Pig mating

When breeding pigs on farms, many breeders set themselves the goal of expanding the herd by mating their animals, but only a few of them approach this issue responsibly. But the way the mating of pigs is implemented directly affects the quality of the offspring. Moreover, in such a process, a number of important points should be taken into account.

Pig mating

Pair selection

One of the keys to obtaining healthy and productive offspring is the right choice of animals for mating. In the process of mating, the basic qualities of both parents are transferred to the young. Therefore, when choosing, all possible factors should be taken into account.

Most often in pig farms, two types of selection of partners for mating are used:

1. Homogeneous. In this case, animals of approximately the same characteristics are selected. As a result, these qualities are clearly fixed in the offspring, which will later be passed on to the next generations.
2. Heterogeneous. With this approach, the choice falls on pigs, which vary significantly in parameters. The main characteristics of young animals in such a situation are more difficult to predict. But as a rule, the resulting offspring take root better in various conditions. In addition, with heterogeneous selection, it is possible to some extent to even out the qualities of a lagging individual in subsequent generations.

In addition, it is also important to consider the age of the mated animals in the selection process. If the sow is still young, then for her you need to select a male under the age of 5-6 years. For females of the middle age category, any boars are suitable.

As for more specific parameters, the following points are taken into account when choosing a boar:

• the number of successful inseminations that the male has carried out;
• his physical condition;
• breed affiliation and quality of the offspring that was born from the last mating.

In addition, it is important to choose the correct size of the boar. If it is too large, it can easily injure the female.

Boar size is important

When choosing a sow, the following parameters are taken into account:

• strong legs;
• flat back;
• wide chest;
• 12 nipples;
• correct bite of the jaw.

If the animal has already brought offspring before, then you should also take into account:

• condition, weight and number of babies born at the last farrowing;
• at what age did the first sexual hunt begin;
• the number of surviving piglets from one litter;
• lactation quality.

Important! It is also desirable to pay attention to the mating of pigs belonging to the same breed. It is best to select individuals for mating at the age of 4 months. In this case, the most suitable are piglets, which are distinguished by their greater fatness and calm disposition.

Pig hunting

Pigs have the highest chance of mating successfully when they are in heat. During this period, females ovulate, as a result of which the body is ready to conceive offspring. This period lasts no more than 72 hours. The most characteristic signs of its beginning are the following:

Decreased appetite of the pig

• Decreased appetite and excessive pickiness in food.
• Periodic scratching on the elements of the machine.
• restless behavior. The animal cannot stand still, constantly runs from one corner of the machine to another, overturns the feeder, tries to gnaw through or break through the wall of the corral. When stopping, the pig bends its back, and for some time stands motionless.
• The pig can jump on other animals. Moreover, such attempts are made not only by males, but also by females.
• Significantly increased urination.
• A constant grunt that sounds almost non-stop.
• The genitals may turn red and swell a little.

The listed points indicate that the animals are ready to breed and mating can be carried out. But it is worth remembering that in overfed overweight individuals, signs of estrus are less pronounced.

Preparatory stage

Mating is planned long before the animals reach puberty. For this, young animals, upon reaching 4 months of age, are separated by a partition by gender. At the same time, not a solid fence acts as a border, but a grid or lattice that will not limit visual contact.

Immediately before mating, a separate preparatory stage begins. At the beginning of this period, the uterus, prepared for insemination, is transferred to a separate dry, light and warm pen or separated by a partition from the rest of the herd.

The pig is placed in a separate room

The care of an isolated animal should be taken very seriously so that the female gains the form necessary for conception, pregnancy and care for offspring. To do this, first of all, change the diet of the animal. In this case, feeding undergoes the following changes:

• the amount of food fed is reduced in comparison with the standard norm;
• the basis of the diet is concentrates;
• dairy products (milk or skim milk) are added to food;
• it is desirable to supplement the general diet with vitamin supplements.

This preparation should begin a few weeks before the expected mating time.

The diet of inseminating boars is also undergoing changes. Moreover, the composition and volume of feeding, the routine and duration of walking directly depend on his sexual activity. On average, under normal conditions, one male inseminates up to 50 females. In the case of artificial insemination, this indicator can grow by 3-4 times. Therefore, it is extremely important to provide the necessary amount of minerals, vitamins and other nutrients to restore the strength of the animal, as well as to improve the quality of its semen.

Mating process

The very mating of pigs in winter is carried out in a warm, dry room, in which there are no drafts. The best place for this is the pigsty in which the male was raised. In summer, mating can be carried out on an open pasture. At the same time, it is important to prevent any possible interference from outside.

For mating, the sow is brought to the boar and left alone in a closed pen or room. The total duration of one pairing is from 5 minutes to half an hour. But, it should be remembered that the success of mating depends on a number of factors. Therefore, for reliability, it is better to inseminate sows again. For this, the animals are brought together again 10-12 hours after the first mating. It is much easier to leave animals in a common room for a day, where mating takes place several times.

Pig mating

The following points can affect the performance of the mating:

• The presence of a person at the mating site. Especially if these are strangers, unusual for a boar.
• The presence of unfamiliar smells and noise. Pigs are extremely sensitive animals, and any irritant can distract them, reducing their sex drive.
• Mating in an unfamiliar place. In such a situation, the male will pay more attention to the development of a new territory, which will also affect his sexual function.
• Attempts to speed up the mating process by outside interference. It is worth remembering that the longer the courtship process takes, the more likely it is that fertilization will be successful.

If the mating did not lead to pregnancy of the uterus, the procedure is repeated. Repeated mating is carried out after 21 days, when the animal begins sexual hunting again. It is also possible to increase the success rate of covering the uterus by mating alternately with 2-3 selected males.

Sometimes a decrease in sexual desire can be traced in females already in the process of mating. In this case, you should remove the animal from the pen or room in which the boar is located, and leave it alone for a while. If the sow’s attraction returns, she will go to the paddock with the male on her own. At the same time, they are brought together again and mating is repeated.

artificial mating

On large farms, artificial mating is often used. When inseminating in this way, not the boar itself is brought to the farm, but only the sperm taken from him. This method is popular for several reasons:

• it is possible to fertilize a large number of queens at the same time and in the shortest possible time;
• the possibility of transferring various infectious diseases is completely excluded;
• artificial mating from one suitable male occurs with several females at once, which allows each of them to produce high-quality offspring.

Artificial insemination

How do you know if a pig is covered?

You can learn about the effectiveness of the mating at an early stage by some behavioral features and individual changes in the appearance of animals. Moreover, it is possible to determine whether a pig is pregnant no earlier than 18-20 days after mating. If by this time the sow does not show signs of estrus, then most likely she is pregnant. But you should also not exclude the possibility of a false pregnancy, the external signs of which disappear in 2-3 months.

As for other evidence of animal pregnancy, they appear from the beginning of the second month after mating. These signs include the following:

1. Increased appetite.
2. Rapid weight gain.
3. Lack of sexual desire.
4. Curdled discharge from the genitals.
5. Sagging belly.

If in the subsequent period the pig began to estrus again, it means that the pregnancy did not occur. In this case, it is recommended to re-pair. and it is better to take another boar. If the repeated mating did not give a result, the uterus is rejected. If the second attempt was successful, the first boar is checked for the possibility of fertilization.

In most cases, the cause of infertility in pigs is a violation of the living conditions of animals. At the same time, the main factors affecting the implementation of sexual function in both sexes can be:

• unbalanced feeding, as well as excess feed, causing obesity in pigs;
• diseases of the genital organs;
• lack of regular walking of animals in the fresh air;
• mating of individuals that are related;
• low quality sperm in males.

Attention! When making an accurate diagnosis, you should be extremely careful. Sometimes the negative result of covering the female is just a consequence of an erroneous determination of her signs of estrus.

Conclusion

It is quite difficult to take into account all these points when breeding pigs without proper experience. In addition to high-quality theoretical, it is also desirable to have a good practical base. But neglect the nuances of this process is also not worth it. After all, only the correct organization, preparation and implementation of the mating of animals will allow you to get the largest possible and high-quality offspring. And the expansion of the pig farm with frisky, vigorous and healthy piglets in the future can bring considerable economic benefits to the breeder.