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Nucleic Acid Content of Mammary Glands of Virgin and Pregnant Gilts¹

Department of Animal Science, Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana 47906

ABSTRACT

Six Yorkshire x Hampshire crossbred gilts were slaughtered at second estrus, 25, 50, or 100 days of gestation. Mammary systems were removed immediately and dissected into glands free of skin, muscle, and fat. Growth of the mammary gland was assessed by measuring the weight of the lyophilized fat free tissue, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) contents. The data were analyzed as DNA or RNA concentration per mg of tissue and content per gland.

Lyophilized fat free tissue in the mammary system increased 6.5 times during the first 100 days of pregnancy. Average DNA per gland increased 4.9 times during this same period, from 121 mg/gland to 580 mg/gland and RNA increased from 199 mg to 1,178 mg. Ribonucleic acid and DNA ratio also increased from 1.6 to 2.0 as gestation advanced to 100 days. The increases in lyophilized fat free tissue, DNA and RNA came in the last half of pregnancy and accounted for approximately 100% of the growth.

¹ Approved for publication by the Director, Purdue Agriculture Experiment Station, as Journal Paper 4325.

² Present address: Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario.

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