Breeding new stock

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Sukidow
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Breeding new stock

Post by Sukidow » Sat Oct 29, 2016 5:01 pm

Hello Pig Site community!

I first want to say thank you all for contributing to such a wonderful resource.
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So I got 12 pigs from a single source recently. They all seem happy and healthy. Their ages are all unknown but the largest is about 85lbs and the smallest 30-40 lbs.

He told me that their are 3 breeds mixed into the bunch. Mulefoot, Berkshire and Large Black. The seller was unclear about who bred with who and how closely related. I have 7 all black pigs, some with the floppy forward-ish Large Black ears, and 4 white/spotted black/tints of orange. Some of the black have Mulefoot characteristics, some not, and 2 of the spotted ones have the mulefeet.

So my question is; With so much unknown understanding of their genetic similarities, would it be safe to use my best boar for servicing the gilts? Some might be from the same litter and others might just be half siblings. Would it be wiser to only breed a white spotted boar with my all black ones for safety and an all black boar with the spotted gilt?

My research has told me that it is generally OK to inbreed for a generation or two or even 3 but undesirable genes could make it through to the offspring and be homozygous thus forever screwing over these pigs for future breeding stock.

I live on a small island and am the only person with pigs, so to get another boar would mean spending ferry money and buying a new hog when we just bought these. Originally we had a 6 month plan with these pigs but their effectiveness is proving a longer term value than anticipated so we are thinking of breeding.

Any and all advice hugely appreciated.

Thank you so much.

Evan

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Darin
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Re: Breeding new stock

Post by Darin » Sun Oct 30, 2016 8:17 am

I would not advise breeding with a boar from your bunch since they are all likely closely related. You will be much happier with your offspring if you outcross rather than inbreed.

Your best options are to either obtain a new boar which is completely unrelated or to use artificial insemination to breed your gilts, which would not require you to travel, purchase and transport a new boar. AI would allow you to use several different boars if you desire. It also doesn't come with a bunch of new pathogens to introduce to your herd, as buying a boar is likely to do.
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Sukidow
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Re: Breeding new stock

Post by Sukidow » Mon Oct 31, 2016 5:27 pm

Thank you so much for the info!

I'm hoping to breed resilient and well naturalized pigs for our area. I'm worried that AI will somehow move the instincts of the offspring away from natural breeding patterns, is this possible?

I surely would be more into natural breeding, however if you don't think AI has much effect on breeding instincts then im game :)


So grateful!

Evan

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Darin
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Re: Breeding new stock

Post by Darin » Thu Nov 03, 2016 4:27 pm

After a number of generations consecutively bred by AI, you could have a legitimate concern. However to introduce new genes through AI to your herd and then select offspring and use naturally should not cause any problems. If you use a few unrelated sires through AI and then naturally breed their offspring for a few generations you can achieve your goal while avoiding much inbreeding.
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Re: Breeding new stock

Post by Sukidow » Thu Nov 03, 2016 6:42 pm

Thank you kindly :)

I think I will go the natural route because the only AI we have here in Canada that I have found is from the conventional factory farm pigs, which I whole heartedly want to avoid supporting. I imagine they have the least instinctual habits of all the pigs I could find around here.

At this point I have two options; A purebred wiener Berk for $200 from a very reputable breeder, or a large black/berk cross for $85 from a random dude who has only been raising hogs for 2 years.

I kind of already know what you all might suggest, but do you think working with the Berk/Black cross could be nearly as valuable or would using the purebred be your first pick?

This is all so helpful thank you so much!

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Re: Breeding new stock

Post by Darin » Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:44 am

If those are your options I would probably use the purebred Berk. You might also contact OSI (Ontario Swine Improvement) about getting semen from some of their small breeder members.
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Re: Breeding new stock

Post by mtbkmom » Fri Nov 04, 2016 11:13 pm

A family with a niche market of Large Blacks that are open ranged, organic fed, naturally bred bought some berk gilts from us last year. They bred these gilts to a young, never used before Large Black boar and every single berk litter had babies that were 3.5 to over 5 lbs at birth with only getting 4lbs of feed/day. Berk gilts retained from the same litters by us and bred to berk boars had babies that weighed an average of 3.2 lbs for the most part. This year was our first year we had a piglet weigh over 4 lbs (4.2 lbs).

I would be very careful about breeding a Large Black to a berk. Don't know what else they may have done so differently. The only other unknown was this was the first round of litters from this Large Black boar so the avg size of piglets he sires was not known. I have never had of berk piglets weighing 4-5 lbs. Needless to say they required a lot of assistance and a few were born dead.
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Re: Breeding new stock

Post by Sukidow » Sat Nov 05, 2016 1:30 pm

Are you saying that the higher weight at birth is undesirable? How so?

It could just be hybrid vigor, no?

Thanks for the help!

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