Feeding Working Boars on a Commercial AI Stud
AI boars can be fed to a set feeding level to achieve targeted weight gains to influence longevity without affecting semen production and quality, reported R.C. Sulabo of the College of Veterinary Medicine of Kansas State University at Kansas Swine Day...

Quality Control of Extended Boar Semen
Dr Mario Baracaldo, DVM, and Jim Ward of Minitube Canada explained how boar studs monitor the extended semen doses produced and delivered to their customers at the London Swine Conference 2008.

Circovirus Present in Boar Semen
In a paper entitled Shedding of porcine circovirus type 2 by boars and the role of PCV-2 in semen transmission, Darin Madson and co-workers at the Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine at Iowa State University found...

Defining Sow Productivity: Breeding Issues
This article is a transcript of a teleconference between five pig veterinary specialists organised by Alpharma. The topics covered include seasonal infertility, reducing sow mortality, gilt acclimation, segregation of parity 1 sows, better birth and weaning...

Multi-Sire, Multi-Mating - A Multitude of Sins
By Jane Jordan, ThePigSite Editor. In Denmark organic pork production is based on applying natural principles to animal husbandry techniques and management practices where and whenever possible. However, research at Aarhus University has shown that relying...

Managing the Sow and Gilt Estrous Cycle
By Jerry May, Extension Educator, Pork AoE Team and Ron Bates, State Swine Specialist, Michigan State University. At times, managers of sow farms of all sizes are challenged by the availability of sows and/or gilts in standing heat.

Summer Infertility - Part 2 of 4 - Hygiene, Strategy, Boars and Semen Storage
By PIC. PIC have produced a number of informative publications to help producers manage the incidence of summer infertility. Part 2 of this series looks at service hygiene, service strategy and semen storage.

Selecting Gilts for Lifetime Productivity
By Dr. Todd See, Swine Genetics Specialist, North Carolina State University. Simultaneous advances have been made in the number of pigs a sow can produce each year, predominantly due to management, and in lean (growth rate and percentage), predominantly...

Methods of AI delivery
By Dr Grant Walling, JSR Genetics - In the search to increase productivity for pig producers, various insemination technologies have been developed to improve fertility on farm.

All you ever wanted to know about boar semen.
By Meritxell Donadeu DVM, MSc - Veterinary Manager, PIC Western Europe - This article answers 30 questions on the main points of boar semen.

What the Commercial Pork Producer needs to know about Genetic Improvement
By Dr. Todd See, Swine Genetics Specialist, North Carolina State University - The Commercial Pork Producer’s role in genetics is generally to take the end result of a genetic improvement program and manage animals in a manner to maximize expression of...

Semen volume and concentration: how much to use and does it matter?
By Dr Grant Walling and Dr André Maldjian, JSR Genetics - With new technologies for artificial insemination, a key question is often "What is the correct volume and concentration of a semen dose to achieve optimal performance?"

Number and timing of serve: how many and when?
By Dr Grant Walling and Dr André Maldjian, JSR Genetics. The timing of a service is probably the most critical parameter to achieve the best farrowing rates and litter sizes and success begins with a good knowledge of the herd.

Does absence make the heat grow stronger?
By Lucy Campbell, Animal Scientist, ACMC - If we are talking about ‘segregated service management’, then J.R. Behan and P.F. Watson would say “Yes”, as is detailed in their article ‘The effect of managed boar contact in the postweaning period on the subsequent...

Basic Pig Husbandry - The Boar
By Graeme Taylor and Greg Roese, Livestock Officers Pigs, Intensive Industries Development, Tamworth - This Primefact is one of five articles providing an overview of basic pig husbandry, covering boars, gilts and sows, the litter, weaners and grower...

Success with Batch Farrowing
By John Goss, PIC UK - This is the second of three articles by John Goss dedicated to the improvement of AI technique and results.

Impact of genetic selection on management
By J.A.B. Robinson and M.M. Buhr, University of Guelph - Boars in an artificial insemination centre have been selected for their superior genetic potential, with ‘superior’ being defined as having traits the customer wants transmitted to his herd.

The Effect of Light Type on Gilt Performance
By Jennifer Hannesson, Pork Technology Transfer Specialist, Alberta Government. In Canada, swine barns are mostly intensive confinement facilities, which rely on artificial lighting. The majority of energy for lighting is consumed by breeding/farrowing...

Semen Extension: A comparison of Methods
By W.E. Morgan Morrow, North Carolina State University - Optimizing procedures for handling semen is an important component of any boar-stud-management program. One procedure that has gained attention is the concept of “pre-extension”, whereby a small...

Impact of genetic selection on management of boar replacement
By J.A.B. Robinson, Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph and M. Buhr, Corresponding author. This paper briefly reviews current optimum genetic selection procedures and how an AI stud can best manage their selection program; looks...

Detection of economically important viruses in boar semen by quantitative RealTime PCR technology
By van Rijn PA, Wellenberg GJ, Hakze-van der Honing R, Jacobs L, Moonen PL, Feitsma H, Central Institute for Animal Disease Control - The objective of this study was to develop quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (ReTi-PCR) tests for the...

Practical Aspects of Artificial Insemination
By Murray Pettitt, Research Scientist-Contract Research Services, Praire Swine Centre - During the last decade, the use of Artificial Insemination (AI) has become common as producers wish to realize the benefits of AI within their herds.

Boosting Boar Power in the Breeding Barn
By Banff Pork - This report provides the introductions and links to 4 articles presented at the Banff Pork Seminar 2004 Proceedings concerning the health and productivity of Boars. The articles include; - Boar Nutrition for Optimum Sperm Production...