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GILT IN HEAT

Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:13 pm
by TDODD
My daughter has a duroc gilt that we will be showing at our county in a month.This gilt is a super easy keeper. Been lickin' her feed clean every feeding since we've had her (2mths.) She's been rockin and rollin' along like a dream. She's an Aug 17th. Sunday I notice she's showing signs of heat. Really swollen. More and more each day. Tuesday morning she just stops eating. I mean she just has started picking at her feed the last several feedings. She has lost 3 llbs in a week. She's still seems to have the same attitude. She's not sick and she still acts happy and satisfied. She's been wormed and has all the TLC she can stand. She just seems really restless. I said all of that to ask if they will get off feed when they cycle. This would be her first cycle if it is so.

Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:17 pm
by hampy622
just an idea but if you put her on matrix you could suppress her estrous cycle until after you county fair and avoid this problem all together if in fact it is from cycling that she is off feed.

Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:19 pm
by Darin
Yes, that can happen. It isn't common for them to completely stop eating and lose 3 pounds in a week, but it can happen. It depends on the individual animal.

You might want to figure out from here what her expected future estrus dates would be and plan to feed her Matrix to manipulate her cycle around the show she will be going to so that she does not come into heat just before or during the show and stop eating.

For example, if she is in heat today and your show is in a month, she is going to be off feed a week before the show. You might want to begin feeding Matrix a few days before her expected estrus date and continue it on through the show. Afterward you can remove it and allow her to cycle.

If she is going to market, double-check whether there is any withdrawl time (I've never fed Matrix to a market animal before) before you do this. If she is going back home after the show, then no worries.

Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:22 pm
by Darin
Hampy, you are a quicker poster than I. :lol:

Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 4:04 pm
by hampy622
straight to the point my friend :lol:

Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:06 pm
by machog
I have a gilt that goes off of feed when she is cycling. It usually lasts 3 to 4 days.

Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 8:43 am
by porkin
Darin and Hampy,
Wouldn't Matrix be cost prohibitive just to delay a heat for a county show? I thought SVH said it was hundreds of dollars to get setup to feed it and for the product. With that said, if you already have it on hand you might as well use it.

Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 10:33 am
by Kathy
A whole bottle of Matrix is a little over $200.00 (but it treats 10 pigs for 14 days). You can get smaller doses from places like Prairie State.

Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 11:28 am
by SpotShowDad
Cost wise it is relatively reasonable if you consider your gilt goes off feed and loses weight. Like Kathy said it is about $20 a sow. Secondly from the guys that have done this when the gilts are on the matrix their appetites are unbelievable. One guy said he could not feed his gilt enough, she gained close to 25 lbs the second week she was on the matrix.

Re:

Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2019 10:39 pm
by Phoenix-Rising
porkin wrote:
Thu Feb 04, 2010 8:43 am
Darin and Hampy,
Wouldn't Matrix be cost prohibitive just to delay a heat for a county show? I thought SVH said it was hundreds of dollars to get setup to feed it and for the product. With that said, if you already have it on hand you might as well use it.
I would agree...
Matrix is pricey for the situation, I have taken plenty of gilts to my county fair and have had little issue with heat cycles and feeding. My suggestion before Matrix is something the gilt really likes... that she hasn't gotten before. Like cake mix or ice cream (vanilla). It sounds rinky dink but it can work and your less likely to end up regretting your purchase... so I would try that before Matrix. A great product btw.

Re:

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 9:20 am
by Pigbreeder21
hampy622 wrote:
Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:17 pm
just an idea but if you put her on matrix you could suppress her estrous cycle until after you county fair and avoid this problem all together if in fact it is from cycling that she is off feed.
Question:

Could you feed MATRIX in the middle of a gilts cycle? We just noticed one of ours is coming into heat, but we have a show this weekend? She has stopped eating and we don’t want her to look too empty for the show. Can I give her MATRIX even though she began cycling? Thanks!

Re: GILT IN HEAT

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:10 pm
by mathygreen
Yes, that can happen.

It isn't common for them to completely stop eating and lose 3 pounds in a week, but it can happen.

It depends on the individual animal.

You might want to figure out from here what her expected future estrus dates would be

and plan to feed her Matrix to manipulate her cycle around the show she will be going to so that she does not come into heat just before
or during the show and stop eating.

For example, if she is in heat today and your show is in a month, she is going to be off feed a week before the show.

You might want to begin feeding Matrix a few days before her expected estrus date and continue it on through the show.

Afterward you can remove it and allow her to cycle.

If she is going to market, double-check whether there is any withdrawl time (I've never fed Matrix to a market animal before) before you do this.

If she is going back home after the show, then no worries.