Author Question: Why has the practice of artificial insemination increased in popularity? What will be an ideal ... (Read 37 times)

roselinechinyere27m · **on:** Jul 21, 2018

Why has the practice of artificial insemination increased in popularity?

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

What are the five advantages that wean-to-finish production has over traditional nursery-finishing production?

What will be an ideal response?

ryansturges · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 21, 2018

Answer to Question 1

The reasons why artificial insemination has become more popular include:

1 . Improved breeding facilities and management skills have made AI possible for all producers.
2 . Long-life semen extenders and low-cost, rapid delivery methods have made it possible to obtain and store semen for 5-7 days before it is used.
3 . Modern methods of genetic evaluation have made it easier to identify superior genetics, and AI has made it possible to maximize use of better quality boars on more females.
4 . Production systems that require large groups of pigs with minimum age spread are possible because larger groups of females can be bred in a shorter time period than would be possible with hand mating.
5 . Use of AI lowers disease risk and improves health of swine herds by eliminating the need for continuous introduction of new animals into the herd.

Answer to Question 2

The advantages that wean-to-finish production have over traditional nursery-finishing production include:

1 . Reduced transportation costs through fewer moves and less labor to move pigs
2 . Reduced labor for power washing and disinfecting between groups
3 . Reduced stress of moving and commingling of pigs, resulting in improved average daily gain and feed efficiency
4 . Increased flexibility in facilities because finishing buildings are easier to modify than nurseries
5 . Reduced downtime between groups