Ukrainian Journal of Veterinary Sciences

Autonomic regulation of heart rate in sows during the farrowing period

Vladyslav Danchuk, Valentyn Karpovskyi, Oleksiі Danchuk, Olena Zhurienko, Andriy Grafov
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Abstract

Contemporary research demonstrates the significant influence of the autonomic nervous system on the adaptation and productivity of farm animals. The farrowing period in sows is particularly critical, as changes in autonomic tone determine the course of parturition stress and the rate of recovery. The aim of the study was to investigate the dynamics of variational pulsometry parameters in sows with normotonic, sympathicotonic and vagotonic autonomic nervous system tone before farrowing, as well as one day and five days after parturition stress. The experiment was conducted on fifteen sows of the Large White breed, divided into three groups according to the level of the stress index. For each animal, one day before farrowing, and on the first and fifth days after farrowing, one hundred consecutive intervals between heartbeats were recorded using an electrocardiograph. The mean interval duration, interval mode, mode amplitude, range of variation, vegetative balance index and stress index were calculated. It was found that prior to farrowing, vagotonic animals exhibited the highest heart rate variability, whilst sympathicotonic animals exhibited the lowest. One day after parturition stress, a decrease in the mean duration of intervals and an increase in the stress index were noted in all groups; however, the fastest recovery of parameters was observed in vagotonic sows. On the fifth day after farrowing, the parameters in sows of the normotonic group approached baseline values, whereas in animals with increased sympathetic tone, the stress response persisted. Thus, the use of variational pulse wave analysis to assess the tone of the autonomic nervous system prior to farrowing allows for the identification of the most stress-resistant sows and the implementation of targeted supportive measures in the first days after farrowing. This approach will contribute to improving piglet survival, shortening the recovery period for sows and increasing the economic efficiency of pig farming

Keywords

variational pulsometry; autonomic nervous system; parturition stress; adaptive mechanisms; pigs

Suggested citation
Danchuk, V., Karpovskyi, V., Danchuk, O., Zhurienko, O., & Grafov, A. (2026). Autonomic regulation of heart rate in sows during the farrowing period. Ukrainian Journal of Veterinary Sciences, 17(1), 92-106. https://doi.org/ 10.31548/veterinary1.2026.92
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