Selection Methods and Feeding Management Key Points for Superior Sows

    Sow Selection and Feeding Management Techniques
    Breed selection: Replacement gilts generally use Landrace and Large Yorkshire as the main maternal lines, and they should have the characteristics of superior breeds. They are required to have a good body shape, a sound and well-proportioned build, a straight dorsal line, sturdy and neat limbs, well-developed external reproductive organs, and neatly and evenly arranged teats, with more than 6 pairs of functional teats.
    Appropriate density: In rural areas, sows, their piglets and lactation are generally kept together in a single pen in the same house, and each sow should have a pen area of 12 sq m-15 sq m. If sows are kept in separate pens by stage, replacement gilts are generally kept 4-6 to a pen, with each occupying about 2 sq m. Excessive density will affect the growth and development of replacement gilts and lead to the vice of tail biting.
    Restricted feeding: Starting from a body weight of 60 kg, replacement gilts should be fed replacement gilt feed with restricted feeding to ensure a balanced supply of protein, va, vd and ve, generally at a daily feeding amount of 1.5 kg-1.8 kg. At a body weight of 80 kg, the daily feeding amount reaches 1.6 kg-2 kg. Where conditions permit, farms and households may also add high-quality green forage.
    Sufficient drinking water: The amount of drinking water is generally 3-5 times the amount of dry powder feed consumed. Insufficient drinking water will limit feed intake and reduce the production performance of replacement gilts. Generally, in addition to installing automatic drinkers in the pig pen (house) at a height of 0.6 cm-0.75 cm above the ground and at a downward angle of 45°, clean drinking water should also be added to the trough to ensure supply.
    Training and management: After replacement gilts are moved into the house, training and management should be strengthened. In addition to training them to eat and defecate at fixed locations, the sows should also be frequently stroked when cleaning the pen and feeding, so as to achieve a friendly relationship between pigs and people and facilitate future management.
    Deworming and epidemic prevention: When replacement gilts are 7 months old, inject ivermectin subcutaneously at 0.3 mg per kg to expel internal parasites, and spray the whole body with 2% trichlorfon once to expel external parasites. After an interval of 7 days-10 days, inject vaccines for swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease, porcine parvovirus, pseudorabies gene-deleted vaccine and highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome vaccine once each in sequence.
    Timely mating: Replacement gilts may be mated only after they have reached 8 months of age, a body weight of about 100 kg, and have shown 2-3 estrous cycles. Observe estrus before the morning feeding and after the afternoon feeding every day. When the vulval slit shows slight wrinkles, the mucous membrane color changes from bright red to lacquer red, the mucus stretches into an unbroken thread, or when pressing the sow's loin causes both ears to stand upright and the sow to stand still, that is the best time for mating, and mating should be carried out twice consecutively with an interval of 8 hours-12 hours.
    Establish records: Keep detailed records of the ear number, epidemic prevention, medication, estrus and mating status of each replacement gilt to help guide production.
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