The effect of radiofrequency radiation on DNA and lipid damage in non-pregnant and pregnant rabbits and their newborns.

The concerns of people on possible adverse health effects of radiofrequency radiation (RFR) generated from mobile phones as well as their supporting transmitters (base stations) have increased markedly. RFR effect on oversensitive people, such as pregnant women and their developing fetuses, and older people is another source of concern that should be considered. In this study, oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation levels in the brain tissue of pregnant and non-pregnant New Zealand White rabbits and their newborns exposed to RFR were investigated. Thirteen-month-old rabbits were studied in four groups as non-pregnant-control, non-pregnant-RFR exposed, pregnant-control and pregnant-RFR exposed. They were exposed to RFR (1800 MHz GSM; 14 V/m as reference level) for 15 min/day during 7 days. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels were analyzed. MDA and 8-OHdG levels of non-pregnant and pregnant-RFR exposed animals significantly increased with respect to controls (p < 0.001, Mann-Whitney test). No difference was found in the newborns (p > 0.05, Mann-Whitney). There exist very few experimental studies on the effects of RFR during pregnancy. It would be beneficial to increase the number of these studies in order to establish international standards for the protection of pregnant women from RFR.

Effects of gestational exposure to 1.95-GHz W-CDMA signals for IMT-2000 cellular phones: Lack of embryotoxicity and teratogenicity in rats.

The present study was designed to evaluate whether gestational exposure to an EMF targeting the head region, similar to that from cellular phones, might affect embryogenesis in rats. A 1.95-GHz wide-band code division multiple access (W-CDMA) signal, which is one applied for the International Mobile Telecommunication 2000 (IMT-2000) system and used for the freedom of mobile multimedia access (FOMA), was employed for exposure to the heads of four groups of pregnant CD(SD) IGS rats (20 per group) for gestational days 7-17. The exposure was performed for 90 min/day in the morning. The spatial average specific absorption rate (SAR) for individual brains was designed to be 0.67 and 2.0 W/kg with peak brain SARs of 3.1 and 7.0 W/kg for low (group 3) and high (group 4) exposures, respectively, and a whole-body average SAR less than 0.4 W/kg so as not to cause thermal effects due to temperature elevation. Control and sham exposure groups were also included. At gestational day 20, all dams were killed and fetuses were taken out by cesarean section. There were no differences in maternal body weight gain. No adverse effects of EMF exposure were observed on any reproductive and embryotoxic parameters such as number of live (243-271 fetuses), dead or resorbed embryos, placental weights, sex ratios, weights or external, visceral or skeletal abnormalities of live fetuses.

Altered blood chemistry and hippocampal histomorphology in adult rats following prenatal exposure to physiologically-patterned, weak (50-500 nanoTesla range) magnetic fields.

PURPOSE: To discern changes in blood chemistry, cerebral sizes, and hippocampal cytomorphology in adult male and female albino Wistar rats that had been exposed during their entire prenatal development to one of two patterns of magnetic fields and one of four intensities: Very low 5 - 20 nT; low 30 - 50 nT; medium 90 - 580 nT; and high 590 nT to 1.2 microT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 48 pregnant females were exposed to either a repetitive frequency-modulated magnetic field or to a complex sequence of 50, 200-msec physiologically-patterned fields. As adults blood, cerebral, and histomorphological data were obtained from the 137 rats that had been exposed to one of these eight conditions. RESULTS: Compared to other groups, adult rats that had been exposed prenatally to the physiologically-patterned magnetic fields at the low (30 - 50 nT) and medium (90 - 580 nT) intensities exhibited peak elevations of aminotransaminase, glucose, and uric acid. Numbers of cytometric anomalies were also significantly elevated within regions of the hippocampus known for neuronal neogenesis in adults. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that a common factor in cellular adhesion or plasticity might be permanently altered by prenatal exposure to a narrow intensity of a series of physiologically-patterned magnetic fields.

Artificially extended photoperiod administered to pre-partum mares via blue light to a single eye: Observations on gestation length, foal birth weight and foal hair coat at birth.

In seasonally breeding animals, photoperiod perception is crucial for timing of important physiological events. In the horse, long day photoperiod influences the onset of ovulation and cyclicity, shedding of the heavier winter coat and the timing of parturition. In this compilation of studies, conducted across three breeding seasons and two countries, the impact of artificially extended day length was investigated on gestation length, foal birth weight and foal hair coat at birth. The light therapy was administered to pre-partum mares via mobile head worn masks which provided short wavelength blue light to a single eye. In Study 1, reductions in gestation lengths were observed following administration of artificially extended day length (124.8 ± 15.11 days) in the final months of pregnancy to a group of Thoroughbred mares compared to controls (P < 0.05; 339.7 ± 9.56 days vs 350.6 ± 9.13). Study 2 revealed that pre-partum exposure to artificially extended day length (104.6 ± 9.89 days) increased foal birth weight compared to controls (47.13 ± 2.93 kg vs 43.51 ± 6.14 kg; P < 0.05) in mares bred early in the year. In Study 3, artificially extended day length (87.53 ± 19.6 days) administered to pre-partum mares affected the coat condition of foals at birth with respect to hair weight (P < 0.0001) and hair length (P < 0.0001) compared to controls (0.34 ± 0.20 µg vs 0.59 ± 0.12 µg and 1.93 ± 0.56 cm vs 2.56 ± 0.32 cm, respectively). Collectively, these studies serve to highlight the influential role of the circa-annual changes in photoperiod length on the pre-partum mare for normal foetal development during the natural breeding season. It also emphasizes the potential that exists to improve breeding efficiency parameters by artificially simulating this important environmental cue in the latter stages of gestation against the backdrop of an economically driven early breeding season.

Neoplastic and life-span effects of chronic exposure to tritium. I. Effects on adult rats exposed during pregnancy.

Female Sprague-Dawley rats were continuously exposed to equilibrium levels of tritiated water (HTO) during pregnancy. The tritium activities were 1, 10, 50, and 100 muCi HTO/ml body water which provided cumulative, whole-body radiation doses of approximately 6.6, 66, 330, and 660 rads. Administration of the radioisotope was terminated at parturition. Throughout their life-spans and at autopsy, the dams showed an increased incidence of mammary fibroadenomas at exposure to 330 and 660 rads. Although the data for the incidence of malignant mammary neoplasms were consistent with a linear dose response, the small numbers of tumors preclude specific definition of the dose-response curve. Postexposure life-spans for dams chronically exposed to 66, 330, and 660 rads during pregnancy were reduced by 14, 24, and 22%, respectively. Accelerated aging was also demonstrated in these rats: The mean age for mammary fibroadenoma onset decreased with an increasing dose of radiation.

Dose-related reduction by prenatal x-irradiation of the transplacental neurocarcinogenicity of ethylnitrosourea in rats.

Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were X-irradiated on the 16th day of gestation with 5 to 250 rads and given i.p. injections 4 days later with 10 mg ethylnitrosourea per kg. The offspring were observed over their life span for the appearance of neurogenic tumors. The frequency of animals surviving beyond 4 weeks of age that developed tumors was inversely related to X-ray dose. About 15% developed tumors after exposure to the largest doses, 39 to 46% after the intermediate doses, and 58 to 65% after the smallest doses; 69% tumors occurred after treatment with ethylnitrosourea alone. The reductions in tumor frequency were not due to the increased mortality rate of tumor-prone animals, either before or after the onset of tumor appearance. Mean offspring weight at 4 weeks and 4 months of age was inversely related to X-ray dose but was not significantly different in those animals later developing tumors from that in animals remaining tumor free. Mean time of tumor appearance and mean number of tumors per affected animal were unrelated to tumor frequency. It does not seem that the destruction of target cells is by itself sufficient to explain the results.

Radioadaptive response for protection against radiation-induced teratogenesis.

To clarify the characteristics of the radioadaptive response in mice, we compared the incidence of radiation-induced malformations in ICR mice. Pregnant ICR mice were exposed to a priming dose of 2 cGy (667 muGy/min) on day 9.5 of gestation and to a challenging dose of 2 Gy (1.04 Gy/min) 4 h later and were killed on day 18.5 of gestation. The incidence of malformations and prenatal death and fetal body weights were studied. The incidence of external malformations was significantly lower (by approximately 10%) in the primed (2 cGy + 2 Gy) mice compared to the unprimed (2 Gy alone) mice. However, there were no differences in the incidence of prenatal death or the skeletal malformations or the body weights between primed and unprimed mice. These results suggest that primary conditioning with low doses of radiation suppresses radiation-induced teratogenesis.

Influence of light-dark cycle on antepartum serum relaxin and progesterone immunoactivity levels and on birth in the rat.

Relaxin and progesterone are produced by the corpora lutea in the pregnant rat. Relaxin immunoactivity levels are elevated in peripheral sera during the last 12 days of pregnancy. In rats maintained under a conventional photoperiod of 14 h of light (0600-2000 h) and 10 h of darkness (2000-0600 h), there is an antepartum elevation in serum relaxin to maximal levels coincident with the rapid decline in serum progesterone to basal levels during the light phase of the photoperiod 1 day before birth. Therefore, we postulated that this maximal elevation in serum relaxin levels may be temporally associated with functional luteolysis and linked to the photoperiod. In the present study the photoperiod was advanced near midpregnancy in order to examine further the relationship of the antepartum elevation in serum relaxin levels with both functional luteolysis and the photoperiod. Three groups of rats were maintained under a conventional photoperiod of 14 h of light (0500-1900 h) and 10 h of darkness until days 7 and 8 of pregnancy when the photoperiod was advanced 8 h in group 2 (G2) and advanced 18 h in G3 relative to the conventional photoperiod that was maintained in G1. Serum relaxin and progesterone levels were determined in blood samples obtained at 4-h intervals from 2000 h on day 19 of pregnancy until birth. The times of occurrence of birth, maximal relaxin levels, and decline of progesterone to basal levels in G2 and G3 were generaly advanced 50-60% of the advancement of the photoperiod. There was a close temporal association between the attainment of maximal relaxin levels and basal progesterone levels; they both occurred during the light phase of the photoperiod, approximately 24 h before birth in all three groups. We conclude that the antepartum elevation of serum relaxin to maximal levels may be associated with functional luteolysis and that its time of occurrence is influenced by the photoperiod. This study also provides evidence that the antepartum elevation of relaxin levels consists of two phases which occur at a 24-h interval. It is proposed that these two phases in the elevation of relaxin levels may be indicative of an increasingly effective endogenous circadian luteolytic process whose time of occurrence is influenced by the light-dark schedule.

Effect of 2450 MHz microwave radiation on hematopoiesis of pregnant mice.

In this study, the influence of 2450 MHz CW microwave radiation on hematopoiesis in pregnant mice was examined. Dams (mice CD-1 strain) were irradiated during Days 1-6 or 6-15 of pregnancy. The animals were irradiated for a total of 8 hr per day (two 4-hr exposures in 9 hr) at an average power density of 30 mW/cm2. Peripheral blood and bone marrow samples were obtained on Day 18 of pregnancy. The total leukocyte and differential leukocyte counts of peripheral blood samples were not affected by either exposure regimen. In addition, no effects were noted in either the erythroid or myeloid mitotic indices of bone marrow samples. Exposure of pregnant mice to microwave radiation under the conditions of these experiments had no effects on the investigated aspects of hematopoiesis.

Evaluation of the developmental toxicity of 60 Hz magnetic fields and harmonic frequencies in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Experimental data suggest that exposure to the 50 and 60 Hz sinusoidal components of power-frequency magnetic fields (MFs) does not have an adverse impact on fetal development. However, the possible developmental toxicity of MF harmonics has not been investigated. This study was designed to determine whether exposure to 180 Hz MFs (third harmonic), alone or in combination with 60 Hz MFs, induces birth defects in Sprague-Dawley rats. Groups of sperm-positive dams (> or =20/group) were exposed for 18.5 h per day from gestation days 6 through 19 to (1) ambient MFs only (<0.0001 mT; sham controls); (2) 60 Hz MFs at 0.2 mT; (3) 180 Hz MFs at 0.2 mT; or (4) 60 Hz + 180 Hz MFs (10% third harmonic; total field strength = 0.2 mT). Litter size, litter weight, percentage live births, sex ratio, and number of resorption sites were determined for each dam, and gross external, visceral, cephalic and skeletal examinations were performed on all fetuses. MF exposure had no significant effects on litter size, litter weight, or fetal development. With the exception of common rib variants, the incidence of fetal anomalies was comparable in all groups. A small increase in the incidence of rib variants was seen in the group exposed to 60 Hz + 180 Hz MFs; however, the incidence of rib variants in this group was similar to that in historical controls from our laboratory. These data extend the existing database on developmental toxicity of MFs by demonstrating that exposure to 180 Hz MFs, either alone or superimposed on an underlying 60 Hz signal, does not induce biologically significant developmental toxicity. These data do not support the hypothesis that exposure to power-frequency MFs is an important risk factor for fetal development.

The female guinea pig, a useful model for the genetic hazard of radiation in man; preliminary results on germ cell radiosensitivity in foetal, neonatal and adult animals.

A comparison was made of the radiosensitivities of the resting oocyte of guinea pig in its two different states, the 'large' resting and 'contracted' oocyte, also extending the investigations to the radiosensitivity of the female germ cells at earlier stages during intrauterine life. The radiosensitivity of guinea pig oocytes was evaluated by testing the fertility of the animals 6 months and 1 year after irradiation of the ovaries with high doses (2 or 4 Gy) of X-rays. Animals had been treated in utero (target cells: oogonia and oocytes at leptotene), at birth (target cells; resting oocytes of the large type) or as adults (target cells: resting oocytes of the contracted type). No loss of fertility was evident, even 1 year after treatment, whatever the stage or dose. These investigations were completed by histological studies of the ovaries from treated and control animals. Irradiation induced a dose-dependent decrease in the total number of oocytes, and this effect was more pronounced in animals irradiated as adults (target cells: contracted resting oocytes). Our results also suggested that the LD50 of the large guinea pig resting oocyte should be around 4 Gy, a value similar to that obtained recently for the equivalent human oocyte. This confirms the high radioresistance of the guinea pig oocyte and the consequence suitability of this species for further detailed studies in relation to genetic hazards in man.

The effect of 90Sr given to pregnant mice on spermatogenesis in the male offspring: a comparison with the effect on the ovaries in the female offspring.

In previous studies in which the effect of intra-uterine exposure to 90Sr on the mouse was ascertained, the foetal ovary was found to be very sensitive. This paper reports the effects of the administration of 90Sr on spermatogenesis in the male littermates of these female mice. Doses of 370 and 740 kBq 90Sr administered to the dam at day 19 of gestation were found to cause a transient retardation in the appearance of more advanced types of germ cells in the testis. In comparison with the control testes, in the 90Sr treated mice less tubular cross-sections showed spermatocytes or round spermatids at days 14 and 2i p.p., respectively. After 56 days, spermatogenesis in the 90Sr treated mice was similar to that in control mice. Doses of 92.5 and 185 kBq 90Sr had no visible effect. It is concluded that the foetal testis is much less vulnerable to the damaging effects of 90Sr administration than the ovary, in which a dose of 92.5 kBq permanently decreased germ cell numbers to 40 per cent of the control numbers. Nevertheless, presumably also in the foetal testis, many germ cell will be killed by the radiation from the 90Sr. However, in the testis the surviving stem cells apparently quickly restore their numbers at the cost of a delay in the production of differentiating cells.

Threshold effect for teratogenic risk of radiation depends on dose-rate and p53-dependent apoptosis.

PURPOSE: To obtain evidence that the p53 gene is indispensable for reduction of high teratogenic risk of radiation at a high dose-rate to zero risk by lowering the dose-rate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Wild-type p53(+/+), heterozygous p53(+/-) and null p53(-/-) mice were exposed to gamma-rays at high or low dose-rates during days 9.5-10.5 of gestation. The incidence of malformations and prenatal deaths was studied. Frequencies of cells dying by apoptosis were measured during or after protracted irradiation. RESULTS: After irradiation with 2 Gy, the frequency of apoptotic cells increased to 20% for p53(+/+) mice and did not increase at all for p53(-/-) mice. For p53(+/+) mice, 2 Gy y-rays induced 70% malformations when given at 1.06 Gy/min, but no malformations above the control when given at 1.2 mGy/min. In contrast, after irradiation of p53(-/-) foetuses with 2 Gy at 1.2mGy/min, the incidence of malformations increased 12% above control levels. CONCLUSION: Foetal irradiation with 2 Gy at 1.2 mGy/min was not teratogenic for p53(+/+) mice but teratogenic for p53(-/-) mice. This indicates that the p53 gene is indispensable for a threshold effect in the risk of radiation at low doses or dose-rates.

In utero radiation-induced apoptosis and p53 gene expression in the developing rat brain.

PURPOSE: This study addressed the question of the role of the p53 gene in prenatal low-dose radiation-induced apoptosis in the neuroepithelium, in an effort to elucidate molecular mechanisms involved in the extreme radiosensitivity of the developing brain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pregnant Wistar rats were exposed to a single dose of 10, 20 or 40 cGy of X-rays on day 15 or 17 of gestation. Animals were sacrificed 4 or 24h after exposure. Apoptosis was studied by gel electrophoresis of isolated DNA and in situ by the TUNEL reaction. Expression of the p53 gene was studied by immunocytochemistry and Western analysis, as well as Northern analysis, for the detection of the protein and mRNA respectively. RESULTS: In utero low-dose irradiation led to apoptosis and an increase of p53 gene expression in the developing rat brain. Apoptotic as well as p53 immunopositive cells were detected among proliferating, migratory and post-mitotic neurones in the developing neuroepithelium following prenatal irradiation, even after only l0 cGy. In addition to the p53 protein, p53 mRNA brain levels were also increased following prenatal irradiation. CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose prenatal irradiation of the developing brain led to p53 induction and cell death by apoptosis.

In utero radiation-induced changes in growth factor levels in the developing rat brain.

PURPOSE: To investigate the role of growth factors in the compensatory response to radiation injury during development of the brain. Levels of gene expression in the embryonic rat brain were assessed for IGF-I, IGF-II, BDNF and NT-3. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pregnant Wistar rats were exposed to a single dose of 10, 20 or 40 cGy X-rays on day 15 or 17 of gestation. Animals were sacrificed 4 or 24 h after exposure. IGF-I, BDNF and NT-3 proteins were detected by immunocytochemistry, while IGF-I and IGF-II mRNA by in situ hybridization, and Northern analysis respectively. RESULTS: In utero low dose X-irradiation led to a decrease in IGF-I gene expression and a compensatory increase in the expression of IGF-II, BDNF and NT-3 in the developing rat brain. IGF-I, BDNF and NT-3 immunopositive cells were detected among proliferating, migratory and post-mitotic neurones in the developing neuroepithelium. CONCLUSIONS: Low dose prenatal irradiation of the developing brain results in down-regulation of IGF-I, which could lead to cell death by apoptosis. On the other hand, IGF-II, BDNF and NT-3 gene expression is increased following irradiation, possibly as a compensatory mechanism.

Uteroplacental circulatory disturbance mediated by prostaglandin f2alpha in rats exposed to microwaves. hiro-n@po.incl.ne.jp.

To clarify the effects of microwaves on pregnancy, uterine or uteroplacental blood flow and endocrine and biochemical mediators, including corticosterone, estradiol, prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), and prostaglandin F(2)alpha (PGF(2)alpha), were measured in rats exposed to continuous-wave (CW) microwave at 2 mW/cm(2) incident power density at 2450 MHz for 90 min. Colonic temperature in virgin and pregnant rats was not significantly altered by microwave treatment. Microwaves decreased uteroplacental blood flow and increased progesterone and PGF(2)alpha in pregnant, but not in virgin rats. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of angiotensin II, a uteroplacental vasodilator, before microwave exposure prevented the reduction in uteroplacental blood flow and the increased progesterone and PGF(2)alpha in pregnant rats. Increased corticosterone and decreased estradiol during microwave exposure were observed independent of pregnancy and pretreatment with angiotensin II. These results suggest that microwaves (CW, 2 mW/cm(2), 2450 MHz) produce uteroplacental circulatory disturbances and ovarian and placental dysfunction during pregnancy, probably through nonthermal actions. The uteroplacental disturbances appear to be due to actions of PGF(2)alpha and may pose some risk for pregnancy.

Split-dose effect of X-irradiation on the induction of cell death in the fetal mouse brain.

Pregnant mice were exposed to whole-body X-irradiation at a total dose of 0.25 Gy split into two 0.125 Gy exposures at 0.5-, 2- or 6-hour interval on day 13 of pregnancy. Fetuses were obtained from dams at various post-exposure periods and their brains were processed for microscopy. Undifferentiated neural cells in the ventricular zone of telencephalon (ventricular cells) were examined, and incidence of cells involved in pyknosis was evaluated. The curves of incidence of pyknotic cells plotted against time after the exposures to two split-doses at 0.5-hour and 2-hour intervals overlapped that of a single 0.25 Gy exposure; they had a common peak at 8-10 hours after the first exposure. Following two 0.125 Gy exposures at 6-hour interval, two peaks with similar elevations from background levels appeared at 6 and 12 hours after the first exposure. These results indicated that low-dose X-irradiation shows simply additive effects of split doses on cell death, without induction of adaptive response of ventricular cells of the telencephalon at day 13 of pregnancy in mice.

Prepartum nutrition and solar radiation in beef cattle: I. Relationships of body fluid compartments, packed cell volume, plasma urea nitrogen, and estrogens to prenatal development.

Adaptations in body fluid pools during pregnancy were monitored in cows (n = 19) assigned to either low (LO, 70% NRC total feed intake) or high (HI, 110% NRC total feed intake) nutritional level (sudangrass hay) and to either shade (S) or no shade (NS) treatments in a 2 x 2 factorial experiment. Body water distribution (empty body water [EBW] by urea dilution; extracellular water [ECW] by thiosulfate dilution; intracellular water [ICW] by difference; plasma volume by Evans Blue dilution; interstitial water [ISW] by difference) was measured at 4-wk intervals beginning at 3 mo of pregnancy until birth and then immediately after birth. Both EBW and ICW in LO cows showed a steady decline (P < or = .05), whereas HI cows tended to maintain these body pools throughout gestation. Shading did not affect the pattern of change in EBW; however, it did produce a greater (P < or = .05) ICW in the S than in the NS cows throughout gestation. Generally, other body fluid pools (ECW, ISW, and plasma) were either not affected, or were just slightly affected, by shading or nutrition. Most of the body fluid pools (EBW, ECW, ICW, and ISW) inversely followed the seasonal changes in solar radiation. Calf birth weights were not affected by treatments but were moderately correlated to EBW (r = .49; P < or = .05) and ICW (r = .50; P < or = .05). Plasma urea nitrogen change, although not affected by nutrition, was affected (P < or = .05) by shading.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Prepartum nutrition and solar radiation in beef cattle: II. Residual effects on postpartum milk yield, immunoglobulin, and calf growth.

Residual effects of nutrition and solar radiation during the last two-thirds of gestation on postpartum milk yield, immunoglobulin (Ig) G and M in both colostrum and calf serum, and calf growth were determined in beef cattle. Nineteen mature, multiparous crossbred cows (Bos taurus) at d 90 of pregnancy were assigned to either low (LO, 70% NRC total energy intake) or high (HI, 110% NRC total energy intake) nutritional level (sudangrass hay) and to either shade (S) or no shade (NS) treatments in a 2 x 2 factorial experiment. After parturition, all cows were moved into a large paddock and managed uniformly. Calf weights and calf serum were collected within 1 d postpartum, thereafter at 2-wk intervals for the next 12 wk, and then at 4-wk intervals until weaning. Colostrum samples were taken from the cow and milk yields were determined by the "weigh-suckle-weigh" technique. Neither prepartum nutrition nor environment influenced lactational performance of the dam. Concentrations of IgG were elevated in the colostrum of LO cows (15.3 vs 7.8 g/100 mL, LO vs HI, respectively; P < or = .05) but were not affected by shading. The patterns of IgG concentration in the calf serum were not altered by prepartum nutrition or environment; however, the pattern of IgM concentrations was greater (P < or = .01) in calves from S cows than in those from NS cows. This difference in IgM profile did not seem to be due to any residual effect from prepartum treatments. Postnatal growth of calves from birth until weaning were similar across all prepartum treatments.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Sensitivity of reproducing sows and suckling pigs to stray voltage.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether stray voltage reduces welfare of sows and their litters, causes reproductive problems, or impairs growth and survival of suckling pigs. ANIMALS: 120 gilts assigned randomly to 3 treatment groups: 2-V baseline plus 3-V pulses (2-5 V); 5-V baseline plus 3-V pulses (5-8 V); and control treatment (0-0 V). PROCEDURE: Behavior was recorded during gestation and lactation. Water and feed intakes were measured daily, milk composition was evaluated once during lactation, and hematocrit, hemoglobin, glucose, total protein, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, albumin, globulins, and fatty acids values were measured at mating, weeks 8 and 15 of gestation, parturition, and weaning. Prolific ability of sows, mortality and disease of suckling pigs, and growth rate until 56 days of age were recorded. RESULTS: Gilts under voltage were lying down more often and performing less abnormal behaviors than were control gilts. Behavior of sows and suckling pigs was not affected by treatments. Water and feed intakes were similar among treatments, except during week 1 of lactation where feed intake was lower in the control group. Fecundity and prolific ability of sows, percentage of stillbirth, growth rate of suckling pigs, and milk composition were similar among treatments. More suckling pigs died in 2-5-V group than in other groups, but diarrhea was more frequent in the control group. Blood metabolites were similar among treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: Transient stray voltage at values up to 8 V did not impair the welfare, reproductive performance, or health of sows and suckling pigs.