Key Benefits:
Care must be taken to never contaminate the collected semen.
Proper care and inspection of collected semen will result in successful AI breeding.
Semen Collection
Wash down the area between uses – remember that soap is spermicidal! Collection pens and dummies should be washed daily and sanitized a minimum of once each week.
- Before attempting to collect a boar, clip the long hairs on the sheath because it interferes with the collection process AND it can introduce germs into the semen.
- During the actual collection process, patience is again important.
- Allow the boar to mount and make a few copulatory thrusts, extend the penis and display an erection.
- When the boar has mounted, the operator slowly approaches the boar from the rear, making sure not to frighten the boar in order to avoid dismounting.
- Then, a careful massage the penis sack is initiated to stimulate the exposure of the penis.
- After the boar has exposed his penis, the penis tip must be grasped with the hand applying pressure with the fingers on the tip. This is important to achieve a complete erection to initiate ejaculation.
- If the boar has mounted the dummy but not begun ejaculation yet, the penis sack area must be stimulated by massaging it forwards and backwards.
- The corkscrew end of the penis is grasped with a bare or gloved hand. If gloves are used they should not be latex because chemicals on these type gloves are spermicidal.
- After a few moments, the boar will cease thrusting and begin to ejaculate.
- Semen is collected into a clean container, typically a thermos cup.
- The gel fraction should be filtered out of the ejaculate during collection using gauze or cheesecloth, which has been placed over the mouth of the thermos.
- The grip on the penis should not be loosened during ejaculation, which on average requires 5 to 6 minutes.
- It is essential that the boar finishes his ejaculation; otherwise he will adopt bad habits, which will have consequences on his productivity later on.
- A boar can climax once a minute for up to thirty minutes - not usual, but it is possible.
From reading on the Internet the following guidelines for boar use have been applied with apparent success:-
- The general rule is that a young boar should not be used for service until he is at least 28–30 weeks of age.
- Young boars 7-9 months – 1 ejaculate per week.
- Boars 9-12 months – 2 ejaculates per week with a minimum 48 hour interval.
- Boars 12-14 months – 3 ejaculates per week. If only 24 hours intervals are used, a full 7 day recovery period is needed.
- Adult boars more than 14 months old – 4 ejaculates per week spread through the week with no less than a 24 hour interval between 2 “jumps”. If 2 ejaculates are made within 2 days, a 48 hour rest period is needed.
- Any boar not ejaculating for 10 days must be regarded as suspect and that mating covered by another boar (or discarded).
- For semen collection on farm, the rule of thumb applied at collection centers of an optimum interval of collection of 5 days is appropriate.