Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Vitamin A on Fertility and Biochemical Characteristics of Oviductal and Uterine Flushings

Abstract

We decided to study the +cts of dieta y vitamin A supplementation on the fhlity and the characteristics of the
oviductal and uterinejlushings ofgilts because in our thermally harsh environment pigs tend to consume lessfeeds
than needed and so expose themselves to some nutritional stress,. The experimental diets contained 12,373.8 and
16,373.8 I.U. of vitamin A per kg.
Although supplementedgilts came into puberty 21 days later, they weresign@antly heamerat puberty with
higher conception rate than their counterparts and had a higher embryo mortality resulting in highly reduced litter
size. Results on the AChE, protein and cation levels of the oviductal and uterine jlushings indicate that
supplementation adversely aficted the quality ofthese tuba1 environments for proper embryogenesis.
The results of this study thus show that dieta y vitamin A supplementation above 10,000 I. U. per kg qffed is
not a commercially importantfhctor and cannot be recommendedfor pig production in the humid tropics.