Many breeders let the breeding of pigs go by themselves, without attaching much importance to it. But in fact, only knowing all the subtleties of the process and properly organizing the mating, you can get the most productive and viable offspring. Moreover, in this case, a number of important points are taken into account, in which the owner of the animals must be well versed. And above all, he must be able to determine when the female begins sexual hunting.
Pig mating
Pig hunting
When determining the readiness of pigs for breeding, first of all, the age of the animals should be taken into account. To bear strong full-fledged offspring, the age of the female must be at least 240 days. By this time, the sow is fully mature and fattening the required weight. The weight of the animal should be on average 100 kg, but not exceed this mark by more than 50 kg. Otherwise, the chances that the mother accidentally crushes the piglets during sleep increase dramatically.
On average, the pregnancy of a sow lasts for 120 days, so the optimal time for mating pigs is the middle of winter or the beginning of autumn. In the first case, piglets appear in the spring, and they are strong enough to withstand cool weather. In the second, offspring should be expected by the end of autumn and the beginning of winter, while the kids are less hardy, but they will have time to get stronger before the onset of the first serious cold weather.
In any case, the breeder conducts mating when the sow begins estrus. It is not always easy for a novice pig breeder to determine this condition. It is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- decreased appetite;
- constant attempts to break the elements of the machine, overturn the feeder or drinker, a certain aggressiveness towards other pigs is possible;
- restless behavior, expressed in constant movement on the machine;
- frequent attempts to jump on other members of the herd (regardless of gender);
- frequent urination;
- a constant desire to scratch on the protruding elements of the machine;
- almost continuous screeching and grunting;
- an increase in size and redness of the sow’s genitals;
- when pressing on the lower back, the animal bends its back and freezes.
In the complex, such signs act as a guarantee that the sow will begin estrus. But it is worth noting that some of them are very weak. Often this phenomenon can be traced in individuals who have already overgrown. If the uterus is overweight, signs of hunting may not appear at all.
Pig hunting
The female chosen for mating should be allowed to approach the male no earlier than 12 hours after the start of the hunt. To comply with this condition, it is necessary to determine in a timely manner the beginning of the animal’s readiness for mating. For the success of the process, the mating of pigs is carried out again 12 hours after the first coating. In general, the hunting period lasts 3-5 days.
Important! If, after mating, pregnancy in the uterus did not begin, then after about 3 weeks she will again show signs of estrus. If after the second attempt the female does not become pregnant, she is replaced by another, more suitable one.
Preparatory stage
The process of mating two individuals is preceded by a preparatory stage. It begins at the piglet age of both partners. The most important moment of this period is the correct choice of a pair for mating.
According to the results of numerous studies, it was revealed that for breeding work, individuals should be taken exclusively from different litters. When breeding animals that are related, the risk of the birth of retarded and diseased offspring increases.
Also, both individuals must reach 4 months of age. By this time, it is already possible to determine the prevailing characteristics of the animal in maturity, which means that it will be possible to select the most favorable source material.
When choosing a sow for mating, first of all, pay attention to the following qualities of the animal:
- Fatness. In large individuals, the chances of bearing viable offspring are many times higher.
- Calm disposition. He acts as evidence that after farrowing, the female will take care of the offspring, which means that its survival rate will increase significantly.
- The absence of flaws in the constitution of the animal and health problems. Many features of the appearance and health of parents at the gene level are transmitted to the young. Therefore, they should be avoided even in the process of selecting a pair for breeding.
- If the uterus has already brought offspring before, it will be useful to check its appearance and quality.
Questioning sow
As for the boar, a number of requirements are also imposed on it:
- approximately the same dimensions as the female;
- the same breed;
- absence of venereal and other diseases;
- health and optimal parameters of the offspring that appeared from the previous mating with the participation of this male.
Already from the age of 4, pigs selected for breeding work are divided by gender. At the same time, in the room in which they are kept, the partition between them must be transparent (made of rods or boards). If there is no visual contact between males and females, the risk of problems with sexual function increases in animals.
Particular attention is paid to the maintenance of sows. They use concentrated feed and food rich in vitamins as the basis of their diet. A good addition to the main feed is also reverse. A prerequisite for the normal development of the uterus is the cleanliness of the machine in which it is contained. To maintain it, the machine is cleaned at least 2 times a week.
Behavior during the event
To start mating, the female, who has signs of sexual hunting, is brought to the male and left alone. In order for the process to be most effective, it is important to adhere to a number of points that determine the success of mating. And first of all, it is worth considering the place where the mating will take place.
It is best to bring animals together in a barn or on an open walking area (in the warm season). At the same time, the process will be most successful when the mating is carried out in the territory that is familiar to the boar. Otherwise, he is distracted by the study of a new place, which in some cases reduces the sexual activity of the animal.
Reference. You can also try mating in the female’s pen. But if such a process does not work the first time, it is better to move the pair to the place familiar to the boar.
In general, one mating of animals lasts from 15 minutes to half an hour. While the pigs brought together breed, it is necessary, in order not to interfere with mating, to adhere to the following conditions:
Pig mating
- normal temperature regime, which will stimulate the sexual activity of animals;
- the absence of sharp noises, screams, flashes and extraneous odors within the mating of pigs;
- the absence of a person in the field of view of animals.
All of these points will make the pigs calmer and increase the likelihood of success of the procedure. Also, do not try to speed up the mating process. On the contrary, the longer the period of “courtship” and the mating of animals itself, the greater the likelihood of successful fertilization of the uterus. To increase the chances of successful mating, the queen is left with the male for the whole day, or she is brought back after 12-15 hours from the moment of the first mating.
If in the process of courtship the signs of sexual hunting disappeared from the female and she avoids the boar, the animals are driven away from each other. At the same time, for greater reliability, the male is isolated in a separate transparent fence. When the queen’s hunting resumes again, she herself will go to the boar, which at the same time is released from the enclosure.
If the coated sow shows signs of estrus again after 21-23 days, then fertilization during mating has not occurred. In this case, the mating is repeated, but with another boar. The reason for unsuccessful coverage may be poor-quality sperm of the male, the presence of diseases in one of the couple, serious problems in the nutrition and maintenance of animals. Before re-bringing partners, all of the above points should be eliminated.
Breeding pigs on a domestic and industrial scale is a responsible procedure that requires increased attention from the breeder. The correct implementation of all the nuances of mating in the future will provide the farm with a healthy, hardy offspring, as well as increase the survival rate of the young.
