The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Ann and Rob on March 05, 2013, 06:30:34 pm
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We have a lovely boar in with our gilt at the moment, he wasnt shy at all!!! Unfortunately Margot has come back in to season 3 weeks later, how long would you keep trying for? And how long are gilts in season for?
Ann and Rob
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well i'd keep letting him try for a few months
and about 3 days
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Was she mated almost immediately after introduction? If so she may have been a bit too late for fertilisation, even though standing for the boar.
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She was mated within ten minutes!
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I would give him a couple of months. When my boar goes on holiday he usually stays a minimum of 6 weeks. I have heard a few people say this year that they are having fertility problems and sows not catching for 2 or 3 cycles so you need to be patient.
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Gilts may well accept the boar over 3 or 4 days, but will be at peak fertility for only around 12 hours in that period.
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Thank you for your comments and we will be patient :)
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We put one of our sows, Daisy, in with our boar just before we had the heavy snow. I think this might have put him off a bit as she didn't get in pig. Three weeks later he got down to business and she's just passed through the next season with no signs so job's a good un. So she's been with him for three cycles.
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our pig vet told us that with rare breeds of any animal - ie older breeds, that haven't been 'tampered with' there was more of a chance for fertility rates to drop ever so slightly over winter. More or less guaranteed fertility would be with the more modern commercial breeds.