Postweaning grouped sows: effects of aggression on hormonal patterns and oestrous behaviour

Abstract The concentration of cortisol, oestradiol-17β, prolactin and the amount of social behaviour shown during oestrus were measured in three groups of three sows (Swedish Landrace×Swedish Yorkshire) grouped after weaning and correlated with aggressive behaviour. No relations between the amount of aggression received and any of the hormone levels were found. In contrast, the frequency and characteristics of the oestrous behaviour were related to the amount of received aggression; the sows that received the highest amount of aggression showed significantly less social behaviour during oestrus compared with the other sows.

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