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Intersexuality in the Pig
Intersexualitet hos svin
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 12, pages 257–273 (1971)
Abstract
In 3 relatively large samples intersexuality was found in 0.2 % of the pigs. Litters with intersexes had a deficit of male piglets. The total number of piglets in such litters was correspondingly reduced. Pig losses until the age of 5 weeks were reduced in intersex litters. Other malformations, especially scrotal hernia, were more common in these litters than in normal ones.
Forty-five intersexes showed big variation in the development of sexual organs. All had testicles, however. Thirteen (29 %) were so-called true hermaphrodites whereas 32 were male pseudohermaphrodites.
All 42 cases being karyotyped were genetical females. There are arguments for genetical predisposition for the defect. The hereditary transmission is probably complicated. In any case it is not monogenic recessive.
Practical consequences of the defect are: almost complete sterility, slaughter losses due to bad smell and taste of the meat and increased risk of cassation (local or general inflammations), increased frequency of other malformations in litters holding intersexes.
Sammanfattning
I tre relativt stora stickprovsundersökningar från Västergötland har intersexualitet påvisats hos 0,2 % av svinen. Kullar med intersexer har ett underskott på galtgrisar, som motsvaras av ett mindre antal grisar i kullarna. Smågrisförlusterna intill 5 veckors ålder är i ungefär motsvarande grad mindre i intersexkullarna. I dessa senare är andra typer av missbildningar, särskilt pungbråck, rikligare företrädda än normalt.
De 45 undersökta intersex-individerna företedde en rikhaltig variation beträffande könsorganens utveckling. Samtliga hade dock testiklar. 13 individer (29 %) var s.k. äkta hermafroditer, medan resterande var s.k, hanliga pseudohermafroditer.
Samtliga 42 kromosomundersökta fall var genetiska honor. Det föreligger argument för genbunden disposition, Nedärvningsmönstret är sannolikt komplicerat. I varje fall föreligger ej monogen recessiv nedärvning.
Till de praktiska konsekvenserna av defekten hör: Praktiskt taget 100-procentig sterilitet, sämre slaktutbyte till följd av dålig lukt och smak hos fläsket samt ökad risk för kassationer vid slakten (av de 45 intersexerna måste 5 rensas till följd av lokala inflammationer och 1 totalkasseras) och ökad frekvens av andra missbildningar, i synnerhet bråck.
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Bäckström, L., Henricson, B. Intersexuality in the Pig. Acta Vet Scand 12, 257–273 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03547757
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03547757