How long after neutering will boar be infertile

Question
QUESTION: Hello, for awhile now we've been deciding on whether or not to neuter 3 of our boars.  We made our decision to have it done as we keep rescues and some of the males are not getting along and I cannot bond them.  I've tried various potential partners & it's getting very frustrating.  

So...we have 3 female pens and are going to get the 3 boys done to put 1 in each pen.  That way, we can keep everybody happy and not have to try and find homes for them.

How long will it be before I can place them with the females?

Also, just out of curiousity, is it true that a neutered male will still not get along with another intact male if they didn't get along before?  I've read some information that states a boar's personality will still be the same as it was before neutering, others state it will curb hormones and aggression.

Thanks
Paula

ANSWER: Well there are conflicting opinions on when a neutered boar can be placed with a female, some say straight away, others say leave it for two weeks! I would not place them in immeadiatly simply because the boar could do with a few days of being left alone in a nice clean, dry place where his stitching can heal and he wont risk tearing them or getting an infection. I placed my neutered baor with some females after one week and no babies have turned up but I am sure that there is no harm in waiting for two weeks so long as you can accomodatye them seperatley. I think the most important thing is ensuring that the stitching is healed, i think that sperm living for two weeks thing is a myth, at least this is what my vet has told me.

as for pairing neutered males with unneutered it does make some difference but not much. the only difference i have noticed is that the neutered male will tolerate young boars for longer after they have been weaned by their mother. as for two males together as in your case it wont make any differnece unfortunately. sometimes two boars just cannot get along, though it is very rare, 99% of the time they can.

glad to hear that you neutered him though so that  he could still be around other pigs

all the best

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Sam, well I haven't gotten the three boys neutered yet, but next week.Thanks for the answer.  Rabbits magazine even stated 6 WEEKS! to wait. OMG

Anyway, with 5 single males left (rest are with a partner), don't you think I should be able to at least get 'one' more pairing?  Sometimes 2 will be working out ok in the tub, maybe even in the hallway afterwords.  As soon as I put them in a pen, one starts chasing the other away whenever he comes near, teeth chattering once again.  And that's only when two start off bonding not bad.

The rest of the time, when I've tried others together, there's SO MUCH teeth chattering, nipping, chasing, etc. that I give up.  Maybe I rush things too I don't know, but if I don't see some regular old humping, etc. when I first start, then I figure it's not going to work.  I don't like all the aggression I see at first.  Am I stopping things too soon?

I gave baths one time to some others and it never made one bit of difference.

Thanks,
Paula

P.S. I would love to save some money if I could just get 2 neutered instead of 3!

ANSWER: If I am honest I would say yes you are stopping things a little too soon, in fact a rescuer chap I know usually puts two males in together in a new hutch and lets them get on with it. they ill have a little scrap but in the end tolerate each other if not totally get along, he has never had a serious enjury or death from bonding yet, and he as been looking after them since the 80's.
Personally I think his method is a little harsh, and it is also dependant on them both being new to the hutch. you have to let them squabble a little, and chase each other and mount each other, they have to establish which of them if the boss. I would only seperate them after they have started buiting at one another. another tip, the one i always use is to put them all in a car together (in a box) and drive around, they hate it and the fear makes them bond. then when you get them back feel free to start ruffling there furs while they are huddled together which makes them both afraid and mixzes their scents together a little better. they once you have done this leave them in a pen together without anywhere to hide. then after an hour or so of supervision put them in their new shin digs and only seperate them if they are trying to draw blood. you should be able to get a bonded trio out of the three remaining boys.    

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks so much Sam!  I will drive them around today, etc. I can always switch pens with 'someone' else to make it a 'new' pen for these guys.  You give great advice and boy, if you can save us $300.00, I can get my second 75 gallon fish tank & stand LOL!  Sorry I can't send some to you!LOL  I hope it works this time.

Take care,
Paula

Answer
no no its fine, in fact I was going to post an email I got on this question from  one of the other experts,


[I was just reading the question about how long before a neutered boar is infertile.  I asked the same question last July of my vet friend and thought you might be interested in what she said:


When we got our boars neutered, we were told to keep them away from sows for 4-6 weeks to be certain they were infertile and also to give the boars time to heal from their surgery.  The thing with neutering is you're removing the epididymis along with the testicle which is the storehouse for sperm, and most sperm can only live a few days in the male or female repro tract, so likely they'll be infertile within a week of being neutered.  The testosterone takes longer to get out of the system though, so if you put them in with sows while they're still healing, they'll still run around and try to breed and can cause inguinal hernias or they can rip sutures and get abscessed.



I would say keep them separate until the incision is completely healed and you'll probably be alright.  If however, you're putting them in with a sow that absolutely cannot be bred, I'd wait the 30 days.


Kate ]

as you can see her vet diagrees with mine. Mine was paced in a harem of five females when he was neutered and there were no surprises. but better safe than sorry I suppose, if only for the boar sake.
best of luck.