CCMB researchers develop non-invasive way to detect pig pheremone

The LaCONES-CCMB study to develop an efficient way of detecting and quantifying Androstenone among boars was published in peer reviewed journal MethodsX (published by Elsevier) on April 14, 2023

Hyderabad: Researchers from Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) have developed a less-stressful non-invasive method to detect and quantify Androstenone, the steroidal pheromone found in boars, from their urinary and fecal samples.

The current way to quantify and detect Androstenone hormone, which is linked to sexual intercourse and reproductions among pigs, is to conduct blood tests, which quite often induce stress in the animals as well as adversely impact the quality of meat. The method developed by CCMB researchers will enable to detect the hormone without collecting blood samples but simply testing urinary and fecal samples.

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Developed by senior scientist from Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES), CCMB, Dr G Umapathy’s group, the quick and easy detection of the pheromone Androstenone will enable in quick and timely detection, which in-turn helps the pig industry to facilitating mating between the animals at the right time.

The LaCONES-CCMB study to develop an efficient way of detecting and quantifying Androstenone among boars was published in peer reviewed journal MethodsX (published by Elsevier) on April 14, 2023.

Non-invasive Androstenone monitoring has several advantages over invasive method as blood collection causes stress to the animal pigs. The development of non-invasive method of ELISA would be more beneficial in measuring fecal and urinary Androstenone as a marker of boar taint and sex pheromone in boars and sows, the researchers said.

The study also indicates the time of the day when the pheromone concentrations were high, which could enable the pig farming techniques to successfully mate the animals at the right time.

“In boars, urinary and fecal Androstenone concentrations were higher on the day of mounting and copulation with sows. In sows, we also measured fecal progesterone metabolites to confirm the oestrus and mating. Fecal androstenone concentrations were peaked on the day of oestrus and mating in sows. Our results suggest that androstenone could be detected and quantified in fecal and urine samples of boars and sows,” the researchers said.