Sexual behaviour patterns of crossbred LWY boars under varying mating systems

Abstract

The present study was conducted on 18 crossbred Large White Yorkshire (LWY) gilts and sows, mated with suitable boars, to evaluate the impact of different mating frequencies on breeding behaviour. The animals were randomly assigned to three equal groups (N=6 per group): Group I, II, and III, which were subjected to single, double, and triple mating, respectively, during each estrus period. Boars were observed for both pre-coital and coital behavioural activities under each mating regimen. The most frequently observed pre-coital behaviours were nosing (1.78±0.11) and nudging (1.97±0.09). Notably, specific pre-coital behaviours such as sniffing (1.83±0.17), head-to-head interaction (1.60±0.24), and genital sniffing (1.67±0.21) were significantly (p<0.05) more frequent in Group I compared to Group III (1.23±0.11, 1.00±0.12, and 1.21±0.11, respectively). Other behavioural parameters did not show significant differences among the groups. The average mount duration was 11.26±0.27 minutes, while the average intromission duration was 10.42±0.28 minutes, with no significant variation observed across the three groups.