# Gilt Pregnant or Not?



## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

My gilt was AI'd on July 24/25 and has not come back into heat since. Her expected "due date" is Nov 15/16 which leaves 4 weeks. Can anyone tell by looking at this picture if she is truly "in pig"? Much appreciated :spinsmiley:


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Hard to tell for sure but she does not look very pregnant to me. I would expect her hip line to have changed by now and for her to be showing strongly.

The first indicator I tend to see is a raising of the clitoral hood as described here:

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/2011/08/28/pregnancy-indicator/

I call that the built in pregnancy indicator on pigs. It is a relative marker - you need to know your lady.

Can you post a picture of her vulva from a sideways shot and does it look changed to you - you know her best.


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

Thank you for your reply. I will take a pic later today when I get home BUT I know for sure that it isnt pointing up like that. If she isnt pregnant why would she be missing her heat cycles? She is VERY regular, We AI'd her in the beginning of July and she for sure didnt take 21 days she blossomed right up so we AI'd her again and she hasnt blossomed since?


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

They can have false pregnancies where they stop heat cycling. I have seen this a few times over the course of hundreds of sows and gilts. I even had one who developed a bag but never farrowed nor developed any other signs of pregnancy. It is rare. I have also seen a small percentage of gilts who simply are not fertile. This is why when I sell bred gilts I guarantee the pregnancy and I don't let the gilt go until I'm very sure of her gestation state.

For more weeks and you'll know.

If she isn't pregnant and isn't cycling then she's unlikely to take in the future.


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

This is a pic from 09/25

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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Not pregnant looking.


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

Confused pig possibly? I hope not... lol!
Thank you,

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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

Some times with out a boar around they won't show any signs of heat.


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

When you did the AI did you use the "Can-of-Boar" which has the pheromones to help bring her to heat? Might help.


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

She has always been regular 21 days to the day. She gets VERY swollen, red, and has slight discharge. She is VERY VOCAL when she is in heat, oh man! If you put any pressure on her back hips she will push her backside out and just stand there. NONE of this has been going on since we AI'd her? If she turns out to be just putting on a show then I will definitly look at using the "Can-of-Boar" next time or just take her to a boar if I can find one?


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Interesting. Well, wait five more weeks and you'll know. Keep us all posted.


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

I will for sure, she definitley has me guessing... lol!


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

I took this when I fed this morning

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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

Always the possibility she is carrying a small litter.


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

True and by all means I sure hope there is something in there... lol! When should I be able to "feel movement"? Do pregnant pigs tend to have more gas then unpregnant pigs?
Thank you,


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## ErikaMay (Feb 28, 2013)

My first pig i didn't see any movement on. Couldn't tell she was pregnant by normal signs...I knew because she suddenly got really grumpy and her nipples started pointing all crooked. They used to be all nice and line up all in a straight line then oneday they were all pointing a different direction. To me that was the "ah ha!" but we really didn't know until she started bagging up a few days before she dropped her litter because she didn't LOOK pregnant. I'm having the same issue with her again...its actually really inconvinent to have a pig that keeps you guessing. I just say she's not pregnant until something falls out of her.

also, the seeing movement didn't start until a week or two before farrowing.


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## ErikaMay (Feb 28, 2013)

Your gilt was bred in July? Yeah, I'd say she's not pregnant based on the first picture. Sorry.


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## martinbowhunter (Mar 31, 2013)

ErikaMay said:


> Your gilt was bred in July? Yeah, I'd say she's not pregnant based on the first picture. Sorry.


Agreed. Sorry, let's hope we're wrong!


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

I am hoping :teehee:... Lastnight when we were feeding my daughter asked me about the definition she is getting in her tit line, so here is hoping... On Sat her backside started to look a little puffy and I thought possible heat???? BUT not anywhere close to what she normally looks like when she is in heat (which is at least swollen 5x's her normal size and flaming bright red, looks almost painful) and when I tried to put pressure on her to check she got MAD!!! She had poop stuck on her so I just washed her off and the next day it was like nothing ever happened... I will say that her barrel looks bigger, we havent changed her feed so it isnt as though she is eating more. If she isnt prego, I am sending her to Hollywood because she is a darn good actress! :thumb:


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## gerold (Jul 18, 2011)

In a week or 2 she should start showing. Hard to say at this point.


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

I will take more pics in a week :grin:


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

My beautiful Zoey! Took this lastnight 

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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

This one lastnight too...

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## Kits&Kids (Feb 10, 2012)

sorry to tell you but she wont be farrowing unless you breed her again


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

How would you recommend that I make her have a cycle? Since she hasnt had one since July 23rd, I think we will just be waiting this one out piglets or not...


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## martinbowhunter (Mar 31, 2013)

Do you have a mature boar on site? If so, put her in a pen with him for 21 days or, put her in a pen next to him and heat check twice a day for 21 days. If you dont have a mature boar......get some boar pheromone spray.

Edit: a mature barrow will work also to help bring her into heat if she isn't pregos already.

Also stressing her out in some way will work also. Take her for a ride in a trailer.....mix her wiyh other pigs.... good luck. Keep us posted


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

There are absolutely no pigs here, we are the only pig owner until fair comes then a lot of kids have market pigs till May. Our town only allows one pet pig and one market pig per acre. We would have to trailer her a good two hours to a boar. I am hoping that she fools us all - LOL!  This morning when my daughter fed her she ate all of her food and then started yelling and yelling - OMG she sounded like she is starving to death and trust me, She isnt... We were told to feed her 5lbs a day while she is "pregnant" to avoid obesity and difficult farrowing. Either way piglets or not this had been interesting... My daughter showed her lastyear in the breeding class at the fair and won Grand Champion


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

So, three weeks to go now till Miss Zoey is "due". I can say that she appears to be SUPER hungry, more then usual and she is VERY vocal about it. Also, I can say that her vulva isnt as small as "normal" but it isnt big, red and swollen like heat either. It appears to be just "bigger/puffyish" if that even makes sense... lol! 

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## martinbowhunter (Mar 31, 2013)

Correct me if i am wrong forum members.....but, at 80+ days, shouldn't there be some udder development? Even on gilts? I know on the gilts i have right now at 70+ days i can definitely see some slight changes starting in the udder. 

. Have any more recent pics?


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experience. Is it possible for a gilt/sow to have a heat and be mated then be "in pig" and 21days later have a false heat?
Thank you,

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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Yes. So many possibilities.


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

My reason for asking is on July 3 & 4 I AI'd Zoey making her "due" around Oct26, 21days later she came back into heat so we AI'd her again on July 24 &25 making her "due"around Nov16 no heat at all since... Today her vulva is really swollen without discharge, no huge udders but her nipples appear to be bigger. So she could have taken the first time OR she is finally/possibly coming back into heat??? She is a tricky one... I have thought about purchasing a preg-tone to avoid this uncertainty. Has anyone used one?
Thank you 


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

Homesteading Today mobile app not working properly???


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

Homesteading Today mobile app not working properly???


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

Homesteading Today mobile app not working properly??? For some reason this forum is not allowing me to add a pic?


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

Oh this girl.... Finally used the computer. Sorry for the lighting but it was getting dark


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## martinbowhunter (Mar 31, 2013)

Gonna say not bred. Can you take a shot of her vulva? Level with the vulva from a side view please.


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## agreatday (Oct 9, 2013)

I'm farrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr from any kind of expert, but I do definitely see a change in her "figure" between the pictures, that would make me think it was possible. But again, *not* an expert on pigs!!


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

Glad my eyes arent playing tricks on me, lol! I am not sure what is happening?!?!? I do know that I went in her pen to change her water and give her a belly rub and she was almost like barking at me... She was determined to get close to me and not necessarily to be nice... I reached down and pet her face and she got louder and I started walking away and she was right on my trail barking and I wasnt sure what her intentions were... It was oddly out of character for her by far! 

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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

It's not totally unheard of to have a barren sow with false pregnancies. I never saw it but it was included in one Ag class. There was a brief HT thread on the topic and concensus was that the sow was prime candidate for sausage.

www.homesteadingtoday.com/livestock-forums/pigs/255418-aborting-false-pregnancy.html

Martin


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

oium.farm said:


> Glad my eyes arent playing tricks on me, lol! I am not sure what is happening?!?!? I do know that I went in her pen to change her water and give her a belly rub and she was almost like barking at me... She was determined to get close to me and not necessarily to be nice... I reached down and pet her face and she got louder and I started walking away and she was right on my trail barking and I wasnt sure what her intentions were... It was oddly out of character for her by far!
> 
> Sent from my DROIDX using Homesteading Today mobile app


Go push on her back and see if she locks up, I bet she is in heat.


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

Any ideas on a thick/yellowish discharge?


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## ErikaMay (Feb 28, 2013)

oium.farm said:


> Any ideas on a thick/yellowish discharge?


yeeeeaah...that sounds like shes in heat.


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## oium.farm (Oct 14, 2013)

Woo hoo! At least something is happening... I know when she is in heat she has a clear discharge but never a thick yellowish discharge. I am going to wait 21days then breed her again... 

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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

oium.farm said:


> Woo hoo! At least something is happening... I know when she is in heat she has a clear discharge but never a thick yellowish discharge. I am going to wait 21days then breed her again...


From classes, wish that I could remember what the number of chances a sow had to be bred before her only use was for sausage. In the days when a farrowing was the difference between profit or loss on a small farm, feeding a barren sow was not an option. But I do hope that the OP's sow will finally earn her keep. 

Martin


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