Ovarian Anti-Müllerian Hormone Expression in Hyperprolific Sows: Associations with Reproductive Stage and Parity, with Elevated Expression in the Corpus Luteum During the Luteal Stage

Abstract

Simple Summary Better tools are needed to identify animals with healthy ovaries so that farmers can make informed breeding and management decisions. This study examined the distribution of an anti-Müllerian hormone that reflects ovarian activity in the ovaries of highly productive sows and evaluated whether its expression was associated with reproductive stage, the number of eggs released during ovulation, and the number of previous pregnancies. The hormone was detected throughout follicle development. Its expression was higher in this tissue during the active luteal stage of the reproductive cycle, while younger sows appeared to exhibit higher expression in developing follicles than older sows. However, hormone expression was not related to the number of eggs released during a reproductive cycle. These findings improve our understanding of ovarian function in highly productive sows and indicate that this hormone may serve as a useful indicator of ovarian reserve and long-term reproductive potential. This knowledge may help improve breeding decisions, reproductive management, animal welfare, and the sustainability of commercial pig production.