BREEDING

A gilt or sow will come in season every 21 days, or so. One of the physical signs you may notice is a slight swelling of the vulva which is accompanied by a clear discharge. However, you will probably notice behavioral changes first. For example, our piggy becomes very "amorous", and demanding of our attention. When she's outside, she'll pace the fence looking for a way out because hormones are driving her to seek a mate. This is one reason it is very important to keep your piggy in a safe, escape-proof area. It is also a good idea to separate her from the dogs, or any other small animal she might "fall in love with". When our piggy is in the house, she will pursue whatever human male visitor happens to be there at the time, and she will quickly develop discriminating taste if there is more than one. We just haven't figured out what qualities attract her. It could be any number of things, like tight buns, a muscular physique, a sporty hair style, or Brad Pitt good looks. Piggy is also much easier to work with during this time because she enjoys the attention, and welcomes the contact. That's when I try to get all the maintenance chores done, like hoof trimming, and ear cleaning.

Females customarily grow larger with each litter they farrow. It takes about 114 days, or 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days for gestation. Newborn piglets are very small, and usually weigh less than a pound. New mothers have been known to inadvertently injure their piglets by stepping on them, therefore extra care and attention is required during this critical neonatal period. It is also wise to keep your veterinarian apprised of the situation, and have his phone number handy in the event of an emergency.