Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) during the secondary surge in gilts as influenced by administration of porcine follicular fluid (pFF)

The effect of volume and frequency of administration of porcine follicular fluid (pFF) on FSH concentration was determined in mature gilts during the period of the secondary FSH surge (d 0 to 5; d 0 = onset of estrus) and following withdrawal of pFF (d 5.5 to 9). Crossbred gilts (n = 14) were randomized in a 3 x 2 factorial treatment design involving three doses of pFF (0, 5, or 10 ml) and once- vs twice-daily pFF administration. Porcine FF was aspirated from medium and large follicles and treated with 5 mg of activated charcoal per milliliter of pFF to remove steroids. Once-daily administration of pFF, regardless of dose, failed to suppress mean concentrations of FSH during the secondary FSH surge. Treatment of gilts twice daily with 10 ml of pFF suppressed (P less than .05) area under the FSH curve during the secondary FSH surge compared with gilts given saline. Gilts treated twice daily with 5 ml pFF showed comparable suppression of plasma FSH from d 0 to 3 but began to overcome FSH inhibition after d 3. As a result, FSH release only tended to be lower than controls for the entire treatment period (P less than .1). Mean FSH concentrations were increased (P less than .05) during the post-treatment period (d 5.5 to 9) by treatment with intermediate (5 ml pFF, two times daily and 10 ml pFF, one time daily) and high (10 ml pFF, two times daily) doses of pFF. Neither ovulation rate nor interestrous interval was affected by pFF administration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)