[princesspiggy]

its nearly time to AI my girls, where do i get boar phermone spray from and when do i start using? im presuming it must be urine or sumthing similar?

[TheCaptain]

I got mine form happychicks.co.uk i think - google it and there will be various options come up!  I spray mine usually two/three days into the 'swollen stage' to get her to stand and then administer the 'magic boar potion'.  Are you getting it from Deer Park?

Captain

[sausagesandcash]

Anyone ever used PG600?

[Tudful Tamworths]

re. pheremone spray - look on eBay for Boar Mate That's where I got mine.

re.PG600 - yes, great stuff.

[princesspiggy]

yes hoping to use deer park, had problems with their website so i will have to call them. i know when they are due to get swollen vulvas so what point do i order it and use it? and is it just once ?

[JulieS]

Deerpark are really good.  Give them a call and they will send next day delivery.

When you notice them getting swollen order it up, and she will be ready when she stands if you put pressure onto their back.  If I remember rightly there are 2 or 3 lots of semen, so that you can insert at 12 hourly intervals.

Full instructions are sent with the bottles. 

Let us know how you get on. 

[sausagesandcash]

Give robert overend a call in deerpark, he is wonderfully helpful. He's really passionate about what he does.

regards,

Morgan

[OhLaLa]

When you do the AI follow the instructions (read and read again), for the model we used we totally missed the bit where it said pop the little cap back on the inseminator after applying (to stop her squirting it out again), and we were advised (too late) to leave it in for a while rather than remove immediately.

Ask every question you can think of, including my bit above, and if you forget anything ring again. Better to be safe than sorry.

"If its on your boots she won't get pregnant" (it was, she didn't!)

[Tudful Tamworths]

Have a read of this:

http://www.britishpigs.org.uk/AI%20instructions%202007.pdf

Also, get yourself a picture of what the inside of a sow looks like. You have to point the catheter upwards (about 45 degrees) to avoid inserting it into the bladder instead of the cervix.

Timing is the other really important thing. When she's pink and swollen (take this as day 1), ring Deerpark and they'll deliver the next day. On day 2, when the semen arrives, if the sow stands when you apply pressure, give her one dose. She's more likely to stand on day three and four (at the peak of fertility), so you're more likely to get a good service.

[princesspiggy]

"If its on your boots she won't get pregnant"[/i] (it was, she didn't!)

so a sow is fertile for about 4 days but optimum is day 3 and 4?

[HappyHippy]

Yes, I think day 3 is the best (providing she'll stand) I think they give you 3 doses from Deerpark, the thinking being if you do it every 12 hours you'll 'catch' her.
I'm watching this thread with interest and awaiting your results Julia - I'm hoping to do the same myself shortly  Don't fancy crossing my Large Blacks with the Kunes (well, not all the time  ) 

[robert waddell]

what is wrong with natural service  happy hippy just curious

[HappyHippy]

Nothing at all wrong with it at all Lillian - I'm a big fan 
It's just for me, with small numbers of different breeds and young kids around the place, I don't want to have lots of boars. I have 2 entire Kune Kune boars already, mainly because there's no AI for Kunes (and my castrates, but they're for eating so don't cause the same problems  ) Being a typical woman, and having more of my mum's control freak tendancies than I normally admit too I'd like to be in charge of what pig gets in-pig, when and to which boar, without having to play musical pens all the time (or have poor sad, lonely boars on their own getting frustrated  )
My plan (though it might change  ) is to cross the Berkshire with the KK initially, then AI for pure Berkshires, or any cross I can think of  Again, the Large Blacks I'd like to visit a Tamworth boar first time round (can you think of anyone who could help out there ?  ) then AI for pure breeds. I want to try to get them served naturally first time round as I've heard it's better in terms of success rate first time round and for future fertility with AI (and well, they deserve a bit of male attention - doesn't every woman )
So that's my plan and reasoning behind it (let's hope it makes sense !) but I welcome any comments you, or anyone else has to the contrary.
Karen x

[robert waddell]

you could hire a boar in (six wks bed and breakfast and a couple of females throw en in) or take your girls to the boar better pure than crosses unless you have a specific purpose in mind

[HappyHippy]

The Berkshire x KK (I know you're not a fan, but indulge me ) is supposed to be a good cross in terms of increasing finishing time, and as both breeds are reputidly 'grazers' I though it would work quite well, and I've got the KK boars already, I'm basically lazy lol! and wary of big bolshy boars that I don't know (I'm a girl after all)      
I fancied LB x Tamworth to run in our woodland areas, thinking the LB might chill out the Tammy hyperness and give really good bacon at the same time.
I always thought (but maybe I'm wrong) that it was better to take the gilts/sows to the boar, instead of the other way round, as that way he'll spend less time marking his territory and more time doing what he's supposed to 
It's all a wee while off yet, but I like to be organised - so the plan may (read - probably will) change