A Royal Celeration!

Join us for the 2015 Piglet Party ... April 14th from 5-7

This year the Pinky Project in conjunction with Frontier FFA will be raising money to support Princess Sophie as she battles leukemia.  Come and see all of us and have the opportunity to bid on Silent Auction baskets, buy 'Team Sophie' goodies or just simply donate to a good cause.

We know you have all been watching us very closely ... And we have all been growing so fast.

 

 

At One Month Old ... here is how big we are:

 

Scooby Doo - 12lbs 2 oz                 Sophie - 12lbs 2oz            Filly - 12lbs

Roco - 10lbs 2oz                             Boomer - 13lbs 2oz          Bubbles - 10lbs 2oz

Olivia - 14lbs 2oz                            Miki - 12lbs

 

So next week will be very exciting for the boys ... they will be getting castrated.  Mikayla and her team will be updating everyone on what is happening. 

 

We have more big news to share ... Mr. Allen was selected for the Golden Apple Award and Channel 5 will be here to video us.  Most of us are very excited but a couple of us are very nervous!

 

We hope to see you all at the party.

<3 Pinky's Littles

 



Ear Notching Done....

We had another very busy day ... The Freshman class helped out with our ear notching and of course Mikayla was here to help Mr. Allen identify us.

Here is how the whole ear notching thing works:  All pigs in the same litter should have the same ear notch in the right ear.  This is determined by the number of births a mother has.  In our case it will be 2 because this was our mom's 2nd litter.
The pig’s left ear is used to show individual identification for each pig in the litter.

Why do we ear notch....
*  A permanent ID system  
    * Individual identity for all animals  
    *Inexpensive means of identification 
    *Enables producers to keep an accurate set of records

Ear Notching Tool is used to make the notches in the piglets ear.
Ear notches are read with the litter number (right ear) first followed by the individual identification number (left ear) read second. The standard earn notch system will consist of a standard set of numbers and notches located in specific areas are the ear of each individual pig.

Standard notches in the pig’s right ear are the 1 notch located on the bottom of the ear near the pig’s head. Meanwhile the 3 notch is located on the side of the ear close to the tip. The 9 is located on the outer half of the top of the ear while the 27 notch is located closest to the head on the top of the ear. The largest notch number is the 81 notch which is located at the tip of the ear. Any combination of the standard notches can occur with no more than two notches of any one number. For example 3 +3 = 6 and you never see 3 + 3 + 3 = 9. This does not exist and neither does 81 + 81. There is only one tip on an ear, so there can only be one 81 notch. The right ear has a maximum number of 161 (81 + 27 + 27 + 9 + 9 + 3 + 3 + 1 + 1 = 161).
Standard notches on the pig’s left ear are the 1 notch located on the bottom of the ear near the pig’s head. Meanwhile the 3 notch is located on the side of the ear close to the tip. The 9 is located on the outer half of the top of the ear. The maximum number of the left ear is 26 (9 + 9 + 3 + 3 + 1 + 1 = 26). It is highly unlikely you would have 26 pigs born in a litter.

Now that the notching is done it is easy for all of our FFA friends to tell us apart especially since Scooby, Sophie, Filly & Olivia all look the same!  We know who is who but most of the kids can't seem to get our names correct.

This is Little Miss Sophie ...

<3 Pinky's Littles

Watch Us Grow...

 

We are all growing up so fast.  We are so excited to share with you we have all made the transition to pan feeding.  None of us are on the bottle any longer ... Mikayla was happy about that.  Mikayla and Mr. Allen plan to continue to feed us milk replacer and milk pellets until 21-28 days old.  Then they will start transitioning us to big pig starter.  Some of us are excited about that,  but Roco really likes his milk so he isn't so sure about this new idea!

 

 

We just wanted to share everyone's weights with you at 2 weeks old so you can see how great we are doing!

Scooby - 6lb 2oz / Sophie - 7lb / Filly - 5lb 15oz / Roco - 6lb 14oz  / Boomer - 7lb 2oz

Bubbles - 5lb 15oz / Olivia - 7lb 15oz / Miki - 6lb 6oz

<3 Pinky's Littles

A New Look ....

We are already 2 weeks old and have had quite the life experience.   If  you don't already know we lost our mom 'Pinky' earlier this week.  But, please don't worry about us we are all doing fine and growing at a rapid pace thanks to Mikayla and the FFA team.  Today was a crazy day... Mr. Allen's classes were able to dock all our tails.

Tail docking is performed to prevent tail biting and cannibalism among pigs. Tail docking should be performed as early as possible, but by 14 days of age.   Mr. Allen decided today was the day for the tail docking to take place.  Below is some great information on the process.

 

It didn't really hurt but we are all very glad that is over.  Everyone is looking so darn nice... It is like getting a new hair cut!  The next big event for us is ear notching.  We heard Mr. Allen say that would be next week sometime.  We will share that information with all of you once it happens.

 

 

<3 Pinky's Littles

One Week Old!!!

Everyone is already a week old.  We have all had a very active week, as you know everyone got shots and their teeth clipped but they also had to adjust to numerous other life changes.  I know I have had everyone very worried but I'm recovering nicely now and my piglets are coming along like champs.

Piglet	2/26/15 at Birth	3/7/15
Scooby Doo	3lb 2.8oz	4lb 12oz
Sophie	3lb 2.8oz	4lb 15oz
Filly	3lb 1oz	4lb 14oz
Roco	3lb 1.7oz	3lb 9oz
Boomer	3lb 1.4oz	4lb 8oz
Bubbles	2lb 1.4oz	4lb 8oz
Olivia	4lb 1.2oz	5lb 10oz
Miki	2lb 10oz	4lb 15oz

When I became ill I stopped producing milk for my piglets.  Mikayla and her team jumped into gear to ensure everyone was being fed and as you can see they are all thriving!   They started bottle feeding every 3-4 hours and then started moving to pan / trough feeding by the end of the week.  Everyone but Roco really took to the trough feeding, he has become Mikayla's baby she bottle feeds him special every time.

Mik and Miki

Feeding time in the shop.  Yesterday we started them on milk pellets food along with their milk.  So far everyone really likes having the pellets to munch on.



Some important information to remember if you should ever have to bottle feed your piglets. 
Ideally the piglet should be fed a proprietary sows milk replacer.  An alternative is to use a goats (kid) milk replacer.

It is very important to remember to warm the milk to body temperature for the first few days and feed using a human baby bottle and teat. 

After a few days, the piglet should quickly learn to drink for a small bowl, which may be easier. To teach the piglet, at feeding time, place the milk in the bowl and dip the pigs nose into it. After doing this a few times the piglet will get the idea and learn to drink from the feeder.

The piglet will probably need to be fed approximately every 3 - 4 hours for the first several days, then 3 - 4 times a day until weaning.

At birth the piglet will probably drink 2 to 3 tablespoons of milk each feed. This will gradually increase each day as the piglet grows. Introduce the piglet to solid food from 7 - 10 days. A specialist piglet starter creep is ideal.

The piglet can be weaned off the milk at around 5½ - 6 kg (12-14 lbs) in weight, usually this is around 28 days of age.   If you get in a jam and need more information on raising your piglets check out www.thepigsite.com

I know I have had everyone very worried and I'm really sorry about that.  I tried my hardest to stay in the crate for the little's but when they reached a week old, Mikayla and Mr. Allen decided they needed to get me out of the crate so they could focus on my health.

I first experienced the number one cause of sickness in sows after farrowing, infection.  This is caused by not delivering the entire placenta or a remaining piglet.  My vet and caregivers started treating me very aggressively with antibiotics.  They monitored my temperature daily and kept me hydrated.  Unfortunately, I haven't felt much like eating! 

Normal temperature 38.6ºC to 39.5ºC (101.5 to 102.5ºF)

Respiratory rate at 20ºC (70ºF) 25-30 per minute.

I didn't just stop there, I then experienced the number two cause of illness in sows after farrowing, constipation.  This can cause a lot of discomfort,  Mr. Allen & Mikayla very quickly jumped into action to make me comfortable.  They started me on electrolytes, I really enjoy the lime Gatorade.   When I didn't show improvement they gave me 500ml of mineral oil, this wasn't my favorite thing on the planet but it made my belly feel better.  They started feeding my puree pumpkin and applesauce.

Now I'm just really tired and weak.  My team will continue to give me electrolytes and get me up to eat.  I want to say thank you for all your well wishes and support.

<3 Pinky Jane

Baby Shots

This week has been very busy for me and the piglets.  The piglets each had a couple of necessary procedures that ensures that all of them stay healthy and safe.

Mr. Allen's Agriculture Science classes learned how most piglets are born anemic, which means that we don't have much iron in our body.  This results in having low red blood cell counts.  Red blood cells are extremely important in the body, as they are the vehicle that carries oxygen and nutrients to cells in the body and metabolic wastes and Carbon Dioxide away.  It is very easy to treat the babies for this condition by simply giving them a small shot of iron in the muscle so they can slowly absorb it and start manufacturing more of the very important red blood cells.  This procedure went very well today, and I was so proud of all my babies being so brave receiving their shots.

Here is one of the gang getting an shot of Iron:

The other procedure that happened was clipping the needle teeth on all of the babies.  The needle teeth (8 of them), also known as wolf teeth are located on the the top and bottom of the mouth.  These teeth have the ability to eventually grow out and end up being dangerous to other animals and people.  

Here is a picture of what the needle teeth could possibly look like over time if left alone:

These teeth also are extremely sharp when the babies are born.  This can cause several problems early on, as the piglets can really cause damage to my underline and teats as they nurse.  My babies may also grow to the point where they will want to play around with each other, or even compete for milk and if they still have these sharp teeth, they will start to cause damage to each other.  

The damage to my teats could end up causing infection, where we could encounter problems with the mammary system.  Also, many of us sows will learn to lay on our bellies to keep from getting bitten more, which could lead to malnutrition or starvation for my babies.  

Later in life, the babies could also encounter problems with doing simple things like eating normally if they were to still have their needle teeth.  

The procedure:

This was a really quick, easy, and painless procedure for each piglet to go through.  One of the students would hold a piglet and place their finger in the babies mouth to expose the teeth.  Another student would use a pair of clippers and remove the tips of the teeth.  Because the nerve endings have not fully developed yet in the teeth, the pain level is very low.  Once all 8 teeth were clipped, the baby would receive a mark on their back to signal that they had received the shots and had their teeth clipped, and then they were placed back by me.  At this point, they would go straight back to nursing like nothing had ever even happened.

Again, I want to thank all of the well wishes from all of my visitors and fans.  I was told that our stream has been accessed over 30,000 times already and I have over 400 followers!  That is just simply amazing!!  I feel very honored that I have been able to be part of something so positive and that we have been able to educate so many people.

I know you are all worried about me.  This delivery hasn't gone as smoothly as my first litter.  My team has taken super care to me and every member has jumped into action to help me and my piglets.  I don't want you to worry.  I'm doing fine right now.  I asked Mikayla to put together some information to share with you, she said she would have it posted in the next couple of days.

<3 Pinky Jane

 

Meet The Crew!

I know I kept you all waiting a very long time!  But I'm so excited to finally introduce you to my new little crew.  I started delivering at 10p on February 26, 2015.  I'm so relieved my little ones are all very healthy.  I look forward to everyone's visit, so I can show them off.

My Little Crew

 

#1 Scooby Doo (3lb, 2.8oz) Girl born 10:20p - Named by Princess Sophie.

 

 

 

#2 Sophie (3lb, 2.8oz) Girl born 10:26p - Named after Princes Sophie

 

 

 

 



#3 SR (3lb, 1oz) Girl born 10:34p - Being named by a student at Saddle Ridge School. Mikayla is calling her Filly.

 

 

 



#4 Roco (3lb, 1.7oz) Boy born 10:53p - Named by students at Dildine Elementary.

#5 Boomer (3lb, 1.4oz) Boy born 10:58p - Named after EHS mascot.

 



 

#6 Bubbles (2lb, 1.4oz) Boy born 11:09p - Named because he was blowing bubbles when he arrived.

 

#7 Olivia (4lb, 1.2oz) Girl born 11:53 - Named after Mikayla's Cousin.

#8 Little Boy - born not completely formed.  He did not make it.

 

#9 Miki (2lb, 1oz) Girl born 2/27 at 2:03a - Named by viewers after Mikayla.

 

Thank you all so much for joining Mikayla and I on our big adventure.   I sure hope you enjoy watching my little ones grow up.

 

<3 Pinky

Princess Sophie!

While we wait for the arrival of my little ones, I wanted to take a minute and introduce you to my new friend .... Princess Sophie.  I was fortunate to meet Miss Sophie last year at the piglet baby shower.  She was a very active little 2 year old, running, playing, giggling about the piglets.  She wanted so badly to take one of my babies home that day!   (unfortunately her mom said NO)

We were instant friends ... It wasn't long after we first met I found out my little Princess was diagnosed with leukemia.  Sophie is in the fight of her life battling this terrible cancer.

 

 

Once I told my team about Sophie's story, all my FFA friends said we must help her family with the medical bills.  They are facing a minimum of 2 years of chemotherapy bills to help Sophie fight this cancer off.  If you would like to help Sophie we got an account set up at Warren FCU in Cheyenne.  The account name is 'Team Sophie' ... donations can be dropped off for Team Sophie at any branch or they can be mailed to Warren FCU  3810 Dell Range Blvd  Cheyenne, WY 82009.

 

Sophie is so very brave and through it all has been a tough young lady.  Miss Mikayla decided Sophie should have the opportunity to name one of my babies,  I was quick to agree ... So baby #1 will be named by Miss Sophie.  It sounds like she already has a great name picked out, so all we do now is wait on these babies to arrive.

 

<3 Pinky Jane

3 Stages of Farrowing....

I love that everyone is being so supportive and concerned, so I asked my team to take a minute and explain the 3 stages of Farrowing.

I want everyone to know I'm doing really well and like any mom it is just taking me a bit of time.    Stage 1 - The pre-farrowing period.  This could go on for 10-14 days ... and it seems like we are closer to 14 days now.  I don't know I have lost track of time.

In this phase my mammary glands will develop and my vulva will swell, good news is I have both of those. Other signs of farrowing include reduced appetite and restlessness, standing up and lying down and changing sides.  As you all know I have really started all of these... thank you for watching.

I may start with milk discharge and will show mucous discharge from my vulva.

The final part of stage 1 is the opening of the cervix to allow my little ones to enter the world. 
My vet is not concerned at this point.  Pigs usually deliver on days 114-116, however we can go short or long days 111-120.  I'm right on track at this point!

Stage 2 - The Farrowing Process.  This is the exciting part not only for you but for me too!
This will range from 3-8hours... Last year it lasted about 10 hours, but that was my first delivery, so hang in there with me, we are getting close now.

Just before I start delivering I will lay on my side, I might start to shiver and lift my upper back leg.  When my tail starts to twitch a piglet is about to be born.

Stage 3 - Delivery of the Placenta.  This could take 1-4 hours ... I'm not sure if you want to stick around for that.   

I'm so excited to be sharing this process with all of my friends.
<3 Pinky Jane

The Babies Are Coming....

Before My Babies Arrive....

I was thinking last night I should take a minute to tell you, with any pregnancy things can go wrong. 

This is my second litter of piglets and Mr. Allen & Mikayla will be here with me to help me every step of the way as they did last year. They are the best and they always have my best interests in mind.... So I don't want you to worry they will do their best to make sure everything goes well.  They will be watching me every 30-60 minutes.  They have prepared by familiarizing themselves with the normal birthing process.  They have ensured I have a clean and dry place to have my babies.

I will tell you this ... technology is on my side and difficulties with farrowing are less common.  Most sows need help in less than 1% of all farrowings.  

They have been watching for all the signs I am about ready to farrow.

Approximate time before delivery	Sow characteristics/ behavior
0-10 days	Mammary glands enlarge and become firm
0-10 days	Swelling of the vulval lips
2 days	Mammary glands become turgid and tense and secrete a clear fluid
12-24 hours	Mammary glands begin to secrete milk
12-24 hours	Overall restlessness, nesting behavior
6 hours	Abundant milk secretion
30 minutes-4 hours	Increased respiration
15-60 minutes	Sow quiets and lies down on her side
30-90 minutes	Straining, passage of blood tinged, oily fluid and meconium ( fetal feces)

During the normal farrowing process I will exhibit mild straining and my first piglet will be born.  Most of my piglets will come head first and some will come tail first.

My piglets will be born approximately 15 minutes apart.  The total time for the delivery of my litter may vary but this process usually takes 2.5 hours or less.  The placenta is usually delivered 2-4 hours after my last piglet is delivered, I may deliver portions of the placenta during my farrowing period.

Things that would be a cause for alarm during this time include:

Observe large volumes of discharge

Gestation exceeding 116 days

Blood tinged fluid or meconium are discharged without signs of straining

Straining without delivery of pigs

The time between the birth of pigs exceeds one hour, and the sow still has a full abdomen

Foul smelling, brown /gray discharge

Reddening of the sow's eyes

Exhaustion after prolonged labor

Sow distress: rapid breathing, weakness, inability to rise

Types of problems that will need intervention.

Type of problem	Method of assistance
Uterine inertia (the uterus is unable to contract)	Manual intervention: be certain that the sow is dilated and nothing is blocking the birth canal Deliver any pigs within reach- grasp the pig by the snout or use a snare Administer oxytocin Get the sow up Cool the sow with a mister or fanCall veterinarian if farrowing does not occur
Improper presentation of pig
Breech	Manual intervention: Hook your index finger under the hock of each hind leg. Extend the legs caudally or use a snare.
Two pigs simultaneously	Manual intervention: Grasp head, lower jaw, or feet to deliver one pig at a time
Pig upside down	Manual intervention: Grasp head, lower jaw, or feet
Canal obstruction
Hymen constriction in gilt (first pig not delivered)	Manual dilation or severing with scissors
Vaginal or cervical prolapse	Call veterinarian
Pelvis too small	Call veterinarian
Constipation	Manually remove fecesGive enema of warm, soapy water
Full bladder	Get sow to stand up and force exercise Give oxytocinRarely the veterinarian will have to catheterize bladder
Deviation of the uterus
Partial uterine torsion	Call veterinarian
S-shaped deviation	Manual intervention
Pig is too large	Call veterinarian
Sow hysteria	Give tranquilizer as prescribed by veterinarian Give oxytocinRemove pigs until sow is quiet and finished farrowing
Retained placenta/ blood or pus discharge	Rare- usually indicates that one or more pigs is present in the reproductive tract-Call veterinarian
Vaginal, uterine or bladder prolapse	Call veterinarian
Hemorrhage	Call veterinarian

---

I found a lot of my information from Purdue  ... They have some amazing references.

I know this is a lot to take in and I don't want you to be concerned.  Mr. Allen & Mikayla have this all  under control and they have arranged for a veterinarian to be on call should a problem arise.

It is time for us all to take a deep breath because in the next 24-48 hours I will be super busy caring for my second litter of piglets.

<3 Pinky Jane

The Crate!

I know it is hard to imagine why it is so important I be in a farrowing crate.   I know you think I don't have room or I'm held down, my crate is actually very comfortable and safe for me, my littles, Mr. Allen & Miss Mikayla.

Here are a few things you need to know about the farrowing crate. 


* A farrowing crate is a penning system which has an area for the sow and areas for the piglets.

* Farrowing crates are designed to reduce the number of piglets which are accidentally laid upon or stepped upon on by the sow.

* Farrowing crates provide a cooler area for the sow and warmer areas for the young piglets. 

* The flooring is designed to keep the piglets dry which reduces the spread of diseases.

* The farrowing crate will also allow Mikayla & Mr. Allen to assist in the birth process of my piglets.

 

Throw Back Thursday ... This is a picture of me and my babies last year.    

 

This is a look at my farrowing crate ...

 

I was moved from my pen to this crate this week, just in time for the delivery of my piglets.  This is done so when I go into labor I will be more comfortable and the babies will be able to get out from under me when I want to lay down. 

 

This may seem cruel to you but it is really what is best for me and the babies.  So don't be surprised when you come to visit if I'm in the farrowing crate.  I will spend several weeks in there until my babies are weaned. 

 

Statistics
-50% of crushing incidents occur during the first 3 days of the  piglets' lives
-Without farrowing crates, the risk of mortality during these 3 days is 10-25%
-In the United Kingdom, research concluded a 95% survival rate in piglets raised in farrowing crates
-85% of sows in the US are housed in a farrowing crate during the farrowing process
(http://animalethicsri.weebly.com/farrowing-crates.html)

Well enough about that ... I think you all get it the crate is the best place for me and the piglets.
You can visit me M-F from 0700-0730a  and  M-Th from 315-400p -  You will need to check in with Mr. Allen in Room 327 before entering the shop.  Oh, and there are some shop rules while you are visiting so make sure you follow those so you will be allowed to visit me again.


<3 Pinky Jane

 

Is There A Pig In The Kitchen?

Now lets be honest here pigs are not used only for meat, they can be found in everyday products that we use around the house and we don't even know it! So to answer your question about there being a pig in the kitchen: almost every product that we use has some kind of animal in it.  Check out the following posters that illustrate some of these items:

Pigs hearts are also very useful to humans.  Currently, the technology exists to enable doctors to replace a patient's heart valves with a new one that has been constructed from tissue that came from a pig's heart valve.  This is due to the fact that much a a pig's anatomy and physiology is very close to that of humans.

There are many other advancements in medical technology to help humans by using products from pigs:

**One important note is that these products are used from animals who are already being used in industry.  This means that the pigs are not being raised in laboratories and having numerous tests being performed.! 





The Birds and the Bees

** Please note:  The content of this post may not be appropriate for all ages**

Today I would like to share with you the process of Artificial Insemination, but before we get too much further with that, let's talk about the birds and the bees a little bit...


It all starts with a gilt or sow, when I go through piggy puberty, my body is ready to produce viable eggs during estrus to begin mating and reproducing. This typically happens for the first time between 6-7 months (150-200 days) of age. We, as pigs will often give birth to our first litter when we are 1-year old. Once we give birth, we're then considered to be a sow and no longer a gilt.  I was a very proud mother of 13 last year, so I am now proud to be called a sow.


Most pigs are bred through artificial insemination, meaning the female was bred artificially by a human who uses semen collected from a boar. Why is this done? Selection of the best genetics to improve the offspring born, and to improve the safety on a farm - boars can be very dangerous!
I came into heat and Mr. Allen and Mikayla jumped into gear to set up for class.  The kids were more excited than I was with what was about to happen.  They prepared all the necessary equipment to AI (artificially inseminate) me.

A student from the Junior class (Sara) prepared the following information to give you more details.....

* AI is used to deliberately introduce semen into a sow or gilt.

Advantages                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
-Less dangerous                          
-Less risk of disease transmission                 
-Faster for sows
-Most likely to impregnate
-Farrowing date is more accurate
- No need to keep boars on location
                                                                                               
Disadvantages  
-Costs a lot depending on where the semen originates
-Time consuming with gilts
-Requires higher level of management
-Greater chance of human error

Facts
- Sanitation of equipment is very important
-AI has a high conception rate
-A pigs estrous cycle is 21 days
-Estrous may only last a day or two.

 This Picture shows a swine Uterine Tract 

How is AI done?

They could tell I was in heat because my ears began to twitch a lot and when they applied pressure on my loin and I was willing to stand still and not run away. 

 

They used a Spirette and inserted it in an upward angle to avoid my bladder.  They continued rotating the spirette counterclockwise until they reached my cervix. 

When they met resistance they gently pulled back and attached the bottle of semen.  This is were I helped them with the AI procedure.  I started contracting until all the semen was removed from the bottle.  Are you wondering why Mikayla is sitting on my back?

she did that to trick me so I would stand still.  Her trickery worked! 

Once I took all the semen they gently removed the spirette.

Are you wondering how many times this was attempted?

3 AI procedures were completed total over a 2 day period approximately 12 hours apart each time.

I am sure now that you have read all of this you think they are awful people.  Please don't think that,  this is the safest way for me to get pregnant and I have to tell you I love being pregnant.  I have gotten a lot of attention and Mikayla always brings me lots of treats.

After I was successfully bred it takes 3 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days for my gestation period to complete before I give birth (farrow) 114 days later.  Approximately as soon as twenty-one days after I give birth, I can come into heat once again and can be ready to re-breed for my next litter.  On average, we can give birth to 2.6 litters per years.  That's almost 36 piglets a year, if we has 12 per litter!


Fun Fact: Unlike most species of livestock and even humans, boar semen cannot be preserved in liquid nitrogen.  For instance, semen from cattle can be collected from a bull and preserved in liquid nitrogen for several weeks or even years.  Once a cow or heifer is ready to breed, the semen is simply thawed in a warm water bath and a person artificially inseminates the female.
Pigs on the other hand have very fragile sperm and semen.  It cannot be frozen in liquid nitrogen and thawed for later use. 

 Instead, once the semen is collected, it is mixed with stabilizers and extenders (nutrients to feed the sperm) and then placed in a temperature controlled chamber.  This chamber mimics the body temperature of a boar.  The semen placed in the chamber will remain viable (or alive) for a period of about three to five days.  Then the sperm typically dies and the semen become obsolete.  

I am so excited to be a part of the Ag educational program at East High and the kids are really excited too!  Every student that has participated in this project have had lots of information to share with everyone reading this blog.  Please continue to watch and learn many new things about me.

<3 Pinky Jane

Welcome to 2015!

Hello!  Welcome to my new blog for 2015!  My name is Pinky Jane and I am glad you stopped by!  I have quite a story to share, and we will get to that over the next few posts.  But for now if you have any questions, you are welcome to browse the archived blogs from last year.

To bring you up to speed for this year's project, I will just talk about what has already occurred this school year and what is to come over the next month or so.

I try to get as much rest as I can so I can have all
my babies grow to be healthy when they are born.

I am a 2 year old Yorkshire Sow who lives most of the time at East High School in Cheyenne, WY.  I am the star of one of the major projects that the agriculture and FFA students work on at the school.  Every year the class learns about the reproduction system of pigs by completing a hands-on project with me.  In the fall, Mikayla (my owner, I'll tell you more about her in  a little bit) and Mr. Allen (the Ag Instructor) Artificially Inseminate me as a class demonstration.  This year it was a little difficult as I did not become pregnant the first round, so we had to do it again.  On October 31 (yes, Halloween) I was successfully bred to a boar named "Closet Monster."  He currently lives in Iowa.

Fast-forward a few months, and we find ourselves here, about a month away from me giving birth (farrowing) to my piglets.  I am really excited to meet all of them and I am excited for you to as well.

Now the main reason for having this blog is so the agriculture students can teach anyone who is interested about everything pigs.  We will talk about a little of everything concerning the swine industry over the next few months, so I hope you will all tune in regularly!  I better go get some rest for now, but I hope to see you all soon!

Don't forget to log into my webcam to watch me live - 24 hours a day!

*Pinks