Boar Training and Semen Collection

Boar: Age, Condition, Overall Attitude
Boars that are 7-8 months of age and have been exposed to some sexual activity by running in groups with other males are ideal for training to collect off a dummy (age of sexual maturity may differ with breed and genetics.)

Older boars, especially those used in pasture breeding situations, and young boars that have been isolated, usually will take more time to train. The boars should be in good physical and nutritional condition - not over or under fed.

Take note of the boar's personality. Any problems or quirks that have been exhibited in the past might need to be remembered while training.

Collection Dummy: Wood, Portable, Stationary, Wall Mount

Construction: Any article or material that would somewhat resemble a sow can be used to construct a dummy.

• Wood or steel are most often used for construction. A very economical dummy can be constructed using 2 x 4s or 2 x 6s. Another alternative is one-half of a hot water tank for the body of the dummy.In an emergency, a bale of straw or similar article can be used as a dummy.Approximate dimensions of the body should be 3 1/2 to 5 foot long and 10 to 14 inches wide. Height needs to range from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 feet.The height of the dummy should be adjustable to accommodate different boars. it would be beneficial to have an adjustment that can be easily accomplished by one person. This is especially important when training younger boars and collecting mature boars from the same dummy.The top portion of the dummy should be padded with burlap bags, foam rubber or other material and then covered with a canvas, carpet, leather or rubber.SGI has plans for the design of the dummy and would be glad to work with you to design a dummy that best fits your needs.
• In some cases a portable dummy would be advantageous so that it can be carried from pen to pen. This is helpful when training young boars or for collecting boars in isolation.
• In a permanent collection pen to prevent the dummy from moving, we suggest two options; either mounting the dummy to the floor or the wall.

Purchase: SGI has portable or wall mounted steel dummies for sale.

Area For Training:

Temperature: Comfortable for both you and the boar since it might take some time.Lighting: Make sure there is enough light, especially on the side of the dummy you will be collecting from.

Floor: The floor should provide excellent footing. If slick, not only could the boar slip and cause injury to himself and you, but if his feet slide, he'll not be able to concentrate on the job at hand. Rubber mats with holes or woven wire mats can be used to provide good footing.

Area I - Bring Dummy to his Pen

Advantages: The dummy and yourself will be the only new items to investigate and therefore, will possibly take less time. It is also the usual way to train boars in isolation.

Disadvantages: If his pen is large, you'll need to block off a small area (preferably in dry shavings or straw).

His attitude towards you will have to be somewhat amiable for you to work close to him and not get hurt.

If his pen is in an area where there is activity, he will be more easily distracted.

Area II - Collection Area

Advantages: Regardless of the conditions and activities going on around the area, the collection room offers a permanent place that the trained boars will associate with breeding. It will take less time when you're collecting many boars, be safer and less frustrating. This room should be large enough to collect mature boars, but not so large that it is difficult to keep the boar's attention toward the dummy. It should be a room that offers the seclusion needed to help in keeping out any visual and audible distractions. If possible, an area should be made accessible for untrained boars to observe trained boars being collected.

Disadvantages: Extra expense, time and space to set up a room.

Patience: Never attempt to work with a boar when you are short of time or not in the proper mood.

Never use negative behavior toward the animal when training - voice, hitting, etc. Patience is probably the key factor to training and collecting boars.

Exposing Boar to Dummy or Collection Room:

Height Setting of Dummy: Prior to exposing boar to dummy - make sure the dummy height is set so the boar can easily rest his head on it. There seems to be a very strong correlation between a boar resting his head on an object and the action triggering the desire to mount the object. The dummy will need to be reset to a higher, more comfortable collection level after he is trained.

Odors: It helps to have a trained boar mount and be collected off the dummy before exposing it to a new, untrained boar. The sheath fluid from a strange boar can also be poured over the dummy. Boars are also intrigued by the gel produced while ejaculating. This gel may be placed on top of the dummy and/or used to tease a boar's head over the top of the dummy.

Position: Dummy should be placed perpendicular against the back center of the wall. Ideally, if it is in a collection room, it will be secure, unable for a boar to move. When collecting in a boar's pen, place the dummy at an angle so that the back of the dummy is in a corner of the pen and where he will mount the front that points towards the middle of the pen. Both ways, the boar can be worked with and mount from either side or the front, but will not be allowed to circle the dummy - which can be frustrating and time consuming.

Collecting:

Sheath Area: If possible, prior to exposing the boar to the dummy, trim the hair around the opening of his sheath. This will prevent any hair from getting caught in your hand while gripping the penis thus preventing you from extending the penis. If it is not possible to trim sheath hair prior to dummy exposure, then carefully attempt to do this once he has mounted. You may have to wait until he is trained.

Approach: Once the boar has mounted, approach him with ease. If you are right handed, ease down on his right side. If you are left handed, ease down on his left side. This approach enables you to use your strong hand to collect with and frees the other hand to help tail the boar if necessary, free the sheath if it catches on the dummy, or hold your collection container. Try not to get anxious; relax and don't worry about getting out the collection container until the boar is extended and ready to ejaculate.

If the boar has mounted but has not started to thrust, gently massage sheath area back and forth (head to tail) until he starts. This is especially important for young boars who have had no exposure to breeding and are not quite sure what happens next.

Once the boar has mounted and has started thrusting, squeeze out all of the excess sheath fluid. This is extremely important! This fluid contains bacteria, dirt, and potential disease problems. You don't want any of these in your collection. Any excess that is not expelled can leak out and run down penis into the thermos or if a boar moves closer to the dummy while you're collecting, the excess fluid can be forced out. If any does get into the collection, you should dispose of the collection and not use it.

To maximize the strength in your arm and hand, use a palmsdown and closed-fist approach. Using a clean, bare hand is easier in grasping penis; but once you've gained confidence in collecting, you should use rubber gloves to provide a sterile collection and to prevent any spreading of disease from boar to boar. When you approach the boar's penis, remember to use your hand grip in attempting to simulate a sow's vagina and cervix - start with back pressure and a gentle grip. The key is to grasp the curls at the end of the penis in such a way (across the curls - like nuts and bolts) to stop them rotating as if he was locking into cervix. When this is accomplished, he will simultaneously thrust out to extend and you will gently pull to accommodate him in this process. Never allow your grip to relax enough to allow him to rotate his curl once he is extended. This means to him that he is not locked into cervix and the whole process will have to start over again. If while attempting to firmly grip the boar's penis he begins to back off dummy, let go. He should respond by moving back up on the dummy. If he does dismount, he may not want to remount. He will tire more quickly if he continually mounts and dismounts.

Once you have his penis extended and he has started to ejaculate clear, gel-like fluids; reach for your collection container. Do not collect any of this first clear or watery fraction of ejaculation. A creamy, white or sperm-rich fraction will follow. Collect this portion since it contains the most concentrated amount of sperm. Depending on how many doses you need from the boar, you can decide what portions of the alternating phases of sperm-rich and clear fluid of the ejaculate you want to collect. Collect all fractions subsequent to the discarded first clear fraction if you need to make as many doses as possible. Collect just the sperm-rich fractions when you need only a few doses. Remember that there are usually breed differences in ejaculate volume and concentration. Yorkshires generally ejaculate a larger volume in lower concentration, Durocs ejaculate smaller volumes and higher concentration, while Hampshire and other breeds are usually somewhere in between.

The boar will generally go through two to three cycles during ejaculation, taking five to fifteen minutes to complete the process. As you train the boar, it is very important to attempt to have him go through several cycles if you want the maximum semen produced during each collection. His penis will usually relax when he is finished. Attempt to help him develop good habits during the collection process - bad habits are hard to break.

Again, as emphasized earlier, use a positive approach when handling your boar. Treat him with respect and have patience and you will both benefit from a successful Al program.