...... Breeding Mini-Pigs ......

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THE BREEDING CYCLE OF A SOW

 

We do not mate our Sows until they are over 1 year old

and we use a Boar that is at least 1 generation smaller than the sow.

Doing this your sow will produce smaller mini-piglets and the sow will have

an easier birth.

 
Because of there small size they are not mature enough to mate earlier.  
They do come into season before they are 1 year old, but the risk of mating

them while they  are young normally ends up with squashed piglets - and a sow  that won't  feed her piglets.

 
So for the sake of waiting a few months more for your first litter...'Wait' 

It is heart breaking to lose piglets...!

  

Sows come on heat about every 21 days.

Their Gestation Period is 3 Months, 3 Weeks and 3 Days.

 

How To Tell When Your Sow Is On Heat....?


*- She will have a swollen pinkish vulva a couple of days before she ovulates.

 

*- She also gets a discharge from the vulva... 

 
*- When ovulating she will stand very still and make a grunting noise and some times she will squeal.  

 

*- The standing lasts for about 2 days, as soon as I see the sow standing I take her to the  boar and

again the following day...  


*- Sows don't always come onto heat, as they are affected by the hot and cold  weather... 

 
*- I breed my sows once a year, I find that if you put the sow in a pen next to 

the boar, she shows better signs of being on heat as the boar has a hormone

odour that she can smell...

 

THE BREEDING CYCLE OF A BOAR....

 

*- Boars are fully mature at 7-8 months...

We don't let him service a sow until  he is at least 10 months old as he will

have a better sperm rate and produce a better litter of piglets...  

 

*- Do not mate your mini-pigs in wet weather or on wet ground as they can  

slip and the boar could damage his penis... 

 

*- When you take the sow to the boar, he will chase her around nudging her

and sniffing her genital area... He may even drink her urine...  


*- He will froth at the mouth, grind his teeth and he will push on the sow to see

if she will stand still...  


*- When he has entered the sow, he will rest on her with all his weight to keep her still and he balances by using his front legs…


*- Mating can take up to half an hour, he has to lock into the sows cervix with

his corkscrew penis before he can ejaculate...

 

 

...USE THIS INFORMATION AS A GUIDE ONLY...

©DFDeJong2003-2008