Swine 1 Flashcards
Define farrow.
To give birth to a litter - the process of parturition
Define weaning.
The separation of piglets from the sow
Define gilt.
Female pig that has not farrowed a litter
Define sow.
Female after birth of first litter
Define boar.
Mature intact male
Define parity.
Used to measure sow age or longevity - equal to the number of litters that the sow has farrowed
What is the BCS scale in swine?
1- emaciated
2 - thin
3 - ideal
4 - fat
5 - obese
What is the length of estrus in the swine?
2-3 days
What is the duration of the estrous cycle in swine?
18-24 days (21 day average)
What is the length of gestation in swine?
114 days (3 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days)
When does the age of first estrus typically occur in the gilt?
180-210 days
What is the weaning to breeding interval in swine?
5-7 days
What is the average total litter size for swine?
>12.5
What is the average ‘total born alive’ number in swine?
>11.5
How many pigs are weaned per litter typically?
>10.0
Are swine seasonal breeders?
no
a.
115 day gestation length
b.
farrows
c.
21 day lactatio length
d.
weaned
e.
3-7 day wean to estrus interval
f.
165 day growth period
g.
Moved into a breeding herd as a replacement gild
h.
Sold to terminal markets (270-280 lbs)
i.
210 days or 280 lbs
j.
Gilts are breed eligble on 2nd estrus
Highest health status indicates highest _______.
Biosecurity
How are boars usually housed?
Individually similar to gestation stalls
How often are boars collected for AI?
3 times every 2 weeks - every 4-5 days
If semen is not used, what should be done to the boars?
They should be collected weekly to promote good ejaculates in the future
Pooled semen involves semen of how many boars?
3-5 boars
What is the point of pooling system?
Reducing the impact of sub-fertile boar that was not assessed by motility/morphology
What temperature is crucial during collection and processing of semen?
35 degrees C
What temperature is crucial for storage of boar semen?
16-18 degrees C
What are you looking for to determine quality control of semen pre-extension?
Motility, morphology, contamination, and clumping
What is the acceptable motility of boar sperm?
>70% of the sperm are moving
What is the exceptable amount of normal morphology in boar sperm? How many should you observe?
Observe 25-50 sperm - acceptable is >70%
What are some abnormalities found in boar sperm?
Distal midpiece reflex, proximal droplet, distal droplet, bent/coiled tails, and other
What factors affect boar fertility?
Age, frequency of use, nutrition, environmental factors, and health status
Do boar or sow farms have more biosecurity?
Boar farms
What is the protocol for biosecurity in sow farms?
Still shower in and shower out
What is the purpose of sow farms?
To produce wean pigs for finishers
Where are sows housed in sow farms?
In gestation crates or group housing
Where are sows moved to farrow?
to farrowing crates - organized from youngest to oldest
After weaning, where are sows moved?
To a breeding barn to start a new rotation
