Courtship and Mating Behaviors of Pigs by Brittney Lamendola

Courtship of Boars

bdlamen — 2016-10-10 23:33:08 UTC

-Boars can mate for as long as 30 minutes
-Release a steroid of preputial origin
-Olfaction is used in boars to identify estrous which is emitted by females
-Boars will sniff the sows urine during olfaction

Sow Mating Characteristics

bdlamen — 2016-10-11 00:03:30 UTC

-Unusual noises
-Reddening/Swelling Vulva
-Mucus Discharge from Vulva
-Erect ears
-Poor appetite
-Arched back/Lock up

Boar Mating Characteristics

bdlamen — 2016-10-11 00:03:57 UTC

-Productivity
-Profitability
-Will approach a sow and make a grunting noise
-Grinding teeth
-Producing foaming saliva
-Urinate frequently

Mating Factors

bdlamen — 2016-10-11 00:04:24 UTC

-Genetics (Yorkshire and Landrace mature earlier than Hampshire and Duroc)
-Nutrition (allow 0.5kg per day AFTER market weight)
-Distress (older boars are to be more effective as long as direct exposure between sow and boar)

Mating Techniques

bdlamen — 2016-10-11 00:05:15 UTC

-Artificial Insemination (Spiral Tip Catheter, Foam Tip Catheter, Post-Cervical Catheter)
-Natural Insemination

Courtship of Sows

bdlamen — 2016-10-11 02:54:41 UTC

-Enters estrus every 21 days
-Releases heat pheromones
-Enters standing heat
-Breeding/Mating occur
-3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days sow farrows
-Nursing 4-8 weeks
-Piglets get weaned
-Comes into heat 3-7 days later

Mounting Efficiencies, Courtship Behavior and Mate Preference of Boars Under Multi-sire Mating

bdlamen — 2016-10-11 14:29:50 UTC

-This study took place in the summer of 1987.
-Observing the mating behavior of boars toward a herd of sows for 72 hours at a commercial swine farm. There were two to four purebred boars along with eight crossbred sows. Most boars would mount sows in estrus compared to sows in anestrous. It was said that the efficiency of mounting for boars was <10%. During this study the courtship of the boars behaviors was broken down into seven categories: Sniffing, nosing, following, chin resting, head to head, and mounting and copulation. Head to head and nosing was considered to be the most frequent observation of courtship behavior between the boar and sow. In conclusion to this study it is more likely that boars will mount to sow in estrus when mating.

- Mounting efficiencies, courtship behavior and mate preference of boars under multi-sire mating. (n.d.).
Retrieved October 11, 2016, from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0168159189900191

Sexual Behavior of Male Pigs

bdlamen — 2016-10-11 14:51:28 UTC

-Two characteristics of boars that affect achieving copulation: Sexual motivation and mating competency. Sexual behavior in domestic animals depend on interaction between internal and external environment. Male pigs have a threshold that circulates the concentration of androgens and estrogens that are required to maintain the sexual behavior and sexual motivation between sows and gilts. External environment affect male pigs genetically, seasonally, socially, sexually, and psychologically.

-Hemsworth, P. H. (2007). Sexual behavior of male pigs. Retrieved October 11, 2016,
from https://sites.oxy.edu/clint/physio/article/sexualbehaviorofmalepigs.pdf

bdlamen — 2016-10-11 15:53:47 UTC

bdlamen — 2016-10-11 16:13:25 UTC

When to Mate

bdlamen — 2016-10-11 16:15:44 UTC

-When the litter size is related to the number of heats is more than age and weight
-Fewest ova at first heat (estrous)
-Breed in the 2nd or 3r heat * gilts farrow by 10-11 months of age

Enhancement of Libido

bdlamen — 2016-10-11 16:28:05 UTC

-Pre-mating behavior can improve sexual libido in most livestock
-Boar courtship is believed to improve sperm transport
-libido enhances the onset of ovulation which improves the ovulation timing of mating

-Price, E. O. (2008). Principles and applications of domestic animal behavior: An
introductory text. Wallingford, Oxfordshire: CABI. Page 99

bdlamen — 2016-10-11 16:38:21 UTC

bdlamen — 2016-10-11 17:14:36 UTC

bdlamen — 2016-10-11 17:20:40 UTC