Breeding of Gilts

Before you read on I will tell you about my two girls because as you read thru this you will read some of my own experiences. My husband has a Blue Butt named Thelma. And I have a Yorkshire named Babe.


Heat cycle-
Most gilts will start to cycle about 7 months old. Some breeds will go sooner and some will go later. You will want to start checking her every day. Some people check once in the morning and once at night during the feeding times. But if you can at least check once a day then your doing good. You will know when she is in standing heat, because she will stand very still and not move when you put pressure on her hind. And some will have discharge. This is the day you want to mark on your calender and count 21 days from it. For gilts they will stay in standing heat for about 2-3 days. My girls seemed to stay in heat for 3 days as gilts and as sows. A gilt's pregnancy is 115 days. Which roughly is 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days. Some gilts go longer and some sows go earlier. Any earlier then 107 days , the piglets might not survive. Try to breed where the gilt will farrow in fall or spring. While the temperatures are not to cold nor too hot for either the mother nor the piglets.

Finding Mr. Right Boar-
When you decide to breed your gilt you should really think about wether to buy your own boar, rent one or artificial insemination. Here are some pros and cons to each that I have experienced.

Buying a boar-
Is good if you have more then one gilt or sow and plan to do more then one breeding. Negative part is that you will be paying out in feed. Many but not all boars get aggressive. A pen must be occupied by him. When using your own boar, understand if you have a boar who is 12 months or younger you should only let him service once a day and no more then five times a week. And no more then two gilts or sows. If he is older then 12 months you can let him service twice a day and no more then seven times a week. He can service three sows/gilts.

Renting a boar-
Which means you pay someone to use their boar. Now understand when you rent a boar you have to take your gilt to him and leave her there. Don't forget to bring your gilts feed with. So the pros to this is that you don't have to feed the boar nor put him up in a pen along with any other costs that you would have to hand out. Cons to this would be you have to go by the word of the owner about any diseases, if their boar is a stress carrier or not. Plus, how well do you know if this boar is able to do his job or not?! There is many cons too this and I would shy away from this option.
Some questions that should be asked
How many females has he serviced?
Did it take more then twice to service any female?
How old is he?
What breed is he?
When was the last time he was dewormed?
Is he healthy?
Is he a stress carrier?
Will you be able to let me know the days he services her?
The cost of boar's service?
Will they be in the same pen with any other pigs?

Artificial Insemination-
Artificial insemination is the way too go I think. Each time you breed you can always use a different boar. Most the companies will provide you with history and stress carrier results. The only cons to this is that you will have to be right on when it comes to her heat cycle because most semen is only good for up to 5 days. The prices can be a little high during different times of the year. The biggest thing I am not fond of is the shipping costs. But, after weighing the pros and cons I like this option the best. This option is great when you are trying to improve your pig genes. This is very easy procedure. If my ten year old son can artificially inseminate, anyone can. You can find information on how on the internet.

Now you have decided your method of breeding. You asked alot of questions and thought long and hard about it.You also know your gilt's heat cycle. Good now lets move onto the servicing.

Servicing-
If your buying a boar or renting one, you will want to put your gilt in with the boar about the 18th or 19th day of her 2nd or 3rd heat cycle. The reason to this is because on her first heat cycle, her body is getting use to the whole hormonal change. Plus, she will release more eggs on her 2nd and 3rd then on her first. And if bred on the first cycle could lead to complications in farrowing.
Your gilt is in heat and you have introduced her to the boar. Leave them together for aproximately 4-5 days. If you bought a boar try to notice the days you see the boar servicing your gilt. If your gilt is at a rent a boar ask the owner to write down the days they see him servicing her. Make sure to keep a note book of these days they will help you in the future.
If you are going with AI you will need to buy the semen on the 18th day of her heat cycle. This will give you 24 hours for the semen to arrive. Try to buy at least two straws of semen. You can buy one straw from one boar and another straw from another boar and use them both. I like to use this method once in a while. There are many websites and forums that will give you a great detail on how to do this. Read and study before buying the semen. There are some people out there that will do this for you at a cost.

Make sure to read my next post about Pregnancy and Farrowing
If you have any questions please feel free to comment or email me at Mudrun9380@aol.com