Post by Shelley (whistlingtrain) on Feb 21, 2011 23:33:25 GMT -5
Maybe you remember Bess aborted six weeks ago, a week before her due date. One week makes a huge difference in pigs, as they were all too immature to survive, many of them never even figured out how to nurse.
Anyway, Bess has now been fully revaccinated, and came into heat 10 days after the delivery--a surprise to me. I thought that was early, but it is what it is. There was no mistaking her being off-feed and very "friendly". I expected her to be in heat last Wednesday, and I too ordered semen to be delivered Tuesday. Well, she's got a 23-day cycle and I was getting worried by Friday night and hadn't seen any sign of anything. $125 in the little styrofoam cooler on the table, getting old. But, I kept checking it and rotating the tubes twice a day, just in case.
Yesterday morning, she wasn't interested in her food. Last night she still hadn't eaten and was pacing and very vocal, and "friendly". Mike and I prepared to do the deed this morning and went out and I was nearly trampled. Bess doesn't stand well without a boar around, but she was definitely ready. She tends to wander and spin donuts when she's "standing", even if I climb on top of her or nuzzle her flank with my knee. I got the spirette in her (no vulva swelling or discharge, BTW), and chased her around the pen as her body sucked the semen from the tube. Once it was in, I gently got the tube out and made a hustle toward the gate, of course at the opposite end of the pen, through the mud. My boots kept getting stuck, and I felt her grabbing the seat of my pants and my pant legs. I made it though, with no injuries. We locked her in her stall because overnight she had completely ripped apart the fence. I don't know why she stayed in the pen, actually. I survived to do another dose tonight, in the stall. It actually seemed to flow better. I have one more for tomorrow morning.
I kept detailed notes last time, and she was the same way, so I feel pretty good about it. She did conceive 10 after all, and that was after skipping two heats with the bummer boar. That's funny Mitra. I got Adams Rib, too! Supposed to be an amazing boar for making lovely maternal gilts. That's what I need. The Machine line that he's out of is a baby-maker, and the mothers are very careful, and good milkers. Bess is actually out of the Machine line a few generations back, and my first sow was one of the first Machine gilts. She was an amazing mother, very gentle AND protective. Let's all keep our pig fingers crossed!
Anyway, Bess has now been fully revaccinated, and came into heat 10 days after the delivery--a surprise to me. I thought that was early, but it is what it is. There was no mistaking her being off-feed and very "friendly". I expected her to be in heat last Wednesday, and I too ordered semen to be delivered Tuesday. Well, she's got a 23-day cycle and I was getting worried by Friday night and hadn't seen any sign of anything. $125 in the little styrofoam cooler on the table, getting old. But, I kept checking it and rotating the tubes twice a day, just in case.
Yesterday morning, she wasn't interested in her food. Last night she still hadn't eaten and was pacing and very vocal, and "friendly". Mike and I prepared to do the deed this morning and went out and I was nearly trampled. Bess doesn't stand well without a boar around, but she was definitely ready. She tends to wander and spin donuts when she's "standing", even if I climb on top of her or nuzzle her flank with my knee. I got the spirette in her (no vulva swelling or discharge, BTW), and chased her around the pen as her body sucked the semen from the tube. Once it was in, I gently got the tube out and made a hustle toward the gate, of course at the opposite end of the pen, through the mud. My boots kept getting stuck, and I felt her grabbing the seat of my pants and my pant legs. I made it though, with no injuries. We locked her in her stall because overnight she had completely ripped apart the fence. I don't know why she stayed in the pen, actually. I survived to do another dose tonight, in the stall. It actually seemed to flow better. I have one more for tomorrow morning.
I kept detailed notes last time, and she was the same way, so I feel pretty good about it. She did conceive 10 after all, and that was after skipping two heats with the bummer boar. That's funny Mitra. I got Adams Rib, too! Supposed to be an amazing boar for making lovely maternal gilts. That's what I need. The Machine line that he's out of is a baby-maker, and the mothers are very careful, and good milkers. Bess is actually out of the Machine line a few generations back, and my first sow was one of the first Machine gilts. She was an amazing mother, very gentle AND protective. Let's all keep our pig fingers crossed!
