# Is my gilt pregnant? I need to know



## Rizzah (Jan 27, 2019)

Hello everyone, I am new to pig farming. I have two gilts both about 8months of age. 
One of them came on her first heat last month and I sent her to the male. I can't say for sure if there was a successful mating but I noticed him trying to mount her several times. The next morning, I also noticed marks on her back probably from his legs and also her vulva was very much watery and leaky with a watery yet witish stuff. I assumed that will be his seen.
Well after that I started observing her for any changes.
21 days after, her vulva is swollen again. I assumed this is her back on heat so I sent her to the male again but this time she wouldn't allow him mount no matter how hard he tries. She just sits or urinates each time he tries to mount her.
I became worried and started reaching out to other farmers and pig rearers. They came to examine her. We noticed her teats became more visible and her udder was beginning to form very small lumps. They observers and even a local vet that observed her said she's inpig.
21 days after, she's back with a swollen vulva again. I sent her to the male but she still won't allow him mount her. This time she's totally aggressive towards him. I call again to seek help and I was told maybe the litter is small, some said a swollen vulva and watery discharge doesn't exclusively mean she's on heat since she's refusing to stand or be mounted. I noticed she reacts aggressively to the slightest press on her back also. She just won't stand
She's adding weight, eating excessively and drinking lots of water, she tire easily. 
I also tried feeling her belly to search for movements and sometimes I and also others I called to observe too noticed movements inside her.
I'm kinda helpless and confused. I need opinions.
These are pictures of the pig











































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## Pig in a poke (Mar 27, 2013)

I also am having mixed signals from my proven sow and a gilt. I bought a young boar for them this summer, planning that by late fall, he would breed them both, then go to the butcher. He took a little longer than I expected to mature, though. Finally, he started showing interest. But the sow never let him breed her. She even chased him off the gilt, who stood for him. We ordered semen for the sow and bred her A.I. At 21 days, she showed none of her typical signs (which have always been quite strong), but then a week later, the boar was trying to mount her. She objected vocally and physically. She is now 3 weeks since then, and her vulva seems slightly swollen. I cannot figure out what's going on with her. (I think the gilt did get bred.)
I am encouraged a bit, reading your post that a swollen vulva by itself is not necessarily a sign of coming into heat. My sow always gets pushy and talkative to me when in heat, and she's not behaving that way. 
From your description of your gilt refusing the boar twice, my best guess would be he successfully bred her the first time.


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## Ronney (Nov 26, 2004)

This would appear to be a conundrum for both of you. If it helps any, I would see this type of behaviour in some (but not all) of my sows and in the end I learnt to ignore it as 9 times out of 10 the sow would have taken the first time. I also see a similar behaviour in cows that I know to be in calf.

Rizzah, welcome to the site . She's a nice, well-grown pig but in all honesty the only way you're going to know for sure whether she is in pig will be to have a scan done on her - more expense! Mother Nature usually gets it right.

Cheers,
Ronnie


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## Rizzah (Jan 27, 2019)

Ronney said:


> This would appear to be a conundrum for both of you. If it helps any, I would see this type of behaviour in some (but not all) of my sows and in the end I learnt to ignore it as 9 times out of 10 the sow would have taken the first time. I also see a similar behaviour in cows that I know to be in calf.
> 
> Rizzah, welcome to the site . She's a nice, well-grown pig but in all honesty the only way you're going to know for sure whether she is in pig will be to have a scan done on her - more expense! Mother Nature usually gets it right.
> 
> ...


Thanks so much. I can't afford a scan now and even if, there are no such equipment here in Nigeria so I may just have to keep looking


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## Rizzah (Jan 27, 2019)

Let me hope so.. it's just so frustrating with these pigs lol 


Pig in a poke said:


> I also am having mixed signals from my proven sow and a gilt. I bought a young boar for them this summer, planning that by late fall, he would breed them both, then go to the butcher. He took a little longer than I expected to mature, though. Finally, he started showing interest. But the sow never let him breed her. She even chased him off the gilt, who stood for him. We ordered semen for the sow and bred her A.I. At 21 days, she showed none of her typical signs (which have always been quite strong), but then a week later, the boar was trying to mount her. She objected vocally and physically. She is now 3 weeks since then, and her vulva seems slightly swollen. I cannot figure out what's going on with her. (I think the gilt did get bred.)
> I am encouraged a bit, reading your post that a swollen vulva by itself is not necessarily a sign of coming into heat. My sow always gets pushy and talkative to me when in heat, and she's not behaving that way.
> From your description of your gilt refusing the boar twice, my best guess would be he successfully bred her the first time.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

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


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## Pig in a poke (Mar 27, 2013)

Well, my sow came back into raging heat since I posted. So, I missed her ovulation with the A.I.
But she showed no signs of heat 3 weeks later, but then 1 week after that, the young boar's interest indicates she came back in that week. Strange. She's always been like clockwork, 3 weeks. And on top of that she wouldn't allow him to even attempt to mount.
I am going to try A.I. again and hopefully get in front of the ovulation this time. *crossing fingers*


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