At What Age Can a Female Hog Get Pregnant?

A young female hog, called a gilt, can be bred (serviced) as young as 8 to 10 months of age. This is true for all methods of breeding, including hand mating, pen mating, pasture mating, artificial insemination and embryo transplant.

  1. Sexual Maturity

    • A gilt has reached sexual maturity at 5 or 6 months old. This is the age when gilts are usually selected for breeding.

    First Service

    • A gilt is ready to be served by a boar (male hog) when she is between 265 and 285 pounds (about eight months).

    Heat

    • Gilts and sows (old female hogs) are in heat (estrus) for two or three days each 21-day cycle. Signs that gilts and sows are in heat include an enlarged vulva, mucuslike or bloody vaginal discharge, frequent urination and restlessness.

    Health

    • At the time of servicing, the gilt or sow should be in good health and not overweight.

    Culling

    • A sow should be culled (no longer bred) when she has two consecutive small litters (fewer than eight offspring). This may occur with the fifth or sixth servicing.