Changes of electrical impedance in vaginal vestibule in cyclic sows

The changes of the electrical impedance in the vaginal vestibule during the oestrous cycle and the influence of sow parity on the vestibular impedance in oestrus were examined. Primiparous and multiparous sows of the Large White breed were used. Oestrus was tested via exposure of sows to a sexually mature boar. The criterion for conformation of ovulation was the increase in plasma progesterone levels above 12.5 nmol l(-1) on day 8 and 12 after oestrus onset. A two-terminal method was used to measure the impedance. The vestibular impedance rose slightly in the first day after weaning. The impedance increased markedly during oestrus, (P < 0.01) and decreased during early dioestrus (P < 0.01). No significant changes were observed thereafter. The individual sows reached the peak of vestibular impedance between I and 3 days after oestrus onset. The parity of sows did not significantly influence the impedance values during oestrus. The study showed that the impedance changes in the vaginal vestibule during peri-oestrus are considerably different from those described earlier in the vagina and that sow parity does not affect the vestibular impedance in oestrus. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.