Swine Reproduction

Question 1

Age at puberty

Answer 1

6 months

Question 2

Weight at Estrus

Answer 2

200 lbs

Question 3

Duration of Estrus

Answer 3

2-3 days

Question 4

Length of Estrus Cycle

Answer 4

21 days

Question 5

Time of Ovalution

Answer 5

24-36 hr after estrus

Question 6

Best Time to breed

Answer 6

2nd day of estrus

Question 7

Gestation Length

Answer 7

114 days (3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days)

Question 8

When are gilts bred?

Answer 8

Gilts are ideally bred after their third heat period for best fertility
Gilts farrowing at 1 yr old have an advantage

Question 9

What is flushing?

Answer 9

Increasing the nutrition of the gilts around the time of breeding
Allows them to ovulate more ova and potentially increase their litter size and piglet per sow

Question 10

What are some Reproductive Management Strategies?

Answer 10

Lot or Pen Mating –> one group of pigs housed in a barn area and they are all inseminated at one time
Hand Mating –> breeding an animal individually, can increase the litter size in comparison to ova ovulated

Question 11

Why is gestation a critical period?

Answer 11

Preventing stressors from affecting gestation (temperature and transportation)

Question 12

Can you rebreed after farrowing?

Answer 12

Sows will show heat 2-7 days after farrowing HOWEVER the 1st estrus is infertile
Early weaning allows a reduction in time between litters

Question 13

What are some behaviors to indicate a sow is in estrus?

Answer 13

Standing heat –> not very reliable
The more stimulation they receive the more likely you are to determine whether the sow is in estrus or not

Question 14

What are the purpose of pheromones?

Answer 14

Stimulate puberty in gilts
Produce a stronger expression of heat in sows