IA State Univ. Report 2012: Effects of Heat Stress on Ovarian Physiology in Growing Pigs

Ovaries were obtained from growing pigs that had been heat-stressed and were evaluated for alterations in a signaling pathway known to play a critical role in ovarian physiology. Our results indicate that hyperthermia alters this pathway in a short space of time (after 7 days). Identifying how and why heat stress alters ovarian physiology are important in developing therapeutic approaches to prevent the reduction in reproductive performance associated with warm summer months.