Factors contributing to the variation in placental efficiency on days 70, 90, and 110 of gestation in gilts.

ABSTRACT: Variations in placental efficiency (PE), a measure of grams of fetus produced per gram of placenta, were initially researched between swine breeds, where increased PE was associated with larger litters. Placental efficiency was also found to vary greatly within production herds and individual litters; however, the use of PE as a selection tool has been debated. Nonetheless, PE is an index of feto-placental adaptation and may help identify compensatory mechanisms that maintain fetal growth when placental size is reduced, potentially providing an opportunity to address production concerns like low birth weights and preweaning survival. Since the nutrient transport capacity of the placenta largely depends on vasculature and nutrient transporter abundance, the objectives of this experiment wer

SUBMITTER: Krombeen SK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6313123 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature