Univ. of NE-Lincoln Report: Hand-Mating Pigs on Small and Medium Sized Pork Operations

Most small and medium sized swine operations have a diversified farm; thus, they cannot devote total time and management to the swine enterprise. The use of hand-mating helps to increase reproductive performance of the sow herd. Hand-mating involves the placement of an individual estrous female in a small pen where she is mated to an individual boar with supervision by a pereson working in the breeding area. The main factors that make hand-mating easy, fast and efficient include….