Extension
Date of this Version
1997
Abstract
The master control switch of a pork production enterprise is weaning day. Pork production managers have little or no control concerning when a weaned female will cycle or how long she will be in estrus after weaning. When females are pen-mated, the producer needs to use management procedures to prevent an excessive number of estrous females from expressing the standing response at the same time, try to manage estrous females so that they are bred at the proper time, try to manage boars so they maintain an adequate level of fertility, evaluate boars for level of sexual behavior before and during the mating period and heat-check gestating females. Regardless of the boar-to-female ratio used or the management procedures implemented, there is no guarantee all females will be satisfactorily serviced during their first estrus after weaning.
Comments
© 1997, The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska on behalf of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension. All rights reserved.