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Mota-Rojas D, Marcet-Rius M, Domínguez-Oliva A, Martínez-Burnes J, Lezama-García K, Hernández-Ávalos I, Rodríguez-González D, Bienboire-Frosini C. The Role of Oxytocin in Domestic Animal’s Maternal Care: Parturition, Bonding, and Lactation. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13071207. [PMID: 37048463 PMCID: PMC10093258 DOI: 10.3390/ani13071207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT) is one of the essential hormones in the birth process; however, estradiol, prolactin, cortisol, relaxin, connexin, and prostaglandin are also present. In addition to parturition, the functions in which OXT is also involved in mammals include the induction of maternal behavior, including imprinting and maternal care, social cognition, and affiliative behavior, which can affect allo-parental care. The present article aimed to analyze the role of OXT and the neurophysiologic regulation of this hormone during parturition, how it can promote or impair maternal behavior and bonding, and its importance in lactation in domestic animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Mota-Rojas
- Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Xochimilco Campus, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico City 04960, Mexico
| | - Míriam Marcet-Rius
- Department of Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology (IRSEA), 84400 Apt, France
| | - Adriana Domínguez-Oliva
- Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Xochimilco Campus, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico City 04960, Mexico
| | - Julio Martínez-Burnes
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, Victoria City 87000, Mexico
| | - Karina Lezama-García
- Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Xochimilco Campus, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico City 04960, Mexico
| | - Ismael Hernández-Ávalos
- Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico (UNAM), Cuautitlán 54714, Mexico
| | - Daniela Rodríguez-González
- Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Xochimilco Campus, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico City 04960, Mexico
| | - Cécile Bienboire-Frosini
- Department of Molecular Biology and Chemical Communication, Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology (IRSEA), 84400 Apt, France
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Parallels between Postpartum Disorders in Humans and Preweaning Piglet Mortality in Sows. Animals (Basel) 2018; 8:ani8020022. [PMID: 29485618 PMCID: PMC5836030 DOI: 10.3390/ani8020022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2017] [Revised: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Humans and sows are both highly social species that exhibit a wide variety of maternal behaviors and responsivity to pregnancy and parturition. Piglet crushing is a production and welfare concern for the swine industry. Similar to rates of postpartum depression in humans, the performance of piglet crushing is more likely in first-time mothers. Furthermore, hormonal profiles and social factors that influence the development of this disease in humans mirror those observed in sows surrounding parturition. This article reviews the biological, social, and management factors that may be contributing to this problem of piglet crushing through the lens of how postpartum depression develops in humans. Utilizing knowledge from human psychology and animal welfare science may provide producers with management tools to mitigate piglet crushing and provide new insight into the factors that contribute to human postpartum disorders. Abstract Pregnancy and parturition in all mammals is accompanied with physical, psychological, social, and hormonal shifts that impact the mother physically and psychologically. Pre-weaning piglet mortality continues to be a major welfare and economic issue in U.S. swine production, running at 12–15% with crushing by the sow the major cause. Much research has focused on farrowing environment design, yet the fact that little progress has been made emphasizes that psychosocial factors may impact rates of postpartum disorders (PPD). There is a mismatch between evolved adaptations and contemporary psychosocial and management practices. Many factors associated with the development of PPD in humans are mirrored in sows that perform piglet crushing. These factors include poor mental welfare (anxiety, difficulty coping with stress), a lack of experience, a lack of social support, and individual differences in their sensitivity to hormone concentrations. Understanding what strategies are effective in preventing PPD in humans may have welfare and production benefits for sows—and sows may be a possible model for better understanding PPD in humans.
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Kirkden RD, Broom DM, Andersen IL. Invited review: piglet mortality: management solutions. J Anim Sci 2014; 91:3361-89. [PMID: 23798524 DOI: 10.2527/jas.2012-5637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Preweaning mortality varies greatly among herds and this is partly attributed to differences in farrowing house management. In this review, we describe the various management strategies than can be adopted to decrease mortality and critically examine the evidence that exists to support their use. First, we consider which management procedures are effective against specific causes of death: intrapartum stillbirth, hypothermia, starvation, disease, crushing, and savaging. The most effective techniques include intervention to assist dystocic sows, measures to prevent and treat sow hypogalactia, good farrowing house hygiene, providing newborn piglets with a warm microenvironment, early fostering of supernumerary piglets, methods that assist small and weak piglets to breathe and obtain colostrum, and intervention to prevent deaths from crushing and savaging. The provision of nest-building material and modifications to the pen to assist the sow when lying down may also be beneficial, but the evidence is less clear. Because most deaths occur around the time of farrowing and during the first few days of life, the periparturient period is a particularly important time for management interventions intended to reduce piglet mortality. A number of procedures require a stockperson to be present during and immediately after farrowing. Second, we consider the benefits of farrowing supervision for preweaning mortality in general, focusing particularly on methods for the treatment of dystocia and programs of piglet care that combine multiple procedures. Third, we discuss the need for good stockmanship if farrowing supervision is to be effective. Stockmanship refers not only to technical skills but also to the manner in which sows are handled because this influences their fearfulness of humans. We conclude that piglet survival can be improved by a range of management procedures, many of which occur in the perinatal period and require the supervision of farrowing by trained staff. Although this incurs additional labor costs, there is some evidence that this can be economically offset by improved piglet survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- R D Kirkden
- University of Cambridge, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, UK.
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Alternative farrowing accommodation: welfare and economic aspects of existing farrowing and lactation systems for pigs. Animal 2012; 6:96-117. [DOI: 10.1017/s1751731111001224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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Breeding against harmful social behaviours in pigs and chickens: State of the art and the way forward. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2011.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Chen C, Yang Z, Li Y, Wei N, Li P, Guo Y, Ren J, Ding N, Huang L. Association and haplotype analysis of candidate genes in five genomic regions linked to sow maternal infanticide in a white Duroc × Erhualian resource population. BMC Genet 2011; 12:24. [PMID: 21303561 PMCID: PMC3044675 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2156-12-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2010] [Accepted: 02/09/2011] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Maternal infanticide is an extreme and failed maternal behavior, which is defined as an active attack on piglets using the jaws, resulting in serious or fatal bite wounds. It brings big economic loss to the pig industry and severe problems to piglets' welfare. But little is known about the genetic background of this behavior. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for maternal infanticide were identified in a White Duroc × Erhualian intercross by a non-parametric linkage analysis (NPL) in our previous study. In this study, associations of 194 microsatellite markers used in NPL analysis with maternal infanticide behavior were further analyzed by transmission-disequilibrium test (TDT). On this basis, seven genes (ESR2, EAAT2, BDNF, OXTR, 5-HTR2C, DRD1 and GABRA6) at five genomic regions were selected and further analyzed. Associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and haplotypes in each gene with maternal infanticide behavior were evaluated. Results Microsatellite markers on pig chromosome (SSC) 2, 13, 15, and X displayed significance at P < 0.05 by both TDT and NPL. Of the seven candidate genes, three ESR2 SNPs had nominal evidence for association (P < 0.05). Allele A at EAAT2 g. 233G > A and allele T at DRD1 g.1013C > G > T also showed evidence of overtransmission to infanticidal sows. In the overall tests of association of haplotypes, candidate genes of ESR2, EAAT2 and DRD1 achieved overall significance level (P < 0.05). Haplotype [A; A; G], [G; A; G], [A; G; G] and [C; C], respectively, from ESR2, EAAT2 and DRD1 showed higher frequencies to infanticidal sows (P < 0.05). Alleles among haplotypes and SNPs which showed an overtransmission to infanticidal sows were from White Duroc. Conclusions From association tests of SNPs and haplotypes, ESR2, EAAT2 and DRD1 showed significant associations with maternal infanticide. This result supported the existence of QTL for maternal infanticide behavior on SSC1, SSC2 and SSC16.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congying Chen
- Key Laboratory for Animal Biotechnology of Jiangxi Province and the Ministry of Agriculture of China, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, PR China
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A genome wide detection of quantitative trait loci on pig maternal infanticide behavior in a large scale White Duroc x Erhualian resource population. Behav Genet 2009; 39:213-9. [PMID: 19130209 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-008-9252-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2008] [Accepted: 12/12/2008] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Maternal behavior around parturition is important to piglet survival. An extreme form of failure of maternal behavior, also called maternal infanticide, often occurs in some sows. This is defined as an active attack to piglets using the jaws, resulting in serious or fatal bite wounds within 24 h of birth. It leads to considerable economic losses to the pig industry and severe problems in pig welfare. In this study, maternal behaviors from 5 h before to 24 h after parturition were recorded in detail on 288 White Duroc x Erhualian intercross F(2) sows over their three continuous farrowings. In the F(2) population 12.8% gilts showed maternal infanticide in their first litter, while the incidences of maternal infanticide at their second and third farrowing reduced to 7.5% and 4.5%, respectively. All F(2) sows were genotyped for 194 microsatellite markers spanning the whole pig genome. A whole genome linkage analysis was performed using the non-parametric linkage test by SimWalk2 software. The results identified that seven chromosome regions on SSC2, SSC6, SSC14, SSC15 and SSCX were significantly linked with maternal infanticide (P < 0.05). The quantitative trait loci (QTL) on SSC2 and SSCX achieved P < 0.01 significance level. The most promising QTLs, however, were detected on X chromosome where three peaks of negative logarithm of P-value located at marker SW980, SW2456 and SW1608. QTLs on SSC2 and SSCX from this experiment were consistent with published results from the Western commercial lines.
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Quilter CR, Gilbert CL, Oliver GL, Jafer O, Furlong RA, Blott SC, Wilson AE, Sargent CA, Mileham A, Affara NA. Gene expression profiling in porcine maternal infanticide: a model for puerperal psychosis. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2008; 147B:1126-37. [PMID: 18361432 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.30734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The etiology of mental disorders remains largely unclear. Complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors are key to the development of such disorders. Puerperal psychosis is the most extreme form of postnatal mood disorder in women. Similarly, parturition in the pig can trigger extreme behavioral disturbances, including maternal infanticide. In this study, we have used a targeted cDNA microarray approach using the pig as a model to understand the genes and genetic pathways that are involved in these processes. Two subtracted cDNA libraries from porcine hypothalamus were constructed, which were enriched for genes that were over-expressed and under-expressed in the aberrant behavioral phenotype, compared to the matched control. In addition to this, a normalized library was constructed from hypothalamus and pituitary samples taken from pigs in a variety of reproductive states. The libraries were partially sequenced and combined represented approximately 5,159 different genes. Microarray analysis determined differences in gene expression between hypothalamus samples from nine matched pairs of infanticidal versus control animals, using a common reference design. Microarray analysis of variance (MAANOVA) identified 52 clones as being differentially expressed (P <or= 0.002) in the infanticide phenotype, a second analysis with friendly statistics package for microarray analysis (FSPMA) identified 9 genes in common to MAANOVA, and a further 16 genes. A rapid cross-species screen onto a human oligonucleotide array confirmed 3 genes and highlighted 61 more potential candidates. Some of these genes and the pathways in which they are involved were also implicated in a parallel QTL study on maternal infanticide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire R Quilter
- Department of Pathology, Human Molecular Genetics Group, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, UK.
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Chen C, Gilbert CL, Yang G, Guo Y, Segonds-Pichon A, Ma J, Evans G, Brenig B, Sargent C, Affara N, Huang L. Maternal infanticide in sows: Incidence and behavioural comparisons between savaging and non-savaging sows at parturition. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2008. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2007.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Quilter CR, Blott SC, Wilson AE, Bagga MR, Sargent CA, Oliver GL, Southwood OI, Gilbert CL, Mileham A, Affara NA. Porcine maternal infanticide as a model for puerperal psychosis. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2007; 144B:862-8. [PMID: 17503476 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.30529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Childbirth is a period of substantial rapid biological and psychological change and a wide range of psychotic disorders can occur ranging from mild 'baby blues' to severe episodes of psychotic illnesses. Puerperal psychosis is the most extreme form of postnatal psychosis, occurring in 1 in 1,000 births. In this study, we have used the pig as an animal model for human postnatal psychiatric illness. Our aim was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with maternal (infanticide) sow aggression. This is defined by sows attacking and killing their own newborn offspring, within 24 hr of birth. An affected sib pair whole genome linkage analysis was carried out with 80 microsatellite markers covering the 18 porcine autosomes and the X chromosome, with the aim of identifying chromosomal regions responsible for this abnormal behavior. Analysis was carried out using the non-parametric linkage test of Whittemore and Halpern, as implemented in the Merlin software. The results identified 4 QTL mapping on Sus scrofa chromosomes 2 (SSC2), 10 (SSC10), and X (SSCX). The peak regions of these QTL are syntenic to HSA 5q14.3-15, 1q32, Xpter-Xp2.1, and Xq2.4-Xqter, respectively. Several potential candidate genes lie in these regions in addition to relevant abnormal behavioral QTL, found in humans and rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire R Quilter
- Human Molecular Genetics Group, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, UK.
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Piglet- and stockperson-directed sow aggression after farrowing and the relationship with a pre-farrowing, human approach test. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2002. [DOI: 10.1016/s0168-1591(01)00170-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Gilbert CL, Murfitt PJ, Burne TH. Effects of prostaglandin F2alpha treatment of pseudopregnant pigs on nest building and interactions with newborn piglets. Horm Behav 2001; 39:206-15. [PMID: 11300711 DOI: 10.1006/hbeh.2001.1647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies showed that prostaglandin (PG)F2alpha treatment stimulated nest building behaviors in prepartum and pseudopregnant pigs. This experiment studied behaviors of PGF2alpha-treated pseudopregnant nulliparous pigs (gilts) exposed to newborn piglets. Penned pseudopregnant gilts (days 46-53) were injected with either 10 mg PGF2alpha (n = 8) or saline (n = 8) im, and behavior was recorded for 2 h (period A). Between 2 and 6 h (period B), gilts were given two male piglets (< 12 h old) and a novelty object (house brick) and recordings continued. During period A, PGF2alpha animals showed greater frequencies of standing, pawing, rooting, lifting, and carrying straw (indices of nest building) and scratching than saline treated animals. During period B, one PGF2alpha- and two saline-treated gilts attacked piglets, which were removed from the pen and the gilts excluded from further analysis. There were no treatment differences in period B in gilt posture, nest building behavior, or interactions with piglets or novelty object, except for a reduced frequency to trap piglets beneath their bodies and an increased frequency to attempt to escape from the pen in PGF2alpha-treated animals. Piglet position relative to the gilts' head and udder was unaffected by treatment. Gilts in both groups approached and nosed piglets more within the first 30 min of period B than subsequently. PGF2alpha-induced nest building had only a weak impact upon subsequent interactions between gilts and piglets, suggesting that mechanisms controlling porcine nest building and maternal behavior in this model were not directly linked.
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Affiliation(s)
- C L Gilbert
- MAFF Welfare and Behavior Group, Department of Neurobiology, The Babraham Institute, Babraham, Cambridge CB2 4AT, United Kingdom
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