Preliminary Study on Sexual Behavior of Socially Dominant and Subordinate Boards in a Seminatural Environment

Abstract

The objective of this preliminary study was to determine whether domestic pig social dominance confers later reproductive success. Two seminatural environments were established with a feeder, shaded pond, shelter and 2 acres of ground cover with alfalfa. Four prepuberal (2 males and 2 females) "resident" pigs were placed on the fields after the post-weaning dominance order was established. Pigs on one field showed a very stable dominance order, while the other field's dominance order was more volatile. Later, additional estrous gilts were brought to each field to determine which boar(s) bred each gilt. Boars shared estrous gilts, that is, both boars on each field bred estrous gilts. Fathership of litters from resident gilts was also shared by both boars on each field. Certain males which were socially dominant mounted estrous gilts more frequently. But all boars shared breedings of estrous gilts and paternity of litters.