Breeding & Reproduction

Track breeding activities, manage pregnancies, and monitor litter performance for optimal herd genetics.

Breeding Records

Creating a Breeding Record

  1. Go to PiggyPro → Pig Management & Breeding → Breeding Records
  2. Click Create
  3. Select the sow (female pig)
  4. Choose boar type:
    • Internal Boar - Select from your farm's boars
    • External Boar (AI) - Select from external boar registry
  5. Set planning mode or enter actual mating date
  6. Choose breeding method:
    • Natural mating
    • Artificial insemination (AI)
    • Embryo transfer
  7. Add notes if needed
  8. Save the record

📅 Automatic Calculations

Expected farrowing date (114 days), pregnancy check date (21 days), and related tasks are automatically calculated and created.

Using External Boars

If you use boars from other farms or AI services:

  1. Go to PiggyPro → Breeding → External Boars
  2. Click Create
  3. Enter boar information:
    • Boar ID/name
    • Breed
    • Owner/source
    • Genetic information
  4. Use this external boar in breeding records

Breeding Record Status

Planning

Initial status - use for future breeding projections

Planned

Breeding is scheduled with a planned mating date

Mated

Mating has occurred, awaiting pregnancy confirmation

Pregnant

Pregnancy confirmed via test

Farrowed

Sow has given birth - litter details recorded

Weaned

Piglets weaned - sow ready for re-breeding

Failed

Pregnancy not confirmed or lost

Pregnancy Tracking

Confirming Pregnancy

  1. Open the breeding record
  2. Check the "Pregnancy Confirmed" checkbox
  3. Enter confirmation date and test method:
    • Ultrasound
    • Blood test
    • Physical examination
    • Behavioral observation
  4. Status automatically changes to "Pregnant"

⚠️ Pregnancy Check Alerts

PiggyPro tracks days since mating and alerts you when pregnancy checks are overdue (after 28 days without confirmation).

Gestation Monitoring

Track pregnancy progress with automated features:

  • Days pregnant counter
  • Expected farrowing date
  • Automatic task reminders for:
    • Moving sow to farrowing pen (7 days before)
    • Preparing farrowing area
    • Monitoring for signs of labor

Farrowing Management

Recording Farrowing

  1. Open the breeding record
  2. Click the Record Farrowing button
  3. Enter farrowing details:
    • Actual farrowing date
    • Number of piglets born alive
    • Number of stillbirths
    • Number of mummified
    • Total litter size
  4. Use the Farrowing Wizard to:
    • Automatically generate piglet records with sequential IDs
    • Set individual or average birth weights
    • Link piglets to sow (dam) and boar (sire)
    • Record any complications or veterinary assistance
  5. Save the farrowing record

Weaning Management

Use the Weaning Wizard to record weaning:

  1. Open the breeding record
  2. Click Record Weaning
  3. Enter:
    • Weaning date
    • Number of piglets weaned
    • Average weaning weight
    • Weaning age (auto-calculated)
  4. Breeding record status changes to "Weaned"
  5. Sow becomes available for re-breeding

📊 Performance Tracking

Survival rate and weaning rate are automatically calculated for each breeding record.

Breeding Analytics

Performance Metrics

Track breeding performance with key metrics:

Conception Rate

Percentage of matings that result in confirmed pregnancy

Average Litter Size

Mean number of piglets born alive per litter

Farrowing Rate

Percentage of confirmed pregnancies that result in farrowing

Piglets per Sow per Year

Total productivity metric for breeding sows

Pre-weaning Mortality

Percentage of piglets that die before weaning

Weaning Weight

Average weight of piglets at weaning

Access detailed breeding reports from PiggyPro → Reports → Breeding Reports

Best Practices

  • Record all breeding attempts, even if unsuccessful, for accurate analytics
  • Confirm pregnancy 21-28 days after mating
  • Move sows to farrowing pens 7 days before expected farrowing
  • Record individual piglet weights at birth for better tracking
  • Monitor litter sizes to identify top-performing sows
  • Track genetic lineage to avoid inbreeding
  • Review breeding analytics monthly to optimize herd genetics