Bioscientifica Proceedings

There is considerable evidence that nutritional and metabolic control of follicular growth is mediated by metabolic hormones and growth factors, particularly with processes mediated by insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and its binding proteins (IGFBPs). From knowledge that hormones and growth factors which can be affected by diet also positively affect ovarian function, the concept has emerged that metabolic modifiers of gonadotrophin action, rather than gonadotrophins...

Summary. Follicular development during early lactation in the sow is characterized by a large population of small-sized follicles and a small population of medium-sized follicles. As lactation progresses there is a gradual shift in number of follicles into medium- or large-sized categories and the percentage of follicles classified as atretic declines. Weaning at birth often leads to aberrant follicular development, apparently because the positive feedbac...