Eureka! Institutional Repository

The present study is the first demonstration in Greece of a study of the reproductive results of the sole A.I. center in Greece. The study refers to the reproductive parameters of boar semen from the A.I. center, but also to the reproductive output in commercial farms, after the performance of inseminations with semen of the involved in the study boars. For this purpose, data from 497 semen collections from 66 boars of 6 genetic lines and for a period of 12 months was retrieved (July 2016 – June 2017). The qualitative parameters examined on semen were viability and motility (at 0, 24 and 48-72 hours of storage), whilst for the period of the last three months of the semen morphological abnormalities were also evaluated. Finally, data was collected from 6.580 inseminations and consecutive farrowing and weaning in two major pig farms (1900 and 900 sows respectively), where the reproductive results from the A.I. center semen were compared to those from semen produced on-farm. The results of the present study showed that in the raw semen produced in the A.I. center, viability was 91,94% and motility 80,17% (mean values), whereas semen samples evaluated for morphology had overall abnormalities of <25% (13% mean value). Data analysis showed that the results of inseminations for the farrowing rate, with semen from the A.I. center was similar to those of the on-farm produced semen. In detail, farrowing rate was 87% and 88% respectively for A.I. station and on-farm produced semen (P>0.05). Total number of piglets born was 15.37 and 14,78 (P<0.01) respectively. In addition born alive piglets were 14.04 and 13.94, stillborn piglets were 1.34 and 0.85 (P<0.01), piglet losses were 1.41 and 1.42, and weaned piglets were 12.58 and 12.60 respectively. Comparing the two commercial farms showed that dead piglets were 1.83 and 0.78 (P <0.0005) and the percentage of dead piglets 11.28 and 5.03 respectively, (P < 0.0005) were statistically significantly higher in farm 3 compared to farm 2. Finally, the analysis of morphological abnormalities showed that, at the level where the evaluated samples varied, there was no statistically significant negative correlation with the results from fertility and farrowing. Based on the results from the present study, the contribution of the A.I. center in reassuring high reproductive output is demonstrated, whereas genetic progress in pigs is achieved by the availability of semen from boars of high genetic value in Greece.