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patmci · Joined: 28 Jan 2009 Posts: 25

I have 2 gloucester old spot gilts who are now 10 months old. They were in with the boar about 8 weeks ago for a week and i think that the business was done but am not 100% sure. They should be 2 months gone should i be able to see anything in the line of them getting heavier. Has anybody ever scanned pigs before and if so is it hard to get people to do this and is it very expensive. The boar was around the same age as theese gilts so is it even possible that they are in pig.
Advice would be very much appreciated.

Regards Patrick[/i]

dara · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 186 Location: Mayo

The pig estrus cycle is about 21 days. You should have noticed if they are repeating. Look out for a swollen or slack baring, standing and the gilts will often mount each other and nose the udders and look like they are enjoying it. It is possible that the job was done but I would consider them all a bit on the young side. At this age it would have been preferable for someone to observe the covering and if necessary assist. If the boar cannot get home he can become knackered and will eventually give up, especially if the gilts won't stand. Often maidens become confused and will not stand long enough for the boar to lock and ejaculate. If the gilts were covered you would probably have noticed a clear discharge from the baring and often clumps of semen not unlike clear frogspawn can be seen lying around the pen.
I have my own boar so I've never bothered with scanning because the cycle is so close that a repeat is easily sorted - the best scanner is the boar so if in doubt return the pigs to him.
Apart from department inspectors making life impossible for pig abattoirs or dreaming up more red tape for producers it has been my experience that it's impossible to get anybody to look at pigs.

patmci · Joined: 28 Jan 2009 Posts: 25

Thank you for the reply. I noticed the boar mounting and the gilts were standing for him and he seemed to be connecting in the tight places. He would not leave them alone. He was constently on top of them. Before i let him in i had checked if the would stand. I pressed down all my weight on their backs and they stood rigidly still. I have not noticed any mounting happening with these gilts and the others would that suggest to anyone that they are in pig or what.

Regards Patrick