IN BRIEF

10 April 1998

IN BRIEF

&#8226 SELECTING the wrong boar semen for AI could be costing producers over £35,000 a year, claims Newsham Hybrid Pigs. If an extra index point is worth 5.7p/slaughtered pig, a boar with a 100 index point advantage, producing 12 litter/week with 10 pigs/litter would produce an extra income of £35,568 a year – equivalent to paying £22.80/dose of semen.

&#8226 OVER-STOCKING on outdoor units can cause poor breeding performance in gilts, warns Cotswold Pig Development Allow extra space for growing gilts by stocking at 1.4sq m/sow (15sq ft).

to avoid undue stress.