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ARE SOME SOWS NO

GETTING THE JOB

DONE? CULL EM.Theres no better time than now to raise the production averag

of the herd by eliminating those sows at the bottom end.

It is hard, if not impossible, to improve when you dont take a critical look a

bottom 20% of sows from your herd, says Juan Carlos Pinilla, DVM, MS with

Technical Services. Here are eight signs to look for sows or gilts with an

these signs should be culled from the herd.

The reward for smart culling will be a performance improvement, says Dr. Pi

Good quality gilts and sows are essential components of any breeding pe

mance improvement plan.

HEAT BUT NO SERVICE (HNS)

If after 6 weeks of boar exposure a gilt

will not stand, she should not be retained

in the herd.

LOW WEIGHT FOR AGE

Something is wrong if gilts are smaller

than others in their age group. There is

probably a feet/leg issue, which also could

lead to a shorter lifespan. Additionally,

chances are their offspring will be less ro-

bust as well.

NO HEAT FOUR WEEKS AFTERWEANING

All viable females should come into

heat during the first three weeks after

weaning. Be prepared to use pharmaco-

logical intervention if needed.

ABORTIONS

If disease isnt the cause, then a

physiological problem exists.

VAGINAL DISCHARGE

An infect ion can keep a sow f

either getting pregnant or maintainin

pregnancy. Cull them as soon as possib

LOW PERFORMANCE AFTER THWEANING

If a sow shows consistently poor pe

mance after three farrowings, it is bette

get rid of her because there is a high cha

that she will never be a high-perform

sow.

SECOND-TIME RETURNS

If you know the cause is not the b

or the employee who administered the

men, send these sows to town. They

costing you a lot of money.

SKINNY AT WEANING

Consider the amount of feed it m

take to make her viable for breeding

worth it?

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efficient feeders that minimize wastage

and promote maximum performance.

ADJUST FEEDERS TO REDUCE WASTE Feederadjustment should be a routine practice.

In addition, minor adjustments of feed

bins and transport systems can also

result in big savings. KSU recommends

these steps for proper feeder adjust-

ment:

Close feeder completely after clean-

ing and before putting any feed in the

feeder. Open feeder just enough to start a

small flow of feed.

Shake feeder to increase amount of

pellets or meal in the pan, to cover

about 1/3 of the pan.

Clean corners daily instead of in-

creasing the feeder adjustment to

increase feed flow.

Prevent moisture damage and spoil-age in feed systems and storage.

Eliminate all rodents, birds and other

pests.


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Hygiene, timing and storage all play a role in getting the best results.

PROPER AI TECHNIQUESWILL INCREASE PIGS BORN

Reproductive performance of the U.S. sow

erd is improving, largely due to improved

enetics, better health standards and the

mplementation of best management prac-

ces. Its likely the increased use of artificial

nsemination (AI) is also a key factor. The

AI technician must be effectively trained to

chieve maximum success, and these simple

rocedures will increase success rates.

YGIENE: Wipe the vulva with a clean dis-

osable paper towel (single use). Use only

lean catheters and discard them if theyve

ouched any part of a crate, floor or skin.

REEDING PROCEDURES: Hold the dose in an up-

ight position so the sow can drain it through

terine contractions. Stimulation DURING

AND AFTER THE SERVICE will enhance thentensity of uterine contractions. Continue

timulating the female for 2 minutes after all

emen is gone. Do not force semen into the

ow by squeezing the bag/tube. Let the sow

ake the semen in by herself. Do not make a

ole in the bag or tube. Remember, fresher

emen will produce better results.

IMING:In the past, the industry norm

was approximately one boar for every 20

sows for natural mating, so timing of the

mating was usually at hour zero, 24 hours

and 48 hours. The best timing for AI is one

that is able to produce more than 90% with

multiple matings. Pick the most cost-effec-

tive timing (the minimum number of doses

and heat detection events that will produce

the same results). The most commonly used

protocol (almost a standard) is the same as

with natural mating: 0, 24 and 48. Regard-

less of timing, the key is to repeat the

insemination process as long as the female

is in standing heat.

SIMPLE AND REALISTIC: Check for heat detection

once a day, early in the morning. Breed sows

one hour after heat detection and then every

morning as long as they are in SOLID HEAT.

Timing is the same, regardless of parity orphysiologic status. Make efficient use of your

labor force in timing AI. Gilts, late weaners

and returns could have a differentiated tim-

ing. For example, you might inseminate them

both a.m. and p.m. (like 0, 12 and 24 hours),

but a minimum of eight hours between the

first service and the second service must be

allowed.

SEMEN IN REFRIGERATORS:In a 2005 study,

one-third of the refrigerators used to store

semen were at unacceptable temperatures

(Young et al. 2005). Semen must be stored

in a narrow range of temperatures from 59

to 64 degrees F (15 to 18 degrees C). High

temperatures are more detrimental to the

viability of the doses than lower tempera-

tures. Make sure the refrigerator is workin

correctly by using a Hi/Lo thermometer on

the inside to evaluate the actual internal

temperature. Do an annual service/check o

the refrigerator before the summer months

Keep the refrigerator clean and dont open

the refrigerator door unless it is necessary.

Leave some room to keep the air circulatin

inside the refrigerator.

SEMEN IN COOLERS: Cleanliness is important,

so keep the coolers clean. Do not keep modoses than the number that you will need

the next 30 minutes. Have cool packs in th

refrigerator, then place them in the bottom

the cooler and on top of the doses. Keep th

cooler lid closed except when necessary.

Reproductive performance in the United

States is improving make sure your herd

in line with those who are setting new goa

Remember, a good manager should know

the potential and limitations of his/her staff

A rel iable, trained crew can make a huge

difference.

Continued on back cover


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PIC USA

100 Bluegrass Commons Blvd.

Suite 2200

Hendersonville, TN 37075-9920

[First] [Last]

[0000 Street Address]

[City, State 00000-0000]

Keys to OptimalFeedManagement

Input Costs: How to Coverthe Bases

Insert: Better BreedingPerformance

Are Some Sows Not Gettingthe Job Done? Cull Em

Proper AI Techniques WillIncrease Pigs Born

IN THIS ISSUE:

2008 PIC. All rights reserved.

N E V E R S T O P I M P R O V I N G

FARROWING RATE: Greater than 90%

TOTAL BORN:Greater than 13.0

If your herd is not close to these targets, what are possible

factors? Keep management, staffing and execution in mind

and consider these points:

Good breeding performance is not built from coincidence.

It takes 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration to attainsuccessful outcomes.

Good breeding performance comes with good numbers.

Everyone in the operation should know the principles of heat

detection and breeding, just as everyone should have a

basic knowledge of farrowing assistance.

Hands-on experience is valuable, but this does not neces-

sarily make a successful breeder.

One size does NOT fit all! Managers should match specific

jobs to the individuals best suited to those jobs.

Managers should make sure staffing is not an issue on key

days such as weaning and the fourth day following weaning.

Continued from inside

Benchmarking:

Specific Targets

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