3 – Breeding herd management Flashcards
1
Q
Breeding-gestation barn: areas of importance
A
- Quarantine barn or acclimation area
- Gilt development unit (GDU)
- Weaned sow housing
- Breeding area: sows & boars
- Implantation
- Gestation area
2
Q
Production flow
A
- Replacements in a different barn
- Gilt development unit
- Breeding and implantation (7 days)
- Assembled into groups and move to gestation
- Farrowing room
o Sow back to breeding - Nursery
- Grower-finisher
3
Q
Production groups: cycles
A
- Some ‘lost’ during breeding
- Only 8-9 rebred out of 12
- Replacement gilts (targe 3-4 per week)
4
Q
Lighting: indigenous pigs
A
- Seasonal breeders
- Farrow in the SPRING
5
Q
Lighting: domestic pigs
A
- Stimulated by shortening photoperiod
- Effect is gradual and requires several months to express
- *sows most fertile in autumn-winter to farrow during spring and summer
- *SEASONAL INFERTILITY peaks in summer breeding seasons to deter autumn/winter farrowing
6
Q
Practical rule for lighting
A
- Maintain 16 hrs daylight in breeding-gestation barn to attempt to PREVENT SEASONAL INFERTILITY
7
Q
Pregnant sows are prone to heat stress
A
- Sweat glands on nose only
- Drip nozzle and misters can be useful if increased airflow to create evaporative cooling is provided
- Regions of prolonged hot summers
8
Q
Barn temperature
A
- Optimum: 16-18 degrees C
- WARMER TEMPERATURE REQUIRED IN STALLS: inability to escape adverse air flows and/or floor moisture
- Pregnant sows are PRONE TO HEAT STRESS
9
Q
Gilt management drives success of breeding herd
A
- Allow for planned CULLING of sows: 40% annually
- Ensure proper NUMBER to achieve breeding targets
- Ensure proper AGE STRUCTURE to optimize herd immunity of disease control
10
Q
Frequency distribution of sow numbers:
A
- Excess numbers of parity 1 sows compared to parity 0
- Lowers after parity 3
11
Q
Sources of replacement gilts (2)
A
- Raised on farm (in house multiplication)
- Purchased from supplier (external nucleus and/or multiplier)
12
Q
Raised on farm (replacement gilts)
A
- Lower upfront cost
- More labour required to manage genetic and selection programs
- Eliminates ACCLIMATION problems: lower external biosecurity risk
13
Q
Purchased from supplier (replacement gilts)
A
- Pay a PREMIUM to supplier
- Supplier manages genetic and selection programs
- GREATER EXTERNAL BIOSECURITY RISK
14
Q
Health assurance when purchasing gilts (and boars)
A
- Vet-to-vet interviews
o Health status
o Vaccines
o Bio secure
o Mass medications/vaccinations
o Quarantined
o Vet visits
o Transportation biosecurity
15
Q
Isolation procedures for purchased gilts/boars (3)
A
- Quarantine
- Acclimation
- Isolation: could refer to either
- *best to quarantine then acclimate
16
Q
Quarantine
A
- Isolate gilts in a SEPARATE building
- Convenient distance from main unit for 30-60 days prior to entry into breeding barn
17
Q
Acclimation
A
- Controlled exposure to pathogens present in recipient farm
o Develop sufficient immunity w/o clinical illness
18
Q
Common guidelines for first fertile breeding on commercial farms
A
- Minimum 220-240 days of age
- Second observed estrus on farm
- *Optimum weight (135kg)
19
Q
Advantages of delayed breeding (second observed estrus)
A
- Litter sizes increase by 0.5 pigs for each subsequent estrus
- *must be balanced by additional housing and feed
20
Q
Breeding weaned sows
A
- Generally housed in stalls after weaning (for ~5 weeks)
- Estrus checks performed with boars once or twice daily
21
Q
How is breeding done?
A
- Typically estrus cycle occurs 4-7 days after weaning
- Confirm receptivity to boar
- Inseminate or breed naturally once per day until out of STANDING heat (generally 2-3 matings total)
22
Q
Proper timing of breeding: ‘events’
A
- Riding behaviour: something is going to start
- Standing heat: accepting mounting (or human pressing hands)
- Seeking boar
- Vulva reddening and swelling
- *need an old stinky boar=more stimulating!
23
Q
Management of boars
A
- TERRITORIAL and DOMINANT
- Individually housed to prevent fighting
- Culling rate: 50% per year (genetics, size, libido)
- Each boar need INDIVIDUAL attention and training
- *do NOT turn your back!
24
Q
AI serviced barns
A
- Maintain population of TEASER BOARS for estrus stimulation
25
Naturally serviced barns
- Maintain ratio 1 boar/20 females
26
Boar housing
- Individually housing: prevent fighting
- Do NOT enter pen unless you have an escape route
27
Semen production
- AI stud or on-farm
- CFIA regulated
- Fresh; 16-17 degree C storage (protected from UV light)
- Usually POOLED (collections from multiple boars combined)
- 2-3billion sperm/dose (2-3 doses/female)
- Many extenders with shelf-life 3-14 days
- Transport to farm
- Sexed semen (commercially available through 1 supplier)
28
Post-breeding management
- Re-grouped into group pens
o After fertilization (<7d) or implantation (>21d)
- *Minimal ‘stress’ during implantation (day 12-21) to minimize early embryonic mortality
29
Confirming pregnancy
- ESTRUS (heat check) with boars at day 21 and 42 (MOST SENSITIVE WAY: but need well trained staff)
- Pregnancy examination day 25-35 depending on equipment
30
Pregnancy examination day 25-35: equipment options
- Real-time: image of embryonic vesicles
- Doppler: fetal heart beat or uterine blood flow
- A-mode: fluid filled organs (uterus, urinary bladder=false positive)
31
Non-pregnancy ‘types’
- Conception failure
- Pregnancy failure
32
Conception failure
- Return to service at 21d (+/- 3) intervals
o Regular returns (13-21d or 39-45d)
33
Pregnancy failure
- Follows maternal recognition of pregnancy (12-21d post breeding)
- Return to service at IRREGULAR intervals (29-39d)
34
Expected farrowing rates
- 85-90% of sows bred
35
Reasons for pregnancy loss in late gestation
- Abortion
- Pseudopregnancy
- Not in pig (NIP): someone did NOT do job properly (assumed sow was pregnant)
- Premature farrowing
36
Normal gestation length in sows and gilts
- 115-116d from first day of breeding
- Considerable variation
- Litters less than 112 days=pre-mature and are at risk of high piglet mortality
37
Life cycle of sow: vaccination
- Vaccinated pre-breeding
o Parvo, lepto, erysipelas
- Vaccinated right before farrowing
o Baby pig diseases (*COLOSTRUM)
o E. coli and Rotavirus
