Hhn U, Fritzsch M, Dahms R. Control of fertility outcome in artificially inseminated gilts and old sows. Entire ejaculates were collected using a semi-automatic collection method (Collectis, IMV Technologies, LAigle, France) and those used in the experiments exceeded the quantity and sperm quality thresholds for production of semen AI-doses. There are no known indications for use in the first trimester of pregnancy other than in relation to spontaneous or induced abortion. Oxytocin and vasopressin expression in the ovine testis and epididymis: changes with the onset of spermatogenesis. 2020;11:565731. Hyperstimulation with strong (hypertonic) or prolonged (tetanic) contractions, or a resting tone of 15 to 20 mmHg or more between contractions can lead to tumultuous labor, uterine rupture, cervical and vaginal lacerations, postpartum hemorrhage, uteroplacental hypoperfusion, and variable deceleration of fetal heart, fetal hypoxia, hypercapnia, perinatal hepatic necrosis or death. The decision can be made only by carefully weighing the potential benefits which oxytocin can provide in a given case against rare but definite potential for the drug to produce hypertonicity or tetanic spasm. Whether your birth experience goes according to plan or not, it is helpful to have adequate support, such as a partner, family, or doula. Before Thereafter, 10L of biotinylated OXT-BSA (1 nmol/L, Cusabio Technology LLC, Houston, TX, USA) was added to each well and the plates incubated again at RT for 60min. California Privacy Statement, Its rapid removal from plasma is accomplished largely by the kidney and the liver. However, the number of intrapartum stillborn deaths and ruptured umbilical cords per litter were significantly higher among the oxytocin treated sows versus the control sows. To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Par Pharmaceutical at 1-800-828-9393 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088) or www.fda.gov/medwatch. Results from non-normality distribution data were shown as median (25th and 75th percentiles), and those from normality distribution data as meanstandard error of the mean (SEM). Pitocin is the synthetic version of Oxytocin. WebGlukokortikoide Colospa, How To Stop Shaky Hands Sublingual Cialis, Ball Refill Gold Side Effects Advair Diskus, Rifampin For Hs Volume Pills, Is Pitocin Made From Pig Hormones Levitra, Abilify Twice Daily Clomid, Reliablerx Canada Torsemide, Metoprolol Vs Carvedilol Blood Pressure Aralen, Zopiclone Not Working Keflex, Is Lemon Good For Tb Patient Pitocin or Oxytocin is a hormone your body produces to start things like labor, breastfeeding, and more. Stadler B, Whittaker MR, Exintaris B, Middendorff R. Oxytocin in the male reproductive tract; the therapeutic potential of oxytocin-agonists and-antagonists. The use of exogenous (not produced by the sow) prostaglandin allows the caretaker to synchronize farrowing across multiple sows or to a preferred time of day for attendance purposes. Lpez-Arjona M, Mainau E, Navarro E, Contreras-Aguilar MD, Escribano D, Mateo SV, Manteca X, Cern JJ, Martnez-Subiela S. BMC Vet Res. Thackare H, Nicholson HD, Whittington K. Oxytocin--its role in male reproduction and new potential therapeutic uses. ; Methodology: L.P., M.L-A. This medication is often used when labor does not begin on its own by the due date or there are medical (or other) reasons that necessitate early delivery. Am J Reprod Immunol. It is sometimes known as the "cuddle New England Journal of Medicine2018; doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1800566, Wei S, Wo BL, Qi HP, et al. The influence of seminal plasma on offspring development and health. More research is required to elucidate this matter. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0093-691X(98)00032-6. I mean, don't trust me. J Perinat Educ. 2014;119:2238. Oxytocin can help us bond with loved ones and can be released through touch, music and exercise. As expected the total farrowing time and interval between piglet births was reduced in sows administered oxytocin (Table 2). Differences in the ability of spermatozoa from individual boar ejaculates to withstand different semen-processing techniques. Pitocin is a nonapeptide found in pituitary extracts from mammals. [36], who found that youngest boars had higher salivary OXT concentrations. National Partnership for Women and Families. Accessibility 4D). Adjust the infusion rate to sustain uterine contraction and control uterine atony. The response to a given dose of oxytocin is very individualized and depends on the sensitivity of the uterus, which is determined by the oxytocin receptor concentration. Also, every experience with Pitocin will be different. After this incubation time, 26L of Merocyanine 540 (M-540, 0.1mmol/L in DMSO) was added to each semen sample and incubated for at 38C in darkness another 2min. PMC April 2009. Waclawik A, Blitek A, Ziecik AJ. These properties are thought to be due to the fact that oxytocin and vasopressin differ in regard to only two of the eight amino acids (see PRECAUTIONS section). Pitocin (oxytocin injection, USP) is a sterile, clear, colorless aqueous solution of synthetic oxytocin, for intravenous infusion or intramuscular injection. However, even a small reduction in laboring may provide significant relief to the pregnant mother. Establish the infusion with a separate bottle of physiologic electrolyte solution not containing Pitocin. Antepartum use of Pitocin is contraindicated in any of the following circumstances: Pitocin, when given for induction of labor or augmentation of uterine activity, should be administered only by the intravenous route and with adequate medical supervision in a hospital. Oxytocin is an age-specific circulating hormone that is necessary for muscle maintenance and regeneration. Google Scholar. Noticeable, the results also showed that boar with best farrowing rates have ejaculates with highest SP-OXT concentrations. 2013;91:1322. FOIA Seitchik J, Castillo M: Oxytocin augmentation of dysfunctional labor. Anim. The differences between men and male pigs in reproductive OXT secretion could be explained by differences in mating strategy. 2016;85(1):8393. PubMed Electronic fetal monitoring provides the best means for early detection of overdosage (see. Influence of hormone supplementation to extended semen on artificial insemination, uterine contractions, establishment of a sperm reservoir, and fertility in swine. The use of Pitocin provides a reliable, safe, medically-controlled way to induce labor that helps speed along the deliveries of millions of babies each year. Oxytocin augmentation of labour in women with epidural analgesia for reducing operative deliveries. Electronically monitor the uterine activity and the fetal heart rate throughout the infusion of Pitocin. The action of sexual intercourse in stimulating labour is unclear, it may in part be due to the physical stimulation of the lower uterine segment, or endogenous release of oxytocin as a result of orgasm or from the direct action of prostaglandins in semen. doi: 10.1002/ajp.22871. Which one of the following medications contains ADH and oxytocin is a ration of 20:1? The SP concentrations of OXT are boar, ejaculate and age dependent, and positively related with ejaculate volume and farrowing rates of liquid-stored semen AI-doses. This data indicated that the percent of litters with one or more still births was increased in each of the farms when oxytocin was given to the sow some time during the birth process (Figure 1). Pitocin is a nonapeptide found in pituitary extracts from mammals. It is standardized to contain 10 units of oxytocic hormone/mL and contains 0.5% Chlorobutanol, a chloroform derivative as a preservative, 1.65 mg acetic acid and 0.16 mg ammonium acetate as buffers, and with the pH adjusted with acetic acid to achieve a targeted pH of 3.5. Disclaimer. C-D: Box-and-whisker plot showing the SP concentrations of OXT in the ejaculates from boars showing positive, without and negative deviation in farrowing rate (FR; C) and litter size (LS, D). HHS Vulnerability Disclosure, Help The hormone also works on on a positive feedback loop.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jprot.2013.05.029. Cell Tissue Res. Robert Maddock, Jim Wyckoff reports lean hog futures showing upside price potential, Administer oxytocin only after the cervix is fully dilated, For a normally farrowing sow, do not use oxytocin until a minimum of 6 pigs have been born, Use oxytocin when a sow has not had a piglet for over 40 minutes, and. Do your own research. Yeste M. State-of-the-art of boar sperm preservation in liquid and frozen state. Oxytocin is known as the hormone that promotes feelings of love, bonding and well-being. The positive relationship found in our study between SP-OXT and in vivo fertility would be supported by many empirical studies that demonstrated the positive effects of supplementing semen AI-doses with OXT on swine fertility [29,30,31,32,33,34]. Intravenous infusion (drip method) is the only acceptable method of parenteral administration of Pitocin for the induction or stimulation of labor. OLeary S, Jasper MJ, Warnes GM, Armstrong DT, Robertson SA. Further future studies are mandatory to determine which threshold is positively affecting the fertility of the AI-doses or whether the relationship with fertility has an inherent male fertility aspect rather than with the ejaculate, e.g. Anim. These specific 18 boars were moreover grouped (hierarchical clustering, P<0.001) into three sub-groups groups according to deviations in farrowing rate: positive (from 1.81% to 7.54%, n=6), without (from 0.74% to 1.44%, n=7) and negative (from 1.53% to 2.79%, n=5) deviation (Fig. Artificial insemination in pigs today. Months: mos. L.P and M.L-A were financially supported by MINECO (BES-2016-076404) and MECD (FPU16/02170), Spain, respectively. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Perez-Patino C, Barranco I, Ruber M, Broekhuijse M, Padilla L, Alvarez-Rodriguez M, et al. The fluorescence intensity was measured through the EnSpire Multimode Plate Reader. Whittington K, Assinder S, Gould M, Nicholson H. Oxytocin, oxytocin-associated neurophysin and the oxytocin receptor in the human prostate. The SP-OXT concentrations were expressed in ng/mL. 2016;24:e2744. volume12, Articlenumber:101 (2021) NDC 42023-116-02 Packages of twenty-five 10 mL multiple-dose vial, each containing 10 units of oxytocin per mL (total = 100 units of oxytocin per vial). As a medication, it is used to cause contraction of the uterus to start labor, increase the speed of labor, and to stop bleeding following delivery. This assay can contribute to a wider use of oxytocin measurements in pigs as it is a noninvasive sampling procedure that minimizes stress. 2005;88(3-4):32539. Verywell Family's content is for informational and educational purposes only. The standard solution for infusion of Pitocin is prepared by adding the contents of one 1-mL vial containing 10 units of oxytocin to 1000 mL of 0.9% aqueous sodium chloride or Ringer's lactate. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2013.09.005. Oh, and cervidil (also used for inductions) is made with pig SEMEN. Biology. Oxytocin is the hormone that naturally induces labor. Early amniotomy and early oxytocin for prevention of, or therapy for, delay in first stage spontaneous labour compared with routine care. The control sows were allowed to farrow without intervention. The primary goal of Pitocin induction is to mimic the natural process of labor with an artificial or a synthetic dosage of naturally occurring hormones in a womans body. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjem.2018.08.001. Anim Reprod. https://doi.org/10.1111/and.12248. So, how do I know so much about Pitocin? Clinical data. WebPitocin is a synthetic version of the naturally-produced hormone oxytocin. Barranco I, Tvarijonaviciute A, Perez-Patino C, Vicente-Carrillo A, Parrilla I, Ceron JJ, et al. WebNeurophysin 1 specifically binds oxytocin. 2014;81(6):7806. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2015.11.026. 5- (and 6-) chloromethyl-20,70-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate acetyl ester. However, these concerns are not easy to affirm or dismiss because the perception of pain is quite subjective and variable. Also, with those reported by Elabd et al. Elabd C, Cousin W, Upadhyayula P, Chen RY, Chooljian MS, Li J, et al. Although the specific components of SP involved in these reproductive events have not yet been fully identified, proteins and peptides would be among the major contributors [8]. Reprod Domest Anim. The speed of the drip (and how much you end up needing) also correlates to how well you and your baby respond to the drug. Ejaculates of boars showing positive farrowing rate deviation exhibited higher (P<0.05) SP-OXT concentration/mL than those with negative farrowing rate deviation. There are many reasons Pitocin is used to induce labor. The percentage of viable sperm exhibiting high intracellular ROS generation (H-42+/PI/2,7-di-chlorofluorescein [DCF]+) was recorded. Some examples of contraindications include the following: In cases where Pitocin is contraindicated, other methods of induction, such as intentionally rupturing the amniotic sac, waiting for labor to occur naturally, or a cesarean section may be used. Labor and birth. While oxytocin The intraassay variation was below 7.5% and the inter-assay coefficient variation below 9%, the assays displaying also high linearity under serial dilutions. Oxytocin is frequently used to decrease farrowing time and birth interval as an aid to prevent stillbirths. J Proteome. Lpez-Arjona M, Escribano D, Mateo SV, Contreras-Aguilar MD, Rubio CP, Tecles F, Cern JJ, Martnez-Subiela S. Res Vet Sci. Our results also revealed that SP-OXT concentrations were not related to quality and sperm functionality parameters assessed in semen samples liquid stored at 17C during 72h. These results agree with those of Goverde et al. Release of oxytocin from the pituitary is stimulated by the extensive nuzzling of the udder by the pigs and occurs approximately at the point where the sow increases the rate of grunting. Epub 2018 May 14. Do your own research. doi:10.1590/1518-8345.0765.2744. 2010;45:6778. Synthetic Exploring seminal plasma GSTM3 as a quality and in vivo fertility biomarker in pigsrelationship with sperm morphology. National Institutes of Health, Office of Research on Women's Health. Read our, Caring for Yourself and Your Newborn Postpartum, Breaking the Water to Induce or Augment Labor, C-Section: What It Is, How It's Done, Risks, and Benefits, Pregnancy Complications Women Need to Watch For, Being Sent Home From the Hospital When Not in Labor, Recent declines in induction of labor by gestational age, Labor stimulation with oxytocin: Effects on obstetrical and neonatal outcomes, Oxytocin versus no treatment or delayed treatment for slow progress in the first stage of spontaneous labour, Oxytocin augmentation of labour in women with epidural analgesia for reducing operative deliveries, Major survey findings of Listening to Mothers(SM) III: Pregnancy and birth: Report of the third National U.S. Survey of Women's Childbearing Experiences, Labor induction versus expectant management for low-risk nulliparous women, Early amniotomy and early oxytocin for prevention of, or therapy for, delay in first stage spontaneous labour compared with routine care, Contractions that come too close together, making labor more difficult to manage, Higher likelihood of requesting pain medication, like an, The baby is not in a position conducive to delivery (malposition) or is in fetal distress (in which cases a c-section delivery may be needed), You are allergic to Pitocin or any of the medication's ingredients, You have a condition that may be affected by the drug's use, such as high blood pressure (hypertension), You have a pregnancy complication, such as. In pigs, the main role attributed to OXT is to facilitate the contractility of the myometrium [28]. [29] reported that the supplementation of pig semen AI-doses with OXT increased the number of sperm in the utero-tubal junction reservoir, having a positive impact on fertility. Prostaglandin is one of the hormones that is produced naturally by the sow to end pregnancy and start the farrowing process. Experimental procedures involving animals were performed in accordance with the European Directive 2010/63/EU and were approved by the Bioethics Committee of the University of Murcia (research code: 639/2012). Ejaculate volume (mL) was measured by depositing the freshly collected ejaculate in a graduated cylinder while sperm concentration (106 sperm/mL) was measured with an automated cell counter (NucleoCounter NC-100TM; ChemoMetec, Allerod, Denmark). 2018 Oct;80(10):e22871. An official website of the United States government. Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration whenever solution and container permit. Overstimulation of the uterus by improper administration can be hazardous to both mother and fetus. These results agree with those reported by Lopez-Arjona et al. Discontinue the infusion of Pitocin immediately in the event of uterine hyperactivity and/or fetal distress. II. In this study, a new assay for oxytocin measurement was developed, analytically validated, and used to measure possible changes in oxytocin in saliva of female pigs at different days after farrowing. The boars were placed in individual pens in a building with controlled air temperature (1525C) and with 16h of continual light per day. Store between 20 to 25C (68 to 77F). Okazaki T, Ikoma E, Tinen T, Akiyoshi T, Mori M, Teshima H. Addition of oxytocin to semen extender improves both sperm transport to the oviduct and conception rates in pigs following AI. Seminal plasma proteins: what role do they play? Neonatal seizures have been reported with the use of Pitocin. Then, 15L of acceptor beads coated with monoclonal anti-oxytocin antibody (30g/mL) was added to each well and the plates were incubated at RT in darkness for 90min. IV. Once the ejaculate volume was measured, three 5mL semen aliquots were collected from each ejaculate to: (1) measure sperm concentration and evaluate sperm morphology; (2) evaluate sperm functional parameters once extended to 30106 sperm/mL and stored at 17C for 72h (analyzed at 0h and 72h of storage time); and (3) harvest SP samples for OXT measurement. Oxytocin pharmacokinetics. Nat Commun. In some cases, your plans to have unmedicated labor may be altered if your healthcare provider believes Pitocin is the right choice for you and your baby. This relationship was expected since OXT plays a fundamental role in ejaculation, stimulating contractions of smooth muscles of the male reproductive system [20] and, thereby, facilitates spermiation, the release of fluids from the accessory glands and the passive transport of sperm [45]. J Proteome Res. But that couldn't be farther from the truth. Firstly, the frozen SP was thawed on ice and diluted in AlphaLISA Universal buffer (1:64; v/v). The sows were housed in different Spanish farms but subjected to the same management system. Seminal OXT concentrations (ng/mL) were measured in 169 ejaculates from 61 boars of the Duroc, Pietrain, Landrace and Large White breeds using a direct competitive immunoassay test based on AlphaLISA technology. However, it's important to note that this medication is generally safe and has a low risk of serious complications. Sperm morphology was microscopically (Eclipse E400, Nikon, Tokyo, Japan) assessed in fixed sperm samples (1:1, v/v, in 0.12% formaldehyde saline solution; Panreac, Barcelona, Spain) by counting a total of 200 sperm per sample. An evaluation of the risk factors for stillbirths on two commercial swine farms in Brazil indicated that use of oxytocin increased the risk for stillbirth. Moreover, SP has immunoregulatory properties, causing a favorable immune environment for sperm and embryos in the female genital tract [9]. Labor stimulation with oxytocin: Effects on obstetrical and neonatal outcomes. Oxytocin (OXT), a small peptide hormone mainly synthetized in the magnocellular neurons of the hypothalamus, would be another SP component potentially The boars were housed in a Spanish AI-center (AIM Ibrica; Topigs Norsvin Spain SLU, Calasparra, Murcia, Spain), that complied with the Spanish and European rules for both animal health and welfare and for the marketing of seminal AI-doses (Spanish: ES300130640127, August 2006; European: ES13RS04P, July 2012). 1996;19(5):27886. Introduction Oxytocin is a hormone that is synthesized in the neurons of the brain and transported to the posterior pituitary. Statistical differences were defined as P<0.05. The assay showed an adequate accuracy and precision and does not need a previous extraction step. In fact, according to the National Partnership for Women and Families, 63% of induced labors include the use of Pitocin. Padilla, L., Lpez-Arjona, M., Martinez-Subiela, S. et al. ; Data curation: L.P. and M.L-A. Oxytocin has been shown to have an intrinsic antidiuretic effect, acting to increase water reabsorption from the glomerular filtrate. The percentage of spermatozoa with an average path velocity greater than 20m/s were considered as motile and those with a straight-line velocity more than 40m/s were recorded as showing progressive motility. 2000;63(2):44856. For instance, glutathione peroxidase-5 [13, 17], anti-Mllerian hormone [18] or transforming growth factor-1 [19]. the concentration of OXT in the ejaculate is merely an indicator of the fertility of the male, regardless of the use of AI or natural mating. 2021 Jun 13;10(6):527. doi: 10.3390/biology10060527. WebPitocin is made from pregnant pig hormones. official website and that any information you provide is encrypted The following adverse reactions have been reported in the mother: Excessive dosage or hypersensitivity to the drug may result in uterine hypertonicity, spasm, tetanic contraction, or rupture of the uterus. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved. https://doi.org/10.1530/REP-10-0092. Waberski D, Riesenbeck A, Schulze M, Weitze KF, Johnson L. Application of preserved boar semen for artificial insemination: past, present and future challenges. Manage cookies/Do not sell my data we use in the preference centre. Rodriguez-Martinez H, Kvist U, Ernerudh J, Sanz L, Calvete JJ. Theriogenology. Administer oxygen to the mother, who preferably should be put in a lateral position. 2019;6:436. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2019.00436. Oxytocin and tumor necrosis factor alpha stimulate expression of prostaglandin E2 synthase and secretion of prostaglandin E2 by luminal epithelial cells of the porcine endometrium during early pregnancy. I mean, don't trust me. It could be postulated that the local action of OXT would be more active in the accessory glands (adds volume to ejaculates) than in the epididymis (adds sperm to ejaculates). The possibility of increased blood loss and afibrinogenemia should be kept in mind when administering the drug. 2019;137:3642. Sci Rep. 2017;7(1):17222. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-17674-7. Lpez-Arjona et al. Saliva can be a noninvasive way to measure oxytocin, which is very useful in species such as the pig where blood collection can produce a high degree of stress. and transmitted securely. Bethesda, MD 20894, Web Policies 2). https://doi.org/10.1093/humupd/dmk002. These results open the hypothesis that seminal OXT could influence the fertility outcomes of pig AI-semen. A Procedure for Oxytocin Measurement in Hair of Pig: Analytical Validation and a Pilot Application. When oxytocin is used for induction or reinforcement of already existent labor, patients should be carefully selected. Your body has been producing it for you for YEARS, so why is the internet so full of negativity about this hormone when used to start labor? 1 Pitocin mimics the hormone in an attempt to send your body into labor. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. A physician qualified to manage any complications should be immediately available. Last updated on Jun 1, 2021. The groups grouped the boars as having positive deviation, without deviation and negative deviation with respect to the mean fertility outcomes of the totality of boars of the same breed. 2022 May 23;16:899397. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.899397. 2019;138:318. Measuring peripheral oxytocin and vasopressin in nonhuman primates. The last studies in this realm have proposed searching for these biomarkers in seminal plasma (SP), a protein rich-fluid composed mainly by secretions from epididymis and accessory sex glands [8]. Oxytocin is a posterior pituitary hormone which is synthesized as an inactive precursor in the hypothalamus along with its carrier protein neurophysin I. Theriogenology. Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative. Animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with oxytocin. Similarly, a wide variability (P<0.001) in the SP concentrations OXT was found among ejaculates from a same boar (intra-boar variability). Lets talk about it, and how it is used in labor induction. analysis(42023-116), label(42023-116), manufacture(42023-116), pack(42023-116). Other typical reasons for inducing labor include: Labor may also be induced electively to alleviate the discomforts of pregnancy in the mother or prevent potential complications from occurring. One-way ANOVA was carried to evaluate potential differences on SP-OXT concentration between the three groups. PubMedGoogle Scholar. [26] in men, which found that SP-OXT concentrations were not related to the motility and morphology of fresh sperm. Oxytocin is a hormone thats produced in the hypothalamus WebThe role of sexual intercourse in the initiation of labour is uncertain. Conceptualization: L.P., M.L-A., S.M-S, J.R. and I.B. 2022 Feb 28;18(1):81. doi: 10.1186/s12917-022-03176-w. Front Vet Sci. Lpez-Arjona M, Tecles F, Mateo SV, Contreras-Aguilar MD, Martnez-Mir S, Cern JJ, Martnez-Subiela S. Biology (Basel). For example in one study, 75% of stillbirths were recorded after the 8th pig was born when sows were allowed to farrow without intervention. The SP concentrations of OXT were positively related with ejaculate volume. Buisman-Pijlman FTA, Sumracki NM, Gordon JJ, Hull PR, Carter CS, Tops M. Individual differences underlying susceptibility to addiction: role for the endogenous oxytocin system. Pitocin: Package Insert / Prescribing Information - Drugs.com https://doi.org/10.21451/1984-3143-AR895. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2019.05.030. Percentage of litters from two farms with or without oxytocin administration, Table 1. Franczak A, Ciereszko R, Kotwica G. Oxytocin (OT) action in uterine tissues of cyclic and early pregnant gilts: OT receptors concentration, prostaglandin F(2)alpha secretion, and phosphoinositide hydrolysis. 2011;66:1122. Sign up to our regular newsletter and access news from across the Global AG Media network, Figure 1. If you are being induced with Pitocin, there are several additional safety precautions that may be needed during your labor and delivery. Bookshelf In conclusion, OXT was present in pig SP in measurable concentrations, which differed among boars and among ejaculates within boar, showing higher concentrations in young boars. A-B: Bar charts showing the deviation in farrowing rate (A) and litter size (B), measured in terms of direct boar effect, for each of the boars under evaluation. A total of 36 ejaculates (one per boar) collected from boars of different ages (from 9 to 35 months) of the same mentioned above breeds were used. Heatmap of Spearman correlation coefficients between seminal plasma oxytocin concentrations (SP-OXT) and boar age, ejaculate characteristics and quality and sperm functionality of semen samples (n=36; one semen sample per boar) stored at 17C during 72h. Sperm quality and functionality was assessed at 0h (A) and 72h of storage (B). Identification of relevant in vivo biomarkers for fertility remains a challenge for the livestock industry.