# What is the useful breeding lifespan of a sow?



## TinFoil (Feb 18, 2014)

I currently have a Yorkshire gilt, a Duroc gilt and an American Guinea Hog boar. The question came up regarding their over-all lifespan and their useful breeding lifespan which I am sure would be different.

I'm also sure it makes a difference if they are confined or pastured, mine are all pastured but get a supplement of grain mix every day which is adjusted according to what is available to them in the pasture (summer/winter etc).

So, can anyone help educate me?


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

I have some sows who are nine years old. I find that's up about their limit. At some point they don't reheat and don't retake. Best to take them to butcher if they miss three cycles because that's it, that's all she wrote.

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/2014/06/13/old-sow-piglets/

These are Yorkshire, Berkshire, Tamworth, Large Black pigs and crosses of these out on pasture their entire lives producing two to three litters a year - e.g., large farm style pigs. Might be different for various breeds.

I find boars are about the same. At eight years they look like very old men. They won't survive against the upcoming young bucks who've matched them in weight (>1,000 lbs).

Realize we're in a cold northern climate. Winter is hard. It's hard on everyone. Being in a barn is not good - bad air. Being outside is hard too. This is why so many species migrate south for the winter. We stay here. Winter's something we get through. I breed for the ability to winter. I suspect that in a warmer climate our pigs would fare better through winter. We probably would too. On the plus side, winter kills off nasty stuff like ticks, chiggers, alligators and politicians. That's not all bad!

However, that all said, I do not generally keep boars or sows that long. Since I'm working at improving our breeding stock and have four pure lines plus cross lines it means that every week I'm culling. I'm always looking at the boars and sows to see if there's someone coming up who's better and perhaps they've lost their spot in the breeding herd. The result is very few make it to those extreme ages. Most get culled to serve the farm one last time as meat by age two to five.

Still, those numbers are useful if you wanted to figure how long you might keep a sow or boar.

Cheers,

-Walter


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## bmurphy96 (Nov 23, 2013)

I bet there are politicians in Vermont. They are like cockroaches unfortunately. 

keith


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

We send them to Washington.


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## TinFoil (Feb 18, 2014)

The politicians around here are like radioactive cockroaches... Ya just can't get rid of em! 

Thanks, the winters around here are mild... Dipping to below freezing only a couple days at a time and it rarely stays below freezing during the day. I'm just trying to do some long term planning in regards to staggering their ages... In other words, have the replacement with his (or her) full working clothes on before the other one... Um, checks out


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## Ronney (Nov 26, 2004)

While pigs can live up to 15 years and beyond, their actual breeding life seems to be around the mark that Walter said - between 7 and 9 years. I have known pigs (not mine) that kept on breeding into their teens but the litter size got smaller and smaller although the piglets themselves were of a good size and thrived.

I live in a warm climate where it gets below -0Cel. maybe 6 times during the winter and we think we're doing it hard! My pigs were pastured with their own housing if they wanted to use it, and were supplementary fed so climate etc. may not have much of a bearing on it.

Cheers,
Ronnie


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## gerold (Jul 18, 2011)

American Guinea boar. Good for breeding 10 years plus. Life span is 10-15 years.


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## Lazy J (Jan 2, 2008)

Do you want to make genetic progress in your herd or just make pigs?


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## TinFoil (Feb 18, 2014)

Lazy J said:


> Do you want to make genetic progress in your herd or just make pigs?


I just mainly want to make pigs for selling and butchering. I am hoping the AGH crossed with Yorkshire or Duroc will give me a pig with a higher than typical fat content at a younger age. The Yorkshire I currently have is a 5 month old gilt and has very little fat on her. 

Ideally, I'd like to get a cross that will give me around 25% to 30% fat at 5 to 7 months of age, currently I am using AGH / Pot Belly crosses for their fat as they get to 30%+ fat content at approximately 5 months. It is used to raise the fat content of ground deer. Ground deer + 25% pot belly fat = ---- good burgers not to mention bite sized hams


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