Plasma cortisol levels in gilts treated with Parapoxvirus ovis - based immunostimulator in the late phase of gravidity

The goal of these investigations was to check if two-time treatment of gilts by Baypamun before transferring from the pre-farrowing to farrowing unit can activate natural killer cells, stimulate leukocyte production and lymphocyte proliferation, and decrease the rise in plasma cortisol caused by stress. The investigation comprised 30 one-year-old Swedish Landrace gilts in the late phase of gravidity, which were divided into three groups. Group 1 formed a control group, from blood which was taken in the the pre-farrowing unit in order to enable comparison of the results of plasma cortisol with results obtained in the other two groups. In group 2, Baypamun in a dose of 2 ml i/m at days 7 and 5 was applied, and in group 3 at days 3 and 1 prior to transferral from the pre-farrowing to farrowing unit. After gilts in groups 2 and 3 had been transferred four days prior to farrowing, blood was taken from them at days 1, 3 and 5 of their stay in the farrowing unit. Plasma cortisol was analyzed by the radioimmunochemical (RIA) method. The obtained results by groups were compared with each other using one-way analysis of variance. According to the obtained results an average level of plasma cortisol of the gilts in groups 2 and 3 throughout the research was higher than in control group 1. A significant statistical difference (P < 0.05) appeared between control group 1 and group 3 at day 1 of the stay of gilts in the farrowing unit. Therefore, an anti-stress effect of Baypamun occurred between days 1 and 3 of the stay in the farrowing unit, i.e. by the day of farrowing, when the level of plasma cortisol again began to rise due to stress caused by partus.