Pituitary-ovarian function was analyzed in a strain of miniature swine previously shown to produce a low ovulation rate resulting in the formation of only 8.6 corpora lutea (CL)/animal. Five multiparous (M) and four nulliparous (N) miniature pigs with a mean inbreeding coefficient of .39 were monitored for estrous behavior through four consecutive estrous cycles. Daily blood samples were collected from 5 d before to 5 d after the onset of the second, third and fourth estrus and at 48-h intervals during the remainder of the second and third estrous cycle. Laparoscopy was used to examine the ovaries 1 and 5 d after onset of the third estrus and 2 d after the beginning of the fourth estrus. For the entire group, temporal fluctuations among serum estradiol-17 beta, luteinizing hormone (LH) and progesterone concentrations and sexual behavior were similar to previously published data in standard swine breeds. Although the mean lengths of the estrous cycle were not different (P greater than .05) between parity subgroups (M, 23 +/- 1.3 vs N, 22 +/- .7 d), multiparous pigs were in estrus longer (P less than .05) than nulliparous females (M, 3.7 +/- .2 vs N, 2.2 +/- .4 d). Parity subgroups were similar with respect to the mean number of follicles forming CL (M, 8.8 +/- .7 vs N, 9.2 +/- .2). Although an average of 6.2 +/- 2.1 CL had formed by 24-h after onset of estrus in the nulliparous subgroup, no CL were detected in the multiparous subgroup at this time.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)