Divergence in the sow vaginal microbiota is associated with fertility

PMCID: PMC12177788

PMID: 40470844

DOI: 10.1530/REP-25-0044

Journal: Reproduction (Cambridge, England)

Publication Date: 2025-6-18

Authors: Fletcher L, Zhan X, Song Y, Li J

Key Points

• Vaginal microbiota composition shows promise as a novel biomarker for predicting sow fertility
• Machine learning model achieved 93.3% accuracy in classifying reproductive performance
• Specific bacterial genera (Aerococcus, Staphylococcus) may serve as indicators of high reproductive potential

Summary

This groundbreaking study investigated the vaginal microbiota composition in female pigs to identify potential biomarkers of reproductive performance. By comparing high reproductive performance (HRP) sows (≥13 piglets born alive) with infertile (INF) sows, researchers revealed significant microbiological differences that could revolutionize breeding selection strategies in the pork industry.

Using advanced sequencing and machine learning techniques, the researchers identified distinct microbial signatures between fertile and infertile sows. The support-vector machine model demonstrated an impressive 93.3% accuracy in classifying sow fertility based on vaginal microbiota composition. Key differences included significantly increased abundance of Aerococcus and Staphylococcus in HRP sows, and elevated Lachnospiraceae XPB1014 group and Anaeroplasma in INF sows, suggesting these microbial communities may play a crucial role in reproductive potential.