We've two gilts about 6 months old and one boar about 7 months old. How can we tell when the gilts are pregnant? Is there a pregnancy test that can be done? When should we remove the boar? Can the gilts be kept together until farrowing time?

-- mary lynn thompson (marylynn@dustconnection.com), March 07, 2002

Answers

Hi Mary! I have about the same situation as you right now. Two gilts farrowing the first time in the same pasture with the boar. I have a place set aside for each of the gilts to farrow in and the boar will be separated when the gilts begin to "show" pretty good. The underside of the gilts will be enlarged and the teats will be more visible the closer to farrowing they get. If you're not comfortable waiting until the last minute, you could separate them when you first see signs that they're bred.

I have in the past left then all together in the same pasture, but I wouldn't advise it. I had no way of keeping track of which piglets went to which sow, and the piglets weren't particular about which "momma" they nursed from. It created headaches, and I learned.

The boar, however, didn't bother anything except to harrass the sows trying to rebreed them while they were nursing. Wouldn't advise that, either! If you have a place to keep the boar to himself until the pigs are weaned, so much the better.

Hope this helped some!

-- Phil in KS (pemccoy@yahoo.com), March 07, 2002.

Wait 21 days after the boar has been with them and see if they come into heat again. With a boar there it should be real obvious if they are in heat. We always moved the boar after breeding but last year we were babysitting a boar for someone and he stayed with bred gilts until the last few weeks with no problem. The gilts can stay together until they are ready to go into crates. If you are not using crates, seperate them about a week before they are due. Being gilts, they will probably be a few days late. I have heard there is a pregnancy tester but unless you are raising show pigs that have to be born in a very specific time frame, it is not needed. We raise show pigs and don't use one. Good luck! YOu will love the piglets.

-- Joanie (ber-gust@prodigy.net), March 09, 2002.