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ARTES Biotechnology has announced a collaboration with global pharmaceutical company, Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health. ARTES Biotechnology specialises in recombinant protein production, process and vaccine development from microbial expression systems. ARTES’ expression system Hansenula polymorpha is the preferred technology for affordable mass vaccination and recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for these purposes. In combination with ARTES’ METAVAX® platform, this offers a new, unique and economical approach to low-cost mass production of safe and effective vaccines required in the veterinary field.

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In hyperprolific sows with the potential to produce large litters, gestation length will typically last for 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 to 5 days. The more foetuses present, the less room there is for adhesion of the placenta of each individual pig to the uterine wall. To facilitate maximal embryonic development, it is important that the sow is optimally nourished prior to insemination. Also it is important to recognise and minimise stress factors such as fluctuations in environmental temperature, social stress such as fighting and exposure to toxins and infections e.g. PRRS. In hyperprolific sows particularly, these factors have significant negative impact on the forthcoming gestation.

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Progesterone in the uterus blocks milk production. Only when the birth process is complete and the after-births have been delivered does this blocker stop.

Prolactin is important, especially in the last third of gestation, for proper udder-development. Furthermore prolactin is the main milk-promoting hormone during lactation.

Be aware of endotoxins and inflammations in the sow!

Endotoxins i.e E.coli endotoxins and inflammatory processes inhibit these milk-hormones.