Training and sexual behaviour of boars on portable and fixed dummies for semen collection

Abstract

The present study was conducted to compare the success rate of training, sexual behaviour, effect of sow's urine and stress level during training on portable with specific human intervention and fixed dummies for semen collection. A total of 22 crossbred (Landrace × Desi) boars of same age (180±5 days) were selected randomly and divided into two groups based on use of dummies (portable/fixed) for training. The sexual behaviour during training for semen collection was recorded in all the boars. Blood samples were collected at every week during training to compare stress. All boars were trained in two weeks duration on a portable dummy but none could be trained on fixed dummy. The average time taken for successful training on a portable dummy was 8.45 days. Overall, behavioural traits showed by the boars during training irrespective of type of urine (estrus, non-estrus) were significantly higher on portable dummy as compared to on fixed dummy except urination. The mean sexual behaviour score showed by the boars irrespective of type of urine during training on portable dummy was 2.79±0.09 while, corresponding values for fixed dummy was 1.59±0.07. Average cortisol level (nM/l) in blood serum at 0, 7 and 14 day of training using portable and fixed dummy was 109.86±13.51, 114.29±8.24, 104.01±16.84 and 122.27±22.66, 115.53±10.88, 130.49±17.77, respectively. The difference in mean cortisol level between the groups at each day of training did not differ significantly. On both types of dummies, estrus urine was not significantly different from non-estrus urine for expression of sexual behaviour. It can be concluded that boars might be successfully trained on portable dummy with distinct sexual behaviour and semen quality in a average period of 8.45 days.