Fifty three pregnant sows between 23 and 95 days of gestation were slaughtered to study the growth of fetuses and conceptus, and morphological changes in the genital organs of pregnant sows. With advanced gestation, the weight of fetus increased exponentially, while the length increased linearly. Following regression equations were obtained;
Y=e
-38.497·X
(16.291-1.404·logX) (R
2=0.997) for the weight,
Y=0.3057X-6.2899 (R
2=0.964) for the length,
where X is the day of gestation.
The number of the fetuses per litter ranged from 6 to 18. But litter size was not significantly correlated with the weight or length of fetuses. The weight of uterine horn, placenta, amnion liquid, uterine cervix, vagina and vaginal vestibule increased in proportion to advance of gestation. In these organs, the weight of uterine horn also correlated with the number of fetuses positively. An overall fetal survival rate, calculated by the total number of fetuses/that of corpora lutea, was 71.7%.
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