<%@LANGUAGE="JavaScript1.3"%> Swine Production Management - Breeding  
   

Breeding Timings

Facts:

  • Need to serve 12 hours before ovulation - But when is that?
  • Ovulation occurs 70% of the way through standing heat - but we only know the time at the end of heat - when its too late
  • Sperm lives longer than the egg - The egg lasts 6 hours whereas the sperm properly stored will last 24+hours. Also the sperm may need 8 hours inside the sow to reach final full maturity so it can penetrate the egg.

Breeding timing calculator

 

When to breed:

It is possible to get a better handle on when to serve using the chart below. The length of oestrus appears to be farm specific rather than pig specific, which probably means it is associated with the stockperson's observational skills.
Method:

For one month heat check 3 times a day for the 7 days post-weaning and record the length of time animals remain in heat.
 
Day post weaning +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6 +7 +8
Example Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed Thur Fri
The day heat started
K		 Your farm
[		              
+1                                                
+2                                                
+3                                                
+4                                                
+5                                                
+6                                                
+7                                                
+8                                                

Expected results (wean on Thursday):

Day post weaning +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6 +7 +8
Example Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed Thur Fri
+1                                                
+2                                                
+3                 X X X X v X 4 X X X            
+4                   X X X X v X 4 X X            
+5                         X X v X 4 X X          
+6                               X v X 4 X X      
+7                                     v X 4      
+8                                                

Legend:

  • A blank represents no sows in heat
  • The X represents an observed standing heat response.
  • The 4 represents the time 70% of the way through standing heat, therefore, the time of ovulation
  • The v represents the optimal time for insemination

Interpretation:

  1. Sows start coming into heat 3 days post weaning
  2. Sows which are in heat early in the week have longer heats
  3. Sows which come into first signs of heat at the end of the week have shorter heats

Suggested service pattern for weaning on a Thursday:

Assuming 3 times a day heat checking, but only 2 serves at 24 hours intervals (either AI+AI, NS+AI or NS+NS).

Day post weaning +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6 +7 +8
  Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed Thur Fri
Sun             NS     NS     S     S                
Mon                   NS     S     S                
Tues                         S     S                
Wed                               S     S          
Thur                                     S          
Fri                                                

Legend:  NS = no serve  /  S = serve

This way at least one serve will be within 12 hours of the predicted ovulation time.

Comments:

  • For gilts it is possible to do a 3rd serve ie am, pm, am. Do not do am, am, am. But ensure that the pm serve is more than 6 hours after the first am serve.
  • For farms single serving Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning tend to be the busiest time. Ensure the sows are only served in good strong standing heat.
  • There is no statistical evidence for the need to serve more than twice.
  • Note: farrowing rate and litter size decrease rapidly after day 6 to mid 70 FR and a loss of 1.5 piglets by day 10 post-weaning. Target reproduction results are only re-achieved after day 14 post-weaning.

Breeding timing calculator