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Importance of gilt management in order to obtain high efficiency in future production

High productivity of the gilts is specifically based on daily precise management.

No doubt, that is many factors in a “good” gilt's life until weaning the first number of piglets. First of all, a good gilt begins with the index of the parents followed by birth and later on the visual decision as we score.

It is important to ensure that the animals selected for breeding after 30 kg are fed with careful diet that can limit their daily weight gain (750 gr/day). This issue can be controlled with the composition of the food. In many of our previous articles it has been mentioned the “Old farmer conception” which was “ By the time of one year the good gilt has to have piglets under herself.” To explain or calculate this concept in numbers, it is a general principle that a 12-week-old breeding sow should reach a weight of 30 kg. The best insemination time for a gilt is by the time of 35 weeks (240-250 days) old with a liveweight of 150-160 kg, by the second or third heat. If we make a calculation with the daily growth of 750 gr the gilt can reach the previously mentioned liveweight.

It is also very important to make another visual selection (around70-80 kg) liveweight before the vaccination protocol starts up. It is a good idea to do this in due time since proper judgment plays a big role in the budget, as we save vaccine costs on an annual basis if we are able to return second-graded individuals to Ad-Lib for feeding and sell them as slaughter pigs. Is good to know that ordinary heat cycle has a big influence on the amount of total born piglets. Precise heat observation and registration have an importance on the FLUSHING time as well right before insemination, because these days has an influence on the strong ovulation for the insemination. Practically, flushing of the gilt for insemination is the same like for the weaned sows from the farrowing department. At flushing time, we need to concentrate for extra feed, fast absorption of energy, active boar’s presence, strongness and duration of the lights. Of course, we have to admit that freshness and quality of the semen is important too. Good to know, that by the young gilt’s insemination, timing and frequency is very important, because of the short ovulation.  The bad feeding strategy and the moving strategy in the first 28 days after insemination is also a factor what can negatively influence the incubation time, and the amount of the total born piglets.

Management of young gilts after farrowing makes an important role in the farrowing department. Duration of the lactation period in balance with food intake and body condition is a markable factor of the productivity, milk production potential on the future becoming sow.  Test are showing that long lactation and good body condition has a positive effect on the future total born piglet amount and milking potential.