Looking After a Breeding Boar

Boars are usually culled or sent for slaughter at 30 to 36 months of age.

- Shane Brody

Breeding pigs is not simply a matter of putting boars and sows together. If you are starting out as a pig farmer, you should first gain experience by buying a few piglets to rear and market before tackling the far more complex process of breeding pigs.

Once you feel ready for the next step, buy a young boar that has grown at an above average rate and has converted food into muscle rather than fat at a good feed-to-growth ratio. It should also have no physical or other flaws such as extreme aggression. Landrace and Large White breeds are recommended for the novice pig breeder.

A piggery of about 20 pigs should have three boars: a lighter boar for younger and lighter sows, an older and heavier boar for large sows, and a third boar as a back-up in case one of the others is injured or unwell.

A boar is usually culled and sent for slaughter at 30 to 36 months of age.

In the previous issue, we discussed introducing a boar to breeding. This week, we look at the basics of boar care.

GOOD HYGIENE