Summer is here and for swine producers, this can be the start of seasonal infertility which is characterized by decreased breeding and farrowing performances in swine usually occurring in late-summer and/or early fall. How can it be prevented?
Dr. Perle Boyer from the University of Minnesota compiles in this month’s column for the National Hog Farmer the measures you can take to minimize seasonal effects on reproductive performances.
Seasonal infertility can affect both males and females. We tend to focus on the dam but boars should also be monitored during summer as the consequences of heat stress on semen quality can last up to several weeks in some cases.
Among the 5 tips in the list, keeping the pigs cool during the warmer month is certainly a priority. Remember that an adult neutral temperature is between 64F and 68F. Above that, heat stress can impair the animals’ performances. Additionally, making sure that the sows keep eating both during the lactation and during the days post-weaning has yield positive results for the following pregnancy.
Further advice can be found in the full article on seasonal infertility.