Swine Industry http www murphybrownllc comABOUTAUDIOindex html Swine

Swine Industry http: //www. murphybrownllc. com/ABOUT/AUDIO/index. html

Swine in NC #2 Producer in the country Income in the state is $1 billion per year ~9. 5 million head http: //www. pigbusiness. co. uk/issues/destroying_small_farmers/

Trends of the industry Farms are getting fewer and larger Most farmers grow on contract to bigger companies. Trends lead to better reproductive (genetics) and feed efficiency http: //www. murphybrownllc. com/OPERATE/index. html

Vertical Integration • • Definition-two or more steps of production, marketing, and processing are linked together usually by contract between producers and feed manufacturers or between producers and processors or include all three. Example- a corporation such as Smithfield Foods, Inc. purchases feeder hogs from a producer and then raises the animals to a market weight in their company owned finishing house. Then they transport animals to the slaughter house that is also owned by Smithfield Foods, Inc.

Veritical Integration Highly integrated Farrow to Finish Contract growers Where the contract growers come in Finish

Types of Swine Operations • • Sow- maintains sows for breeding, gestation and farrowing. Manages piglets until they are weaned at approximately 21 days. Nursery- manages piglets after they are weaned until approximately 10 weeks or 50 lbs.

Types of Swine Operations • • Grow-Finish- manages barrows and gilts until they are ready for market. Farrow-to-Finish- manages a group of breeding sows and maintains piglets to market weights. Also known as complete sow and litter operation. • • Commercial operation will typically house animals in separate facilities to manage disease. Typical operation for a small scale producer raising hogs for local markets.

Segments 40 - 100 lbs Feeder Pigs Farrowing Operation Farrowing Barn 2 -4 weeks Nursery Growing/Finishing Operation 3 months ~ 40 lbs 6 -8 months 3 months 240 -260 Market Hog

Life Cycle Breed 3 months 3 weeks 3 days ~ 114 days 5 months ~ 114 days puberty birth 3 months 3 weeks 3 days ~ 114 days birth 6 Months 5 months puberty Farrow ~ 11 monhs 6 - 8 months Slaughter 240 - 260 lbs

Processing Pork Products • • • Finishing operations send animals to processing facilities. In many cases the finishing operation and the slaughterhouse are vertically integrated. Pork is processed into primal cuts and subprimal cuts. These products are sold to retailers and foodservice companies. Some packing facilities sell subprimals to meat processors who create value added products such as ham, bacon, pre-cooked items, sandwich meat, etc.

Fill In The Blank • • • The gestation period of swine is _____ months, _____ weeks, and _____ days or just _____ days. The term used for swine giving birth is __________. At at the age of __________ pigs are moved to the nursery. After three months, pigs are _____ - _____ lbs or more and are called ______ pigs. After leaving the nursery, pigs are the put into the ________/________ operation. The idea of more than one segment of the industry being owned by one person or company is called _______________ also known in the swine world as ________ to _________. Replacement females are bred at _______ months. Pigs are slaughtered at the age of _____ to _____ months. Two advantages of combining segments of the swine industry include better ________ and ________________. In NC, the swine industry is ______ in the nation for production. Income in North Carolina for the swine industry is $__________.

Short Answer • Describe the function of a contract grower in the swine industry. • Explain what all happens in a farrowing barn. • What is a feeder pig? • What is the current trend of swine farms in the U. S. ?