The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Maesgwyn on March 20, 2016, 01:11:08 pm
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I have three sows and a boar, we are not having much luck getting the sows in pig, two have had litters before but the youngest still has not had any after trips to two different boars
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What age are they all?
When were the last litters born?
If they're older and it's been a while between litters (and they're on the heavy side) they might have trouble conceiving.
BUT there could be 101 other things causing the problem.
There is a jag you can get to help with selenium deficiency (your vet will be able to get it for you) but it might not be this either.
Sorry not to be able to offer more advice, but if you can give us more info it might help :)
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Sows were born 2014, 2012 and 2014 and the boar one of only 10 registered was born in 2011 the last litres were last year but the youngest has never had a litter. I have been told that this part of Wales does suffer from a selenium problem so will ring the vets tomorrow to see if that covers our small holding
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What sort of pigs?
Did they go straight back to the boar after weaning?
Did you mean two were born in 2014? What is the age of the youngest? What condition are they in?
Is there a chance your boar isn't working?
If you have three sows and the boar has failed to get any into pig then I would suspect your boar. Or are your girls all overweight?
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Is there any chance they could have got hold of some mouldy silage? I know this has been a problem elsewhere. Only became obvious when two boats found not to be working..... There is a hormone like substance in mouldy silage that works as a contraceptive even at very low levels.
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No silage here, boar has been away working but sadly came back with lice which we have been treating, none are over weight, they are Berkshires and the one that should have farrowed last week has been away to another boar as well as in with ours. It is the youngest that I am having real problems with, she must be about 18 months now, not having registered her there are no papers though the rest are all pedigree and all have had good size litters in the past, just this last winter the last liter we had was back in September and though been in with the boar, spread out over the months since there is no sign of a litter, was trying to spread them out through the year but it just is not happening, even had each individually in the sty with the boar so they did not have the awful mud to cope with
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I dont have pigs but asking the vet for a fertility check of the boar would be the first thing I'd do and then if thats ok, start looking at problems with the girls - I'd be surprised if you were unlucky enough to have 3 unfertile ladies at once..
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The vet is certainly the next route I am going to take
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First things to consider would be how old the gilt was when first served? Leaving it too late can be a big mistake. As can leaving a sow too long between litters. Body condition is the next thing. Too fat, not much hope of getting in pig especially an older sow. If none of these things are the problem then maybe the boar is suspect. If you're feeding bagged pellets designed for pigs then vitamins etc shouldn't be an issue.
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I, too, would suspectthe boar first - he may be subfertile even if not infertile. I put my gilts to the boar at 11 months and would also suspect mouldy feed - pellets can be mouldy too and it takes time for the toxins to clear the system. The longer the females are left between parities the more likely they are to develop polycystic ovaries, which will suppress fertility.