Many swine breeding herds suffer from reproductive problems and inefficiency.
As reproductive inefficiency is not generally related to disease, but is more often attributable to subtle management problems, their resolution often takes time and some form of re-education. In this light, it has been of interest to watch and participate in the rapid adoption of reproductive technologies within the swine breeding world. The adoption of technologies such as artificial insemination into the routine breeding pattern of a working farm often highlights and even exaggerates underlying management problems that may contribute to increased reproductive inefficiency for years. The number one problem in any breeding herd is proper and accurate detection of heat in females. This is true whether a herd is using natural mating or artificial insemination.