Sexual behavior of castrated boars treated with prostaglandin F2α

Zamora, V.; Figueroa, J.L.; Martínez, M.; Sánchez-Torres, M.T.; Cárdenas, M.; Kirkwood, R.N.

doi:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2010.01.019

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Volume 74, Issue 1 , Pages 100-104, 1 July 2010

Sexual behavior of castrated boars treated with prostaglandin F_2α

V. Zamora
- Programa en Ganadería, Campus Montecillo, Colegio de Postgraduados, Texcoco, Estado de México, 56 230, México
J.L. Figueroa
- Programa en Ganadería, Campus Montecillo, Colegio de Postgraduados, Texcoco, Estado de México, 56 230, México
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +52 595 952 0200; fax: +52 595 952 0279.
M. Martínez
- Programa en Ganadería, Campus Montecillo, Colegio de Postgraduados, Texcoco, Estado de México, 56 230, México
M.T. Sánchez-Torres
- Programa en Ganadería, Campus Montecillo, Colegio de Postgraduados, Texcoco, Estado de México, 56 230, México
M. Cárdenas
- Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Tlalpan, D.F. 14 000, México
R.N. Kirkwood
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA

Received 3 October 2009; received in revised form 30 January 2010; accepted 31 January 2010. published online 08 March 2010.

Abstract

The objectives were to test the hypothesis that exogenous prostaglandin F_2α (PGF_2α) temporarily restores sexual behavior of castrated boars, and to evaluate effects of PGF_2α on serum hormone concentrations. At 35 d after castration, nine lean-type adult boars were randomly assigned to three treatments in a 3×3 latin square (with three replicates). Treatments were three doses of PGF_2α doses (0, 10, and 20mg) and three periods of treatment, with 5 d between each period. Serum testosterone (T) concentrations were non-detectable at the start of the experiment. Serum concentrations of estradiol (E2), LH, prolactin (PRL), and cortisol were unaffected (P>0.05) by PGF_2α treatment. The interval from treatment to ejaculation in boars treated with 10mg (758s) or 20mg (660s) PGF_2α did not differ, but were different (P < 0.05) from control boars (>1 800s). Ejaculation duration and false mounts differed (P < 0.05) between control boars and boars treated with 10 or 20mg PGF_2α. In conclusion, PGF_2α treatment did not change serum concentrations of T, E2, LH, PRL, or cortisol, but restored sexual behavior. This restoration may have been due to an effect of PGF_2α directly in specific areas of the brain, or indirectly via release of other hormones that stimulated areas in the brain that affected sexual behavior.