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Swine: Selection and Mating of Breeding Stock 1
Walker, Randy2SELECTION OF GILTS
Select gilts to be retained for the breeding herd at five to six months of age or when they weigh 200 lb or more. Separate from the market herd and grow them out on 4 to 6 lb of a balanced 14% to 15% protein ration.CRITERIA FOR HERD REPLACEMENT
Gilts selected for herd replacements should meet the following criteria:
(1) Select gilts that do not have any hereditary defects or from lines that do not have a history of hereditary defects.Gilts should be fed a balanced ration (refer to Swine: Feeding, Table 16 of Document AA084 ) such that they will meet their genetic potential at breeding time and weigh approximately 220 to 280 lb without being overly fat (6 to 8 months of age).
(2) Twelve or more prominent teats and from sow lines that are noted milkers.
(3) From lines and or families with high fertility rate noted for large litters and early sexual maturity.
(4) Large frame, structurally correct individuals, with quality bone and proper set to feet and legs.
(5) Healthy individuals from healthy good doing sows.
(6) Gilts should indicate a rapid rate of gain and have good feed efficiency.
(7) Lean with ample muscling.
(8) Where possible, utilize litter mate and sire records from Swine Evaluation Center.Breed gilts during their second or third heat period (6 to 8 months). They should be bred on first day heat is observed and rebred 12 to 24 hours later if possible.
(1) In a commercial herd, double mating (best to use two different boars) may be employed. Research indicates an increase in litter size by approximately 1 to 1 1/2 pigs per litter by following the practice of breeding a second time 12-24 hours after the first service.
(2) In a purebred herd, use the same sire for the second breeding.
(3) Sows can be bred in the post weaning heat if pigs are weaned at 2 weeks of age or older and the sow is not in too thin a condition.
(4) Boars should be approximately seven to eight months old before being used in a breeding herd. The boar is considered to be mature at 15 months of age or older. The suggested maximum number of services per boar are listed in Table 1.
(5) It is recommended that boars be kept in thin, thrifty condition so that they are able to breed gilts and sows. The weight of boars is controlled by the amount of feed fed. In some cases this may vary from 2 to 6 lb per day.
SYSTEMS OF BREEDING
There is no one best system of breeding or secret of success for any and all conditions. Each breeding program is an individual case. The choice of the system of breeding should be determined primarily by the size and quality of the herd, equipment available, finances and skill of the producer and by his ultimate goal.Purebreeding - A purebred animal is defined as a member of breed which possesses a common ancestry and distinctive characteristics and is either registered or eligible for registration in that breed. Purebreeding is the mating of two purebred animals of the same breed. The purebred producer has the responsibility of producing genetically superior animals for the commercial producer.
Inbreeding - Inbreeding is the system of breeding in which closely related animals are mated. This includes (1) sire to daughter (2) son to dam and (3) brother to sister. Inbreeding is suggested for only highly qualified operators who are making an effort to stabilize important traits in a given set of animals. Intensive selection is needed to reduce the risk of producing undesirable traits in breeding stock when inbreeding is practiced.
Linebreeding - Linebreeding is a system of breeding in which the degree of relationship is less intense than in inbreeding and is usually directed towards keeping the offspring related to some highly prized ancestor. The degree of relationship is not closer than half-brother half-sister matings or cousin matings, etc. Line breeding is practiced to conserve desirable traits of an outstanding boar or sow line.
Outcrossing - Outcrossing is the mating of animals of the same breed but which have no closer relationship than at least 4 to 6 generations. This is the general system that is practiced by most purebred breeders and is classified as a safe system in the purebred business.
Crossbreeding - Crossbreeding is the mating of two animals which are members of different breeds. This system is being practiced by the majority of commercial swine producers because of the resulting hybrid vigor which makes possible improved production efficiency. Table 2 lists the expected advantages of Crossbreds over Purebreds.
Crisscrossing or two breed rotation - Boars of two different breeds are used in alternate generations. Crossbred sows resulting from this mating are bred back to the breed of the grandsire on the dam side. An example would be cross a Hampshire x Yorkshire sow, Yorkshire boar x crossbred Hampshire x York sow, Hampshire boar x crossbred Yorkshire x Hampshire sows, etc.
Another system of crisscrossing that might be followed would be Hampshire boar x Yorkshire sows - breed 1/2 Hamp 1/2 York sows to another Hamp boar producing 3/4 Hamp gilts which are crossed back to York boars. Boar rotation in this system - 2 Hamps 1 York.
Three breed rotation or triple crossing - This system involves the use of boars of several breeds attempting to capitalize on the strong traits within each breed. An illustration: Hampshire x Yorkshire producing crossbred Hampshire x York gilts crossed with a Duroc boar. The three way cross gilt in turn would be crossed back to a Yorkshire boar and then repeat the system. The attempt here is to capitalize on the muscling traits of the Hampshire, mothering ability of the York and the growth ability of the Duroc or any such combination of breeds which suits the producer's need.
BREEDING PROGRAM
Hand or individual mating of boars, sows and gilts is recommended over field mating where feasible. If pasture mating is practiced, it is recommended that the following be done:
(1) Divide the sow or gilt herd so as to have one boar per group.
(2) Alternate boars in the sow or gilt herd. Use one boar or set of boars one day and another boar or set of boars the next day.
(3) Boars of the same size and age can be run together during the off season. Boars of different ages should not be run together. Holding lots for boars should be constructed out of strong material that will restrain the animal adequately. Build pens narrow and long. To encourage exercise, feed at one end and water at the other. Furnish adequate shade and shelter for inclement weather.
(4) It is recommended that gilts and sows be kept separate during the gestation period.
(5) Sows and gilts may be either hand-fed or allowed access to a self-feeder every third day during the gestation period. Feeding can be controlled by:(1) feeding commercial cubes or shelled corn and supplement scattered out over the pasture to prevent boss sows from getting more than their share,
(2) furnishing individual feeding stalls for greater control, or
(3) by practicing every third day feeding.When every third day feeding is practiced, one feeder hole per sow should be allowed. Give them access to feed for 2 to 6 hours (depending on sow condition) in every 72 hour period.
Gilts should be acclimated to every third day feeding by starting every other day for a period of ten days and then moving to a third day basis. Gilts should be allowed 2 to 6 hours on a self-feeder out of each 72 hour period. Depending on condition, allow one feeder hole per animal with round type feeders being the most desirable.
The use of individual feeding stalls offers the best opportunity for:
(a) Feeding each sow or gilt to meet their needs.
(b) Elimination of "boss sow" effects.
(c) Reduction in feed wastage.
(d) Close observation of individual animals.(6) If pasture is used, allow 10 to 12 gilts or 8 to 10 sows per acre on good pasture such as millet in summer, and oats, rye, wheat, or lupines in winter.
Table 3 . Swine Gestation Table (115 Days).
Tables
Table 1. Maximum Number of Services Per Boar
Hand Mating
Pen Mating
Per Month
Boar
Per Day
Per Week
Per Month
Mature Boar
2
10
40
25
Junior Boar
1
7
25
18
Table 2. Expected Advantage of Crossbreds Over Purebreds
First Cross
Multiple Cross
Boars Purebred
Purebred
Sows
Purebred
Crossbred
Pigs Crossbred
Crossbred
Litter size at farrowing
0%
5%
Survival 7%
12%
Litter size at weaning
10%
20%
Weight of ind. pigs at 154 days 11%
14%
Total litter wt. at 154 days
22%
30%
N.C.S.U. Experiment Station Bulletin 432, May 1967 Table 3. Swine Gestation Table (115 Days), If Bred Jan. 1 - April 30
If Bred
Will Farrow
If Bred
Will Farrow
If Bred
Will Farrow
If Bred
Will Farrow
Jan 1
Apr 26
Feb 1
May 27
Mar 1
Jun 24
Apr 1
Jul 25
Jan 2
Apr 27
Feb 2
May 28
Mar 2
Jun 25
Apr 2
Jul 26
Jan 3
Apr 28
Feb 3
May 29
Mar 3
Jun 26
Apr 3
Jul 27
Jan 4
Apr 29
Feb 4
May 30
Mar 4
Jun 27
Apr 4
Jul 28
Jan 5
Apr 30
Feb 5
May 31
Mar 5
Jun 28
Apr 5
Jul 29
Jan 6
May 1
Feb 6
Jun 1
Mar 6
Jun 29
Apr 6
Jul 30
Jan 7
May 2
Feb 7
Jun 2
Mar 7
Jun 30
Apr 7
Jul 31
Jan 8
May 3
Feb 8
Jun 3
Mar 8
Jul 1
Apr 8
Aug 1
Jan 9
May 4
Feb 9
Jun 4
Mar 9
Jul 2
Apr 9
Aug 2
Jan 10
May 5
Feb 10
Jun 5
Mar 10
Jul 3
Apr 10
Aug 3
Jan 11
May 6
Feb 11
Jun 6
Mar 11
Jul 4
Apr 11
Aug 4
Jan 12
May 7
Feb 12
Jun 7
Mar 12
Jul 5
Apr 12
Aug 5
Jan 13
May 8
Feb 13
Jun 8
Mar 13
Jul 6
Apr 13
Aug 6
Jan 14
May 9
Feb 14
Jun 9
Mar 14
Jul 7
Apr 14
Aug 7
Jan 15
May 10
Feb 15
Jun 10
Mar 15
Jul 8
Apr 15
Aug 8
Jan 16
May 11
Feb 16
Jun 11
Mar 16
Jul 9
Apr 16
Aug 9
Jan 17
May 12
Feb 17
Jun 12
Mar 17
Jul 10
Apr 17
Aug 10
Jan 18
May 13
Feb 18
Jun 13
Mar 18
Jul 11
Apr 18
Aug 11
Jan 19
May 14
Feb 19
Jun 14
Mar 19
Jul 12
Apr 19
Aug 12
Jan 20
May 15
Feb 20
Jun 15
Mar 20
Jul 13
Apr 20
Aug 13
Jan 21
May 16
Feb 21
Jun 16
Mar 21
Jul 14
Apr 21
Aug 14
Jan 22
May 17
Feb 22
Jun 17
Mar 22
Jul 15
Apr 22
Aug 15
Jan 23
May 18
Feb 23
Jun 18
Mar 23
Jul 16
Apr 23
Aug 16
Jan 24
May 19
Feb 24
Jun 19
Mar 24
Jul 17
Apr 24
Aug 17
Jan 25
May 20
Feb 25
Jun 20
Mar 25
Jul 18
Apr 25
Aug 18
Jan 26
May 21
Feb 26
Jun 21
Mar 26
Jul 19
Apr 26
Aug 19
Jan 27
May 22
Feb 27
Jun 22
Mar 27
Jul 20
Apr 27
Aug 20
Jan 28
May 23
Feb 28
Jun 23
Mar 28
Jul 21
Apr 28
Aug 21
Jan 29
May 24
----
----
Mar 29
Jul 22
Apr 29
Aug 22
Jan 30
May 25
----
----
Mar 30
Jul 23
Apr 30
Aug 23
Jan 31
May 26
----
----
Mar 31
Jul 24
----
----
Table 4. Swine Gestation Table (115 Days), If Bred May 1 - August 31
If Bred
Will Farrow
If Bred
Will Farrow
If Bred
Will Farrow
If Bred
Will Farrow
May 1
Aug 24
Jun 1
Sep 24
Jul 1
Oct 24
Aug 1
Nov 24
May 2
Aug 25
Jun 2
Sep 25
Jul 2
Oct 25
Aug 2
Nov 25
May 3
Aug 26
Jun 3
Sep 26
Jul 3
Oct 26
Aug 3
Nov 26
May 4
Aug 27
Jun 4
Sep 27
Jul 4
Oct 37
Aug 4
Nov 27
May 5
Aug 28
Jun 5
Sep 28
Jul 5
Oct 28
Aug 5
Nov 28
May 6
Aug 29
Jun 6
Sep 29
Jul 6
Oct 29
Aug 6
Nov 29
May 7
Aug 30
Jun 7
Sep 30
Jul 7
Oct 30
Aug 7
Nov 30
May 8
Aug 31
Jun 8
Oct 1
Jul 8
Oct 31
Aug 8
Dec 1
May 9
Sep 1
Jun 9
Oct 2
Jul 9
Nov 1
Aug 9
Dec 2
May 10
Sep 2
Jun 10
Oct 3
Jul 10
Nov 2
Aug 10
Dec 3
May 11
Sep 3
Jun 11
Oct 4
Jul 11
Nov 3
Aug 11
Dec 4
May 12
Sep 4
Jun 12
Oct 5
Jul 12
Nov 4
Aug 12
Dec 5
May 13
Sep 5
Jun 13
Oct 6
Jul 13
Nov 5
Aug 13
Dec 6
May 14
Sep 6
Jun 14
Oct 7
Jul 14
Nov 6
Aug 14
Dec 7
May 15
Sep 7
Jun 15
Oct 8
Jul 15
Nov 7
Aug 15
Dec 8
May 16
Sep 8
Jun 16
Oct 9
Jul 16
Nov 8
Aug 16
Dec 9
May 17
Sep 9
Jun 17
Oct 10
Jul 17
Nov 9
Aug 17
Dec 10
May 18
Sep 10
Jun 18
Oct 11
Jul 18
Nov 10
Aug 18
Dec 11
May 19
Sep 11
Jun 19
Oct 12
Jul 19
Nov 11
Aug 19
Dec 12
May 20
Sep 12
Jun 20
Oct 13
Jul 20
Nov 12
Aug 20
Dec 13
May 21
Sep 13
Jun 21
Oct 14
Jul 21
Nov 13
Aug 21
Dec 14
May 22
Sep 14
Jun 22
Oct 15
Jul 22
Nov 14
Aug 22
Dec 15
May 23
Sep 15
Jun 23
Oct 16
Jul 23
Nov 15
Aug 23
Dec 16
May 24
Sep 16
Jun 24
Oct 17
Jul 24
Nov 16
Aug 24
Dec 17
May 25
Sep 17
Jun 25
Oct 18
Jul 25
Nov 17
Aug 25
Dec 18
May 26
Sep 18
Jun 26
Oct 19
Jul 26
Nov 18
Aug 26
Dec 19
May 27
Sep 19
Jun 27
Oct 20
Jul 27
Nov 19
Aug 27
Dec 20
May 28
Sep 20
Jun 28
Oct 21
Jul 28
Nov 20
Aug 28
Dec 21
May 29
Sep 21
Jun 29
Oct 22
Jul 29
Nov 21
Aug 29
Dec 22
May 30
Sep 22
Jun 30
Oct 23
Jul 30
Nov 22
Aug 30
Dec 23
May 31
Sep 23
----
----
Jul 31
Nov 23
Aug 31
Dec 24
Table 5. Swine Gestation Table (115 Days), If Bred September 1 - December 31
If Bred
Will Farrow
If Bred
Will Farrow
If Bred
Will Farrow
If Bred
Will Farrow
Sep 1
Dec 25
Oct 1
Jan 24
Nov 1
Feb 24
Dec 1
Mar 26
Sep 2
Dec 26
Oct 2
Jan 25
Nov 2
Feb 25
Dec 2
Mar 27
Sep 3
Dec 27
Oct 3
Jan 26
Nov 3
Feb 26
Dec 3
Mar 28
Sep 4
Dec 28
Oct 4
Jan 27
Nov 4
Feb 27
Dec 4
Mar 29
Sep 5
Dec 29
Oct 5
Jan 28
Nov 5
Feb 28
Dec 5
Mar 30
Sep 6
Dec 30
Oct 6
Jan 29
Nov 6
Mar 1
Dec 6
Mar 31
Sep 7
Dec 31
Oct 7
Jan 30
Nov 7
Mar 2
Dec 7
Apr 1
Sep 8
Jan 1
Oct 8
Jan 31
Nov 8
Mar 3
Dec 8
Apr 2
Sep 9
Jan 2
Oct 9
Feb 1
Nov 9
Mar 4
Dec 9
Apr 3
Sep 10
Jan 3
Oct 10
Feb 2
Nov 10
Mar 5
Dec 10
Apr 4
Sep 11
Jan 4
Oct 11
Feb 3
Nov 11
Mar 6
Dec 11
Apr 5
Sep 12
Jan 5
Oct 12
Feb 4
Nov 12
Mar 7
Dec 12
Apr 6
Sep 13
Jan 6
Oct 13
Feb 5
Nov 13
Mar 8
Dec 13
Apr 7
Sep 14
Jan 7
Oct 14
Feb 6
Nov 14
Mar 9
Dec 14
Apr 8
Sep 15
Jan 8
Oct 15
Feb 7
Nov 15
Mar 10
Dec 15
Apr 9
Sep 16
Jan 9
Oct 16
Feb 8
Nov 16
Mar 11
Dec 16
Apr 10
Sep 17
Jan 10
Oct 17
Feb 9
Nov 17
Mar 12
Dec 17
Apr 11
Sep 18
Jan 11
Oct 18
Feb 10
Nov 18
Mar 13
Dec 18
Apr 12
Sep 19
Jan 12
Oct 19
Feb 11
Nov 19
Mar 14
Dec 19
Apr 13
Sep 20
Jan 13
Oct 20
Feb 12
Nov 20
Mar 15
Dec 20
Apr 14
Sep 21
Jan 14
Oct 21
Feb 13
Nov 21
Mar 16
Dec 21
Apr 15
Sep 22
Jan 15
Oct 22
Feb 14
Nov 22
Mar 17
Dec 22
Apr 16
Sep 23
Jan 16
Oct 23
Feb 15
Nov 23
Mar 18
Dec 23
Apr 17
Sep 24
Jan 17
Oct 24
Feb 16
Nov 24
Mar 19
Dec 24
Apr 18
Sep 25
Jan 18
Oct 25
Feb 17
Nov 25
Mar 20
Dec 25
Apr 19
Sep 26
Jan 19
Oct 26
Feb 18
Nov 26
Mar 21
Dec 26
Apr 20
Sep 27
Jan 20
Oct 27
Feb 19
Nov 27
Mar 22
Dec 27
Apr 21
Sep 28
Jan 21
Oct 28
Feb 20
Nov 28
Mar 23
Dec 28
Apr 22
Sep 29
Jan 22
Oct 29
Feb 21
Nov 29
Mar 24
Dec 29
Apr 23
Sep 30
Jan 23
Oct 30
Feb 22
Nov 30
Mar 25
Dec 30
Apr 24
----
----
Oct 31
Feb 23
----
----
Dec 31
Apr 25
Footnotes
1. This document is RFAA083, one of a series of the Animal Science Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date December 1, 1992. Reviewed June 1, 2003. Visit the EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.2. Extension Swine Specialist, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville.
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.
Copyright Information
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