My TWO AGH gilts are -- update new piglets!!

Aww...very cute.

So glad this litter went well for you.

Love piglets!

Congrats on the litter! A healthy bunch of babies sure helps the disappointment of loss. They sure are cuties!

Glad that you got one good litter out of the deal. As you say, future breeding is up for thought. As far as breeding back, i never was in a hurry to get them bred back as I had 12 so they all pigged 2 x a year. That meant putting them back with the boar at 6-8 weeks fresh. By then the pigs were ready to go also, so they would be getting a break from nursing, and as soon as the pigs were off, it seemed to trigger them to come into heat, although I would see heats before that too. I am sure others have done it differently. I think some of the commercial farms get the pigs weaned alot sooner and on feed and the sows bred back at 3 weeks fresh or there abouts. If you are thinking of breeding back and can borrow a boar somewhere, I would try breeding the one that lost her pigs and see what happens., she just might do better by herself and if not, then sausage...obviously it is not a genetic problem with a small litter since her sister did so good. 9 pigs is a real nice litter for a 1st time gilt.
Also, they make an eartag for pigs, it is more like a button with a very small "tag" part. You can also just earnotch them like the registered breeders do so that you can tell them apart. Surprisingly, they will develop personalities and you will be able to tell alot of them apart just by their personalities.

Thanks. , Jan.... I just hate notches & tags, although a small button tag on these upright ear wouldn't be a terrible issue. Have all the stuff to do it -- lotta meat goats years back.

They DO have personalities and there used to be a more noticeable difference in their size (thus Tiny)...but, have gotten so very close in size that there's only a little shorter body on Tiny. Hard to notice running along. These AGHs are pretty consistent in build & size plus RARELY have a tiny spot on a foot.

I can sure say they are a non-aggressive, quieter breed. Yes, they can hurt you if they bite (WOW one yawned & I thought it was a shark!) But they have never shown any attack issues, are gentle with the babies letting me pick them up, handle, etc.

The first gilts litter being randomly dropped is strange & I still feel either the sister made her upset OR possibly there was a predator in the area. Do have some occasional fox and of late I have had a juvenile skunk make itself known, saw it last night but not by the pigs.

IF rebred, I'd consider renting a boar from another. Easier to have "all the babies at once" in the sense of getting it over with -- kinda like cows being on calving schedules. But that feed costs $$$ and you need a return working.

Love those little piggies!

Sooo cute!!!