R. K. Leavitt, John C. Rea and John W. Massey (Department of Animal Husbandry, College of Agriculture)Rev. 5/78/10

Leavitt, R. K.

Massey, John W.

Rea, John C.

English

University of Missouri: MOspace

-u M C Stielltt lllltl 7:etlt1t1Jklg GUIDE Buying A Herd Boar R. K. Leavitt, John C. Rea and John W. Massey, Department of Animal Husbandry, College of Agriculture The herd boar contributes 50 percent genetically to the pig crop; the sow contributes 50 percent of the genetic characteristics of a given pig. One of the best ways to improve income from your hog business is to improve , through the boar, the quality (meatiness) of the hogs you are marketing. Anticipate the need for a herd boar and make the decision to buy one well ahead of the time he will be used . This gives you an opportunity to determine what your needs are and where to look for a boar and to get the boar in condition for the breeding season. Consider the purchase of a herd boar as an investment. If he is cared for and used properly, he can have a long, productive life . If not , the results can be disappointing . What Do You Need in a Herd Boar? What is needed in a herd boar depends on several factors. A major decision is which breed. Purebred breeders have no choice, but commercial producers need to make this decision depending on their breeding programs. You need to know the strong and weak points of your sow herd and where it needs improvement most. This knowledge will help you select a boar that will improve the weaknesses in the herd without sacrificing strong points. Selection of a herd boar should be based on one or more of the following: (I) type and quality, (2) performance testing information, (3) pedigree and ancestry, (4) show ring perfor-mance , (5) health , and (6) structural soundness. (1) Type and Quality (or individuality) Type can be referred to as a combination of charac-teristics appropriate for a special kind of use , such as meat type. Selection should be for boars that approach the ideal or standard of perfection for meat type ; cull those that fall short of these standards. The breeder should have knowledge of what a meat-type hog looks like-basically a combination of size, smoothness, quality , and conformation. These factors can usually be determined by visual observation. Also , look for good spac-ing of teats, sound feet and legs , and a trim, smooth, well Figure I. A Good Kind, Thoroughly Tested: This is a breed grand champion, Missouri State Fair-five days out of a test pen at the University Swine Evaluation Station where he indexed in the top 1/3 of boars on test. He is from a certified meat sire and production registered dam and a certified litter. balanced animal with indication of heavy muscling. (See Figure I.) Most breeders are fairly proficient in evaluating u boar based on these factors. (2) Performance Testing Information Performance testing information is important in selecting a herd boar. Some testing data to take into consideration are: age at 220 or 240 lbs. , back fat probe, adjusted average daily gain , feed efficiency, and carcass quality of littermate bar-rows or gilts. Another important consideration , when avail-able, is loin eye area estimate as measured by ultrasonic sound (sonoray) and EMME for percent lean . Heritability estimate. Heritability measures the influ-ence of inheritance (in percentage) in determining the varia-tions in traits. It is the amount of genetic improvement transmitted to offspring from superior parents . Some traits are influenced by inheritance more than others and some are of greater economic value than otliers. 2502 Heritability of Production and Carcass Traits of Swine ~~ % No. of pigs farrowed 15 No. of pigs weaned 15 Weight of litter at weaning 15 Growth rate 30 Weight of pigs at 5-6 months 20-30 Economy of gain (feed efficiency) 40 Body length 60 Number of nipples 60 Type 25-35 Carcass length 60 Loin eye area 50 Back fat thickness 45 Per cent of lean cuts (carcass weight) 35 Example: Calculating expected improvement in length , using heritability estimate: Average length of the sow herd 28 in . Length of a selected boar 32 in. Difference 4 in . 4 in. x ½ (sow's contributed half) x 60% = 1.2 in . or an average improvement of about 1.2 inch per pig above the 28 in . sow average. This means you would expect the progeny from this mating to average 28 + 1.2 = 29.2 in . (3) Pedigree and Ancestry These items are important and should be considered desirable only when close relatives such as sire, dam, and (to a lesser degree) grandsire and granddam are outstanding individuals. Check for Certification, Pacesetter , or Superior Meat Sire on the sire side of the pedigree. Check on Production Registry information on the dam side. (4) Show Success Breed and carcass shows are useful to a breeder in establishing and identifying strains that are producing good carcasses. Show ring placings are based on an opinion; however, the judge is usually a well qualified person con-nected with the swine industry. The most useful kind of show is a carcass barrow show where the pigs are fed on test and performance data are obtained ; then they are observed on foot , and cut-out data are obtained . (5) Health Other important factors to take into consideration are the health of the herd from which you plan to purchase the boar and the health of the boar himself. A negative blood test for brucellosis , leptospirosis , and pseudorabies is a "must." The boar should be vaccinated for erysipelas. He should be free of internal and external parasites . Where Can You Find a Good Replacement Boar? After you determine what you need in a herd boar, the next problem is where to find him. Missouri has a lot of good purebred breeders representing most breeds. Herd boars can be purchased at public auction or at private treaty. Many purebred breeders hold one or more annual production sales with large numbers of performance tested boars in each sale . Several state and local breed associations hold annual auction sales. In addition, several performance tested boar sales , representing most breeds , are held in Missouri each year. You can find the time and place of these from newspaper and magazine advertising. Most boars are purchased at private treaty . Sometimes not all the desirable information on performance is available . Therefore, many buyers are securing boars from herds that are doing performance testing . If a performance tested boar can't be purchased , perhaps you can obtain the next best thing , one closely related to some that have been tested or from sires and dams that have had offspring with perfor-mance testing data. What About Hybrid Boars? Hybrid boars are available from several commercial companies. Knowing the quality of boars produced and the reputation of the breeder is as important when buying hybrid boars as when buying purebreds . In general , best results are obtained when hybrid boars are mated with a hybrid line of females specifically devel-oped for crossing. Some hybrid vigor may be lost when using a hybrid boar from a foundation line, only giving a backcross response. Hybrid boars with superior records for highly heritable economic traits will produce results equal to purebreds with little difference in variation. These boars and their progeny will show some hybrid vigor in reproduction traits such as livability and vigor. Most hybrid boars are developed from two or more breeds. Extension agents, college personnel, breeders, and others can supply information to buyers on where to look for herd boars. Suggested Selection Standards Boars that meet the following standards are good candi-dates for herd sires . If possible, select boars from the top 50 percent of the group they are tested in. Trait Litter size Underline Feet and legs Age at 240 lbs. Feed efficiency Backfat probe at 240 lbs. Loin eye area Daily gain (60 to 240 lbs.) Standard IO or more farrowed and 8 or more weaned. 12 or more fully developed, well spaced teats. Medium to large bone, wide stance front and rear, free in movement , good cushion to feet, equal sized toes. 160 days or less 275 lbs ./cwt. gain or less 1.1 in. or less 5 in. or more 2 lbs. /day or higher :r. ■ Iss ued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work Acts of May 8 and June 30 , 1914 in cooperation with the United States I Department of Agriculture. Carl N. Scheneman , Vice President for Extension, Cooperative Extension Service , University of Mi ssouri and Lincoln University , Columbia , Missouri 65211. ■ An equal opportunity institution. 2502 Rev. 5/78/J0M ---

Buying a herd boar

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Buying a herd boar

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