[Lindseystrib]

Hi

Looking at our first foray into breeding our own pigs as our Saddleback gilt is now 14 months old.

We are looking at a six year old boar who produced piglets in the spring - but is six too old?

[Pigsmightfry]

He may be coming towards the end of his working life, however, as he has recently produced piglets he may still have the ability, the only real way to find out is to mate them. More importantly he should not be too big as the young gilt has to support his weight during mating which can last upto half an hour.
Once he has mated with the gilt she should not come back into season, if after 21 days she does then maybe it's worth another go or try another boar.

[Marches Farmer]

If the boar produced piglets in the Spring than he was last working around the end of last year.  Boars should be kept working regularly.

[harmony]

You need to get your pig served fairly soon or you risk not getting her into pig.


Keeping a boar costs the same as an empty sow. Keeping a boar for one sow is not cost effective. What do you plan to do with your litters?


Say a pig costs £10 per week that's £1040 for two pigs per year. Say you rear 20 piglets and that is not guaranteed and sell as weaners at £40 each that is still £240 short of covering costs and when the sow is milking she needs more food and weaners will need creep.  This very simplistic maths but many people sell weaners at less than £40 and actually they need to be more.


What's the cost of your boar? That is another factor in the equation.

[HappyHippy]

He'll be too big for your gilt IMHO, you don't want to risk her being hurt during the mating.
Look for a younger boar, who's working, even if he's not the same breed, you can always AI in future but get her served asap.

[Fowgill Farm]

I would agree with HH he'll be way too heavy and big for a gilt and may damage her back or internally! Look for a younger boar preferably no older than 2.
Mandy