BREEDING ▶▶▶
On-farm boar manual: How to train boars?
Danish pig breeding company DanBred recently published a new manual on how to make a success of having their Duroc boars on-farm. Here in Pig Progress an introduction to one of the chapters: how to train boars?
T BY TRINE LUND PEDERSEN, DANBRED
he young boars need to be trained in mounting the dummy for semen collection. Before training, all boars will have been placed in separate pens for a minimum of 14 days. Training each boar should be-
gin when they reach maturity. If training is in keeping with their natural sexual instincts, not only will it be more effec- tive, but will also lay the foundation for a long-term positive association. Sexual maturity is mainly determined by the age of each boar and only to an extent by its body weight. A pure- bred boar is mature at six to seven months, and should be willing to mount the dummy and produce semen.
General step by step training There are several pointers to bear in mind before the boar training commences. 1. All boars should be fed early in the morning or after train- ing, as that is when they are most likely to be active, inter- ested and easy to work with.
2. Each boar’s own pen should be used for training to help them stay focused and willing to mount the dummy. Make sure the pen is kept calm and pleasant, and it should be clean, dry and well-lit.
3. If possible, the height of the dummy should be adjusted, to match the size of the boar.
4. The pen floor should not be slippery, so the boar has the best chance of mounting the dummy. Sand should be used on the floor to dry out the pen and inhibit the growth of bacteria. A dry sanitary agent or fine sawdust in the pens might increase the risk of damage to the semen.
5. The dummy should be placed in the middle of the pen to increase the boar’s interest. If an older, mature boar has mounted the dummy beforehand, this will help stimulate an inexperienced boar.
6. The boar should be helped to stay focused during training by keeping out of the boar’s sight. After a successful se- men collection, the boar should be rewarded for his work with a treat.
7. Semen collected during training should not be used for in- semination. However, it is worth saving for quality analysis purposes later on.
Training is complete when the boar has mounted the dummy confidently and it is possible to see – and laboratory analysis confirms – that the quality of semen is high enough to meet expectations.
When the boars are fed early in the morning or after training, they will be more active.
6 ▶PIG PROGRESS | Volume 35, No. 9, 2019
Some dummies are light-weight and cannot be adjusted but will fit most boars.
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