[hughesy]

We've always kept litters together until they go for slaughter. It's quite possible some of our gilts have been served by their brothers before they went. It's never been an issue at the abattoir or caused any problems in any way. I always try to send the gilts off first but due to the nature of pigs and trailers it doesn't always work out like that. Remember pigs don't have the Victorian moral code that we humans seem to be lumbered with.

[greenbeast]

We tend to split at weaning age. We have had gilts served by a boar accidentally, he was put with the girls because he was a runt compared to the other boys and was getting a bit bullied. Of course we took our eye off the ball and he served 2 out of 6 successfully, so we kept them and they've just farrowed

[P6te]

We tend to split at weaning age. We have had gilts served by a boar accidentally, he was put with the girls because he was a runt compared to the other boys and was getting a bit bullied. Of course we took our eye off the ball and he served 2 out of 6 successfully, so we kept them and they've just farrowed

... and what age were they when they farrowed and which breed?

[Marches Farmer]

Commercials are often put to the boar at 8 months.  I leave my GOS until a year old, so they're well grown and not trying to grow piglets inside them at the same time as still growing themselves.  However, as I understand it, most commercials average 2.3 litters before going to cull and mine manage 10 or more....  The maths just doesn't add up for me but no doubt there's an accountant somewhere that can put me right on why the commercial route makes commercial sense.

[harmony]

One of the reasons commercial sows manage less than 3 litters is because hybrids are too lean. They can't maintain litters and themselves for any longer.