PIC BOAR STUD MANAGEMENT MANUAL
Contents
1. 25 SEME 26 DISA leng SE nterne ee 26 Semen Cooling and Packing of Cooled DOSES n 27 Semen Shipping and Transport 27 PART 12 LABORATORY QUALITY CONTROL nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnannnnnnnnnns 28 PART 13 PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT AND TRAINING 1x 211x 32 PART 14 KEY PERFORMANCE 0 4 4 33 PART 15 PRODUCTION BENCHMARKS 1xx xxsssssssssiisieaia siii WAA NARA 34 PART 16 BOAR LIFE AND REPLACEMENT RATE xx x1srssxsssssiseana 36 TEE ER APPENDIX A NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS FOR SWINE ennneennnnnnannnss 38 APPENDIX B PIC MINIMUM DIET SPECIFICATIONS AND EXAMPLE BOAR DIE EE 39 APPENDIX C AUTOMATED COLLECTION SYSTEMS STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONSIEORIUSE amaan ka a ue ku dik SUWAR ME nautis demand menu samma ime 40 APPENDIX D PACKAGING SEMEN DOSES FOR SHIPMENT USING DO WB 040010 2 42 APPENDIX E EXTENDER PREPARATION2. 40 50 22000 23000 Sh Of Max CFM 10056 2556 DORA BB Be 75 6856 54 46 25 m _ wg 55 23000 24000 Controller setting Motor curves correspond to different fan sizes and are defined as the relationship between the voltages supplied to the motor and the resulting RPM Incorrect matching of motor curve and fan size may either burn fans up or cause inaccurate fan speeds Le a 60 fan speed setting results in 90 fan speed Instances in which air exchange rates increase including rising outside temperatures a change in season and increased heat production due to boar activity moderate changes in ventilation should be made Avoid increases of 2x more CFM Providing an optimal environment for boars requires multiple aspects to operate together As the total number of CFM increases the following must be considered e Each in of ceiling inlet provides 4 5 CFM e Each in of eave inlet provides 2 5 CFM If the system doesn t have the proper number of inlets open and the proper amount of attic inlet the air will not effectively flow into the barn no matter how many fans are running Water in the form of dripper systems or evaporative cooling can be used for cooling the animals However the production of extra water in the air and on the floor creates risks such as elevated barn humidity lameness and bacterial growth So when these cooling methods are used minimum ventilati
3. DAI NEVER STOP IMPROVING 33 PART 15 gt gt gt gt PRODUCTION BENCHMARKS Few studies have investigated the timeline for when the semen quality of an Al boar begins to deteriorate Research Wolf and Smital 2009 suggests that semen volume total soerm number and functional sperm reach their maximum by the time a boar is 2 years old Soerm concentration increases until 11 months of age followed by a decrease in concentration until boars are 3 years old The percentage of abnormal sperm increases with time from 8 to 48 months of age Motility however steadily decreases with time but only by a 1 decrease 34 PART 15 PRODUCTION BENCHMARKS FIGURE 4 VIABLE CELLS PER EJACULATE PER LINE 2 3 Wi ar ec KE LW Kc d ku k r E gt Week of production Estimates for sperm cell and dose production for PIC lines can be made based on data from owned affiliate user group and customer boar studs Figures 4 6 Tables 16 17 TABLE 16 VIABLE CELLS PER EJACULATE BY GENETIC LINE AND PRODUCTION WEEKS LINE W1 5 W6 10 W11 15 W16 20 W21 25 W26 30 W31 35 W36 40 W41 45 2 35 0 46 1 53 8 58 2 60 0 62 0 63 2 64 6 64 8 3 309 3 47 5 53 3 57 4 59 8 59 9 61 0 61 2 61 0 15 34 7 43 5 50 4 56 0 58 8 60 3 62 1 63 6 64 3 19 36 5 47 4 55 4 60 3 62 5 64 0 65 7 64 6 66 5 27 28 6 42 3 DIS 56 7 60 0 61 6 62 6 63 7 65 1 65 26 8 44 2 52 3 57 5 61 4 63 5 65 5 66 6 67 2 359
4. 1400 1450 1500 1550 1600 1650 1700 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000 2050 2100 2150 2200 2250 2300 2350 2400 2450 2500 50 G KG OF WATER Extender Volume Waterto to add L or kg add kg 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 GU 2550 2600 2650 2700 2750 2800 2850 2900 2950 3000 3050 3100 3150 3200 3250 3300 3350 3400 3450 3500 3550 3600 3650 3700 3750 TUB 5KG Extender Volume Water to L or kg add kg 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 Extender to add 9 3800 3850 3900 3950 4000 4050 4100 4150 4200 4250 4300 4350 4400 4450 4500 4550 4600 4650 4700 4750 4800 4850 4900 4950 5000 45 Appendix E gt gt gt gt WATER SAMPLE PREPARATION FOR THIRD PARTY ANALYSIS developed by G Althouse J Morales and B Thompson 1 Water samples should be collected into a sterile Whirl Pak bag and sealed immediately after collection a Put on disposable gloves before sampling b Wipe the outer surface of the faucet with lint free tissue lightly sorayed with 70 alcohol be sure it is not saturated Lightly insert the tissue into the end
5. 43 APPENDIX F WATER SAMPLE PREPARATION FOR THIRD PARTY ANALYSIS 44 APPENDIX G ACCURACY OF PIPETTING AND SEMEN CONCENTRATION EVAEUATION EE 45 APPENDIX H USE OF REFRACTOMETERS FOR SEMEN EXTENDER GOUNG 46 APPENDIX I CHECKLISTS Ce 47 PART 1 gt gt gt gt GENERAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE BOAR S REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM SPERM PRODUCTION The process of boar sperm cell and testicular development starts in utero Once born reproductive behavior may begin as early as 1 month of age The boar will experience increased semen production at 6 months see Table 1 TABLE 1 PROCESS OF BOAR MATURATION MATURATION PROCESS Fetus d 20 40 gestation Germ cell division and differentiation Fetus d 60 gestation Testicular dissension from the abdomen into the scrotum 1 2 months Mounting behavior displayed 3 months 2nd germ cell division and increase in testes to body weight ratio 4 months Sperm appear in seminiferous tubules and erections can occur 5 months Puberty begins and sperm appear in ejaculate 6 18 months Testes size semen concentration and ejaculate volume increases gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt 9 999999999999999999997 gt NEVER STOP IMPROVING PICTURE 1 FLOW OF The testes are responsible for the production of sperm and testosterone SPERM PRODUCTION Sperm
6. 22 20 Riboflavin mg lb 1 7 4 4 5 d Panthothenate mg Ib 5 5 12 15 Vitamin B 12 mcg Ib 15 20 17 Folic Acid mcg Ib 591 0 750 d Biotin mcg Ib 91 0 250 Thiamine mg Ib 0 5 0 1 Pyridoxide mg Ib 0 5 0 1 5 Zinc ppm 100 165 125 Iron ppm 100 165 100 Manganese ppm 20 30 50 Copper ppm 5 16 15 lodine ppm 0 5 0 3 0 65 Selenium ppm 0 3 0 3 0 3 NRC Nutrient Requirements of Swine NSNG National Swine Nutrition Guide Appendix B gt gt gt gt PIC DIET SPECIFICATIONS AND EXAMPLE BOAR DIET MINIMUM DIET SPECIFICATIONS NRC ME Kcal Ib 1400 Protein 16 Fiber 4 5 to 6 0 SID lysine 0 62 Calcium 0 80 aPhosphorus 0 40 Added salt 0 45 Linoleic acid 1 90 Amount ib of complete diet SID Standardized ileal digestible a available EXAMPLE BOAR STUD DIET INGREDIENT PERCENT Corn 69 32 Soybean Meal 2 62 SID Lysine 13 75 Soybean Oil 1 00 Monocalcium Phosphate 21 P 1 10 Limestone 1 20 Salt 0 45 Lysine HCl 0 11 DL Methionine 0 02 L Theronine 0 05 Soy Hulls 12 50 PIC Boar Stud VTM Phystase 0 50 100 gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt P gt gt gt P gt gt gt P gt gt PP gt PP DPD NEVER STOP IMPROVING 41 Appendix C gt gt gt gt STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING AN AUTOMATED COLLECTION SYSTEM 1 Prepare the artificial cervix AC by placing it through the ring 2 Squeeze the preputial diverticulum and wrapp
7. P gt P gt PPPPPP PPD NEVER STOP IMPROVING 43 Appendix D gt gt gt gt PACKAGING SEMEN DOSES FOR SHIPMENT USING DOUBLE COOLERS 1 Prepare liners and coolers 2 Layer doses inside Thermalast 3 Add a room temperature bag within inner cooler gel pack 4 Put on the lid and seal 5 Wrap inner cooler with 6 Put inner cooler inside outer with tape Thermalast bag cooler and add gel packs warm or cool depending On season 7 Put on the lid and seal 8 Place in box for shipping with tape Appendix E gt gt gt gt EXTENDER PREPARATION GUIDE EXTENDER XXX Extender Extender Volume Waterto to add L orkg add kg 1 o N DUM BW N 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 O CON DU A W N gt N N N RS N KI gt E Soa E IE IS vi A W N gt O O 0 N On VI BB Ww N gt O GU 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700 750 800 850 900 950 1000 1050 1100 1150 1200 1250 MANUFACTURER S RATIO Extender Volume Water to Lor kg add kg 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt P gt gt P gt gt gt P gt gt PP PPP PPD NEVER STOP IMPROVING 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Extender Extender to add 9 1300 1350
8. Stud personnel that work directly with the boars should be trained on animal movement and handling as well as safety e Lab personnel should be trained by an employee with multiple years of experience or through a third party training program A induction plan covering all jobs semen evaluation extender mixing machines etc should be in place e Employee standardization should be conducted once per quarter with intense cross referencing of lab employees in terms of slide prep semen assessment and other lab functions H manual semen evaluation is done exact morphology evaluation of 100 single cells in one ejaculate to define the percentage of normal cells in the ejaculate from several borderlined ejaculates after production can help to improve the lab employee s skills 32 PART 14 gt gt gt gt KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS _ eh j n e h Wm Wd 40 As in sow farms boar studs should track parameters that are indicative of boar performance and semen quality Table 15 reflects key performance indicators studs should record and review on a weekly basis TABLE 15 Total sperm per ejaculate gt 30 billion Collections per boar per week 1 2 Untrainable boars lt 3 0 Prostaglandin use lt 1 5 Trashed collections lt 6 Unused doses lt 5 Boar morality lt 5 Boars not in production lame ill etc lt 5 Dependent on season and breed
9. device is calibrated Use a pipette to put a drop extender on the blue measurement area It is important that the whole area is covered with fluid Look trough the ocular and read the brix value If the value is out of range more than 0 2 make sure that your refractometer is calibrated and used in the right way then repeat the measurement In case the extender stands out of range do not use it for semen preservation and prepare a new vat Critical points e Refractometer should be calibrated regular e Brix value can change if extender has changed or other ingredients are added e Brix value can change if water quality changes e Measurement should be done at similar extender temperatures every time e The whole blue measurement area has to be covered with fluid Appendix gt gt gt gt CHECKLISTS Critical control points semen dose concentration e Measurement Scale calibration Pipette calibration Handling pipette eS CV Mixing prior sampling Calibration photometer settings CASA system Correct sample dilution Clean cuvette measurement chamber Cuvette measurement chamber without air bubbles Impurities ejaculate blood germs dust particles e Processing Accuracy of dilution Mixing prior during filling process Dose Volume Critical control points bacterial contamination e Barn No preputial infections Boars preputial hair trimmed Boars are cleaned prior collection dirt brushed down Preputium squeezed empt
10. gt DAILY CARE AND MANAGEMENT When transferred to the barn boars should be placed by line and then by age Keep young boars grouped together and avoid mixing them in with older boars Barns should be walked daily by the manager or an assigned technician Some key things to note e Look for boars that did not clean up their feed e Get boars up every day at feeding to observe for lameness e Also watch for any coughing or signs of respiratory problems Consult with your veterinarian for suggested treatment protocols Records should be kept for any boars that are treated or off feed AAA NEVER STOP IMPROVING PART 4 gt gt gt gt BARN MANAGEMENT xn Note These recommendations pertain to both the isolation facility and the main stud Boars are typically quiet animals however it s imperative that stud staff take every precaution to prevent unnecessary risks when training sampling treating walking and collecting the animals When taking boars to and from the collection area walk behind the boars and use a sorting board See Part 10 Welfare and Health for more information Especially on busy collection days a system should be in place to organize the boar movement and avoid clashes PART 4 BARN MANAGEMENT CLIMATE CONTROL The optimal barn temperature for sperm production is 61 64 F 16 18 C Hot temperatures can affect semen guality negative up to 8 weeks after exposure Ejaculate trash rates can rise
11. of semen produced by the boar and the genetic value of the boar compared to its potential replacement to objectively determine the optimum time a boar should remain in stud There are two models of OBL that accommodate integrated customers that own both a boar stud s and breeding sows and also a gene transfer center model that is specifically for customers who own a boar stud and sell semen This negates the need for target replacement rates and provides objective metrics based on accurate real time information Please contact Genetic Services at PIC for more information on OBL and its use in your system PIC Te A REFERENCES American Association for Swine Veterinarians and National Pork Board On farm Euthanasia for Swine Recommendations for the Producer Des Moines IA 2009 ASTM International 1991 D1193 Standard Specification for Reagent Grade Water Retrieved November 2012 from http Awww astm org Kennedy B W and J N Wilkins 1984 Boar breed and environmental factors influencing semen characteristics of boar used in artificial insemination Can J Anim Sci 64 833 843 Knox R 2003 The Anatomy and Physiology of Sperm Production in Boars Louis G F A J Lewis W C Weldon P S Miller R J Kittok and W W Stroup 1994 The effect of protein intake on boar libido semen characteristics and plasma hormone concentrations J Anim Sci 72 2038 2050 McNitt J 1 and N L First 1970 Effects of 72 hour
12. of the faucet Wait 30 seconds for the alcohol to evaporate c Allow the RO water to run for 3 minutes to completely flush the lines d Open the Whirl Pak and collect the sample mid stream from the flow e Sample both faucets with the same technique 2 Diluted extender sampling a The individual who weighs and adds the extender to the water should wear a N95 mask and use disposable gloves when working with the extender powder b Use a similar technique with an alcohol wipe on the tubing from the peristaltic pump Wipe the outer surface of the tubing connecting to the Auto diluter and swab the inside of the tubing Allow time for the alcohol to dry c Collect approximately 1 liter of diluted extender into a container Decrease the flow and free catch a sample into a Whirl Pak seal immediately Appendix G gt gt gt gt ACCURACY OF PIPETTING AND SEMEN CONCENTRATION EVALUATION INFLUENCES MEASURES Know how e Mixing e Pipetting e Hardware Training e Personal instructions e Repeated Control e Hardware maintainence e Pipetting accuracy e Accuracy of measurments e Reference method TESTING PIPETTING ACCURACY Desired value DV 9 7 9 7 9 3 9 5 a e T CV Coefficient of Variation SD 00 9 8 KE 9 9 9 6 9 9 eS Systematic error MW DV 100 0 9 4 DV MW 9 7 SD 0 2 CV 2 es 3 40 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 In the shown example the standard deviation is 0 2 or 2 The systematic
13. that disease has been introduced It is recommended that the boar stud manager notify their veterinarian if clinical disease and or deaths occur How to test whether boars can be released into the stud Test a statistical sample of the boars within 7 days of arrival e Test 100 of the isolated boars serologically for PRRS at the end of the quarantine period prior to release of animals to the stud Use both ELISA individual and PCR pooled by five methods Ensure the diagnostic laboratory runs the PCR prior to the ELISA to avoid contamination e The population must be determined to be negative by the veterinarian prior to entry into the main stud e See Part 10 Welfare and Health for additional details on testing in isolation Note Specific disease testing requirements will vary by country and region state Consult your veterinarian Boars should be isolated upon delivery from the source farm per the PIC sales agreement Conditions of Sale PIC will inform the stud of any significant change in the health status of the PIC source herd The stud or its veterinarian will be provided with the results of blood tests performed on the source farm for the boars that are destined to be placed into the quarantine facility on request Do not move boars from the isolation into the main stud if PIC notifies you of a health concern in the source herd or if the isolation facility is experiencing a clinical outbreak of any disease PART 3 gt gt gt
14. up to 20 while hot periods Misters atomizers evaporative cooling and air conditioning are used to control barn temperatures but care must be taken to avoid creating a wet environment Each barn should feature adeguate ventilation and air movement to reduce ammonia and odor levels while maintaining acceptable ambient temperatures for both the boars and barn personnel See Part 5 Ventilation and Air Flow for more information Crate backing should consist of open bars not solid panels to allow for adeguate air movement and optimum temperature around the testicles Boars consume 1 5 2 gallons 5 6 7 8 L per day on average so maintain a minimum water flow rate of about 1 guart per minute It s imperative to measure your flow rate once per guarter increasing to once a week during the summer months to ensure the boars have sufficient access to water Failure to maintain adeguate water flow puts the animals at risk of tissue water depletion and dehydration Make sure that every water nipple is working Chemical testing of the water should also be performed to check impurity mineral and bacteria levels twice per year Your local municipality may reguire more freguent testing Check to ensure that there is NO stray voltage flowing through water lines and equipment When entering and exiting the isolation facility each animal should be walked through a foot bath containing a copper sulfate solution In the stud boars should be walked thro
15. 04 Kennedy and Wilkins 1984 Two months Two months Rest 2 weeks Variable lt depends on severity of the restriction NA Time needed to achieve maturity PART 5 gt gt gt gt VENTILATION AND AIR FLOW I ML 4 a A EF ee n a GC luca SEN Kl a ma Wat Sa Miao Se om n E l S A wh E E a i GW A A Xx 7 A U N i i op ERTA E SR a W e s es A Ge Ge Ge ech Se d MASS It s critical to maintain the right environmental conditions for boars for several reasons e Optimized sperm cell and quality semen production e Regulation of daily maintenance feed requirements e Control of bacterial growth within the environment and e Promoting health and minimizing lameness The goal of a ventilation program is to achieve desired room temperature DRT and humidity to create comfort DRT refers to the optimal temperature for boar comfort within a given environment Adjustments must be made to DRTs to account for different environments such as flooring and building type e Different DRTs have an associated set point the point at which variable stage fans increase speed considering variable environments flooring building type etc in order to achieve maximum boar comfort gt gt gt NEVER srop PROVING 9 Table 3 shows recommended conditions for various scenarios exce
16. 30 2 47 1 57 9 66 6 70 8 74 3 76 0 77 3 195 380 41 6 52 0 60 2 65 4 69 1 71 3 72 5 73 7 75 1 gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt P NEVER STOP IMPROVING 35 FIGURE 5 DOSES PER EJACULATE PER LINE s i 5 U m 27 65 350 zz AB Ef 30 10 Doses per ejaculate 2 5 billion viable 210 mos 10 127 mos 12 mos Ape category TABLE 17 AVERAGE NUMBER OF DOSES PER COLLECTION BY AGE AND GENETIC LINE ASSUMING DOSES OF 2 5 BILLION VIABLE SPERM CELLS AND AN AVERAGE OF 1 2 COLLECTIONS PER WEEK OVER THE BOAR S LIFETIME 10 12 MOS 2 16 2 22 2 25 1 3 17 4 22 1 24 2 15 15 6 21 1 24 7 19 16 8 23 0 25 8 27 14 2 21 4 25 0 65 14 2 21 8 25 8 359 18 0 24 6 30 1 380 18 7 24 9 28 8 PART 15 PRODUCTION BENCHMARKS FIGURE 6 PIC SIRELINE MAKEUP L15 2 7 L65 L62 _ L358 MD ajab PIC 280 PIC 8 0 PIC 325 Vie Sg PIC 359 0 TD PIC 362 CH PIC 380 PIC 410 NEVER STOP IMPROVING 37 PART 16 gt gt gt gt BOAR LIFE AND REPLACEMENT RATE Over the past few years PIC in association with university economists has developed an economic model to determine the optimum time to cull a boar in a boar stud Optimum Boar Life OBL uses customized cost inputs from studs housing feeding purchase price isolation costs royalties etc and projected revenues the value of the doses
17. 65 4 9 5 4 5 9 7 1 365 399 166 181 5 6 6 1 6 7 8 400 449 181 203 6 4 7 1 1 9 2 450 499 204 226 6 9 7 6 8 3 10 500 227 7 6 8 4 91 10 9 PART 11 gt gt LABORATORY MANAGEMENT Additional best practices to follow e Lab personnel should wear lab coats and hairnets Hand cleaning and disinfection prior to lab access should be obligatory e No eating or smoking in the lab e Clean countertops with a bleach solution as soon as production is finished for the day e The filling machines should be cleaned after every production day following the manufacturer instructions e Rinse hoses with deionized DEI water soaked them in alcohol and then re rinse and hang to dry before the next production day e Avoid touching any surface that gets in contact with semen during processing pipette tips inner side of bags etc e The lab should be designed to promote efficiency in processing semen Figure 3 gt gt gt gt gt NEVER STOP IMPROVING 23 FIGURE 3 FLOW OF THE LABORATORY WATER OUALITY Purified water is the largest component of a dose of semen therefore water guality and monitoring are paramount You may purchase purified water the best option for fewer than 100 boars or install a water purification system in the stud The cost can be variable depending upon the guality and the origin of the water source Daily monitoring of the water is reguired to ensure consistent guality Many studs in the Unite
18. AND 0 44 3 PART 3 GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF 00 4 5 PART 4 BARN MANAGEMENT GE een 6 PART 5 VENTILATION AND AIR FLOW 9 PART 6 BODY CONDITION cc onan d 13 PART 7 FEEDING AND NUTRITI ON E 14 PART 8 TRAINING gege eer 16 Training for Manual Collection e Qq gt LL 16 Training Using an Automated Collection System 17 PARK 9 BOAR COLLECTION aeda somm EE 18 PART 10 WELFARE AND 20 Body Temperature and Appetite ii 20 gheet PM E EE 21 neee EE 21 Fel cali SURO eel MRE L thanasia i Hb n A 22 rn LE ER PART 11 LABORATORY MANAGEMENT eeonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnni 23 WES TOUA SO in 24 SSME N ANVE een 24 SSTA MISS 25 Ces VANAS E
19. CFU Colony forming units EU Endotoxin units have a warming cabinet set to 98 F 37 C to pre warm the collection cups prior to collection The pass through window should be designed as a sluice system Only one of TABLE 10 SPECIFICATIONS FOR IN LAB WATER OUALITY WATER OUALITY SPECIFICATIONS Bacteriology lt 1 cfu mL the two windows should be Purity inorganics 18 MO 77 F 25 C opened at GE To avoid the barn s contaminated air from SSIS cr Colony forming units flowing into the lab it should b illi SC TOC gt 50 ppb R Sr be run on positive pressure pH 681572 electrical resistance The pass through chamber has i TOC Total organic carbon to be cleaned and disinfected after every production day PART 11 LABORATORY MANAGEMENT Likewise if the stud uses a pneumatic tube delivery system it too should have a warming cabinet close to the collection area Avoid placing extender vats or semen processing close to the semen arrival Other best practices e The ejaculate of the boars must be clearly identified by boar ID and genetics e Never bring dirty containers into the pass through window e The lab technicians should be immediately advised when an ejaculate enters the pass through window The ejaculate should be properly evaluated and extended within 10 minutes of arrival SEMEN ASSESSMENT When the semen arrives at the lab first examine its color and odor to determine if blood and o
20. FPM is much more practical in minimum ventilation stages e Routinely evaluate air speed from inlets to assure proper mixing of air within the barn Supplemental heaters are required to control lower temperatures and are essential in emergency situations e Set the heater s to turn on at a minimum of 2 degrees below the set point for increasing variable fan speeds For example if the heater set point is 70 F 21 C then heaters turn on at 67 F 18 C e If the heaters are set too close to the temperature set point excessive amounts of liquid propane or natural gas will be used Fan staging is designed to keep the building as close to the DRT as possible without causing major temperature variations Fan staging removes heat and humidity as the barn warms through increasing CFM Fan speed does not equal CFM i e 50 fan speed does not equal 50 CFM Therefore it s important to understand the relationship between variable fan performance and fan exhaustion rate see Figure 2 PART 5 VENTILATION AND AIR FLOW FIGURE 2 TABLE 4 ESTIMATIONS OF CFM BY FAN SIZE E Variable Fan Performance FAN SIZE au CFM OUTPUT E 110 INCHES WITH CONE 100 4 nek _ ja geet 10 1100 1200 ZO 12 1500 1600 E co BO E 18 3500 3600 Ce yA ES 24 5700 6000 di SE 2 30 36 9700 10000 i TT TT TT TT T TT TT TT TT 48 17000 18000 100955 90 8650 80 755 70 pe 603 559 500 455
21. IONIZING TANKS FOR WATER SYSTEM PURE WATER ANALYSIS If your stud has a pure water system Pictures 6 10 you must establish a verification process to ensure all components are operating properly The freguency of water analysis is dependent on the starting guality of the water and the source i e well WEB water Carbon and sand filters should be used to capture gross particles This eguipment is functional for gt 500 K gallons of water Check these filters every guarter Monitor the salt levels in the water softener Picture 6 to ensure the proper ratio of water used per gallon of soft water produced The reverse osmosis RO machine needs to be serviced once or twice a year replacing cartridges and filters The use of RO meters and test strips can be used to locally monitor water produced by the pure water system example in picture 7 is manufactured by Myron L Company DEI tanks must work in pairs and need to be replaced twice a year Picture 8 If the system has indicator lights that change from green to red this means you have a one week window of time to replace the depleted tank The pair of tanks operate in the working and polishing positions The tank that is depleted is the one in the working position when the replacement tank arrives the existing good tank goes from the polishing to the working position and the new tank goes to the polishing position The 0 25 micron system and UV lamp should be change
22. PIC 2015 PIC BOAR STUD MANAGEMENT MANUAL WELCOME TO THE 2015 EDITION OF THE PIC BOAR STUD MANAGEMENT MANUAL We re pleased to present the 2015 edition of the PIC Boar Stud Management Manual This updated content reflects the emerging challenges you face and the advances we are bringing to this ever changing landscape Now more than ever your business demands new technologies that not only facilitate the production of top quality highly consistent semen but also ensure the health and well being of the boars in your care At PIC we continue to improve boar breeding in ways that help you meet challenging production targets and safeguard the food supply Count on us as your partner to continually seek out and deliver new knowledge that keeps you globally competitive This manual is designed to not only educate your new employees but also challenge more experienced personnel to reevaluate barn and lab processes Topics include e Sperm Production and Collection e Barn Management e Laboratory Management Feeding 8 Nutrition e Welfare 8 Health e Key Performance Indicators e Boar Life amp Replacement Rate We hope you find this manual helpful If you have any guestions please contact your PIC representative TABLE OF CONTENTS PART 1 GENERAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE BOAR S REPRODUCIIVESVSTEM en geet keka s e n GE Ru HE AWE Hen EMANA Ru WA SAROK SU RE anne 1 PART 2 ISOLATION
23. ays collect boars until they have finished ejaculation gel fraction of ejaculate See Appendix C for instructions with photos gt gt gt NEVER sToP nom 17 PART 9 gt gt gt gt BOAR SEMEN COLLECTION The boar should always be brought into the warm up area first to be properly prepared for collection Here the boar sheath will be cleaned and the preputial diverticulum emptied of its contents The hair around the sheath should be trimmed periodically Hygiene must be maintained during collection to limit bacterial contamination Preferably staff should double up on gloves Prepare your collection vessels one day in advance and store them in a clean sealed hygienic warmed 98 F 37 C area until use Collection vessels should only be prepared in a clean and disinfected environment like the lab Once mounted on the dummy the boar will make attempts to unsheathe the penis With a clean double gloved hand the collector will catch and hold the glans penis corkscrew and follow the movement of the boar until he is locked Besides blood tests it is important to make daily observations and perform post mortem exams on any animals that die in isolation Gross lesions and or signs of illness such as coughing diarrhea and lethargy may warrant further tests PART 9 BOAR SEMEN COLLECTION The boar ejaculate has 4 fractions e Pre sperm e Sperm rich e Post sperm Gelatinous boar plug Avoid collecting th
24. cess from the time the semen arrives in the window to dispensing doses should take 20 minutes SEMEN COOLING AND PACKAGING OF COOLED DOSES Cool rooms are used for storing and cooling the semen prior to dispatch Temperatures here should be maintained at 59 63 F 15 17 C with a stir fan used to ensure air circulation Record daily high and low temperatures in the cool room Wire shelves or bakers trolleys are used to move store and cool the semen The design of these units provides optimal flow of cool air and a more uniform cooling of the semen doses The doses need to drop from the extension temperature 95 F or 35 C to the preservation temperature 59 63 F or 15 17 C With the use of modern extenders doses can be immediately moved to the cool room Semen should be cooled for four hours prior to dispatch This is especially important for semen being shipped in a double boxed Styrofoam cooler combination as these coolers maintain a constant temperature in shipping Semen for external shipping should be packaged and sealed inside a controlled 63 F or 17 C environment Temperature loggers can be used to monitor temperatures in transit but the key to successful shipping is to fully cool the semen prior to packaging SEMEN SHIPPING AND TRANSPORT Semen shipped via an external courier such as UPS or FedEx should be packaged into a double boxed Styrofoam cooler and be delivered Next Day Air Again semen for external shipping s
25. d States use a Myron L 250 Il device to monitor Megaohms MO and have this mounted in the lab for an immediate visual indicator TABLE 8 PARAMETERS FOR WATER GRADES AND SPECIFICATIONS PARAMETER TYPE IL TYPE UM etc Reagent water grades and Electrical conductivity max uS cm at 298 K 25 C 0 056 1 0 0 25 5 0 specifications microbiological Electrical resistivity min Q cm at 298 K 25 C 18 0 1 0 4 0 0 2 contamination levels and pH at 298 K 25 C A A A 01980 Water quality specifications Total organic carbon TOC max ug L 50 50 200 No Limit should be on hand for in lab Sodium max ug L 1 5 10 50 use Tables 8 10 ASTM 1991 Chlorides max pg L 1 5 10 50 Pure water systems installed Total silica max ug L 3 3 500 No Limit in boar studs are designed to produce water between A The measurement of pH in Type II and III reagent waters has been eliminated from Type I and Type III grades this specification because these grades of water do not contain constituents in sufficient If the water samples do not quantity to significantly alter the pH meet these specifications an extensive analysis should be performed to correct the TABLE 9 TYPES OF MICROBIOLOGICAL CONTAMINATION problem PARAMETER TYPE B TYPE C Max heterotrophic btn SE 10 1000 mL 10 100 mL 100 10 mL SEMEN ARRIVAL Cfua mL 0 01 0 1 10 A stud that features a pass Endotoxin EU ml 0 03 0 25 NA through window from the barn into the lab should
26. d every year Pictures 9 10 PICTURE 9 MICRON PICTURE 10 SYSTEM EXAMPLE OF A UV LAMP PART 12 LABORATORY OUALITY CONTROL Water lines from the UV lamp to the water outlets in the lab should be sanitized every month to control parafilm bacteria Sanitize the water lines and faucet outlets in the lab using a laundry bleach solution according to the manufacturers guidelines Soak the hoses overnight and then thoroughly rinse them out Review the whole system weekly for possible water leaks There are many guality control measures in the lab It s helpful to post a checklist of measurements see Table 14 prominently in the lab with the name of the person responsible for each task TABLE 14 THE TABLE PROVIDES A CONCISE SUMMARY OF THIRD PARTY ANALYSIS THE QUALITY CONTROL MEASURES AND THE FREQUENCY ASSESSMENT To ensure the extended dose of QC MEASURE FREQUENCY semen meets minimum quality standards a rigid monthly Motility rechecks Days 1 3 and 5 assessment of the diluted extender Conductivity Each extender batch water and extended semen doses Disposable materials New lot numbers or products needs to be performed Scale calibration Weekly M Establish a program to periodically JG SU DEL monitor the overall guality of the Infrared thermometer calibration Yearly semen doses produced in the stud RO machine Replace filter 2x per year This consists of sending a random DEI tanks Replace 2x per year set of extended semen doses for l 7 quali
27. e This can be fixed by Increasing minimum ventilation rates Assuring proper airspeed from inlets Increasing barn temperature until the floors are properly dried e A decrease in RPM and exhaustive output as a result of slipping fans can be detected by measuring the temperature of the pulley with an infrared thermometer A thermometer reading of 7 degrees warmer than room temp indicates a slipping belt e Make sure that ventilation does not cause high air flow from the boar housing to the collection area in order to avoid contamination of the ejaculate during collection Additionally high air flow makes collection personnel and boars feel uncomfortable Body condition affects libido semen production and the animal s ability to jump on the collection dummy The target body condition for 90 of boars in stud is normal At normal body condition it is possible to feel the backbone with firm palm pressure but not to see it especially near the tail See Pictures 3 through 5 to compare body types PICTURE 3 PICTURE 4 PICTURE 5 THIN BODY CONDITION NORMAL BODY CONDITION FAT BODY CONDITION gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt 99 999999999999 gt 9 NEVER STOP IMPROVING 13 PART 7 FEEDING AND NUTRITION Boars in normal body condition 5 6 Ibs 2 3 2 7 kgs should be fed once per day Adjust appropriately to meet the target body condition see Part 6 Body Condi
28. e pre sperm fraction into the cup This is typically a clear emission that contains urine and bacteria Hold the penis with the tip slightly elevated to avoid preputial fluid running down the penis into semen collection vessel Allow 1 2 cm of the penis to extend beyond the gloved hand Alternatively open the last finger to allow a free flow of semen The sperm rich fraction follows the pre sperm fraction start collection at this point continuing until he completes the ejaculation Typically this process takes 8 10 minutes with some individual boars taking longer Collect semen into a clean disposable container such as a polyethylene bag Styrofoam cup etc All methods should be filtered to remove the gelatin material Avoid placing the semen collection vessel on the floor which could cause contamination After collection the filter should be removed from the bag in the barn and kept out of the lab Do not squeeze the filter to collect the last drops of semen out of it Be sure to accurately and clearly document the boar ID genetics and technician collector name and attach this information to the bag or cup that contains the ejaculate Transport semen to the lab as fast as possible Try to maintain the semen temperature by isolation All boars regardless of semen demand should be collected on a regular basis Table 6 provides a guideline for collection intervals for sire line boars Understand that individual boars and or lines may perf
29. e prior to returning to the stud Boars should be housed individually and not mixed during transfer to the main stud e All boars in isolation should be clinically monitored each day e Perform an initial statistical test on the boars within seven days of arrival and then 100 testing of the population at the end of the isolation period e For a facility that is located away from the main barn be sure to wash disinfect and dry the trailer prior to moving the boars to the stud e Prior to release of isolation animals to the stud communicate with your herd veterinarian or PIC Health Assurance to verify the current health status of the source herd e Move the boars into the stud as soon as possible after receiving negative test results e Managers may choose to train boars in isolation or in the stud Either option will work as long as the proper training protocol is in place see Part 8 Training e Record daily high and low ambient temperatures in the barn High environmental temperatures have a negative impact on semen quality With the records it could be possible to explain some drops in semen quality MONITORING AND TESTING You should record data on any animals exhibiting clinical signs or undergoing treatment Any boars that are off feed or clinically ill should have their temperature recorded and be monitored and managed on an individual basis Increasing incidence of off feed or feverish boars from one day to the next is indicative
30. ed from various sources gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt P gt gt P gt P gt gt PP NEVER STOP IMPROVING 15 PART 8 gt gt gt gt TRAINING PROCESSES TRAINING FOR MANUAL COLLECTION With respect to different lines and individuals most boars are ready to be trained at 160 days of age or above The process should start no sooner than that timeframe Identify farm staff that are willing to devote time and patience to train young boars and begin training 3 to 5 days after arrival You ll need to have a recording system is in place to track the progress of each boar Training should take no more than 4 weeks for each individual animal Before training begins adjust the height of the dummy to match the size of the young boars being trained The collection area should be draft free and have flooring with good traction PART 8 TRAINING PROCESSES The training protocol is as follows e Remove any source of distraction in the collection area e Ensure personnel safety Make sure the boar is comfortable with human contact e Squeeze the preputial diverticulum to stimulate the boar and make every effort to get the boar to pay attention to the dummy e Once the boar jumps the dummy lock the penis and collect the ejaculate e Observe any possible anatomical problems with the boar i e limp penis persistent frenulum during this process e While personn
31. el are collecting from the first boar the next boar should be placed in the warm up area to prepare for training If a boar does not show interest in jumping the dummy within 10 minutes move him to the warm up area and administer a natural prostaglandin Wait 5 or 10 minutes then return him into the collection area and retry collection e Once the boar is trained repeat the process for 3 days in a row to reinforce the learning experience e After boars complete the training their semen must be collected once per week TRAINING USING AN AUTOMATIC COLLECTION SYSTEM An automatic collection system includes an artificial cervix AC slide arm AC holder and dummy The AC mimics a sow s cervix and provides pressure to stimulate the boar The slide arm allows free back and forth movement during collection e Follow the manual collection steps outlined above for the first day of collection e On day 2 collect the first portion of the ejaculate manually for approximately 1 minute with the left hand e After 1 minute attach the penis to the automatic collection system and allow the boar to finish the collection e Repeat the process on day 3 of training Each boar will acclimate to the system in their own time Not every boar accepts automatic collection If he does not acclimate to the system after 4 weeks you should consider hand collecting him e Avoid any type of manipulation vaccination cutting teeth etc in the collection area e Alw
32. er sample with the current lot number using the same boar or pool of boars into a tube e Evaluate both tube samples on Days 1 3 and 5 for motility and morphology e To measure the effects of consumables such as gloves cut a piece from a new glove and a piece from a glove from the current lot number immerse them into semen samples from the same pools and evaluate the semen as stated above e Note Different trials have shown that not all reprotoxic effects can be detected by such in house tests SUPPLIER QUALITY CONTROL SPECIFICATIONS Request that your supplier detail all quality control regulations they have in place for consumable production For example the extender supplier should outline the protocol for the biological testing of plastic materials Also ask suppliers about ISO 9000 certification EQUIPMENT CALIBRATION Perform calibration on scales weekly pipetting techniques and heatstage temperatures monthly and infrared laser thermometers annually You ll need the following for your lab e A set of master weights e A sensitive scale readability to 0 001 g for pipette volumes for single channel air displacement pipetters and e An infrared laser thermometer calibration kit gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt 99999999299 gt gt gt 9 NEVER STOP IMPROVING 29 30 PICTURE 6 WATER SOFTENER EXAMPLE PICTURE 7 REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER METER PICTURE 8 DE
33. error is 3 4 so the measurements are too low Reasons for the systematic error could be a poor calibrated pipette wrong handling also NEVER STOP IMPROVING 47 48 Appendix H gt gt gt gt USE OF REFRACTOMETERS FOR SEMEN EXTENDER CONTROLS Preparing the liguid semen extender is one of the most vulnerable points at semen processing Wrong water extender powder ratios can have a negative effect on the viability of preserved semen cells Dependent on the scale of wrong mixing this could lead to minimal negative effects up to 100 semen mortality in the dose Refractometry can be used as suitable cheap and easy to use tool to control if the extender is prepared probably Refractometer Best choice is a Brix 18 refractometer It has a scale from 1 to 18 Brix divided in 1 main steps Calibration Calibrate the Refractometer every week according to the user manual In most cases purified water is used to set the 0 Brix Set your benchmark The Brix value varies between different extenders dependent on their ingredients Water guality also influences the value To set your benchmark it is reguired to know about your specific value which should be between 4 and 5 Brix in most cases Measure your Brix value on five production days in a row to define your acceptable range Note This procedure has to be repeated every time you change extenders or extender ingredients How to use the refractometer Make sure that your
34. gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt P gt gt P gt P gt gt PP NEVER STOP IMPROVING TABLE 2 MANAGEMENT FACTORS THAT IMPACT SEMEN OUALITY SITUATION DESCRIPTION EFFECT ON BOARS REFERENCE RECOVERY High ambient temperatures Moderate ambient temperatures plus high humidity Fever caused by vaccination or disease Increased and erratic collection regimens Reduced nutrient intake Suboptimal photoperiods Immature boars gt 85 F 29 C for 3 days or more 79 85 F 26 29 C 75 humidity or greater for 4 wks or more Body temperature gt 103 F 39 C for 2 or more days gt 3 times per week gt 15 reduction in energy or protein intake for more than 8 weeks gt 16 hours of light or lt 8 hours of dark lt 6 to 7 months depending on genotype Sharp increase in abnormal sperm per ejaculate Gradual increase in abnormal sperm per ejaculate Sharp increase in abnormal sperm per ejaculate Gradual decrease in number of normal sperm per ejaculate Reduced libido and gradual decrease in normal sperm per ejaculate Gradual decrease in libido and no consistent changes in sperm output Low volume of semen low numbers of normal spermatozoa and presence of cytoplasmic droplets McNitt and First 1970 Wetteman et al 1976 Suriyasomboon 2005 McNitt and First 1970 Kennedy and Wilkins 1984 Louis et al 1994 a b Sancho 20
35. heat stress on semen quality in boars Int J Biometeor 14 373 380 Pineda M H 1989 Veterinary Endocrinology and Reproduction 4th ed McDonald LE Lea amp Febiger Sancho S E Pinart M Briz N Garcia Gil E Badia J Bassols E Kadar A Pruneda E Bussalleu M Yeste M G Coll and S Bonet 2004 Semen quality of postpubertal boars during increasing and decreasing natural photoperiods Theriogenology 62 7 1271 1282 Senger P L 2005 Pathways to Pregnancy and Parturition 2nd rev ed Pullman WA Current Conceptions Inc Suriyasomboon A 2005 Herd investigation on sperm production in boars and sow fertility under tropical conditios With Special Reference to Season Temperature and Humidity Doctoral thesis Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala Wettemann R P ME Wells I T Omtvedt C E Pope and E J Turman 1976 Influence of elevated ambient temperature on reproductive performance of boars J Anim Sci 42 664 669 Wolf J and J Smital 2009 Quantification of factors affecting semen traits in artificial insemination boars from animal model analyses J Anim Sci 87 1620 1627 gt gt gt NEVER srop nom 39 Appendix A gt gt gt gt NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS FOR SWINE NUTRIENT UNITS NRC 2012 1151102010 PIC 2011 Vitamin A IU lb 1818 4 000 5 000 Vitamin D IU lb 91 300 800 Vitamin E IU Ib 20 30 50 Vitamin K 0 5 2 2 Choline mg lb 568 0 300 Niacin 4 5
36. hould be packaged and sealed inside a controlled 63 F or 17 C environment In the winter lt 40 F or 4 C use 2 warmed gel packs and in the summer gt 80 F or 26 C use one frozen or two refrigerated gel packs in between the coolers For all shipments one or two room temperature gel packs should be placed inside the inner cooler or the single cooler See Appendix D for further packaging instructions For semen that is sent via an internal courier the temperature should be noted at the drop off location gt gt gt NEVER srop nom 27 PART 12 gt gt Ensuring the quality of the dose of semen produced is of the utmost importance The best indicator the stud has to assess the viability of the extended dose is to perform a post production motility check on all batches and single sire collections The recommended process e Save a sample of each batch or single sire collection in a 5 ml glass tube as well as a sample in the tube or bag used for packaging Samples should be prepared for evaluation according to the directions provided by the manufacturer of the extender see Table 12 e Perform post production motility checks on Days 1 3 and 5 at a minimum where the day of collection is 0 e If doses are lt 70 perform the post production motility check a second time to confirm results If results are confirmed a call should be made to customers who received the semen instructing them to discard it e Post a prin
37. ied prior collection Double gloved method right technique First clear ejaculate fraction discarded Filter for collection vessel Collection vessel no contact to floor Clean dry storage of collection bags filters vessels gloves No contamination of heat cabinet No squeezing of filter after collection Fast delivery to lab for processing Collection area cleaned daily e Lab No environmental bacterial contamination surface samples Hand washing and disinfection prior lab access No hand touching of material for direct semen contact Material with direct semen contact free from contamination Quick semen extension addition of antibiotics after collection No water contamination Pipes and hoses clean Right antibiotic concentration used Critical bacteria a sensitive for used antibiotics NEVER STOP IMPROVING 49 gt NEVER STOP IMPROVING PIC North America 100 Bluegrass Commons Blvd Suite 2200 Hendersonville TN 37075 800 325 3398 www PIC com PIC 2015 All Rights Reserved OPIC is a registered trademark TSNA201504BoarManualVer1ENG
38. ing the to empty the outer lining contents around it LA 4 Attach the AC to the glove in the palm of your hand by exposing the tape When the boar starts to thrust grab and extend the penis Once extended clean the penis with a single use disposable paper towel i 2 Place the ends of AC into the holder and press down on the trigger The tip of the penis should extend slightly beyond the end of the AC After collecting the pre sperm fraction remove and discard the inner bag from the AC 8 Attach the collection cup to the dummy but don t use excessive force or it will bend Release the sliding arm lock to allow free movement during the collection process During collection semen goes through the outer bag of the AC toward the collection bag filter located within the collection cup Following ejaculation the boar will withdraw his penis from the AC and dismount Release the tension on the trigger to remove the AC and collection cup 7 Place the outer bag inside the collection cup and use the ring and mouth ofthe cup to create a seal 9 Remove the AC from the ring and discard 10 Remove the top part from the collection bag that contains the filter and discard The ejaculate is now in the collection bag and can be delivered to the lab for processing gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt P gt P gt
39. nds produce the gel fraction of the ejaculate These glands are large and dense in the boar Knox 2003 Senger 2005 FIGURE 1 SCHEMATIC OF HORMONE The penis is divided into three sections the base shaft and PRODUCTION AND REGULATION IN glans penis The glans penis contains sensory nerves and sets SPERM PRODUCTION off the process of ejaculation The shape of the glans penis resembles a corkscrew which is unique to the boar Senger 2005 THE ROLE OF HORMONES The brain produces the hormones GnRH gonadotropin releasing hormone LH luteinizing hormone and FSH follicle stimulating hormone The three work together to promote and regulate testosterone T production and ultimately sperm cell development and male behavior Figure 1 These processes are essential for reproduction Brain RA se a CE ni CL 00 Leydig calls PART 2 gt gt THE ISOLATION AND ACCLIMATION PERIOD Typ round hs of he Do r IS put into ISO t for a period of 4 t ks TI critical time to test TOI isea nd establish nation protocols Depending on th vaccinations requi d these shots ir ions should be t nable intervals throughout the i tion pert t minimize stress on the boai The isolation facility and location depend on the regional pig density Normally a distance of 1 5 2 miles 2 4 3 2 km from the stud is preferable but in a pig dense area it is better to have the facility cl
40. on rates must be raised to effectively dry the floor faster than normal rates e The purpose of dripper systems is to cool the testes to optimize the temperature for sperm production e Evaporative cooling combined with air speed effectively cools the barn but also adds humidity to the air The addition of evaporative cooling is most effective when inside humidity is less than 70 or outside temperature is lower than the inside temperature e A soaking cycle should be used that allows the pads to partially dry between applications of water Allow pads to completely dry at least once per day e Use evaporative pads at only 10 degrees above DRT e Routinely replace the water in the reservoir as the evaporative process causes a concentration of salts and minerals that potentially decreases the eguipment s useable life PPD NEVER STOP IMPROVING 11 TROUBLESHOOTING Several factors should be considered when troubleshooting ventilation or air guality issues e Fan output can be influenced by the following Dirty louvers and blades may decrease fan efficiency as much as 30 Leaking pit pump covers drastically affect air exhaustion Adding fan cones improves the fan s output by 10 20 CFM Excessive static pressure gt 1000 FPM air speed or 0 1 in of water severely affect a fan s exhaustive CFM rating e Wet floors are a major factor in overall boar discomfort and can make a boar feel 9 degrees cooler with the same air temperatur
41. orm better at a different interval than suggested assuming collections occur regularly Generally maternal lines should be collected once per week regardless of age TABLE 6 COLLECTION INTERVAL BY BOAR AGE FOR SIRE LINES lt 12 months 1 x per week gt 12 months 3 x every 2 weeks gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt P gt gt P gt P gt gt PP NEVER STOP IMPROVING 19 PART 10 gt BOAR WELFARE AND HEALTH BODY TEMPERATURE AND APPETITE Rectal temperatures should to be taken for boars that are off feed or show clinical signs of illness If the boar s temperature remains gt 104 F skip collection for that day and notify the herd veterinarian immediately Consider a diagnostic work up including PRRSv PCR testing on serum or blood swabs If the number of off feed and or feverish boars increases from one day to the next the stud should be closed and a full diagnostic work up initiated See more on Stud Closure below 20 PART 10 BOAR WELFARE AND HEALTH DIAGNOSTIC TESTING Weekly PRRSv PCR testing of blood or serum should be conducted at a freguency and number to achieve a minimum 95 confidence level at 5 prevalence based on sample type and the sensitivity specificity of the pCR test More rigorous sampling is at the discretion of the stud Pooling samples up to 5 per pool is permitted The blood swab technigue has been used for the last se
42. oser to the main stud and if possible attached by a covered walkway The doorway into the stud should be locked during the isolation period until the boars are released from testing With the development of barn filtration steps can be taken to reduce the possibility of spreading a disease to the main stud If the main stud is filtered to prevent entry of disease the isolation facility should be filtered as well If the main stud is not filtered due to location in an area of low pig density the isolation exhaust air can be filtered to prevent possible infection of the stud The exhaust filters can be opened up after testing indicating the group is negative for the diseases of concern gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt NEVER STOP IMPROVING Isolation Best Practices e Do not locate the isolation facility too close the main stud less than 400 meters if it does not have exhaust filters and the main stud is not filtered e Biosecurity of the isolation facility should be maintained by requiring all staff and service personnel to shower in and shower out in a separate shower facility e Service personnel entering the isolation facility should follow the same restrictions used at the stud and adhere to the same downtime rules Do not forget to clean and disinfect required tools and material they take in e Production staff may visit and work in the isolation unit after working in the stud but must observe one night of downtim
43. production or spermatogenesis is a highly complex process that occurs within specialized compartments in the testes called seminiferous tubules As sperm are produced they move toward the center of the testis into the mediastinum the white area shown as M in Picture 1 and then continue on to the head of the epididymis noted as EH in the picture A sexually mature boar is capable of producing 16 billion sperm cells per day from both testes Senger 2005 The spermatogenesis process takes 39 days on average At any given time there are sperm cells at different stages of development allowing for continual sperm production The epididymis is comprised of three sections including the head body and tail Each section plays a part in sperm storage sustenance and the completion of maturation over a period of 9 14 days Sperm cells PICTURE 2 REPRODUCTIVE must travel through the epididymis to have a chance at fertilization ORGANS IN THE BOAR a the epididymis reproduction in the boar would not be possible The accessory sex glands include the prostate gland vesicular glands and bulbourethral glands Together these glands add seminal plasma to the sperm cells The prostate gland removes urine and bacteria from the reproductive tract before sperm enter the urethra The vesicular glands produce secretions that are viscous and milky in appearance and comprise the majority of ejaculate volume Lastly the bulbourethral gla
44. r a detailed analysis is in order to get to the root cause CONCENTRATION ASSESSMENT There are various methods for measuring ejaculate concentration including hemacytometers photometers spectrophotometers and CASA systems These approaches rely on the proper mixing of raw semen and pipetting techniques to ensure that a representative diluted sample of the ejaculate is used for the analysis Depending on the equipment available the measurement will be expressed as total sperm cells x millions per mL of raw semen see Part 13 for training SEMEN EXTENSION Semen extenders are available from different suppliers Dependent on their ingredients they provide nutrition pH stabilization and temperature endurance to the sperm cells and help to maintain viability for days Lab personnel need to know how many doses they are producing ahead of time so they can prepare sufficient extender for the regular collection day A general rule of thumb is to multiply the target number of doses by the total volume per dose and add 5 10 more to have enough extender for semen dose production and ad hoc uses like raw semen dilution spills pre extension or last minute orders Prepared extender is only for Same day use Do not store it over time Follow the extender manufacturer s instructions to the letter It s critical to accurately weigh purified water and extender Deviations from this can alter the osmolarity of the mix The extender needs to be continuousl
45. r urine are present In addition an assessment of semen motility and morphology should be immediately performed to ensure it meets predetermined quality standards see Table 11 1 Measure the total weight of the ejaculate in grams by using a calibrated scale TABLE 11 CRITERIA FOR ACCEPTABLE SEMEN QUALITY 2 Prepare a sample for evaluation by diluting the raw semen STANDARDS FOR SEMEN QUALITY with extender or a sodium citrate solution in a 1 20 Gross motility 280 dilution If the ejaculate appears watery use a dilution of 1 10 if it appears very Cytoplasmic droplets proximal and distal lt 15 creamy or concentrated use a dilution of 1 40 This detail is important as it can impact the accuracy of semen concentration Normal sperm gt 70 Agglutination lt 30 3 A microscope can be used to assess gross motility using a 98 6 F 37 C warmed slide and cover or a computer assisted semen analysis CASA system Some CASA systems can also assess the morphology in the same sample used for motility If CASA isn t used prepare a killed sample and count 100 cells to get the normal cells in an ejaculate A Proximal cytoplasmatic droplet B Distal cytoplasmatic droplet C Distal midpiece reflex NEVER stop IMPROVING 25 26 Record any presence of cellular debris and sperm cell clumping or agglutination Ideally less than 10 of ejaculates should be discarded due to semen quality If this number is highe
46. rpt from PIC s Ventilation Modeling Tool available upon reguest TABLE 3 BUILDING ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES AND RECOMMENDED OPTIMIZED CONDITIONS EXAMPLE 1 EXAMPLE 2 EXAMPLE 3 EXAMPLE 4 Flooring type Slats Slats Solid Solid Barn type Solid Sided Curtain Solid Sided Curtain Desired room temperature 66 68 63 65 Winter set point 69 71 66 68 Summer set point 65 67 62 64 TECHNICAL SPECS FOR CLIMATE CONTROL Relative humidity in a boar stud should be between 40 65 Humidity and DRT are controlled by managing and manipulating inside and outside air exchange rates measured by cubic feet per minute CFM e During normal respiration the boar produces both heat and water vapor which elevates barn temperature and humidity unless the vapor is properly exhausted e To maintain humidity and temperature air exchange should be at a minimum 14 CFM e When humidity and temperature are outside of the optimal range the CFM rate needs to change to properly exhaust the excess heat and replace with cooler dryer air see below Cooler air holds less water vapor reducing the barn s relative humidity When outside temperatures are above desired room temperatures increasing ventilation rates will not improve humidity Air speed measured in feet per minute FPM is an important measure for effectively mixing cooler air sourced from inlets to eliminate drafts and areas of condensation e An air speed of 800 FPM is optimal for elevated fan stages while 400
47. sure can be raised if the manager or herd veterinarian has other disease risk concerns i e a biosecurity breach Suspicion of clinical or sub clinical disease must be reported to the herd veterinarian to determine whether distribution of semen can continue Confirm positive diagnostic results for diseases transmitted in semen such as PRRS gt gt gt NEVER srop nom 21 ER HANDLING AND EUTHANASIA Mature boars are large and powerful and may cause injury to caretakers during normal handling Special care should be taken when moving treating or taking samples from boars If detailed examination or treatment is reguired the boar should be safely effectively and humanely restrained For safety reasons the boar s teeth should be cut on a regular basis Use a wire saw and cut the fang to approximately 2 inch In the event the boar needs to be euthanized refer to the document On farm Euthanasia for Swine Recommendations for the Producer AASV and NPB 2009 for the proper protocol TRANSPORT OF BOARS Drivers employed to transport boars should be TQA certified Stocking density should be based on weight temperature and distance traveled see Table 7 TABLE 7 STOCKING DENSITIES FOR BOARS BASED ON WEIGHT TEMP AND DISTANCE WEIGHT FT REQUIREMENTS PER BOAR N 80 90 F gt 90 F gt 90 F 32 C 27 32 C 32 C AND gt 250 MILES 241 258 109 117 3 6 3 9 4 3 5 1 259 305 118 138 4 3 4 7 5 1 6 1 306 364 139 1
48. ted reference guide in the extender preparation and extension area so the technician can quickly reference the pure water to extender ratios recommended by the manufacturer A guide can be prepared for every type of extender available in the particular stud see Appendix E e Create a recording system to keep track of the amount of extender used This record should include extender type name and manufacturer lot number and the result of first ejaculates motility check refer to Table 13 28 PART 12 LABORATORY OUALITY CONTROL TABLE 12 MANUFACTURER GUIDELINES FOR SAMPLE PREPARATION FOR MOTILITY RECHECK MANUFACTURER EXTENDER SAMPLE TEMP TIME EVALUATION IMV Gedil E 10 minutes Motility Magapor Vitasem Dan cle 37 C 5 minutes Motility Minitube TI pi Coo u 38 C 20 minutes Motility For example purposes only PIC does not endorse specific extender manufacturers TABLE 13 EXAMPLE EXTENDER RECORDING SYSTEM EXTENDER XXX EXTENDER RATE XX G KG DATE WATER KG EXTENDER G Ole INITIALS MOT 11 1 2012 1 kg 50 g 1234 DISPOSABLE MATERIALS RECORDS e Document when suppliers change and record any changes to the products that come into direct contact with semen Include dates and lot numbers with each entry e Perform an in lab trial to monitor for potentially detrimental effects such as decreased motility e For example when a new lot of tubes is received dispense a semen sample from the new lot number into a tube and anoth
49. tion A fat boar should be restricted to 3 5 4 Ibs 1 6 1 8 kgs per day while a thin boar should receive 7 8 lbs 2 3 6 kgs per day PART 7 FEEDING AND NUTRITION If drop feeders are used weigh samples on a guarterly basis to ensure accuracy Be sure to take into account changes to ingredients and bulk density Feeders should be adjusted every 2 weeks to maintain proper body condition and semen output Proper maintenance of body condition will aid in libido and working ability of boars In addition proper feed intake levels and nutrient fortification should be provided to optimize semen production refer to Appendices A and B INGREDIENTS Mycotoxins in boar feed can have several detrimental conseguences on the animal s performance including problems in maintaining high guality semen see Table 5 Avoid the use of by products or co products where mycotoxins may be concentrated Select high guality ingredients and monitor mycotoxin levels on a regular basis Work with your nutritionist to add a binder to the boar diet TABLE 5 IMPACT OF MYCOTOXINS IN FEED Delayed puberty Zearalenone Reduced oe size Diminished libido Poor sperm quality Edema of the prepuce loss of hair Poor semen quality Aflatoxin Low sperm concentration Increased morphological abnormalities Reduced fertilization capacity Off feed Ochratoxin Gastric ulcers Poor sperm quality Trichothecenes T2 DON DAS Off feed vomiting P Matzat summariz
50. ty control checks including Water lines and faucets Sanitize monthly i sperm cell concentration gross 25 micron system Replace 1x per year motility morphology and semen UV lamp Replace 1x per year dose volume At the same time send pure water samples diluted extender samples and extended semen samples for bacteriology The protocol for water and extender sample preparation is provided in Appendix F of this manual After the results of the third party evaluation are delivered compare them with your target concentrations e The number of semen samples sent should equal 1 of a day s production or a minimum of 10 doses randomly selected among batches e The frequency of submission is routinely scheduled monthly and samples randomly selected from all batches e Be sure to establish targets for every parameter measured and the accepted variation ranges e When consumable source or lot numbers change samples from the same batch should be sent using both sources lots and the third party made aware of the change e The third party doing the semen evaluation service must be a truly independent entity Consult with a PIC representative for recommendations DPD NEVER STOP IMPROVING 31 PART 13 gt gt gt gt PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT AND TRAINING Each boar stud should maintain an employee to boar ratio of 1 60 with 60 of the employees working in the barn and 40 in the lab e All employees should be PQA Plus certified e
51. ugh the foot bath on the wall back to the stall after collection This will help harden the hooves and prevent lameness problems in the stud Mats should be placed under boars suffering leg or hoof problems to ensure comfort and promote recovery Have enough mats on hand for 10 of stud capacity Each day after collections are finished the collection area should be power washed with hot water and high pressure Take special care to clean the warm up area collection pens or crates dummy Particularly the underside and mats After washing the area should be clean of organic material i e manure semen Once a week after washing the collection area disinfect it with a product made specifically for animal facilities Be sure to include all surfaces i e walls bars on the crates Many different management factors in the barn can impact semen quality Table 2 A plan for pest control in terms of rodents and insects should be in place to avoid intake of pathogens Contact a pest control professional to provide strategies for your facility Make sure that boars have no access to rodenticides Ensure feed deliveries have good biosecurity practice Transport trucks should be cleaned before supplying your facility Keep samples from every feed batch for 8 weeks after the end of feeding If there is a drop in semen quality you can use them for further investigation i e test on mycotoxins gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt gt
52. veral years and is an effective way to collect blood for PRRS PCR testing on a weekly basis Another method using the tarsal vein on the back leg of the boar is a good technigue for collecting blood for PRRS PCR and ELISA Contact you herd veterinarian or PIC for instructions on blood collection Samples for PCR should be collected and submitted according to diagnostic laboratory protocol Monthly PRRSv ELISA screening 30 individual samples or weekly sampling of a similar number is recommended Consider immediate PRRSv PCR testing from blood samples of any boars with a fever off feed or showing other clinical signs These samples should be PCR tested individually rather than as a member of a pool CRITERIA FOR STUD CLOSURE The decision to suspend shipment of semen from a boar stud relies heavily on the professional judgment of the manager and herd veterinarian Semen must not be collected for shipment from individual boars if there is any guestion of health status on collection day Temperatures should be recorded on any boars suspected of having a health problem Suspension of semen sales must be considered when clinical disease i e cough scours off feed is evident or elevated temperatures gt 104 F or 40 C are present in more than 5 of the boars in the stud If the number of off feed and or feverish boars is less than 5 but is increasing daily the stud should be closed for a diagnostic work up Additional grounds for potential clo
53. y mixed for one hour to allow the components to stabilize prior to adding it to semen Make sure that there is no extender left in the bottom of the vat To check if the water extender ratio is correct a refractometer see Appendix H can be used The temperature of the extender should be maintained at 95 F 35 C At collection semen has a temperature of 98 100 F 37 38 C and there is a 2 3 degree temperature drop of the ejaculate during the evaluation process Consequently the extender needs to be kept at 95 F 35 C If multiple step dilution is used extender temperature can vary from this recommendation After the ejaculate and new extender are mixed view a sample in the microscope prior to filling the doses Make sure that the sperm cells are not negatively affected motility morphology Extenders may contain one or more antibiotics that can be modified and tailored to your situation It s important that you maintain open communication with your supplier Make sure that the extender powder is stored in a cool and dark place Follow manufacturer guidelines PART 11 LABORATORY MANAGEMENT DISPENSING SEMEN DOSES After extension semen should either be put into a water bath of 95 F 35 C for pooling or immediately dispensed for doses Prior to dispensing semen should be gently mixed since sperm may have settled If high volume of pooled semen has to be processed mixing while dispensing is recommended The entire pro
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search