加西地那非对母猪和后备母猪繁殖性能的影响。将700多头第3或第4胎的长白×大白杂交母猪随机分为对照组和西地那非治疗组。简而言之，治疗组的母猪在妊娠不同阶段给予添加西地那非（0.32克/天）的基础日粮：（1）妊娠第0至110天；（2）妊娠第0至30天；（3）妊娠第30至80天；（4）妊娠第80至110天；以及（5）妊娠第30至110天。分娩时，记录并分析每窝出生仔猪的总数、出生时存活或死亡的仔猪数量、平均出生体重、断奶仔猪数量以及平均断奶体重。整个妊娠期（妊娠第0至110天）添加西地那非可增加产仔数和平均出生体重。为降低长期添加西地那非的成本，进一步测试了分阶段策略。妊娠早期（妊娠第0至30天）、中期（妊娠第30至80天）和晚期（妊娠第80至110天）添加西地那非可部分改善产仔性能。值得注意的是，从妊娠中期到晚期（妊娠第30至110天）饲喂添加西地那非的母猪产仔性能显著改善，接近整个妊娠期都添加西地那非的母猪水平。综上所述，我们的结果表明，妊娠期母体补充西地那非可有效改善母猪和后备母猪的繁殖性能，并提高新生仔猪的生长性能，从而为改善养猪业的繁殖管理提供了一种有前景且实用的干预策略。
