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Author(s): M. Dyck, G. Foxcroft, J. Patterson and K. Willenburg
Publication Date: March 28, 2012
Reference: London Swine Conference, 2012
Country: Canada

Summary:

Fertility of boars is usually evaluated through physical exams and semen evaluation, but this can only identify sub-fertile boars. As well, artificial insemination in swine uses pooled semen with high sperm numbers, so less productive boars can be masked. If fertility of boars could be accurately evaluated, less fertile boars could be removed and offspring could have increased productivity. Sperm fertility traits can be grouped into compensable or uncompensable based of whether large numbers can overcome the defect or not. Fertility data for boars in use is lacking, but thought to be varied and normally distributed. Around 2/3 of boars are thought to be have good fertility levels, but the bottom 1/3 drags down the overall performance, which could result in 1 less pig born alive per litter. If only the elite boars could be used, then breeding could be done with fewer doses of semen and less sperm per dose. Utilizing higher performing boars could be achieved through a 3 stage process. In stage 1, all new boars have their semen processed in single-sire doses, and the lowest 1/3 of boars are identified and removed. In stage 2, post-cervical AI  and lower count (1-1.5 billion) single-sire semen is used to breed sows, and the lowest 1/3 of boars is again identified and removed. The final stage involves breeding sows with a single 1-1.5 billion count single-sire dose using single, fixed-time and post-cervical AI techniques. The lowest performing 1/3 of boars is again removed. The identification and use of elite boars is predicted to improve pig value by $0.80-1.30 per pig.

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