A Detailed Guide to Pig Artificial Insemination: Timing and Methods of Mating and Insemination

Pig artificial insemination technology is one of the economical and effective technical measures in pig production, and is a technical means of applying artificial insemination to pigs.So when should pigs be mated and inseminated for artificial insemination? What are the techniques?Let's learn about them together below.

1. Issues regarding the purchase, transport and storage of semen

In actual practice, from the time farmers purchase semen until mating, the safe transport and proper storage of semen are the guarantees for extending sperm survival time and increasing sperm viability. Under normal circumstances, fresh semen is stable during the first 48-72h after dilution and packaging. During semen transport and storage, three things must be done: first, prevent shaking; second, store away from light; third, keep the storage temperature controlled at 15-20 degrees C, with 17 degrees C being the most ideal temperature.

2. Determining estrus in sows and timely mating

Timely insemination requires a good grasp of estrus symptoms. In actual practice, the “four looks” and “one press” should be followed: first, look at the vulva, from congested and swollen to purplish-red and dull with wrinkles appearing; second, look at the mucus, from thin to thick and thread-like; third, look at the expression, with the sow appearing dazed; fourth, look at the age. As the saying goes, old sows are mated early, young sows are mated late, and sows neither old nor young are mated in between. Generally, multiparous sows are inseminated 30-48h after estrus begins, and first-mating sows are mated after 48h. “One press” means that the best mating time is when the sow remains still with both hands pressing on her back and loin-rump area.

3. Scientific insemination methods

Bionic insemination technology is a new insemination technique that imitates the movements of natural mating in pigs, twirling and pulling the insemination catheter to create suction at the internal opening of the sow's cervix, thereby automatically drawing semen into the sow's body. Bionic insemination technology can effectively prevent backflow of semen and further improve the conception rate and litter size of pig artificial insemination.

Repeat insemination means requiring 2-3 inseminations of semen within one estrous period. In actual practice, our approach is to inseminate once every 6-8h. Through a comparative trial of insemination on 50 breeding sows, our farm proved that repeat insemination increased the conception rate by 5 percentage points compared with single insemination, and the average litter size per litter rose by 3 pigs.

The interval-estrus insemination method. The so-called interval-estrus insemination method refers to the method of not inseminating during the current estrus but inseminating during the next estrous period. Our specific approach is to mate multiparous sows at the second estrus after weaning, while first-mating sows can be inseminated at the third estrus. Because multiparous sows consume a great deal of energy during lactation and their various body functions are still in the recovery period, after skipping one estrous period the sow's various body functions have all recovered and she shows estrus; at this time, if insemination is performed, the sow has not reached body maturity, which is not conducive to the growth and development of the fetus and also affects the sow's service life.

4. Master the “four don'ts and five musts” in artificial insemination operations

Four don'ts: do not inseminate if not accurate; do not inseminate if the insemination equipment and the sow's vulva are not disinfected; do not inseminate sows suffering from endometritis or vaginitis; do not carry out epidemic prevention or deworming for pregnant sows in the early stage.

Five musts: first, must grasp the estrous period well; second, must disinfect the equipment and the sow's vulva; third, for sows suffering from endometritis or vaginitis, must treat first and then mate, and for mild reproductive system inflammation, one ampoule of gentamicin diluted with distilled water can be used for flushing one day before insemination, and during insemination another ampoule of gentamicin can be added and mixed into the semen for infusion; fourth, must keep the sow at 70 to 80 percent body condition; fifth, must do a good job of deworming and epidemic prevention before mating.