[Fowgill Farm]

Hi all,

We are new to breeding and would like some advice please. 
Many thanks

Pete

You asked so here goes, first read the market conditions post on this forum, do you really want to breed, from your question your expereince sounds minimal, if you've had fattteners you'd have an idea about pig behaviour and how boars carry on. i would helpfully suggest you do some more reading, Andy case's book is very good on this subject, sending a very young boar to a belligerent old sow can put him off or life!. How are you going to sell your piglets/pork do you have an outlet? look at the stock thats for sale at present. How stable is your own financial situation? lots to consider and i'm not saying you haven't already done this, its a big committment. Whatever you decide we'll help if we can.
Regards Mandy

[Barrett]

Ditto Mandy, the heartache I have had trying to find Bob (my unregistered GOS) a new home is unbelievable, unless killing at 6-9months for meat think very very carefully about keeping a boar.  I have a 8 month old OSB at the moment and not long before he goes off, I am the only one that can go in with him (with a pig board) as he is so boisterous and obviously getting sexually mature.  If you are confident that your boar will always be busy then go for it and best of luck.

[P6te]

Thank you for your replies, all appreciated.

Regarding the 'Market Conditions' post, yes I have seen and read it. We have previously had weaners to fatten for meat and where we live / contact we have, the demand massively outstripped our ability to supply.

We are now looking to advance our interest and going to breed our own; we may revert back to purchasing weaners but this is something we want to try for now.

I am interested to know peoples experience with boars, (especially OSB's) what are they like to handle especially without a steady stream of ladies visiting for his services!! 

Many thanks.

[Tudful Tamworths]

I'd agree with others that 8 to 10 months (as long as he's well-grown and healthy) is a good age. However, for the first mating, you need to be there to supervise. Two young virgins can fumble about but not achieve anything - and they may injure themselves in the process.

Make sure they are on level ground (my paddocks are churned up like the surface of the moon and frozen solid at the moment) so there's no chance of slipping. Try and match the height of both parties, too.

Now you may not want to do this, but you might have to - quite literally - lend a hand. A young boar often has all the right intentions, but no real sense of direction, and pots the brown instead of the pink, so to speak. Helping him get the job done will help both him and the gilt/sow.

[Tamsaddle]

omg, liz, what a galling thought (the bit about needing to lending a hand!)   I have a young Tamworth boar arriving this afternoon to meet my virgin Tamworth gilt, but she isn't due on heat for a few days yet.    He has done it a few times before with the gilts at his normal home, so I was rather hoping they would be able to manage it alone.   No idea how my girl will respond.   At least they are well matched for size/height.   I must say I have always wondered how they manage to get it into the right hole especially as the two options are so close together.     Think I will just have to watch from a respectful distance to start with.    Not wildly looking forward to having to intervene, but if needs must!    Do they not mind when a human has to help?    Regards - Tamsaddle

[robert waddell]

tamsaddle if you have a large enough area ie a very big pen 60x60 they should be able to go together  so that the dominated one can get out the road of the other     :farmer:if it is small pens put them in ajacent pens till they settle down then introduce them or keep them apart till you see her comming in season then introduce them     with him working before  he will not need any intervention by you
we have never needed to interven in pig copulation  have heard of it in horses
not so sure about level ground they will use hollows and downhill to there mutual advantage depending on size differance

[Sylvia]

When I got my boar he was eight months old and a fair bit smaller than my gilts. I thought it may have been a bit of a wait for piglets but 4 months later there they were As to the boar finding the right place, in my opinion it would have to be a VERY dim male of any species to not find it eventually
I have never interfered in any mating, goat, sheep or dog. "Love" finds a way

[Tamsaddle]

Well they have been introduced this afternoon and fortunately no aggression on either side.   She seems fascinated and follows him about;  he is more interested in sniffing around the new territory he has been brought to.    They are in a large area of woodland but will have to share one large ark tonight - think I will pop down there later and see whether they are both inside, hope so in this cold weather.   We have been lucky on the south coast and had no snow, just lots of rain which has made the ground soft again - Tamsaddle