A.I question

[porcine]

I have two gilts scheduled for two weekend shows scheduled one week apart from each other. I was thinking about breeding between the shows, since the gilts are on matrix. Should I be concerned that the stress of moving from one show weekend to another show the next weekend could cause the gilts not to settle? Should I wait to breed after the second show? Have any of you not have a gilt settle because she was bred in between showing events and thought the traveling, stress, new environment played a part?

[Piggy]

What you should be worried about is what disease the gilts will be exposed to at a show. NO WAY would I expose a gilt to a show if I were going to breed her. They should be isolated about 30 days after a show before you think about breeding them. I don't know of any breeder that would be willing to take this chance.

[buckibri]

Health is a primary concern as listed above but also the stress of hauling, showing, fighting etc would make her settling a lower probability.

You may be better off breeding on the 2nd heat after you are done showing.

[mtbkmom]

Any stress within the first 4 weeks after conception can cause the embryos to die---most critical is the first 2 weeks. AND during the first 2 weeks (4 weeks ideal) you should not feed more than 4 pounds per day otherwise the embryos "burn up" with all the calories, etc. Going to a show you would be hauling, exposing, and feeding the dickens out of them to make them look full. Even if they did conceive, you would most likely kill the embryos and then really off set their recovery and next cycle.