[Buffy the eggs layer]

I had half an idea of keeping a gilt from my upcoming litter as a potential breeding sow and companion for her mother.


However the person that I have borrowed the boar from will be having a litter this month from a super, placid, friendly sow that I really like.


The advantage of keeping a gilt from my sow is...


It wouldn't cost me £150


Its related to my sow and may bond / get on with her better? (not sure about this one)


The advantage of getting the other gilt is that it may have a sweeter nature than the gilts from my sow.


Both piglets would have the same father but their mothers are different bloodlines.


The Jan born piglets would be sold at 8 weeks and my piglets would not have been born by then so I wouldn't be able to see how mine turned out and then decide.


Any other pros and cons that I haven't considered?

[HappyHippy]

If you plan on showing, your home bred one gets your herd name out there 

Don't count on mother/daughter always being a harmonious relationship - I have two here currently that fight more than unrelated sows I've had, though only really when in season and not until the daughter was fully grown - she's the worst offender!

As you know I had a sow (Bluebell) who wasn't really a 'people pig' she's not nasty at all, but not super friendly the way others are. Her daughters (and sons) who have stayed here have all been lovely pigs. In contrast my darling old sow produced a daughter who I had to send away after her second litter because her temperament suddenly changed - nothing is guaranteed, but (as with puppies) the more time and effort you put in the better the end result will be.
I'd guess there's going to be a little gilt in your first litter that you don't want to part with - it was certainly like that for me and a couple of other people I know 

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Yes I can see it's a bit of a lucky dip


  I would like a gilt from my girl she is a lovely pig and very chatty and friendly but not soppy like the other one. I just wondered if there was an advantage of having a gilt from another line and if she might get on better with my girl than a mother / daughter relationship.


Sounds like its anybody's guess what personalities they develop though but as much due to nurture as nature and as I will have the piglets it makes sense to keep my own. I dont think I would ever show them as it never strikes me as much fun for the animals but it's a good point about my own herd.


I will stick with my own gilts and save myself a few quid.

[Marches Farmer]

The advantage of home bred is that you know exactly the health status and temperament of the pig.

[SophieYorkshire]

Dont forget you will probably need to take her away from her mum for a couple of weeks to get her weaned and let  mum dry up, so you will need two pig keeping facilities.

As Marches says, health is important. I have a real bee in my bonnet from the last year or so about the number of 'award winning' BPA breeders who were selling pigs in bad health - I had to do battle against pneumonia on two batches I bought in 

[shotblastuk]

I agree with keeping your own stock. The daughter I kept from one litter I made a complete fuss of from day one, whilst her Mother can be a grumpy so and so the daughter is as soft as a brush and loves human company and lots of attention probably because she knows there's no threat and only good things . (Maybe I was just lucky)?
I have never separated Mother and daughter, self weaned. 

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Thanks everyone,


   the health issue is a really important one which I hadn't considered until you brought it up. I had made an assumption that being an established breeder with healthy adult stock they would be fit and well.


I really shouldnt assume because since taking on my sheep a few years ago I have discovered that breeders that have bred for years dont necessarily have stock as well cared for as mine.


My gilt is friendly, she is a kune, they are all friendly. She's just got more of an independent cat type personality where as my soppy castrates are more dog like and dopey. I think the gilt is more intelligent than the soppy castrates to be fair and thats not a bad quality to preserve in your stock.

[Marches Farmer]

As Marches says, health is important. I have a real bee in my bonnet from the last year or so about the number of 'award winning' BPA breeders who were selling pigs in bad health - I had to do battle against pneumonia on two batches I bought in 

The stress of being moved can sometimes trigger pneumonia.  We always give weaners at least three days to get used to being without Mum before they're sold on.  We've not yet had any runts in our home bred litters but when we used to buy in whole litters the runts were generally the ones that got pneumonia.

[SophieYorkshire]

As Marches says, health is important. I have a real bee in my bonnet from the last year or so about the number of 'award winning' BPA breeders who were selling pigs in bad health - I had to do battle against pneumonia on two batches I bought in 

The stress of being moved can sometimes trigger pneumonia.  We always give weaners at least three days to get used to being without Mum before they're sold on.  We've not yet had any runts in our home bred litters but when we used to buy in whole litters the runts were generally the ones that got pneumonia.

Agree completely MF, but doesnt excuse 20 bacon weight gilts all arriving with it!

[landroverroy]

Not paying £150 would be a big pro in small scale production. And after paying it you would have no more guarantee of gilt's temperament, (which is obviously important to you) than you would for one you'd bred yourself. At least with a home bred animal you can ensure it's happy to be handled and interact with you, whereas one bought in may not have had so much positive human contact.

 

[Marches Farmer]

Agree completely MF, but doesnt excuse 20 bacon weight gilts all arriving with it!
[/quote]
Indeed, not.  One has to wonder about the supplier's standard of pig husbandry.

[Buffy the eggs layer]

You are right LRR buying a gilt is a big disadvantage.


I have ruled out the idea of buying in another gilt as I agree with you and Happy Hippy re nature and nurture.


I just wondered if there was any advantage that I hadn't considered. There isn't [size=78%] [/size]