breeding pigs - get a boar?

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We have three female pigs. One is going into the freezer. We want the other two to have piglets. So we're thinking it is time to get a boar.

We probably should have purchased an uncut weener a few months ago. But we didn't. Should we look for an older hog?

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), January 27, 2002

Answers

Can you take the gilts back to the place where you bought them, when they are in heat, to be bred by their boar?

My brother-in-law told this as a true story. When he was a youngster his job was to take the sow down the road a bit to get bred. After a couple of trips, it was all he could do to keep up with the sow. The pen in which the breeding would occur had a hot wire about 18" off the ground. When the boar mounted the sow, every time he pushed, she backed up. Backed the boar into the hot wire backwards at scrotum height. Boar cleared the sow and wouldn't go near one for a while afterwards.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), January 27, 2002.


I think keeping a boar for just two pigs would be more trouble than it's worth.Have you thought about A.I.?? It's not really that difficult.We deal with a place in Ill.,they have good service and answer any questions that we have had.

-- Steve in Ohio (stevenb@ohiohills.com), January 28, 2002.

Paul, there is nothing wrong with an older hog as long as it's not too large to service the gilts. Some older ones can be over 600 pounds! I'd try to find a younger one. You might want to look into taking them back to the place you bought them from to get them bred (as Ken said). OR Artificial insemination (as Steve said) for this year. Then if you still want your own boar, buy a young one in the spring, raise it yourself (it will be so tame and easy to get along with).

Whatever you decide to do, the gestation period of a sow is 114 days. You can have several litters a year, keep some for cookouts and for the freezer and sell the rest as weening pigs. You're gonna LOVE the babies! They are so much fun to watch! Best of luck!

-- cowgirlone in OK (cowgirlone47@hotmail.com), January 28, 2002.


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