Induction of parturition in swine with the prostaglandin analogue fenprostalene

Department of Agriculture, University College Dublin, Ireland.

Ninety-one to 100 per cent of pregnant sows injected with 0.25, 0.5 or 1 mg of fenprostalene on days 112, 113 or 114 of gestation began to farrow within 30 hours of treatment, the majority during working hours on the day after injection. Induction of farrowing had no significant effect on the piglets' viability, the litter weight or the subsequent sow or litter performance. Treatment of sows with fenprostalene and oxytocin on day 114 of pregnancy resulted in a reduction in duration of farrowing compared with fenprostalene alone.