[roddycm]

So our very first gilt, has had her very first litter of piglets last night. They are all doing really well thankfully! I was however surprised that she only had 5... the piglets are a very good size, the smallest was 2 kg and the largest about 2.8 kg so whilst they are less in number than I was expecting they are larger in weight than expected!

She is a hampshire and the boar used was an older landrace. Google seems to have varying opinions about how many piglets a first timer might have and what the average birthweight is. What do you more seasoned pig folk think? Maybe the boar was losing his mojo haha She will be going to a our new young pietrain next time, everyone is telling me she should go right after weaning to prevent her getting too fat after this small litter... again any thoughts on this? Of course I have also read that a young boar can produce a small litter so maybe next time she won't have that many either!

We are very happy and looking forward to our first home produced bacon already! I just want to make sure we do things right! Sometimes asking people is better than asking google      

[waterbuffalofarmer]

So our very first gilt, has had her very first litter of piglets last night. They are all doing really well thankfully! I was however surprised that she only had 5... the piglets are a very good size, the smallest was 2 kg and the largest about 2.8 kg so whilst they are less in number than I was expecting they are larger in weight than expected!

She is a hampshire and the boar used was an older landrace. Google seems to have varying opinions about how many piglets a first timer might have and what the average birthweight is. What do you more seasoned pig folk think? Maybe the boar was losing his mojo haha She will be going to a our new young pietrain next time, everyone is telling me she should go right after weaning to prevent her getting too fat after this small litter... again any thoughts on this? Of course I have also read that a young boar can produce a small litter so maybe next time she won't have that many either!

We are very happy and looking forward to our first home produced bacon already! I just want to make sure we do things right! Sometimes asking people is better than asking google      

Congrats to you! All pigs are different from others, could have been down to feeding, weight anything really. When I kept pigs I had them give birth at 2 years old, one had 11 and reared 10 of them the other one misteriously dissapeared. It can also depend on fertility too, what sort of genetics did she have? How high fertility rates where the herd you bought off, or did you breed yourself? could be a number of factors

[Rosemary]

Don't know much about breeding pigs - but I do know the buzz from a succesful birth from your livestock. Congratulations 

[roddycm]

Thank you! Yes we are so happy, she is a lovely calm pig so its all been very easy.

I live in South America- Argentina so I wanted a local pig that I knew would tolerate the weather here etc. I got her off of a local dairyman who keeps a few pigs (a mix of hampshires, spotted polish and landrace). She is a red belted beauty!

All his girls have between 8 and 14 piglets although he did say first timers can have less. I suspect the boar we used was not as fertile as he once was... we didn't have much choice as we live in the middle of nowhere but as I say we now have a pedigree pietrain boy who comes from a performance recorded herd. We shall see what happens with him. The main thing is that this lot are big and healthy... and 5 is probably a good starting number. If she'd had 14 it would have been much more work for her and us of course!

I just love the pigs, such clever beasties!

[fsmnutter]

It is very common for a first litter to be smaller. You will want to put her back to the boar soon after weaning when her condition is back to ideal so that she conceives the best numbers.
Enjoy your piglets, 5 sounds great for getting to know how it all works, but beware, watching piglets playing is very time consuming!

[harmony]

My Hampshire had 14 the first time round. My sows go straight back to the boar after weaning and I get good litter sizes. Could be any number of factors and you might find she only has a small one next time too. I haven't found first time boars throw smaller litters either.

[roddycm]

Yes they are real time wasters!! She just gave birth to another... about 12 hours since she had what we thought was the last one. Isn't that a bit odd? I am trying to get hold of the "local" vet (about 25 miles away) to see what we need to do if anything... She seems very happy, no temperature etc