Swine breeding management Flashcards

1
Q

Main goals of swine reproduction

A
  • Maximize the number of weaned pigs per sow per year
    (pigs/sow/yr)
  • Be sure that the sows in the gestation barn are pregnant
    > Minimize non-productive sow days (NPD)
  • Consistent flow of pigs
    > Economics of predictable flow
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2
Q

pig gesttion length

A
  • Gestation days fixed biologically (114-116d)
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3
Q

pig lactation length

A
  • Lactation days is “fixed” based on herd management (21-28d)
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4
Q

metrics that inpact how many gestation-lactation cycles we have in a year. why do we want to max this?

A
  • Want to ‘fit’ as many gestation-lactation cycles per
    year, to maximize number of litters/sow/yr
  • Gestation days fixed biologically (114-116d)
  • Lactation days is “fixed” based on herd management (21-28d)
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5
Q

Weaning prior to 14 days (or 16 days) will:

A
  • reduce ovulation
  • cause longer wean-breed interval
  • cause cystic ovaries
  • lower farrowing rate
  • reduce the number of pigs born alive
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6
Q

what is a productive sow vs non-productive

A
  • Productive sow: pregnant or lactating
  • Non-productive sow: open and not lactating
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7
Q

Non-productive sow days = what? what influences this?

A

Non-productive sow days =
The number of days a sow is neither lactating nor pregnant/year

Influenced by:
* Weaning to conception /breeding interval
* Unrecognized pregnancy loss or NIP

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8
Q

what is the wean-to-estrus interval and why is it important?

A

As wean-to-estrous interval (WEI) increases, NPD increases
* Textbook WEI is 4-5 days
* Fertility is lower for sows bred at >5 days

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9
Q

how long from wean to estrus is normal, and how long would require investigating?

A

normal <7

investigate >7

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10
Q

what proportion of sows should be bred by 6d after weaning? what proportion requires investigating?

A

normal >90

investigate <85

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11
Q
  • Risk factors for long WEI/anestrus
A
  • Young sows
  • Inadequate lactation nutrition (poor body condition)
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12
Q

issue for pen introduction of piglets

A

mixing aggression

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13
Q

how long after weaning does a sow come into heat

A

In heat 3–5 days later

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14
Q

Observable signs of estrus; primary sign

A

Primary signs:
* Standing while another sow or boar mounts
* Back pressure test

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15
Q

Observable signs of estrus; secondary signs

A
  • Bar biting, climbing
  • Vocalization
  • Restlessness
  • Seeking boar, solicitation
  • Swollen, deep red vulva
  • Malelikebehaviour
  • Off feed
  • Ears pricked
  • Elevated rectal temperature
  • Quiver
  • Tail twitch, held up
  • Evidence of viscous, sticky vaginal mucous
  • In general, the stickier the mucous, the stronger the heat (use the “thumb test”)
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16
Q

“Hand Breeding” what is this

A

natural breeding, Stay in pen with sow and boar

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17
Q

Semen Collection steps

A
  1. Boar mounts the dummy. Exteriorize the penis
  2. Gloved-hand technique
  3. Collect sperm rich fraction into a warm thermos
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18
Q

Semen Storage; how do we do it, special considerations

A
  • Boar semen is extremely sensitive to temperature change
  • Sperm damage if < 15 or >20oC for 40 minutes
    – Store between 15 and 20oC
    – Fluctuations < 2oC
  • 36% of farm storage units in Ontario did not meet this criteria
  • Most semen is purchased from boar stud and may be stored (in special coolers) on-farm for 3–5 days
19
Q

Artificial insemination: How to

A
  • Identify sows in heat
  • Lubricate catheter tip with water soluble lubricant
  • Wipe vulva if required, part lips
  • Angle catheter 30-45 degrees craniodorsally
  • Insert catheter 10-15 cm (4-6”)
  • Reposition catheter horizontally
  • Push forward gently, until resistance is felt
  • If a spiral tipped catheter is used, rotate counter- clockwise
  • When the catheter feels tight, it is “locked” in the cervix
  • Connect semen (bottle, tube, flat pack)
  • Raise catheter dorsally into a near vertical position
  • If required, initiate semen flow by gently squeezing bottle.
  • Female will continue to “draw” semen, do not squeeze bottle.
  • Remove catheter when complete

Summary:
-Insert AI catheter into sow
-Attach semen tube to catheter
-Hook semen bottle onto “hands free device”
-Allow sow to “draw” semen into her reproductive tract

20
Q

catheter characteristics for sow AI

A
  • Reusable or disposable
  • Spiral or sponge tip (sized for gilts & sows)
  • Cervical or post-cervical (deep or intra-uterine)
    – Personal preference
21
Q

Belt around sow mimics

A

pressure of boar’s legs

22
Q

what do we see in a case of failure of conception? what is this due to? what are normal rates and concerning rates?

A

bred and then fail to conceive. Results in them coming back into heat 21d later (or 42d).

  • Efficiency of estrous detection
  • Sows not getting pregnant, or lost pregnancy very early (before maternal recognition of pregnancy)

Normal: ≤8%
Investigate: >10%

23
Q

what do we see in a case of failure of pregnancy? what is this due to? what are normal rates and concerning rates?

A

bred, maternal recognition of pregnancy, then return to estrous at an irregular period, not pregnant.

  • Return to estrous > 25d post breeding
  • Why are sows losing pregnancy?

Normal: ≤3%
Investigate: >4%

24
Q

Pregnancy Detection methods for sow

A
  • Stimulate with boar at 18–25d post breeding
  • Ultrasound at 24–28d post breeding
  • Recheck at 36–50d for repeat sows (2nd regular estrus post breeding) – part of our goal!
25
Q

Why induce sows to farrow?

A

– Management
– Batch farrowing

26
Q

What can we use to induce sows to farrow?

A

Prostaglandin

27
Q

how do we administer prostaglandin to induce farrowing? what is the schedule?

A
  • Causes agitation, sweating, panting
  • 1⁄2 dose in vulva vs full dose IM
  • Administer: 2 d before normal gestation length of the herd (~113-114d gestation)
28
Q

what happens if we administer prostaglandin too early for induction?

A
  • Increase stillbirths
  • Weakborn & splayleg pigs
29
Q

Farrowing Rate

A

The proportion of the sows that are bred that go to term (farrow)
– (# farrow / # bred) x 100

30
Q

normal farrowing rate? when should we investigate?

A

normal >87
investigate <82

31
Q

Adjusted farrowing rate; what does this account for? how different will it be from non-adjusted rate?

A

accounts for sows not farrowing due to non-reproductive reasons
– (# farrow / {# bred - # non-repro culls}) x 100 *Normal vs adjusted

should not differ by more than 2 or 3%

32
Q

what should we do if the farrowing rate is too low?

A

investigate:
– Bred sows are not becoming pregnant
OR
– Pregnant sows are becoming non-pregnant

33
Q

how are gilts housed?

A
  1. Sufficient space (16ft2 or 1.5m2)
  2. Housed in pens
34
Q

breeding protocol for gilts

A
  1. Daily exposure to mature boars (15 min/day)
  2. Relocate gilt, estrous 5-7d later
  3. Identify first estrus
  4. Breed at 2nd estrus*
  5. Re-mix anestrus gilts
  6. Breed every 12 h while in heat*
    *Shorter duration of estrus than sows
35
Q

when do we select gilts?

A

Select gilts at 150d of age or ~100kg

36
Q

how to induce estrus in gilt

A
  • May use ‘‘PG 600” to induce estrus
  • Human chorionic gonadotropin & pregnant mare serum gonadotropin
  • Mimics LH and FSH
  • Will induce a fertile estrus in gilts that have not had a first estrus
37
Q

what is regumate and what do we use it for in gilts?

A
  • Oral progesterone (Regumate)
  • Used to synchronize females
  • Feed for 8 days in a row
38
Q

litters/female/year

A

2.2

39
Q

Non-productive days/sow/yr

A

70

40
Q

Pigs weaned/litter

A

8.8

41
Q

Born alive/litter

A

10

42
Q

Total born/litter

A

11

43
Q

Born dead/litter

A

0.9

44
Q

Pre-weaning mortality

A

<8-10%