Many farmers raise pigs not only to provide themselves with food, but also for subsequent sale. However, for the most effective farming, it is necessary to have an idea of when the breeding season begins for animals. This will allow you to form the most suitable pairs to get a strong and healthy brood. Also in this article we will look at the most important facts about sows, which most novice farmers have absolutely no idea about.
Basic indicators of puberty
You may be interested in: Vaccinations for rabbits: when to do them, rules and vaccination schedules
Let's look at this in more detail. Before finding out how many days a pig walks, let's first understand the signs that will help determine puberty in animals. According to experts, representatives of this group of artiodactyls are ready for mating as early as 6 months. At this age, pigs are already fully formed and ready to bear offspring. The beginning of the period of sexual desire can be judged by some behavioral changes.
In sows these are:
- deterioration or complete loss of appetite;
- increased excitability;
- periodic change of location;
- increase in size and change in color of the genital organs (becomes more saturated);
- constant squealing.
You may be interested in: Machine and tractor fleet: organization, use, management, maintenance
Among the main characteristics in males are the following:
- increased urge to urinate;
- constant grunting that does not stop for several days;
- the boar constantly rubs against surrounding objects;
- increased aggressiveness.
But how many days does a pig walk? The signs of heat listed above will allow you to determine the beginning of the breeding season. As for its duration, it all depends on many factors. This will be discussed in more detail below.
How to tell if a pig has covered itself
The indicator is the behavior of the female. She becomes lethargic and drowsy, and reacts aggressively to the appearance of a boar. During the period when she should start hunting again, the sow will still refuse contact with the male.
In addition, females become nervous and react sharply to the world around them, which is explained by their unusual state of health.
Find out which stimulants promote pig growth.
Raising pigs is not particularly difficult. The main thing is to be able to select animals that can give good offspring and wait for the sow to heat. Both experienced pig breeders and beginners can handle proper breeding
Hunting dates
Here we come to the answer to the question of how many days a pig walks. Important features affecting the duration of the hunt may be different, but the main one is the age of the animals. In young individuals, as a rule, this period lasts from 1.5 to 2 days, but in some cases it can increase to one week. As the female gets older, her reproductive capabilities and the duration of sexual estrus decrease. The end of mating can be guessed by the change in the animal’s behavior. It becomes calm and begins to ignore males. Also, all the signs and changes in behavior described above completely disappear.
You may be interested in: Growing tobacco as a business: where to start, what you need to know, Russian legislation. Tobacco varieties
How many days does a pig walk? The signs of heat in pigs described above will allow you to determine the beginning and end of the reproductive period. According to qualified specialists in the field of animal husbandry, most often the duration of the breeding period is two days, after which the individuals return to their usual way of life. However, as mentioned earlier, it all depends on many factors that must be taken into account. Therefore, in order to be prepared for mating, you need to look at the big picture and not focus on individual factors.
Signs of heat in pigs
The time of readiness for mating in females is characterized by the following signs:
- mild swelling of the nipples and external genitalia;
- mucus discharge from the reproductive organs;
- refusal of food or significant reduction in its consumption;
- restless behavior of the animal;
- constant listening, sniffing the pig.
How to determine the readiness of males to mate:
- constant active grunting;
- frequent urination (every half hour);
- aggressive, violent behavior;
- friction against the walls of the pen, attempts to break it;
- imitating the mating process with other pigs.
At what age are animals ready to mate?
So what do you need to know about this? Many novice farmers are interested in the question of how to find out when a pig is walking. There are no uniform recommendations, since everything depends on the specific breed of animal. As a rule, sows become ready for mating at six months of age. However, such indicators are reliable only if she does not have any pathologies, diseases or developmental deviations. If there are any problems, it may take longer for puberty to fully mature.
However, experienced breeders who have been farming for many years claim that it is better to carry out the first mating no earlier than 9 months. This is due to the fact that in a shorter period the animal simply does not have time to get stronger in order to give a good and healthy litter.
Unlike sows, boars become capable of reproducing no earlier than 8 months of age, and their reproductive capabilities remain up to 3 years. But the maturity of the animal, the characteristics of the particular breed and health status are also key determining factors.
How to mate pigs
There are two types of pig mating - group and individual. In group breeding, one boar is assigned several females, whom he will fertilize. In case of individual treatment, a pair is selected for each animal, taking into account its individual characteristics.
With such reproduction, two approaches are used - homogeneous and heterogeneous. In the first, individuals with approximately the same physical characteristics, fertility and gene pool are selected. In the second approach, animals that demonstrate low performance are mated with the most productive ones.
In addition, attention is paid to age. Young sows are preferred to be mated with older boars, while older females are mated with males of any age.
Important! It is advisable that mating be carried out within the same breed.
When does the re-hunt begin?
How many days does it take for a pig to walk after the previous mating? Regardless of the breed of animals, their sexual hunting is subject to cyclicity. The need to mate occurs every 21-22 days. If for some reason the sow did not allow the boar to approach her, then after a few weeks the pig will show the main signs of sexual desire. However, here everything also depends on a number of factors, among which the most important are the age of the animals, breed and living conditions.
In some cases, the female may start hunting again even if insemination is successful. This is considered quite normal, since pigs, unlike other animals, are capable of bearing offspring of different ages. Therefore, several inseminations can occur during one mating with a short interval between each of them.
What to do to make a pig come into heat
Sometimes it happens that the animal does not begin to hunt and the question arises of how to induce it. This may be due to too many pigs in one pen, the absence of a young boar, unbalanced feed or diseases of the genitourinary system, therefore, first of all, you should improve the living conditions of the animal, show it to a veterinarian and, if necessary, treat it.
In the absence of diseases, to stimulate the hunting process, young males should be placed in a room with sexually mature females, and also provided with regular walking, since excess body weight reduces sexual activity. In addition, stimulant sprays made using the urine of a mature boar, which are sprayed in a pen with a problem female, induce heat.
How to choose the right pair?
This aspect deserves special attention. You already know how many days a pig walks and by what signs you can determine the beginning of the period of sexual desire. But the success of breeding domestic animals and the health of the young livestock depend on how well the sow was selected. During the selection process, the following nuances must be taken into account:
- compliance of the animal with all the characteristics of a particular breed;
- good health and absence of any pathologies and diseases;
- optimal body weight and degree of fatness;
- age.
It is also worth considering the number of previously produced offspring and the quality of the offspring. If the piglets were weak and sickly, then it is better not to use such a female for breeding pigs. In order for a gilt to mate during heat to be successful, the boar must also meet certain criteria. Among the most important nuances are the following:
- similar breed as the sow;
- good physical development;
- age no more than 3 years;
- ideal size to weight ratio.
Experts in the field of animal husbandry say that it is better to choose a male and a female from different farms. If they are blood relatives, then there is a high probability of having weak and defective offspring.
Methods for determining and duration of farrowing
After the initial symptoms of heat appear, the pigs begin estrus, which lasts 2-3 days. At this time, animals should be inseminated artificially or naturally. If insemination is successfully completed, the pig will not go into heat next month. The female's pregnancy lasts from 114 to 117 days. If signs of heat appear after three weeks after natural insemination, the female must be mated with the boar again.
Not every female is able to bear offspring. Before introducing animal sperm into the female genital tract using an artificial method, the veterinarian must carefully examine the pig and, if necessary, conduct mandatory research. A pig that does not conceive after 3-4 inseminations also requires examination by a veterinarian. If it is confirmed that the female is unable to give birth, she is slaughtered.
Mating methods
Today, farmers use various mating technologies. There are two main ones: purebred and interbreed. The first involves using a sow and a boar of the same breed for breeding, and the second - different ones. The pure method is more common because it allows the maximum preservation of the characteristics of the breed, and it can also significantly increase the meatiness of the animals. But here it is important to consider how many days the pig walks. It is undesirable for there to be several inseminations during one heat.
As for cross-breed technology, its main goal is to achieve maximum performance and high parameters in future generations. This can be done using one of the following methods:
- Absorbent mating. Aimed at breeding new hybrid breeds with higher performance by mating low-productive pigs with productive ones.
- Reproductive mating. Crossing is carried out in stages and covers representatives of several generations. The advantage of this technology is that one breed as a result combines the characteristics of several.
- Introductory crossing. Aimed at fixing and highlighting a certain parameter in pigs.
Mating methods also differ depending on the method of the procedure. This will be discussed in more detail below.
How many months do pigs roam?
The age at which pigs begin to roam can vary greatly depending on the breed. As a rule, sexual hunting in females begins at 5-6 months. Of course, this applies to healthy individuals who did not have developmental delays. Otherwise, puberty in a pig may occur later.
But, despite the fact that the pig is ready for mating already at 6 months, experienced breeders, as a rule, carry out mating only at 9 months of age. By this age, the animal has already become stronger and will produce good offspring.
As for boars, they are ready for full mating at approximately 8 months of age (also depends on the breed). Active sexual activity in males can be observed up to 3 years.
Artificial insemination
This technology is widely used on large farms where, due to the huge number of livestock, natural insemination is impossible or problematic for various reasons. As you can easily guess from the name, direct insemination does not occur. The sow is injected with semen selected in special laboratories. Since the material is pre-treated and tested, the probability of successful insemination is 100 percent, and the entire litter will be in good health and good characteristics.
Mating pigs at home
The process of mating a boar with a pig at home does not cause much trouble for pig farmers. However, before mating it is important to carry out preparatory work.
What you will need
In order for the mating process to produce the desired result, the pig breeder must:
- among all the females, choose the one that has the best characteristics for bearing and giving birth to piglets;
- choose the right boar for mating with the selected pig;
- determine the most suitable time for mating and prepare a place for the animals.
A crucial moment when breeding pigs is the choice of a pair for mating - a female and a boar. The future sow is selected according to the following parameters:
- it has a fairly elongated body, 12-14 nipples (more of them are preferable, since a pig can give birth to up to 20 babies at a time);
- her upper nipples do not overlap the lower ones when lying down, this is also important when feeding future pigs;
- the back of the pig is strong and wide, powerful bones;
- she eats with a good appetite, has a calm and balanced character (this is important when a pig “raises” its young).
When choosing a giving birth sow for mating, attention is paid not only to her external characteristics, but also to the “quality” of the piglets she gives birth to.
When choosing a male for mating, the following main factors are taken into account:
- The age of the boar at the first mating should be at least 8-10 months (as with females), and its weight should be about 130 kg;
- the breed of the male must be suitable for the chosen female;
- the good heredity of the boar is important; if he has already become a “father”, then they look at his cubs;
- the male must be in good health.
Important! The weight of the boar should not be excessively large compared to the weight of the pig chosen for mating, because this may result in injury to the latter. If the difference in weight is significant, then use a special mating machine. He takes the brunt of the boar upon himself, thereby ensuring the safety of the female.
Signs of heat in a pig and preparation for mating
Finding out when a pig is ready to mate (of course, when it reaches the required age) is not difficult. To do this, it is important to observe the animal and determine in time the first signs of heat in the female:
- the pig's appetite may decrease;
- she becomes too noisy, grunts a lot and for a long time;
- at this time the pig is characterized by irritability and anxiety: it can actively move and try to break the fence;
- during this period it is characterized by swelling, enlargement of the genital organs, and the appearance of specific (viscous) secretions from them;
- swelling and redness of the sow's nipples;
- frequent urination;
- At the sight of a male, the pig assumes a motionless pose.
Note! To understand whether the female has started hunting, you can press on her lower back: in this case, if the pig is ready for mating, she will arch her back in a static position.
Estrus (secretion of mucus) and heat (sexual arousal) are signs that the female will soon ovulate (release of germ cells from the ovary). However, it should be noted that ovulation lasts 24-48 hours in a pig.
A female selected for mating with signs of heat is transferred to a dry, warm, light and clean enclosure separated from others, eliminating the possibility of drafts. You need to tidy the pen once every two days. The amount of feed should be reduced, but it is important to include concentrated protein, vitamin and dairy products in the pig’s diet.
Important! The duration of hunting for pigs is most often 2-2.5 days. This is a short period, correctly determining which is extremely important for obtaining offspring.
Process
The mating process in pigs lasts on average 20 minutes. To consolidate the result, you can not separate the male and female for several hours. After the first attempts, many farmers carry out mating again after 12-17 hours.
Mating is a natural process and the participation of the pig breeder is unnecessary. The conditions for the couple need to be created as “intimate” as possible; even eye contact between a person and a pig can negatively affect the productivity of the process. There is no need to put pressure on the animals, accompanying the mating with your exclamations and “wishes”.
If the female again shows signs of sexual desire (hunting) approximately 3 weeks after mating, this means that fertilization has not occurred and the mating must be repeated.
Useful tips
For pig farmers who want to breed piglets, it is important to take an extremely responsible approach to choosing a pair and the time for mating. There is no need to rush things and mate pigs at the age of 5-7 months! However, you can start selecting a male and a female for future mating as early as 4 months. Moreover, you need to know that it is impossible to cross closely related pigs: this can lead to underdevelopment and deformities in their offspring.
It is highly desirable for animals to mate in the boar's territory! Compliance with this condition allows the male to “mind his own business”, so he is not distracted by studying unfamiliar surroundings, smells, etc. and feels confident and comfortable.
Video
Video about how mating occurs between a pig in hunting and a boar in a household in a covered pen:
Some pig breeders believe that the mating process needs to be monitored and the boar’s actions need to be controlled, the following video talks about this:
Optimal slaughter time
Piglets are slaughtered taking into account weather conditions, the weight of the animal, and the physiological state. The weather factor is important when preserving meat, so most often slaughter begins with the onset of stable low temperatures. In summer, you can choose a cold, cloudy day when there are few insects.
The weight of an adult female at slaughter is about 100-110 kg. However, some pig breeders begin to slaughter piglets that have reached a weight of 50-60 kg. By this age, pigs have already reached the age of puberty and are in heat. Many novice pig farmers are interested in whether it is possible to slaughter a pig while it is walking. It is undesirable to do this, since the organoleptic qualities of the meat deteriorate due to the hormonal surge of the animal. You should wait until the end of the hunt and slaughter 7-10 days after it. During this time, sex hormones are removed from the body, which give the meat an unpleasant odor and a specific taste. It is recommended to note the timing of the previous oestrus in order to plan slaughter at the optimal time based on the pig's cycle. The procedure can be complicated by the lack of appetite and unbalanced behavior of the piglet, when it is difficult to catch and secure it.
Some pig farms use the heat state to their advantage. To increase growth rates, gilts in estrus are inseminated. In fertilized females, vital activity is activated and metabolism accelerates. Nutrients from feed are better absorbed and weight gain increases. Slaughter is carried out 1-2 months after insemination.
Hormonal preparations for early puberty in pigs.
The onset of puberty can be accelerated through the use of hormonal drugs. Thus, the use of gonadotropic drugs in infantile pigs can provoke untimely formation of reproductive organs.
Studies conducted in Germany showed that a single injection of a drug that contains 400 and. e. serum of pregnant mares (SZhK) and 200 i. e. chorionic gonadotropin, accelerated the onset of puberty in pigs by six to eight weeks with the synchronous onset of all agricultural animals into heat. After covering, 80-93% of the gilts became pregnant and produced 9.8 - 10.4 piglets per nest.
Effects of nutrition on the age of puberty in pigs.
There is conflicting evidence regarding the impact of nutritional (energy) levels on the age of puberty in pigs. In a number of experiments, feeding young animals ad libitum compared with limited nutrition (70% of the ad libitum level) led to the accumulation of excess weight (15-20 kilograms more), slowed down the onset of puberty and reduced the reproductive potential of the queens in subsequent reproductive cycles.
Analyzing the results of 14 experiments, American scientists noted that the age of puberty at both levels of nutrition was close (on average for 14 experiments the difference was 3 days), and the differences in weight amounted to 18 kilograms in favor of farm animals that received food ad libitum.
This suggests that the live weight of queens is likely to be a weak indicator of the onset of sexual maturity.
General slaughter technology
Slaughtering farmed pigs is an unpleasant but necessary procedure. Insufficient preparation and improper execution bring unnecessary suffering to the animal and can lead to deterioration in the quality of meat.
Preparing a pig for slaughter
Basic rules of preparation:
- Feeding of females is stopped the day before slaughter. During this time, the gastrointestinal tract will have time to empty. If the intestines are accidentally damaged when cutting a carcass, the risk of spoiling the meat is reduced.
- Water is given ad libitum, but it is removed 3-4 hours before the start to ensure an empty bladder.
- You should protect the animal from unnecessary stress; you should not scream or kick it. The procedure is carried out by an experienced person, since in a state of panic, the hormone cortisol is released into the blood, which will negatively affect the quality of the meat.
- Before the procedure, the piglet should be washed with warm water using a brush or broom.
- For the slaughter procedure, you will need high-quality knives, a blowtorch or gas torch for burning the carcass, strong ropes for securing, dishes for collecting blood, clean napkins or rags for soaking the blood.
- If the animal weighs more than 80 kg, assistants will be needed.
Knives for slaughter must be rigid, with a long blade - at least 15 cm.
Slaughter is carried out on a concrete platform or wooden pallet. You should prepare in advance a structure with a crossbar and a hook for hanging the carcass. This will be needed for blood drainage and ease of cutting. If there is no crossbar, then the cutting is carried out in a lying position on an inclined floor so that the carcass is not stained by the flowing blood.
