Breeding points
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1. Don't breed your pets! There are enough unwanted non - pedigree pigs waiting for homes in rescues without adding more plus you risk losing that beloved pet sow which can be devastating, especially for children.
2. Only breed your pedigree pigs IF you are intending to show and want to better the breed in general. If your pig falls way short of the standard (and if you do not know the standard for your particluar type then why are you breeding yet?) then let it just be a sweet and loved pet.
3. Keep records of matings and compare pedigrees (if you have them) to ensure that you are not inbreeding them closely.
4. Consider the amount of hutch space that you will need before you even mate those pigs. You need another hutch for the boar just before the sow gives birth for a start as the boar will mate her again as soon as she gives birth if you do not get him out in time!
5. Ensure that you have a healthy bank account! Some sows get into difficulty and may need to have a caesarian section and that costs a LOT of money plus you could lose the mum and/or the babies! (Again, don't breed beloved pets!)
6. Be prepared to handrear or supplement litters just in case. This takes time and effort so only breed if you are prepared to do this.
7. Be prepared to have to house babies (sometimes for months) who do not sell by the time they are weaned. Always ensure that you have spare hutches so that you don't have to resort to advertising pigs cheaply or 'free' through 'lack of room' like so many breeders seem to! If you get a bad feeling about someone who contacts you to buy your pigs then do not be afraid to say no. Sometimes you do not get the bad vibes until they actually turn up to buy but even then, you have the right to refuse sale - they do not have the right to buy!
8. What are you going to do with sows who retire? Have you the room to keep them on as pets? Sadly, many breeders automatically rehome older sows once they have had their litters from them. If you are going to be one of those who do that then please don't just sell to the first person who comes along. Check carefully to ensure that the sow is genuinely going to a pet home and not to someone who will sneakily squeeze out another couple of litters from her! I personally prefer mine to stay as pets and allow room accordingly.
9. Be patient and run on as many babies as you can before advertising them. I have seen photos of babies that have been removed from mum and placed on their own (how scarey for them!) so that they can have a camera flashing at them to be put up for sale on a website or forum, even at one day old! Running on babies means that you can see how your litters turn out and you can then choose who you want to keep before rehoming any. I tend to run promising ones on for at 8 - 12 weeks or so before making my mind up.
10. If you do not know how old a sow should be before mating or having her first litter then it is time to do that research before putting her in with a boar! Everyone has to start somewhere but it is no good asking after putting pigs together!
Think carefully before you breed as it is a BIG responsibility and may not be worth the hassle and expense if you haven't seriously considered all of the above points. |
