When should I order my future gilts and how many should I order

A major problem in pig production is ensuring that the farm has sufficient gilts to ensure that the batch breeding target is reached.

It is essential to give the farm team time to get the gilt onto your farm, isolate and then acclimatise the gilt prior to entry into the breeding pool.

The number of gilts required per batch should vary, depending on the expected sow culling. The decision to cull the sow should be made during gestation, not at weaning.

When should the decision be made to cull the sow?

Assuming:

· oestrus occurs every 3 weeks

· gilts cycle around 2 weeks after arrival into the breeding poor

· Gilts are mated on their 2^nd or 3^rd oestrus

From these assumption sows should be determined to be culled at week 10-14 of gestation.

Note the number of gilts to order should be more than the number of sows to cull as the expected farrowing rate of gilts is lower than that expected for sows.