AHW - pig (SDL) Flashcards
uses of pigs: (main point to note about this is…)
(little/no waste of carcass)
- meat production (predom use)
- variety of others post slaughter e.g. violin strings, gelatin drug capsules
pig farms - pig weights:
finisher weights for
- commercial UK pigs
- rare/native breeds
- ‘big ham pigs’
commercial UK pigs = (most) reared to 100kg liveweight
rare/native breeds = reared to LIGHTER liveweight bc they tend to be fattier breeds
spain/italy etc. = ‘big ham pigs’ >130kg
pig farms - finisher pigs
general info
- account for majority of UK pigs (92%)
- easier to manage (main req = food water shelter)
- finish/fattener feed = biggest input cost on UK farms (72% of spending)
FCR
what does it stand for?
feed conversion ratio
FCR
what is it an example of and where is it used?
performance measurement - measure of animal’s efficiency of converting feed mass into body mass over a specific period
UK and parts of EU
FCR
define
amount of feed (kg) needed to produce 1kg of weight gain (live weight)
FCR
influenced by?
1 feed quality
2 genetic potential
3 health status (age, sex, weight, stage in produce cycle)
3 factors that may affect how much money a pig producer makes from their pigs:
(view pigs as a commodity)
1 meat price
2 slaughter weight
3 carcass quality
how is carcass quality classified?
LMP (lean meat percentage)
what is used to calculate LMP
1) cold carcass weight
2) P2 (fat depth)
biggest global producer of pork?
China
relationship between farm management and pork output:
minimal stress in farm prod practices = high quality pork
4 ways to minimise stress in farm prod practices:
- NO mixing from weaning to slaughter (only split into smaller groups)
- minimise handling
- env stimuli (enrichment?) to help red aggression
- stocking density (low = better meat qual)
ALSO TO INCREASE PROFIT? (Certain systems can receive a premium, such as organically produced pork)
low stocking density in pig production practices
1 adv.
1 disadv.
adv = better meal qual
disadv = higher production cost
organically produced pork
- outline the production practice
- 1 adv.
- mostly housed outdoors all yr round excl extreme weather = house indoors but must still have access to outdoor run
(also receive a premium - research and expand)
farm assurance schemes: name 2 companies/schemes -
- RSPCA assured (WELFARE FOCUSED)
- RED TRACTOR scheme (covers both indoor and outdoor systems, environmental factors, and antibiotic usage)
define biosecurity
(hint: general definition + in context of pigs)
practical measures taken to limit spread of infectious diseases:
- within a farm
- from one farm to another
- from elsewhere (abattoir, vets etc.)
the 2 main modes of zoonotic disease transmission:
- direct contact with excreta of SICK PIGS (saliva, urine, faces etc)
- via contaminated meat
6 forms of disease transmission:
- pig to pig contact (main form)
- airborne (e.g. windborne from neighbouring unit)
- mechanical (e.g. vehicles or equipment)
- people, clothing etc.
- animals (domestic/farm/wildlife e.g. birds, insects etc.)
- contaminated feed/semen/bedding etc.
why might the way disease spreads vary?
dep on infective agent
(e.g. bac/virus/parasite?)
and
what body system is affected
(e.g. GI, resp., systemic - blood?)
biosecurity
precautions you should take as a vet to red disease transmission:
- ensure you adhere to specified period of ‘pig freedom’ (dep on health status of unit - usually 15 hrs freedom from pigs/pig manure)
- minimise contact w pigs/pig manure
- disposable equipment: leave as much on farm as poss
- disinfect equipment, protective clothing, footwear, car before leaving farm
- shower incl hair wash and complete change of clothes
uses of domestic pigs:
- farmed for meat production
- tourism/farm attractions
- pets (no such thing as a mini pig)
commercial pig farms: age structures and names of each group
- PIGLET FROM BIRTH TO TIME OF WEANING (7KG)
- WEANER FROM >7kg TO 35-40kg
- GROWER FROM 35-40kg TO 65kg
- FINISHER >65kg
following weaning, piglets in early post-weaning may…
- drink water to provide gut fill (trying to maintain daily fluid intake)
- irregular feed intake (bouts of anorexia followed by ‘gorging’ on feed)
what increases (by a lot) from growers -> finishers?
feed intake (0.5kg/day -> 2.5kg/day)
when do breeding boars reach sexual maturity?
when is their target breeding age (first used to breed from?)?
- 6 months
- 10-12 months
pig breeding objectives: aspects tp consider in the boar
- soundness: leg conformation (esp back legs/feet - mounting??)
- test mating to observe for desire to mate and aggressiveness (check if aggressiveness desired or not)
- semen quality
- abnormalities/injuries to penis
- screen for diseases e.g. PRRSV
when do breeding gilts reach sexual maturity?
what is their target breeding age?
- 6 months
- 8 monthsb
breeding gilts: other factors that are important to consider before breeding from
- weight 135-170kg
- BCS 3-3.5
- 14 functional teats
signs of oestrus:
- swollen and reddened vulva
- viscous secretion
- vocalisation
- restlessness - twitching/perked ears
how often does oestrus occur?
every 21 days
first sign of pregnancy:
no return to oestrus
gestation period:
3 months 3 weeks 3 days
(114 days)
return to oestrus after farrowing? when
avg no of farrowings per year?
- 5-7 days
- 2.2/yr
signs of farrowing
Reddened, swollen vulva
Nesting, rooting, padding the ground behaviours
Increased respiration rate from 10-20 to ~60 breaths/min
Piglets born ~15 min apart
Last 3rd of litter increased risk of still birth
Typical number of piglets born alive in indoor vs outdoor units is 14 vs 12
‘sitting dog’ position
restless
neonate care (of piglets post birth):
- provide heat - little to not brown fat so no internal heat source, little surface fat and no hair
- MINIMUM 150 ml per kg birth weight of colostrum by 16 hours post-farrowing
-
Iron deficiency anaemia = injectable iron solution for indoor piglets (outdoor = Fe from soil)
IM injection 1-3 days post-birth
heart rate
70-80bpm
resp rate: SOW
10-20 breaths/min
resp rate: PIGLET
20-40 breaths/min
rectal temp:
39°C
TAIL SHOULD BE?
UPRIIGHT/CURLED TAIL
good pig health can result in:
- Better efficiency (FCR)
- Better growth rates of the animal
- Better welfare
- More pigs (less likely to die during crucial life stages e.g. farrowing? disease?)
- Profit for the farmer
- Better public perception of pig sector
poor welfare/health of pigs can result in:
- Impact on trade (disease outbreaks such as swine flu can make the market value of pork increase due to demand, but poor condition pigs = reduce the farm income (less paid for carcasses and more outgoings on food, vet bills etc)
- Public health - great vessel for transmitting zoonotic diseases
- Animal welfare
- Image of pig sector compromised
- Farmer welfare (knock-on effect for mental state of the farmer)
examples of behaviours often exhibited by pigs linked to specific body systems include:
- Arched back = abdominal pain (the same in cows); or it may be linked to lameness especially if the pig is shifting weight from one foot to the other
- Fast respiration, heavy mouth breathing (pigs don’t tend to mouth breathe), or heavy, abdominal breathing = heat stress/poor air quality/respiratory disease
welfare concerns in UK pig production:
- sow crates
- teeth clipping
- tail docking
- castration
- slatted flooring