14 April 2023 LaCONES-CCMB research develops an efficient method for the detection and quantification of androstenone in boars, published in the peer-reviewed journal MethodsX (published by Elsevier)
Post Date – 11:59 PM, Wednesday – 5/3/23
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Hyderabad: Researchers at the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad have developed a less-stressful, non-invasive method to detect and quantify androstenone, which is A steroidal pheromone found in boars.
The current method of quantifying and detecting the androstenone hormone associated with sex and reproduction in pigs is through blood testing, which often causes stress in the animals and adversely affects the quality of the meat. The method developed by the CCMB researchers will be able to detect the hormone without collecting blood samples, but only urine and stool samples.
Developed by the team of Dr. G Umapathy, a senior scientist at CCMB’s Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES), a quick and easy test for the pheromone androstenone will enable rapid and timely detection, thereby helping the swine industry to promote communication between animals. The right time to mate.
On April 14, 2023, the LaCONES-CCMB study developed an efficient method for the detection and quantification of androstenone in boars, published in the peer-reviewed journal MethodsX (published by Elsevier).
Non-invasive androstenone monitoring has several advantages over invasive methods, as blood collection can be stressful for animal pigs. The researchers say that the development of a non-invasive ELISA method will be more beneficial for measuring androstenone in feces and urine as a marker of boar and sow taint and sex pheromones.
The study also pinpoints times of day when pheromone concentrations are high, which could allow pig technology to successfully mate animals at the correct time.
“In boars, androstenone concentrations were higher in urine and feces on mating and mating days with sows. In sows, we also measured progesterone metabolites in feces to confirm estrus and Mating situation. Fecal androstenone concentrations peaked on the day of estrus and mating in sows. Our results demonstrate that androstenone can be detected and quantified in fecal and urine samples from boars and sows,” the researchers said.
