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Carefully selected premium gilts
In swine farming, maintaining a healthy and productive sow herd is essential. This involves regularly replacing older or less productive sows with high-quality gilts—female pigs that have not yet given birth. The process of selecting gilts is both critical and complex, as it influences the overall productivity and genetic quality of the herd. It requires careful evaluation throughout the gilt's growth and development, based on performance data from their parents, siblings, and themselves.
When evaluating the maternal line, it’s important to choose gilts from sows that have had multiple litters, high feed efficiency, and strong weaning weights. Ideally, these sows should be in their second to fifth litter, as they tend to have better reproductive performance. Additionally, the parents of the gilts should exhibit outstanding traits such as strong reproductive capacity, fast growth rates, good disease resistance, and efficient feed conversion.
Looking at the siblings is also crucial. A gilt should come from a litter where all pigs show consistent carcass traits, minimal variation in size, and uniformity in development. Siblings should be free from hereditary issues like hernias, cryptorchidism, or other congenital defects that could affect their performance or health.
When assessing the gilt itself, several key characteristics should be considered. First, the physical appearance should meet breed standards—this includes a well-proportioned body, good muscling, and a long back. The hindquarters should be broad and well-developed, with strong, properly structured legs. The gait should be natural, not overly straight.
Next, the udder structure is vital. A high-quality gilt should have at least seven pairs of functional teats (six for lean-type breeds), evenly spaced and neatly arranged. There should be no genetic abnormalities, such as extra teats or underdeveloped ones.
The genitalia must also be well-developed, with a normal shape and proper positioning. A healthy gilt should have a birth weight of over 1.5 kg, reach 8 kg by 28 days of age, and weigh around 30 kg at 70 days. These growth milestones indicate good early development and potential for future productivity.
Before breeding, gilts should undergo another round of screening. Those with poor sexual organ development, irregular estrus cycles, or unclear signs of heat should be culled. This ensures only the most suitable gilts are used for breeding, maximizing the chances of successful reproduction and long-term herd performance.