Every now and again , it ’s a good idea forpig farmersengaged in husbandry to stick in some new genetics into the ruck — or so I ’ve heard . Up until late , our farm has bank exclusively on the wide , muddy back of a individual breeding pair . This is unadvisable , as it puts the only duty of bedding material - bearing on a individual sow , and if something goes sideways — which has happened and happened to us — the event is a Baron Verulam - and - pork barrel income famine for a good many months . After briefly entertaining the estimate of consecrate up our pigs , my farming category and I determine to get serious about better our operation , starting with adding a second sow and bringing in a novel wild boar .
For us , this imply pick out our heartiest gilding to hold back for gentility and bringing in a new wild boar . We pluck Wennie to breed and made a thrust to a family farm we do it of to cull up an uncut male piglet .
Why a young boar , though ? For entrant , our old boar is Wennie ’s founding father . ( I can explain the practice and job of line breeding at a later engagement . ) But it ’s also ordinarily accept that a new wild boar can do wonder for a breeding computer program — even one as small as ours . A carefully pick out Sus scrofa can innovate a turn of positive trait that serve the breeding bottom line of merchandise .
We did n’t select ours too cautiously , as we trust our farmer friend , but upon examining our new little guy , I wonder if Icouldpick the adept boar from a field of oinkers . I ’m certain I could n’t , so I grabbed my favourite resourcefulness , Storey ’s Guide to Raising Pigs(Storey Publishing 1997 ) by Kelly Klober , and start up studying . The book is an priceless resource for anyone who proceed pigs , from a few to hundreds , and I turn to it often . In its pages I found a few simple trait to attend for when choose a new boar .
Good Legs
You demand a Sus scrofa built to do repeated feats of strenuosity , and solid gams are a must . stave off a pig with legs tuck too far in , knees that slant in ( “ knocked ” ) or any appearance that seems unearthly . A good boar struts substantial on his confident wooden leg .
Facial Characteristics
This falls into a less scientific family , but some seasoned manufacturer front for eyes that are place astray apart , as this may correlate with eventual body breadth . Other producers quantify the space from eye to foot , while still others pay a good deal of attention to jaw size .
“Chopping”
Sexually potent boars are prone to open and come together their mouth , bring about both a chop noise and a visible white foam around the sass . And for whatever understanding , seed do it it — it really gets them going . So a boar that chops a portion is worth see to it out .
Naughty Bits
Finally , when choose your new Sus scrofa , you have to study the central surgical operation mechanism : the sexual organs . Luckily , the entire apparatus is visible for easy review . bollock should be the right way shaped ( not shriveled ) , positioned with one a bit high in the scrotum than the other and somewhat even in size of it — and larger size is by and large accepted to betoken adept fertility . expect for a trim sheath positioned near to the abdomen , as penial sheaths that hang at a spectacular angle can increase fortune of infection . And , of course , take the air aside from any boar that depict injuries retiring or present to the sexual organs .
