Author Topic: AI (Read 6956 times)

robert waddell · « **Reply #15 on:** February 23, 2011, 02:25:47 pm »

bill is down in coventry the one for sale is one of bills
royall standard is setting the standard??
you can have royal standard and not be related(boys take the sires name girls take the mothers name)

TheCaptain · « **Reply #16 on:** February 23, 2011, 03:46:00 pm »

Quote from: lillian waddell on February 23, 2011, 12:53:16 pm

what is wrong with the real thing there is a boar for sale at inverness just now and the boar will sort your dog and ram out(aye tippical big dug gied at geing it but canna take it)

Nothing wrong with the real thing, but it does come with an overhead that AI doesn't.

robert waddell · « **Reply #17 on:** February 23, 2011, 03:58:47 pm »

a yes but AI has more overheads unless it works first time

Pel · « **Reply #18 on:** February 23, 2011, 04:41:18 pm »

AI is also less dangerous than a boar and doesn't have tusks that you need to trim, and you can change bloodlines a lot more easily than trying to sell and buy in.

robert waddell · « **Reply #19 on:** February 23, 2011, 04:49:24 pm »

aye but are they in pig yet?

Pel · « **Reply #20 on:** February 23, 2011, 05:07:40 pm »

Didn't pprincess say Thursday was her time. How much does AI cost? I've only ever used boars to mate with sows, so wouldn't know the costs of AI? Other than the negatives of boars.

robert waddell · « **Reply #21 on:** February 23, 2011, 05:27:32 pm »

we only use boars as well never had a problem with any of them
and a fair few folk have hired our boars and comented how gentle they are
at present we have 3

oaklandspigs · « **Reply #22 on:** February 23, 2011, 05:38:30 pm »

There are good arguments on both sides

AI is great if you get the dates right, or are happy to be more risky on missing a heat, a fertile boar will always get the dates right!

Well handled boars left with company (rather than take sow in - mate - take sow out again) are generally very placid - like Lillian we have active boars, 2 at present and have had at least five others, and all have been dopey, loveable creatures. Commercial boars are an entirely different matter !
AI does let you vary strain, and indeed breed if you have different sows, or if you like cross-breeding, and get topnotch seamen.
With AI you don't have the cost of keeping a boar all year.

Last time we used AI - cost was about £20 - £18 for seamen, and £2ish for catheter

Pel · « **Reply #23 on:** February 23, 2011, 05:51:16 pm »

Ahh so AI isnt too expensive, cheaper than a pedigree proven boar (thinking £250-£500), though pedigree registered weaner boars would be nearer the £100 mark.
The boars I've worked with so far, have all been friendly, but I have seen the marks on other people to know not all are like that, I also know a Large white x boar who if he leaned on you, your quite likely to get crushed. I also go on to holdings where sometimes the boars haven't been tamed as much as needed and you do need to be careful, they have just been treated the same as the sows, and in some cases this isn't enough handling. Or in some cases they have been allowed to push or shove when younger and now have no respect, and a boar with not enough matings can be a grumpy boar, at least i have found this with the larger breeds, unlike my mother's KK boar.

princesspiggy · « **Reply #24 on:** February 26, 2011, 10:23:00 am »

Quote from: lillian waddell on February 23, 2011, 04:49:24 pm

aye but are they in pig yet?

she hasnt come into season yet!! im sure she is pregnant cos her temperment has completely changed and is very short tempered and very vocal, 10 times more than normal. she took over the cows stable and was positively roaring at them to stay out. sounded like a bloody dinosaur! (not that i actually know!) time to put up the electric fence now i think cos they have been happily roaming since they were weaners. if she is grumpy now, i can imagine what she mite be like with piglets to protect!!

hopefully anyway, dont want to jinx it.
is there any other sign of early pregnancy except no return to season?
i think the reason she didnt fall the first time is that i was too slow. they are cycling at 18 days while i was expecting 21. also they cycle together more or less. the ai on our other pig this week went really well, shes had 3 seasons since her uterine infection so hopefully she'l be ok. wev had no more escaping rams either!!

if we can successfully sell the weaners/finishers then id like to get a boar, but no hurry yet.

Quote from: Pel on February 23, 2011, 05:51:16 pm