A36-Lancnter Fanning, Saturday, November 12, 1994
Swine AI, If Used Correctly, Can Mean Vast Savings
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
LAMPETER (Lancaster Co.)
Heat detection and timing are
crucial when using artificial inse
mination (AI) on sows or gilts,
according to several swine experts.
In fact, given experience and the
right genetics from a reputable
firm, producers can experience
enormous cost savings on boars
and feed in the long run, according
to David J. E. Hosterman, assistant
swine herd manager at Penn State.
Hosterman spoke to about 25
swine producers and related agri
industry representatives on Thurs
day at the Lampeter Fairgrounds.
The seminar included informa
tion on making use of AI in the
herd by Kenneth B. Kephart, asso
ciate professor of animal science at
Penn State, and a video showing
how AI is used, produced by the
National Pork Producers Council.
For swine farmers who want to
improve their herd genetics using
AI, producers must be wary of
where they purchase their semen.
“I would use a reputable firm, a
big firm, a firm that makes their
living from semen,” said
Hosterman.
On the Penn State herd he man
ages, 'which includes 50 sows, AI
has been used the last 14 years. The
herd began with about $5O worth
of semen from a stud service and
was built up from boars sired at the
farm.
After trying a dozen different
firms, Penn Slate settled on semen
from a stud service in Manchester,
Ohio.
Selecting the proper firm is
important, and should include a
compete catalog listing of
expected prodegy differences
(EPDs) with special emphasis on
maternal index and terminal index
of each boar. This index helps
determine the size and weight of
the litter. The EPDs indicate how
the boar’s genetics will differ from
the norm of the breed, and could be
used as a tool to meet the herd’s
genetic goals.
With experience, producers
should be able to realize that by
using AI, “you can do it just as
good as a boar can, and probably
better,” said Hosterman.
After a while, the experience
will help with the complete inse
mination procedure. There are cer
tain elements about the sow’s
behavior at heat detection and dur
ing the AI procedure that can be
learned to speed up the process.
Each service can take up to 5
minutes, but most could be done in
half that lime.
A vital clement is keeping care
ful records of heat. The easy part is
application of AI. The hard part,
according to the herd manager, is
heat detection.
For that reason, Penn State uses
DATE Nov
Weaned 11/6
27-3
16-1
20-1
Penn State uses this scoring chart to determine exactly when individual sows come
to standing heat.
a scoring chart which ranks indivi
dual sows according to how close
to ovulation they are. Four days
after weaning, in the morning,
records are kept on a chart to indi
cate how close to service each one
is. Each sow is identified by the
letters A, for standing heat, ready
to breed; B, close to standing heat,
tomorrow; C, shows no signs of
heat; or D, shows no signs.
Hosterman said by using the
chart, even the “shy, timid sow”
in the comer of the pen will be
scored. And, when ready to ser
vice, have a boar standing by out
side the pen, because the boar
“will tell you more than you can
tell yourself,” said Hosterman.
With AI, the litter size has
shown a quite significant improve
ment, according to the herd mana
ger. Hosterman spoke of one swine
producer who went from using 65
boars to five by collecting semen
from the best individual boars. The
savings on feed were tremendous.
According to Kenneth Kephart,
associate professor of animal sci
ence at Penn State, each dose from
a stud firm can range from
$2O-$BO, and most cost about
$25-$5O. To obtain maximum ben
efits and greatest chance for inse
mination to occur, dosage should
range from 50-250 milliliters (100
ml about the norm), with a mini
mum sperm count of about 2-4 bil
lion. Semen appearance should be
creamy (opaque) and should be
ready to use at about room
temperature.
For producers who want to col
lect and store boar sperm, there are
To obtain maximum benefits and greatest chance for
insemination to occur, dosage should range from 50-250
mlllil Iters (100 ml about the norm), with a minimum sperm
count of about 2-4 billion. Semen appearance should be
creamy (opaque) and should be ready to use at about room
temperature. Here, a IOOx microscope details sperm densi
ty and mobility.
PSU - Scoring Chart
special considerations, including a
storage box and other items
necessary.
When using semen, producers
should keep in mind that many
things can damage the material,
including use of latex gloves,
water, sunlight, sudden tempera'
ture change, soaps, alcohol, and
petroleum jelly. Insemination rods
can be costly in terms of all the
procedures you need to follow in
order to reuse them.
For that reason, Hosterman and
others make use of a disposable
breeding spirette that costs about
45 cents a piece.
For maximum sperm life at ser
vice, Kephart said it is important to
“get the sperm there before the
eggs.”
Producers should approach AI
slowly, and start after the gilts
have been serviced once naturally.
Afterward, Kephart collected
semen from a boar that was to be
sent to slaughter after it was used
only for AI collection. The boar
never serviced a sow naturally.
Procedures for semen collection
and using AI were detailed from a
variety of sources, most notably
the “Swine AI Book” compiled
by North Carolina State Universi
ty, and an “Artificial Insemination
For Swine’ ’ fact sheet compiled by
Kephart.
In the end, using AI can save
producers “a pile of money,” said
Kephart. “A lot of things take a lot
of attention, however. But I am
'amazed at how many producers are
doing just that.”
Ready to breed, in standing heat.
Close to standing heat, tomorrow
Shows signs of heat,
Shows no signs.
Hosterman and others make use of a disposable breed
ing splrettethat costs about 45 cents a piece. Here, he holds
a special foam-tipped splrette used during the demonstra
tion Thursday.
Ken Kephart collected semen from a boar that was to be
sent to slaughter after It was used only for AI collection. The
boar never serviced a sow naturally.
PA Farm Bureau Sets
Annual Meeting
CAMP HILL (Cumberland Co.)
The 44th Annual Meeting of the
Pennsylvania Farm Bureau will
take place Nov. 14-16 at the Her
shey Lodge and Convention Cen
ter, Hershey. The presentation of
awards, election of officers and set
ting of policies on issues affecting
agriculture will highlight the three
day meeting.
Several hundred farmers,
including 169 Voting Delegates,
will gather to chart the future
course of the organization. PFB is a
voluntary, statewide farm organiza
tion which provides information,
business services and a voice in
public affairs to 26,167 member
families. It is affiliated with the
nation’s largest farm group, the 4.2-
million member American Farm
Bureau Federation.
Harrisburg Mayor Stephen Reed
will be the guest speaker at the
Annual Meeting Opening Lun
cheon on Monday, Nov. 14. PFB
President Keith Eckel will present
the President’s Annual Address to
,the convention on Tuesday, Nov.
15.
PFB Voting Delegates will be
considering about 130 policy reso
lutions during the Annual Meeting
which originated through grass-'
CORRECTIONS
The caption of a photograph of the 1994 state daily bowl team erro
neously identified member Jeff Hostetter as Justin Troutman. In addi
tion to Hostetler, other team members include Karen Lentz. Jennifer
Bashore, and Steve Bollinger.
Also in a recent report on the Frederick County Maryland youth sale,
the price for the grand champion market sheep was reported as a “record
setting” $3O per pound. Actually the price was the highest price paid
that evening, but in a previous year, a market sheep had sold for more
than this price.
roots input on farm issues from
PFB’s 54 county farm bureaus.
Policy resolutions will focus on
issues such as the 1995 farm bill,
dairy programs, farm safety, envi
ronmental concerns, water use and
local tax reform. Delegates will
also be electing the organization’s
President and State Board Mem
bers representing eight of PFB’s 16
districts.
In addition to business. PFB will
present a number of awards during
the Annual Meeting. The Outstand
ing Young Farmer Award will be
presented to a farm couple who
have demonstrated outstanding
business skills and leadership
before reaching age 30. PFB will
recognize a person or persons who
have mifde a significant contribu
tion for the betterment of Pennsyl
vania agriculture with its Distin
guished Service to Agriculture
Award. The top county in farm
bureau program achievements will
be honored with the All Star
Award.
The PFB Annual Meeting will
conclude Wednesday. Nov 16 with
the election of officers and final
adoption of policies for the organi
zation.