Boar not interested

[KSFarmer]

I have been lurking on this forum for about a year now and I have learned a ton from the posts on this forum. I am a small time pig farmer where I have one boar and a few sows.

I have a registered Berkshire boar who I purchased at 9 months old. He is now 11 Months. He was AI conceived out of a boar at Top Cut Genetics. This boar is stout, wide legged, thick muscled and thick boned. This boar shows no interest whatsoever in breeding. Several weeks after purchasing this boar, I had him with a 9 month old gilt who was in standing heat. He tried to mount her one time just before standing heat and she walked out from under him. After that, he made no other attempt he was in with this gilt on and off for three days of her being in heat. I had another boar at the time that was young and eager who serviced that gilt instead. I now have this boar in with an older open sow and again, he shows no interest in breeding They have been penned up together for 23 days and there has been no sign of interest at all. This particular sow doesn't show heat signs so it is pretty difficult to know exactly when she should be standing.

What can I do to encourage this boar to do his job? What am I doing wrong? I was told by the previous owner the Boar had been worked successfully on a dummy and had been collected several times before I purchased him.

I am weaning piglets off a registered Berk sow this week so I am hopeful I can get him to service her when she comes back in heat. I am new to raising hogs and I would appreciate any advise you could give.

[ben5398]

If he is disinterested I would say you need to think about moving on. Went through that last year. This year I am dealing with a boar that is all about it but just not locking up. He will jump anything willing to get near him, but not extend. You can work with one that wants to jump but some boars I am realizing just dont care about the ladies.

Personally I am missing my old herd boar from a couple years ago.

[SPRINGBRANCH]

I'd house him in a pen seperete from the females. when one is in standing heat give him a shot of lutalyse and after about 10 minutes let him out to her. if he doesn't lock in but extends collect him off of her and ai from that. he'll get it eventually some boars need a little more time.

[pigboy07]

Yeah I would have to agree, take the boar away put him in a separate pen. One where he doesn't see the gilts and sows as well. I've had young boars before until they get used to breeding, sounds funny, staying in the same pen almost comes like something normal for the boar. This year with new boar he was out of site away from gilts, when they were standing he jumped them almost immediately. Kept him in a pen with one that I knew was going to come into heat because of time and he didn't do anything just laid there with her like they'd been raised together.

[KSFarmer]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice. I will seperate them til I see standing heat and give it a shot.

[KSFarmer]

This worked! Thank you all for the great advice. Boar jumped and successfully bred this morning.

What can I do to keep things moving in the right direction? Make sure his next few attempts are successful and he should continue on his own?

Thanks

[pigboy07]

That's good to hear. As far as going forward each boar would be different in that aspect. For my money keeping him separated and out of site for awhile is the best way to keep him heading in the right direction. As he gets older and more experienced hopefully he'll adjust to doing it on his own if you need to just leave him in the pen. You can experiment a little more during off season breeding time that way if he's not ready to be on his own yet missing a cycle doesn't hurt anything. Good Luck glad it worked with time hopefully he'll not need all the help as he gets more experience.

[SPRINGBRANCH]

that is great to hear! as mentioned as he matures you can probably just leave him with them. i'd make sure he has some success a little longer 1st. At least now he has the idea.