The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Ann and Rob on March 23, 2013, 07:44:30 pm
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What a brilliant website this is, it really helps us newbies out. Thank you all for your posts on other subjects. I have yet another question to ask. Our gilt Margot has had a boar with her for 3 seasons now and her teats have got larger recently and the boar isnt as rampant as normal! But she is still showing signs of being in season but not as much as before, do gilts have phantom seasons???
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Sounds to me as though she may be pregnant???
With her vulva swelling and her teeths getting bigger then she may not be far from farrowing???? :excited:
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I agree with Stevie G, sounds like she might be pregnant :fc:
If he's been with her for 9 weeks/3 seasons you've still got around 6 weeks to go, but it's usually just in the last 4 weeks or so that the udder grows and the vulva swells. Providing the boar's doing his job and she's young and in good condition, it usually happens first or second time round ;)
What date did the boar go in with her ?
Have a look at her side on and see if there's a diagonal line running from her back end forwards - there's a photo of one of my pregnant Large Black sows here http://yonderton-com.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=154096226 (http://yonderton-com.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=154096226) where you can see what I mean, the pig in the background on the left is a pregnant gilt, around 4 weeks from farrowing and you can see the line on her too :thumbsup: If she looks like this, get a farrowing pen sorted and get ready :excited:
HTH
Karen
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Hi Karen
Thank you for your post. The boar arrived on 9th February and was doing his job within ten minutes!!! ;D I have just had a look at your picture and Margot definately doesnt have that line but will keep an eye out for it
Ann
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9th of February til now is 6 weeks by my calculations (but I've not had a cuppa yet, so could be miss-counting :D)
If she was in season then and isn't pregnant she should be in season around now - so keep an eye and see if he appears to be trying to serve her or you might find a fresh sperm 'plug' from her which would indicate she's been served again. If she is pregnant it'll still be too early to tell visually, but if he's not showing interest in serving her that's a good start ;)
Karen