How many days does the pig walk, the frequency of hunting in pigs, when and the signs are repeated, at what age

For a pig breeder seeking to expand his farm, it is extremely important to know how the animals are mated and when it is best to do it. And in this regard, the main signs of hunting in pigs, the duration of the walk, the correct selection of a pair deserve detailed consideration. They will significantly increase the likelihood of mating success.

Hunting in pigs

Signs and timing of hunting

Hunting in pigs first begins at about six months of age (the exact timing depends on the breed). At this time, the female is fully ripe for mating and is ready to bear offspring. Certain changes in its behavior and physiology may indicate the beginning of sexual hunting in an animal. For females, the most pronounced features are:

decreased appetite or complete refusal to eat;
restless behavior;
constant dash along the stable or walking area;
redness of the reproductive system;
discharge from the genitals and nipples;
refusal to sleep;
the female squeals almost non-stop.

Attention! If at this time it is easy for the animal to press on the back of the body, it freezes motionless and stands motionless for some time.

As for the readiness of boars to hunt, it manifests itself in the following points:

increased urination (with an interval of no more than 30 minutes);
non-stop grunting;
the male constantly rubs against the walls of the pen;
increased aggressiveness can be observed, which manifests itself in attempts to break something and conflicts with other individuals of the herd;
the boar constantly tries to jump on nearby animals and imitates mating.

It is worth noting that the absence of mating with a male in a female during the onset of sexual hunt can lead to serious disturbances in the functioning of the reproductive organs, so this moment must be constantly monitored.

The time frame for this period in pigs can vary greatly. Hunting usually lasts from 36 to 48 hours. In some cases, this time period increases to 7 days or more. The duration of this period depends on many factors, the main one of which is the age of the female. The older she is, the shorter the sexual hunt lasts.

The end of the process of walking in a pig is evidenced by the fact that within two days the animal becomes completely calm. The female is practically indifferent to the boar and makes no attempts to interact with him. At the same time, the redness and swelling of the genitals disappears, and the discharge stops from them. At the end of the two-day period, the animal completely returns to its normal state.

But it is worth noting that, depending on the age, general condition, weight of the animal, signs of readiness for mating may have a different degree of severity. Therefore, when determining such a time, it is extremely important to perceive the whole picture, not concentrating on individual nuances.

How to know if a pig is pregnant or not

There are several basic ways in which you can find out whether a pig is pregnant or not, at home. All these techniques can be conditionally subdivided into 2 large subgroups.

Methods for determining pregnancy at home (those that do not require special knowledge and skills and are carried out without specialized equipment):

palpation method;
rectal method;
reflexological method (a method of checking the presence or absence of sexual heat in a pig).

Specialized methods (carried out, as a rule, in laboratory conditions using special means):

Burkina method (sow urine);
laboratory research method (vaginal biopsy or blood test for the content of the pregnancy hormone - progesterone);
Ultrasound.

How to determine early pregnancy in a pig

Already on the 5th day after conception, it is possible, according to certain signs, to find out at home that the pig is pregnant.

If you carefully observe the pig, you can identify the main signs at an early date. To find out if a pig is pregnant or not, the following features will help:

a sharp change in the behavior of the pig and the onset of a period of "indifference" to everything around;
poor sleep is characteristic precisely for the early stages of pregnancy;
lack of interest in the food offered, or, on the contrary, increased interest in food;
curd discharge from the genitals of the animal.

The ability to determine the pregnancy of a pig at an early stage will allow the farmer to correctly respond to the "special position" of the animal and place it in special conditions (for example, change the diet for the subsequent high milk yield in the sow). This is necessary due to the fact that the very first days of a pig's pregnancy are most dangerous with the threat of miscarriage and loss of offspring.

How to determine the pregnancy of pigs by the belly

The palpation method is quite reliable, but its big drawback is that it can be applied only from the 3rd month of gestation of the animal. By this time, breeders usually already know what condition the pig is in and have determined it in other ways. However, this method takes place, and its essence lies in the following actions:

The animal is placed on its left side.
The pig is calmed (by scratching and stroking its tummy).
Feeling (palpation) is carried out in the area of the last two nipples in the lower abdomen.

Important! This method is always carried out on an empty stomach of the pig (it cannot be fed for about 12 hours), therefore it is more advisable to use it in the morning before breakfast.

How to tell if a pig is pregnant with the rectal method

Rectal examination can be applied only 30 days after mating. Only a veterinarian or other person with special knowledge and skills should carry out this procedure and determine the pregnancy of a pig in this way. The research methodology is as follows:

The sow must be securely secured.
The veterinarian inserts a gloved hand, lubricated with petroleum jelly or oil, into the rectum of an individual and probes 3 arteries: sub-air; uterine; genitourinary.

Moreover, if the middle uterine artery vibrates and is enlarged, one can safely state the presence of pregnancy in a pig.

Important! The longer the gestation period, the more pronounced all 3 arteries vibrate and the more they are enlarged in size.

An experienced veterinarian, conducting a rectal examination, can not only determine that a pig is pregnant, but also establish a due date. In this case, an important rule should be observed: if the veterinarian was unable to fix the vibration of the middle uterine artery, then a re-examination can be carried out no earlier than after 3 weeks.

How to determine whether a pig is covered or not by the presence or absence of heat

When using this method to determine the pregnancy of a pig, one cannot be 100% sure of the veracity of the results. But its big plus, nevertheless, is that you can use it to try to find out about the pregnancy of an individual already 3 weeks after the mating.

The essence of this technique is that a male individual is brought to the sow, which is supposedly inseminated about 20 days ago, every couple of hours.

Depending on the pig's reaction to the boar, a conclusion is made about its position:

if the female shows interest in the inseminator, revives when it appears and is ready for mating, she is not pregnant;
if the female does not pay attention to the male individual or is sufficiently hostile to him, with a 95% probability we can talk about the conception that has occurred.

How to know if a pig is pregnant using the Burkina test

The method is quite complicated in its implementation in practice, but it guarantees the accuracy of the result obtained with a probability of 98%. The sequence of actions in this case should be as follows:

Sow urine is collected.
Then the collected liquid is filtered.
A couple of drops of hydrochloric acid, an aqueous solution of phenylhydrazyl hydrochloric acid, 3% hydrogen peroxide are added to the urine.
All ingredients are boiled and then cooled.

If the pig is pregnant, then its urine will turn brown-red, and if the individual is not pregnant, then the urine will remain yellow and will not change its color.

How to find out if a pig is pregnant by laboratory tests

It is not possible to determine the pregnancy of a pig at home with 100% probability, no matter how realistic all the methods look in the photo and video. Of course, there are various laboratory tests that can be used to establish the fact of fertilization, but their use is not always possible due to:

their inaccessibility (far from all the settlements of our country there is such a possibility);
high price category (this type of service is provided on a paid basis and is very expensive);
time consuming.

The main laboratory methods for determining the gestation of animals are:

Serological method. It means that blood is taken from the sow and the concentration of the pregnancy hormone progesterone is determined in its composition. It is worth conducting the test after 22 days after the alleged fertilization. In this case, the analysis guarantees the veracity of the result obtained with 100% probability;
Vaginal biopsy. This method is based on the fact that a sample of secretions and tissues is taken from the genital organs of the pig. In the laboratory, these biomaterials are examined under a microscope and a conclusion is made about the presence or absence of an "interesting position" in an individual.

Ultrasound procedure

To find out if the pig is pregnant or not, an ultrasound will help. This method of determining pregnancy is most often found in large pig breeding complexes. It is recommended to carry out it not earlier than 20 days after mating. Moreover, if you follow all the rules for conducting such a study with a gestational age of more than 30 days, then ultrasound guarantees the reliability of the result obtained with a probability of 95%.

Depending on the equipment used, ultrasound determines the pregnancy of an individual:

by fetal heartbeat;
by the presence of fluid in the uterus.

During the study, the animal can stand or lie down: the main thing is that its posture is motionless.

How many months do pigs walk?

The age at which pigs begin to walk can vary significantly depending on the breed. As a rule, females start hunting at 5-6 months. Of course, this applies to healthy individuals who did not have developmental delays. Otherwise, pig puberty may occur later.

But, despite the fact that the pig is ready to mate as early as 6 months, experienced breeders usually mate only at 9 months of age. By this age, the animal has already grown stronger and will give good offspring.

As for boars, they are ready for full mating at about the age of 8 months (also depends on the breed).Active sexual activity in males can be traced up to 3 years.

Key indicators of puberty

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Let's dwell on this in more detail. Before finding out how many days a pig walks, let's first understand the signs that will 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, the 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 lack of appetite;
increased excitability;
periodic change of place of stay;
an increase in size and discoloration of the genitals (becomes more saturated);
constant squealing.

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Among the main features 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 the pig walk? The signs of heatwave listed above will help you determine the beginning of the breeding season. As for its duration, it all depends on many factors. More details about this will be discussed later.

After how many days does the pig walk again?

The pig's readiness for mating appears cyclically at regular intervals. If, after mating, the animal did not become pregnant, then during the next 21-22 days, signs of sexual desire appear again. But it is worth noting that this time frame is also inaccurate 100% of the time. Depending on the age, breed, constitution and characteristics of pigs, this period lasts 14-24 days.

In some cases, the female, even after successful insemination, will again switch to sexual hunting. This is explained by the fact that pigs by their nature are capable of carrying piglets of different ages. As a result, after the first insemination, a second one can occur, and the interval between farrowings in such a situation is minimal.

Farrowing intervals can be minimal

Vietnamese pigs

The pig is recommended to happen twice
... the first time shortly after the detection of heat, the second time 12-20 hours after the first coating. It is advisable to breed a pig with another boar a second time, this contributes to a stronger litter, as well as an increase in the fertility of the sow.

Pig mating

is not always successful. The reasons for failure here can be different: improper maintenance and feeding of pigs, diseases of the genital organs of a pig, insufficient quality of sperm in a boar, diseases of the genital organs of a boar, etc. The so-called mumps must be identified in a timely manner. On the 16th day after mating, they begin to observe the animal, and if on the 22nd 23rd day after mating, the pig does not show signs of sexual heat, then it is considered pregnant. If fertilization did not occur and the mumps came back into the hunt, they happen again, but with a different boar.

Matching a pair

In many ways, the success of mating and the health of the offspring depends on the correct selection of pigs for mating. In this case, certain requirements are imposed on both the female and the male. When choosing a sow, first of all, they pay attention to the following points:

correspondence of external signs and features of the physique to the parameters of a certain breed;
good health of the animal and absence of defects;
the degree of fatness;
pig age (preferably at least 9 months old).

Important! If the female has previously brought offspring, then take into account its condition and the number of babies that survived from the offspring.

As for the boar, his choice is even stricter. When choosing a male, consider the following nuances:

the same breed as the female;
good physical health of the animal;
age up to 3 years, no more;
optimal weight, which is selected taking into account the size and weight of the sow.

It is better to mate the female with boars from another farm. If you mate individuals from the same herd, there is a high probability that the offspring will be defective or develop health problems.

It is imperative to take into account the productivity of the boar before replanting. Best of all, in this case, a laboratory analysis of the animal's semen will be carried out. But such a procedure is difficult for an ordinary breeder to implement. Therefore, as an alternative, examine the offspring that the uterus gave from this male earlier and ask the owner about the characteristics of the animal.

All the subtleties of the mating process

Natural mating is a fairly straightforward process. It is enough just to bring the female to the male. But to get productive and healthy offspring, you need to choose the right pairs of animals. In some cases, preference should be given not to natural, but to artificial insemination, which gives more guarantees that the pregnancy will occur the first time.

Matching a pair

Boar productivity plays an especially important role. Ideally, his semen should be checked before the bounce. Since it is difficult to do this at home, the male and female are selected according to breed and physical parameters.

Note: The best indicator of high boar productivity is healthy offspring. Therefore, be sure to take an interest, or, if possible, even look at the young, born from a certain male.

The female, which will be used for breeding for the first time, is selected solely by external signs. She must be fully breed-compatible and free from external defects or serious health problems. It is easier with individuals that have already been fertilized earlier. It is enough to assess the quality of their offspring.

Mating methods

There are many different methods of mating pigs. First of all, they are divided into purebred and interbreed. In the first case, mating is carried out between two individuals of the same breed. The ultimate goal of this process is to maintain and improve the parameters of a particular breed line. This method of mating allows you to preserve and even increase the meat productivity of the pig and some of its individual parameters.

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Pig mating method

Interbreeding is used if it is planned to improve the initial qualities of animals in a new generation. Moreover, this can be achieved by the following methods:

Absorbing mating. This option involves crossing unproductive varieties with more productive ones. As a result, it is possible to increase the meat productivity of the offspring.
Reproductive mating. In this case, mating is carried out with representatives of different breeds of pigs in several generations. The purpose of such a mating is to create a new breed and consolidate several desirable qualities in it at once.
Introductory crossing. The main goal in this case is not just to obtain offspring, but to consolidate and strengthen its specific general parameter.

Mating methods are also divided according to the way the procedure is implemented. In this regard, several different options stand out at once.

Manual mating

This method involves mating animals in a spacious enclosure dedicated exclusively for this purpose. The female and male are launched into a specially fenced area with rounded corners and a floor sprinkled with sawdust. The animals are then left alone, eliminating any noise and other distractions nearby. After some time, the male gets used to the mumps and mating takes place.

Double cage

The double cage method is most often used when mating pigs. This method involves re-mating the selected pair 12 hours after the first. This allows you to increase the chances of successful fertilization of the female. In this case, the same boar that was selected for the first mating is necessarily used.

Artificial insemination

The method of artificial insemination of sows is especially in demand on large farms, where, due to the large number of sows, it is extremely difficult to apply conventional methods. It lies in the fact that there is no direct mating of animals. Instead, the female is injected with boar semen, which has been previously collected and tested in the laboratory. This method allows you to shorten the time required for normal mating and increase the likelihood of successful fertilization.

How to determine the pregnancy of a pig at home?

Of course, laboratory tests are the most reliable way to determine if pigs are pregnant on the farm. Pregnancy is diagnosed with a blood sample or ultrasound scan, which is done with a special scanner. But, such procedures take a lot of time and are not cheap. Therefore, more often the best option is to detect pregnancy in a pig by observation at home.

Ultrasound Scanner

Certain assumptions about the presence of pregnancy can be made as early as 4-5 days after mating. If the process was successful, then the corresponding symptoms appear:

Lack of desire for mating.
A sharp decrease in the animal's appetite.
Lack of heat.
The presence of specific secretions, similar to curd mass, in the genital area of the female.
A pronounced indifference of the individual to what is happening around.
A sharp increase in the body weight of the sow.

All of these symptoms, appearing at the beginning of pregnancy, do not disappear until farrowing. If, after two weeks, they began to disappear, the pregnancy was false.

Also, in the early days, other signs will help determine pregnancy. For example, a pig will often sit on the ground for no reason. In certain cases, toxicosis can even be traced.

Another popular method for determining whether a sow is pregnant is by visual inspection. But it is effective already in the later stages of pregnancy. Visual observation allows you to determine the number and location of the fruit in the pig. To implement this method, the animal is gently stroking and laid on its side. Further, without stopping stroking, the front part of the belly is probed with a light onslaught. In the process of probing, one should be guided by the mammary glands of the animal. A little higher than them, you can easily find fruits, determine their location and quantity.

It is worth noting that if the suspicion that the pig is still pregnant arose, action must be taken immediately. It must be protected as much as possible from possible stress. Experienced farmers claim that even the usual screaming and aggressive behavior towards the female has a strong effect on the offspring. You also need to be especially careful to maintain cleanliness in the machine, and periodically carry out prophylaxis of parasites. And it is especially important to ensure that the pregnant sows are properly fed.

Preparing for mating

At what age does the pig start to walk? An important step in preparing for the moment when the sow is ready to breed is the selection and separation of the young. Not every female is selected for nursing future offspring. If the farmer manages to choose the right female, she will be able to give full-fledged and healthy offspring at the right age. After birth, the young quickly gain weight. At this stage, it is important to choose the right diet for the pigs (an artificial rep is fed) and provide them with proper care.

The future sow should have a calm disposition. An overly active pig can trample the brood and harm the hog.In aggressive individuals, the maternal instinct is least developed.

The sow is kept separately from other individuals, both gilts and hogs. A separate balanced diet is organized for the expectant mother. The pig should gain weight in moderation, without excessive build-up of a sebaceous layer. The sow's enclosure is cleaned at least twice a week.

Mating is a natural process in the life of every animal, but the result will depend only on the farmer. After and before mating, the sow should be properly and properly cared for, otherwise the piglets will be weak. A pig with the following parameters is suitable for a sow: moderately plump, calm and with all functional teats. If the farmer has managed to select a suitable female, then the piglets will be the strongest of the brood.

Signs that the pig is walking or ready to breed are hard to miss. Such a sow behaves very actively and playfully. If the farmer has never experienced changes in the pig's behavior before, then the main sign that the sow wants to walk is rapid weight gain and excessive activity. Piglets in a healthy female are born without complications. Just one sow can produce up to 12 piglets at a time. After the selection of the female, it is necessary to pay attention to the qualities of the boar, which will give healthy offspring. When is the right time to breed pigs?

Terms of pregnancy

The average gestation period in pigs is 114 days (3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days). But, it should be remembered that this value is approximate enough. In practice, this indicator is influenced by a number of factors, the main of which are the age of the female, breed, conditions of detention. Accordingly, if you take into account all the nuances, then farrowing occurs in the period from 101 to 126 days. But according to the results of numerous studies, it was found that only 5% of piglets are born before 110 days or later than 119. Therefore, 110 days of gestation are usually taken to calculate the farrowing day. And the next 9 days suggest the appearance of offspring.

Other factors also affect the duration of pregnancy in the uterus. For example, gestation can be longer if the female is carrying fewer than 6 fetuses at a time. In addition, the season makes its own adjustments. So farrowing occurs faster in winter than in summer.

When the pig starts to walk

If a well-fed pig takes a walk for the first time, her childbirth can be unpredictable and with complications. For stable offspring, it is necessary to select pigs that have already given the farmer healthy offspring. How do you know if the selected boar is suitable for breeding? A correctly chosen hog will allow you to understand whether the pig is ready to walk or not. The sow's hunt does not last long, and during this time it is necessary to have time to happen it with a suitable male. It is best to happen to representatives of one breed: it is very easy to spoil the genetics of offspring, but then treating diseases in pigs is a costly and unpleasant business for a farmer.

Healthy piglets are obtained from a well-fed, but not too heavy boar. The time that the female walks also depends on the hog. On average, a sow takes no more than 2-3 days to hunt. The mating season is short and very easy to skip if you select several suitable sows at once. Keeping track of all the pigs is difficult even for an experienced farmer.

After puberty, mumps have periodic cravings. Moments of excitement give way to calmness. Hunting can begin at any time of the year, even in winter. It does not depend on the weather and external conditions when and under what circumstances the pig will have a desire to continue the race. The first attraction appears in half-year-old pigs. The heat occurs once a month. There are 3 stages of sow attraction:

pre-willing;
estrus (hunting directly);
post-willing.

For boars, things are different.The sexual period for the hog lasts all year round. Insemination takes place within 1 or 2 days. Finding out when a pig starts hunting is easy. The first thing that changes is her behavior. The first mating for a mumps can occur at the age of five months (it is biologically ready). The sow must gain the right weight and grow strong enough to bear large offspring.

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Experienced farmers are in no hurry to mate females. Selected for reproduction of pigs at the age of 9-10 months. Such a pig begins to walk without the danger of a difficult birth. Her body is ready to bear 10 or even 12 piglets at a time. The optimal weight for the female before mating is at least 100 kg.

In the early days of hunting, females behave differently. Their appetite decreases and their activity increases. Often the sow screams loudly or runs around the enclosure. All a farmer needs is to equip himself with observation and pay attention to the behavior of the animal. During estrus, the pig can freeze in place for a few minutes. In the aggregate, all changes in the behavior of the pig will tell the person that the pig is ready to give birth in the near future. If the female goes too far, her health deteriorates sharply. What to do in such cases and how not to miss the moment when the pig is walking?

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 know when a pig is walking. There are no uniform recommendations, since everything here depends on the specific breed of animals. As a rule, sows are ready for mating at six months of age. However, such indicators are reliable only if she does not have any pathologies, diseases and developmental disabilities. If there are any problems, it may take longer for full puberty.

However, experienced breeders, who have been farming for more than one year, argue that the first mating is best done no earlier than 9 months. This is due to the fact that in a shorter period of time the animal simply does not have time to get stronger in order to give a good and healthy brood.

Unlike sows, boars become able to reproduce no earlier than 8 months of age, and their reproductive capabilities remain for up to 3 years. But here, too, the key determinants are the maturity of the animal, the characteristics of the particular breed and the state of health.

Signs of hunting in pigs

How to understand that the pig has gone on a spree? Even an inexperienced pig breeder can recognize the first signs of hunting in a pig. If a young pig goes on a spree, how to determine the right moment for mating? How many days the pig walks depends on how quickly the farmer brings the boar. Physiological changes appear from the first days of hunting. The female does not easily rush around the cage, even her body is changing. The genital loop swells. It can be seen with the naked eye. From 6 months, the pig is biologically ready for mating, but only a female with a strong body walks around correctly. What signs will help to recognize the female's readiness to hunt?

First of all, the pig's udder swells, and mucus is periodically released from the nipples or genitals. These signs and behavioral changes will tell the farmer that the pig will soon start hunting (in a few days).

Characteristic signs that will help determine the period of heat in a pig:

If you put pressure on the back of the sow, she will start to rest and try to maintain a stable position.
She does not eat anything, the female's appetite decreases.
The genital loop swells.
Piggy screams loudly and sleeps little.

If the female does not walk in time, important internal processes are disrupted. Keeping a mumps and not bringing a boar to it is dangerous and ineffective.

Even on a large farm, only a few sows need to be separated so that they can re-give birth to piglets.The average mating time is no more than 40 minutes, but in some cases it takes longer for the pig to get used to the hog.

It is better to leave the female and male for several hours, during which they have several sexual acts. After a few weeks, the results of the mating will be visible. The main sign that a female is pregnant is her lack of prey. How many days can a pig go overboard? It is not always possible to bring an animal to a hog, therefore after 18 days the pig calms down. The mating is repeated a month later, if the second attempt also fails, the mumps can be cut and released into a common enclosure.

Pig mating.

Young pigs occur at the age of 9 - 10 months when they reach a live weight of at least 100 kg. The pigs must be healthy, non-obese, mobile.

Identification of sexual prey.

Pigs come to hunt every 18 - 22 days. During the hunt, their nipples and genital loop swell, mucus is secreted from the genital tract. The animal is anxious, refuses to feed, listens and sniffs; when pressing with a hand on the back, it stands motionless; when trying to move it forward, it rests.

All of these signs indicate that mumps can happen.

It is advisable to choose a boar purebred in order to get a high quality offspring. It can be of the same breed with a mumps, but it is possible that boars of a different breed may be used.

When crossing, positive results are obtained if the boar is not only of a different breed, but also of a different direction of productivity. For example: a pig of a large white breed of meat - greasy direction and a boar of the Estonian breed of bacon direction. When these breeds are crossed, an offspring with increased viability and productivity will be obtained. In addition, there will be more meat in the carcasses of fattened young animals than in the carcasses of large white pigs.

The pigs should be covered two times: the first time after heat detection; the second - 12-18 hours after the first coating.

The second time it is advisable to cover the mumps with another boar.

This helps to increase the fertility of sows, getting stronger and more viable offspring.

Coverage is not always successful. Emptying occurs for various reasons: with poor boar semen quality, mumps disease, improper feeding and maintenance of gilts after mating, etc.

In order to timely identify a gap, observation is established for it on the 16th - 17th day after mating. If the pig does not show signs of heat before 22 - 23 days after coating, then it is considered pregnant. If during this period the pig comes into the hunt, then it happens with another boar.

How to provide your guinea pig with the necessary conditions

The period of sexual desire is counted from the first day of the hunt. The pre-hunt lasts for 2 or 3 days. Prolonged hunting exhausts the female, and she becomes too lethargic. Pro-estrus does not last more than 200 hours. Over the years, the period of hunting in adult females decreases. The older the sow, the sooner her hunt ends. The excitement of the pig is accompanied by such an unpleasant phenomenon as lack of appetite. At this point, the farmer should take care of the pet and give her peace of mind. Normal appetite returns to the sow after mating. A pregnant female eats 2 times more than an ordinary pig.

Experienced pig breeders can distinguish a pig ready to hunt even by the characteristic sounds it makes. The genitals of the mumps swell in most cases. It is extremely rare that the female continues to behave unchanged. Before mating, discharge should appear from the genital organs of the pig, otherwise mating with the boar will not occur. In no case should an animal be injured, therefore, it is not worth allowing the male to approach the sow without primary signs.

Hunting in pigs (desire to walk) is the period of ovulation, during which the animal must be mated to a boar or artificially inseminated to produce offspring. It comes every three weeks and lasts up to three days. In some animals, hunting can occur even during pregnancy, which allows them to be re-fertilized. In this material, we will analyze how often pigs start hunting, how to determine its beginning, how long this period lasts, how to synchronize this process in different pigs in the herd, what to do if, for some reason, a sexually mature pig did not start hunting, and how, if necessary, it can be brought down.

Controlling the timing and frequency of hunting

When the pig walks in its usual way, it rarely leads to problems. Consider the situation, what to do if the hunt does not start. First, you need to understand what causes this phenomenon may have.

For example, a large number of livestock in one pigsty, an improper diet, diseases of the genitourinary system of a pig can interfere with the onset of hunting. In addition, if there is no young boar in the pen, then it is not at all a fact that the female will begin to show signs of hunting. Excess weight gain can also be a serious obstacle.

If the pig does not show a willingness to mate, it can be stimulated to mate. For this purpose, pathogens created on the basis of boar urine are used to process the walls of the pen. If you want to achieve the maximum effect, then this method should be recognized as the most successful solution.

But it also happens that the pig wants to mate, and the breeder needs to knock her off the hunt. In this case, several methods can be applied. In particular, put a copper plate at the bottom of the water trough or add special preparations, for example, "Swinsichron" to the feed. Adding mash to food will be effective, which will help increase the duration of sleep in the pig.

It is important to remember that these solutions are temporary and cannot work in the long term. You also need to understand that these options are not suitable for pregnant individuals, here you just need to wait a few days until the hunt itself subsides. More about this is described in the article "How to induce and discourage a pig".

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Features of hunting in pigs

When does the first hunt start - at what age

The first heat can occur in a pig at the age of 5 months. However, during this period, it is not worth mating with individuals of your own or another breed, since many animals during this period do not yet have sufficient body weight for the safe bearing of offspring. You can plan the first mating if the animal has already reached the age of 10-12 months. An animal selected for insemination must fully comply with the parameters of its breed, not have any visible defects and pronounced diseases. To ensure that the pig is completely healthy, it can be shown to the veterinarian before mating.

Frequency: why often or repeatedly hunt

In females that have reached puberty, hunting occurs regularly at intervals of 18-24 days. If during the next hunt, insemination did not occur, you can repeat the mating of the pigs in 21 days. The only exceptions are those cases when the sow is insufficiently weighted to bear and give birth to offspring, her hunt may occur irregularly, and in this case it is not recommended to mate. It is then worth paying attention to the table of feeding rates, apparently you are not feeding the females. Make your own compound feed, so there will be confidence in the quality of the feed.

Read about the diet of dairy cows here.

In some pigs, hunting may occur even during pregnancy. In this case, replanting to the boar can be repeated. After that, you can expect two farrowings in a row in a row with small intervals.

Definition, signs of hunting, how to distinguish them

You can understand that the pig has begun hunting by several signs, including:

swelling of the genital loop, as well as the nipples;
frequent urination;
the appearance of abundant mucous discharge from the genitals;
refusal to feed, not caused by diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
increased anxiety, aggressive behavior, throwing of drinkers and feeders in the pen.

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To determine exactly whether the female has begun hunting or not, you can approach her and easily push her back with your hand.... If the pig shows concern and tries to move away from the person, then the time for hunting has not yet come. If the female will stand motionless, and when she tries to move her forward she will rest against it, then it is already possible to put her next to the boar, she is already ready for mating.

Read about the cattle feeding ration here.

Pig mating.

Mating of young pigs

occurs at the age of nine to ten months, after the live weight will be at least one hundred kilograms.

Animals must be healthy, agile and non-obese.

Identification of sexual prey

Every 18 - 22 days, the pigs come to hunt. At this time, their nipples and genital loop swell. Mucus is secreted from the genital tract. The pig behaves restlessly, refuses food, listens and sniffs. When pressing with a hand on the backside, the animal stands motionless; when trying to move it forward, it rests.

These signs indicate that the pig is ready to mate.

For mating, it is advisable to choose a purebred boar in order to get a high-quality offspring. The boar can be of the same breed as the mumps, but it is also possible to use a boar of a different breed.

Good results when crossing are obtained if the boar is not only of a different breed, but also of a different direction of productivity.

Example: a large white pig meat - greasy direction and an Estonian boar of bacon direction. As a result of crossing, a litter will be obtained that has increased vitality and productivity. In addition, there will be more meat in the carcasses of fattened young animals than in the carcasses of large white pigs.

The pigs are covered two times: the first time immediately after heat detection; and the second time - 12 - 18 hours after the first coating. The second time it is advisable to cover the pig with another boar. This is done to increase the fertility of sows and get stronger and more viable piglets.

However, coverage is not always successful. Emptying occurs for various reasons, for example: with poor boar semen quality, mumps disease, improper feeding and maintenance of gilts after mating, etc.

In order to timely identify a gap, the mumps are monitored 16 - 17 days after mating. If before 22 - 23 days after coating the animal does not show signs of heat, then the mumps is considered pregnant. If during this period of time the pig comes into the hunt, then it happens with another boar.

How long does farrowing last: how to determine and know the duration

After the first signs of heat appear, the pigs are in heat, which usually lasts 2-3 days.During this period, it is necessary to carry out artificial insemination or mating of a pig with a wild boar. If insemination is successful, the hunt will not be repeated in the next month. The gestation period lasts 114-117 days. If, 3 weeks after mating, the pig again shows signs of heat, it must be inseminated again.

How to identify a sow

It should be noted that not all female pigs are suitable for giving birth to piglets. Before artificial insemination of a pig, it is necessary to carry out all the necessary veterinary examinations. If a pig does not become pregnant after 3-4 inseminations, it must be shown to the veterinarian. If he confirms that this individual cannot produce offspring, they are sent for slaughter.

The frequency and duration of the hunt

Upon reaching maturity, the onset of hunting is characterized by regularity and certainty of the intervals. As mentioned above, she comes every three weeks, but the dates can be shifted, albeit slightly. It depends on the characteristics of the breed of pigs and the specifics of their maintenance.

Not always, when the pig is walking, insemination occurs. This may be due to insufficient female weight or some kind of disease. If the sow does not have enough weight in order to bear the fetus and produce healthy offspring without harming the piglet, then the mating time is shifted to a later time.

Mating can be repeated after 21 days if the female is back to normal by that time. Otherwise, wait for another cycle. We mentioned that pigs also show signs of heat during pregnancy. In this case, mating can be carried out again, and the time difference between the two farrows will be small. This phenomenon, like the birth of piglets from different boars at the same time, is associated with the two-horned structure of the animal's uterus.

Pregnancy of a sow after mating does not always occur; to correct this situation, new mating is carried out. It is recommended to use different wild boars. However, if after several pairings insemination still does not occur, then the female should be shown to the veterinarian. An examination by a specialist should help identify certain problems that prevent the pig from getting pregnant. If it turns out that the pig is not able to give birth, then it will have to be sent to slaughter.

Synchronization methods: what drug to give, at what time

In pigs, hunting synchronization can be accomplished by various methods. The most effective are the following:

Sows after weaning their piglets are injected with Follimag at a concentration of 500-600 IU in 2-3 ml of saline per animal. The drug is administered intramuscularly. At the onset of hunting, 5 μg of Surfagon is injected in the animal one hour before mating. The method can be used both when mating with a boar and before artificial insemination.
Introduction of Follimag and Sufragon only to those females who did not start hunting 14 days after weaning their offspring. This method can be used if the main part of the herd has entered heat within normal time after weaning of piglets.

How to feed piglets correctly, read this article.

The presented methods of hunting synchronization in pigs can be used only after prior consultation with a veterinarian. It is not recommended to take such measures on your own, since in some cases they can have a bad effect on the condition of the livestock.

How to determine if a pig is pregnant: methods for determining pregnancy in pigs

If you want to get more accurate confidence in the pregnancy of the sow, you should carry out rectal diagnostics by probing the pulsations of the urogenital and uterine arteries. But the most accurate data can only be obtained by ultrasound examinations of the pelvic and abdominal cavity. The ultrasound diagnostic method is able to detect the pulsation of the fetus inside the uterus.

Another effective method for finding out if a pig is pregnant is a biopsy, during which a tissue sample is taken from the pig's vagina, after which it is examined under laboratory conditions. You can feel the fetuses in the last stages of pregnancy using the palpation method. To do this, the pig is gently laid on its side and the abdominal area at the level of the nipples is probed with gentle, careful movements.

What to do if the hunt doesn't start

There are several reasons why a pig may not start hunting. Among them:

too many animals in one room;
the absence of a young boar in the pen (should be) or the inconsistency of the barn with the number of heads;
improper nutrition of the pig, due to which its body may lack the necessary vitamins and minerals;
diseases of the genitourinary system.

Read about how to properly build a shed for pigs at the link.

If the boar cannot cover

If the breeder noticed that the hunt is not coming in a sexually mature animal, the female must first come and show the veterinarian. If a doctor discovers certain diseases in an animal, it must be treated. If no diseases are detected during the examination, it is recommended to plant young boars in a barn with females - this stimulates the start of hunting in pigs, as well as a way to induce hunting with Oxytocin. You also need to make sure that the animals regularly walk in the fresh air, since excessive weight gain can also affect sexual activity.

To stimulate hunting, you can also use special pathogens prepared on the basis of the urine of a sexually mature boar. They must be sprayed in the pen, where the female lives, which does not come to hunt. This method is considered to be the most effective.

What to consider when feeding a pregnant pig

At each stage of gestation, a pig requires a special selection of feed. What should be given to the sow for food in order, firstly, to develop the embryos correctly, and secondly, the animal itself can gain strength before farrowing?

Country plot in December

One of the signs of pregnancy is increased appetite.

Therefore, during the first two months, the female's menu should include:

Barley, pea, corn poultry.
Sunflower meal, grass meal, fish meal, moth and chalk.
For enrichment with vitamins, combined silage is given in winter, and green mass in summer.

If we talk about the percentage, then it is as follows: 80-85% concentrated feed, coarse and juicy - 5%, green mass in the summer - 15%. In order for the sow to have something to feed the piglets after farrowing, they give her return to accumulate colostrum.

However, you cannot overfeed a pregnant pig. For normal bearing of offspring, two and three meals a day are considered the norm. If the animal's appetite is poor, that is, if food is constantly left in the trough, the portion should be reduced.

How to knock down a pig's sex drive

If the breeder does not plan to mate the pig when the heat begins, folk methods can be used to bring down this condition. Among those:

Placing a copper plate on the bottom of a wooden trough filled with water. Reduces the female's attraction and calms her down.
Adding Swinsichron to feed... You need to use it within 18-20 days. The drug should be added to food when the first signs of heat appear.
Adding mash to pig feed... In this case, the animal will sleep more. This method must be used before the end of the hunting period.

The presented methods are safe for pigs, they give only a temporary effect on the female's body. To carry out successful mating during the next hunt, the breeder needs to exclude the influence of these factors on the animal's body.

Do not use (give injections) means for removing heat for pregnant pigs.In this case, the breeder just needs to wait 2-3 days until the hunt passes by itself.

Feeding (approximate diet: vitamins, water)

A special diet is the most important condition for keeping a pregnant sow. Moreover, it must be planned based on the age of the animal. In this regard, all sows are divided into growing and adult sows.

Individuals that have not yet reached 2 years of age are considered growing. For them, significantly larger amounts of food are allocated than for adult pigs. On average, one sow, regardless of its weight, consumes the same amount of feed as an animal weighing 180-200 kg. The reason for such a large expense is that one part of it is spent on the growth and development of the fetus, and the second is necessary to maintain the still growing organism of the female herself.

An approximate diet for an animal during pregnancy looks like this:

Hay or grass flour - 5-10%.
Fresh grass or other succulent feed - 15-30%.
Concentrated feed stocks (compound feed, cereals, some wastes from grain processing) - 60-85%. Moreover, it is desirable that 10-20% of the total volume of concentrated feed is occupied by peas.

Many experts also advise adding 5 to 7% of fish and meat production waste to the diet. If they are not available, they can also be replaced with dry bone or fish meal.

At the beginning of the third month of pregnancy, the percentage of succulent feed and coarse foods that increase milk production in the animal's body should be increased. Compared to pigs that are kept for fattening, the proportion of highly nutritious feed stocks should be significantly higher.

Also, in the process of feeding a pregnant sow, it is important to constantly monitor her condition. In no case should a lack of food or obesity be allowed at this stage. Both conditions can provoke the birth of miscarriages or extremely weak piglets.

In many ways, the structure of the diet also depends on the time of year in which the bulk of the pig's pregnancy takes place. So with the onset of winter cold, it is not possible to walk the animal. Therefore, walking is replaced with a large amount of green forage. Also, a large amount of hay is added to the winter diet, including 0.2 - 0.3 kg (per day) of legumes.

conclusions

Hunting in pigs can begin (come) already at the age of 5 months. However, for mating, it is necessary to take animals from the age of 10 months, corresponding to the species characteristics.
The hunt takes place every three weeks. It lasts (periodicity) on average 2-3 days.
It is possible to determine (distinguish, recognize) the beginning of the hunt by the swelling of the nipples and genital loops in the pig, the appearance of abundant mucous secretions, the anxiety of the pig, as well as the animal's refusal from the usual food.
The synchronization of hunting can be carried out by introducing Follimag and Sufragon to the animals.
If the animal has not started hunting, it is recommended to plant young boars in the pigsty (cover the pig), improve animal feeding, and also use pathogen sprays. The latter are most effective if artificial insemination of the pig is planned.
You can knock down the hunt for a walk with an animal by adding mash or special preparations to the feed. This can be done, for some reason, only on the recommendation of a veterinarian, so as not to harm the animal.

Read the business plan for breeding cattle in this material.

Vietnamese pig pregnancy

Like ordinary pigs, a Vietnamese pig's pregnancy lasts no more than 114-118 days. How to determine the pregnancy of a Vietnamese pig, you can find out on the list of visual signs.

External signs of pregnancy

As for such external signs as an increase in the abdomen and chest, in Vietnamese pigs they are not very pronounced in the first half of the term. The animal eats well, continues to grow, gain weight, so such changes are hardly noticeable. However, closer to the last month, it is possible to accurately recognize the pregnancy of the mumps.She has a strongly protruded rounded belly, nipples are poured, the back of the body expands slightly.

Pregnancy can also be determined by behavior. The pig in the second half of the term rests more and lies. It can show some actions to protect the territory, sometimes it becomes more fearful. At this time, it is important to protect the female from other animals, to protect from excitement and stress.

How to feed a pregnant Vietnamese pig

In order to increase the productivity of the Vietnamese pig breed, proper feeding is of the utmost importance. In general, feeding Vietnamese pigs is no different from feeding a normal breed. The best option for feeding a pregnant Vietnamese pig is grain feed (rye, wheat, barley). In summer, their diet is based on "green food". Note that oats and corn in the diet of Vietnamese pigs during pregnancy are undesirable, as they contribute to excessive accumulation of fat.