Precision monitoring of reproductive state via development of pen side mucus testing and continuous remote monitoring Project 6A-106a

This application is a resubmission of that submitted in 2019 where we were requested to combine our proposal with a related proposal out of the University of Sydney with the Australasian Pork Research Institute Limited (APRIL) ‘Establish/validate new methods/technologies that reliably and cost effectively confirm reproductive state in sows’.

Detecting sow reproductive state more efficiently and effectively is a current priority for APRIL. This project aims to categorically define real time markers of the reproductive state of sows and gilts. Use of these markers will enable more efficient management within the herd and thus reduce production costs. Specifically, these novel markers will 1) precisely detect oestrus and ovulation, 2) detect pregnancy earlier than 28-days post-insemination and 3) accurately predict the onset of parturition. The major focus of these three arms will be characterising changes in cervical mucus throughout the reproductive stages. We hypothesise that detecting changes in cervical mucus will lead to the development of accurate real-time, pen-side tests that are non-invasive and easy to use.