Swine Management Characteristics of swine Pigs are Homeotherms

Swine Management

Characteristics of swine § Pigs are Homeotherms § Maintain a constant body temperature § Pigs are Monogastrics § Pigs have very few sweat glands

Housing § Types of houses § Outside pen § A- frame houses § Open front buildings § Environmentally regulated buildings

Housing

Housing

Reproduction § § § Natural AI Heat period averages 2 days and occurs every 20 -21 days § Can synchronize gilts by putting them together and in a pen next to a boar § Lock up when in heat (Lordosis)

Reproduction

Reproduction § Boar penis is corkscrewed § AI rod has to be corkscrewed as well § Boar semen cannot be frozen § Shipped fresh overnight § 2 doses of semen are administered § 24 hours after 1 st incidence of standing heat § 12 hours later § Done because pigs are superovulaters

Farrowing § § § Farrowing – the act of parturition Gestation period- 114 days (3 X 3 X 3) Put into farrowing crates few days before expected parturition Sow’s can have any number of babies Wean at 21 days Pigs are very susceptible to disease § Many farms are total confinment

Farrowing Crates § Used to protect the baby pigs from being crushed by the sow § Sow is confined in the middle so that she can’t turn around § Equipped with feeder and watering device § Space on both sides of the sow for babies § Use a heat lamp to keep babies warm

Farrowing Crates

Navel Cord Care § After birth excess navel cord is removed § Leave about 1 inch § Treat navel cord with iodine § Why? § Prevent infection

Navel Cord Care

Clipping needle teeth § Born with only eight teeth § Fairly long and sharp § Can irritate the sow while nursing § Can remove these teeth to make more comfortable for the sow § We don’t clip

Clipping needle teeth

Tail Docking § Pigs are normally in a confined space § Chew on others tail § Done out of boredom § To prevent tail biting and the possibility of infection, tails are docked § Dock were tail can barely touch the pigs back

Tail Docking

Injections § 3 types of injections § Subcutaneous § Intramuscular § Intravenous § Two sites to give an injection § Neck § Ham

Injections

Injections

Injections

Injections § Iron is administered about 24 hours after birth § 1 cc of iron § Since pigs are in a create and don’t have access to soil, iron- deficiency anemia can occur § Some people give a small dose of antibiotic § Give the sow penicillin

Ear Notching § Most used identification method for baby pigs § Removing a portion of the ear § The notches grow as the pig grows § Permanent identification § Litter # and Pig # § Litter # - the pigs right ear § Pig # - the pigs left eat

Ear Notching § Litter # § Number of litter for the whole farm § Not for individual sow § Pig # § Individual number for the baby pig § Has nothing to do with the rest of the farm

Ear Notching

Ear Notching

Ear Notching

Castration § Removal of the testicles § Pigs are castrated if meant for slaughter § Meat from boars may have an odor when cooking § Takes testosterone out of the system, which makes meat tough

Castration § Best time for castration is between 1 and 14 days § Pigs are easier to restrain § Bleed less from the surgery § One person holds the pig by the back legs and the other person does the castrating § Make small incisions § Make sure to use some type of antiseptic spray

Castration

Castration

Castration

Castration

Parasites § Coccidia § Affects nursing pigs between days 5 and 15 § Develop a yellowish, very fluid diarrhea § Infected pigs do not respond well to antibiotic treatment § Mortality rates will be moderate to high

Parasites § Worms § § § § Roundworms Nodular worms Whipworms Threadworms Stomach worms Lungworms Kidney worms § Doesn’t occur much in baby pigs

Weaning § Baby pigs are weaned at 21 days § Put in a nursery for a few weeks § Until pigs are 40 – 45 lbs § Moved to other pens for growing and finishing