The causes of infertility cannot be determined and corrective action taken without collecting reliable information and using it in a meaningful way. Records required for each breeding female to understand reproductive failure:

• The sow number.
• The number of litters or parity.
• The dates of mating, farrowing and weaning.
• The number of services at each mating.
• The service quality. (Rate each service as 1, 2 or 3 - good, moderate or poor).
• The boar used or AI.
• The lactation length.
• Mummified piglets and their size.
• The numbers born alive/dead.
• The weaning to service interval.

Records required for the breeding herd

• Litter size variation * (scatter).
• Repeat matings - and their intervals in days.
• Abortions - and the age of foetuses
• Females found not in pig.
• Discharges - The time when they occur post-service, observations and the outcome.
• Parity distribution.

* Percentage of litters with total born (alive/dead/mummified) less than 9.

Whilst the above information looks rather daunting it is normally recorded in the mating book and on the sow and litter card on most farms. If a problem arises it is a simple procedure to identify the sows involved, collect the individual data and look for common features.

Fig.5-7 provides data against which your own farm performance can be related. These suggested targets and action levels for the various parameters are not absolute but rather broad guidelines.