Pigs Flashcards
What are some current challenges to the Aus pig industry
- loop holes in import laws: can’t import anything on the bone or any raw products but people get around it by importing and then processing here
- recent problem with oversupply
Where does Aus export pork to?
mostly NZ but some offal goes to Singapore.
How are pigs priced/graded at sale?
- Mostly by carcass weight
- Sub-cut fat at the “P2” level is used as an indicator of overall fat content. Measured at last rib… >12mm will = 30c less per kg (Aus is a lean meat market).
Factors that can effect the profitability of an enterprise:
Main input cost = FEED
-factors effecting the price and availability of grain
2nd biggest cost = LABOUR
Other factors:
- competition with other proteins/meats
- imported processed meats
- seasonal demand and low fertility season clash = higher prices.
Main sources of costs for raising a piglet:
- health costs
- sow feed (must be really good, esp, for gilts)
- genetics/replacements
- capital costs
- piglet feed
Benefits of an indoor housing system:
- increased Feed Conversion Efficiency due
to:- less wastage
- more time spent in thermoneutral zone
- reduced labour
- better repro performance (part due to temp
control) - increased growth and consistency of herd
- less environmentally damaging (effluent
control, top soil damage)
Location of farms:
- have to be a certain distance away from towns due to smell (easier to get a permit for an ecoshelter as smell is less)
- need to have access to utilities (environemental control)
- need to be close to abbatoire or processing plant to reduce transport costs.
Different types of enterprise (ages etc)
They might have all life-stages on farm but this is less common as you need lots more space and the management needs of all stages are v different.
** more common is an “all-in, all-out system” with just 1 age group
What is vertical integration?
When all the inputs, products and outputs for a production system are owned by the same company. e.g. contract growers for poultry and pigs.
Different types of ventilation
80s: natural ventilation, open and closing vents based on temp. no fans.
Tunnel ventilation (in colder climates, v expensive to run) common now: Mechanical ventilation (popular for weaners)
Why is temp regulation important
- thermoneutral zone has big effect on FCE and repro success
- good temp= increased voluntary feed intake
- temp needs are v different for each life stage
Ideal temp ranges for piglets, weaners, sows:
Piglets:
Weaners:
Sows:
How is the different temp needs of lactating sows and piglets addressed?
Need to create micro-climates in farrowing shed: - creep space - heat mats - non-slatted floor - heat lamps to keep piglets warmer
Drip cooling and fans to cool sows.
What are important factors to consider in designing the sheds and pens?
- flooring
- litter choice
- thermoregulation
- feeder/drinker design (flow rate and height)
- stocking density and group size (will effect growth, welfare, aggression etc)
- management ease
- enrichment (sight barriers, litter to play with)
- microenvironments?
indoor systems: Flooring types
slatted: good for effluent draining and cooling
concrete: less cold than slats, more comfortable. needs to be enough of this that all can comfortably lie down at the same time.
For what period are farrowing crates used
Sows are in this area for about 4 weeks of a reproductive cycle.
(last week of pregnancy + 3 weeks lactation)
Why are piglets vulnerable to hypothermia?
-born with no fat stores, just a small amount of glycogen in the liver
What is an ecoshelter?
Covered, bedded system where pigs live in one large enclosure covered in a plastic tunnel.
Key features of an ecoshed?
- solid floor with deep bedding (needs to be
clean and dry) - large group size (no internal pens): possible issue with large social group??
- uses tunnel ventilation
- usually about 420 pigs per shed
What kinds of bedding/flooring can be used in an ecoshelter?
Bedding: - barley straw: more absorbant than wheat! - rice hulls: good for liquid waste but can be dusty and have endotoxins
Floor: - impacted clay or soil (probs with biosecurity) - concrete might be better but more expensive)
Pros and cons of ecoshelters:
+ves:
- less smelly
- straw= enrichments
- 1/3 price of set up of traditional sheds
- spent bedding = goof fertiliser
- ves:
- solid effluent system
- bedding needs to be changed heaps
- more space per pig needed due to large group size
- harder biosecurity
- large groups= management challenges
Outdoor systems: what types?
little houses where sows can get out but piglets cant
- shelters and purpose built wallows
- often side-line to dairy or grain business
Challenges with outdoor systems:
- temp control
- biosecurity
- top soil damage and erosion
- **pigs should be moved once there is less than 60% ground cover left.
- effluent management
Repro stages for a sow:
Mating: 1 week joining period (2x AI in a
week to maximise chances)
Pregnancy: 16 weeks (3 months, 3 weeks, 3
days or 115 days)
Lactation: 3-4 weeks. (longer in outdoor 4-6)
Life stages for a grower piglet:
Piglets: 0-3/4 weeks
Weaner: 4-10 weeks
Grower: 10-16 weeks
Finishers: 16+
Gilt life stages:
Gilts:
Puberty: 24-27 weeks
1st mating: 30 weeks
1st farrow: 46 weeks (about 10 months)
Ideal temperature for a sow and piglet:
Sow: 16-22 c
Piglet: 28-30 c
Differences between repro success of gilts vs sows:
Gilts have:
- smaller litter
- less immune transfer
- poorer lactation
What is minimum lactation length?
Why?
21 days. Less time than this= poorer condition at service, low weaning weight for piglets, failure of uterus to involute (difficult to get in pig again”).
normal joining period
1 week (will have AI x2 in this period)
Common breeds:
How to recognise, qualities:
Berkshire: black with white bits, outdoor, traditional breed
Duroc: good growers but not great mums (terminal breed sire)
Landrace: floppy ears, good grower (dad of F1?)
Large white: ears up, good mums (mum of F1?)
F1 are really good mothers
Measures of productivity:
- “productive days”
- post-wean mortality
- Hard feed conversion efficiency (HFCE)
What periods are considered “productive days” for a sow?
Gestation (115) + Lactation (21) + WSI (7)= approx 150 days
how many repro cycles should a sow have per year?
about 2.6
what is WSI
weaning-service interval (the week between weaning of her piglets and getting next round of AI.
Ideal goal for number of “un-productive days” per year
45
What periods contribute to “un-productive” days?
Entry-1st service interval
Wean- 1st service interval
Conception failure or pregnancy loss
Wean-cull interval
other than prod/unprod days, what are other measures of reproductive productivity?
ultimately comes down to piglets weaned/sow/year (>25 ideally).
A factor of litters/year/sow and pigs weaned/litter
Measures that effect pigs weaned/litter
- total born/litter
- born alive/litter (mummies and still births <8%)
- pre-wean deaths (<10%)
What cross makes an F1
Landrace (dad) X LW (mum)
F1 (gilts)
common TBS for F1’s
Duroc boars
if F1 gilts are being brought in from a nucleus herd, how long should quarantine be?
6-8 weeks (this contributes to entry-1st service interval)
Gives you a chance to get them ready in good condition and cycling (boar exposure)
How should boar exposure be carried out?
Frequently but for short durations.
Daily for 20 minute periods
Why does seasonal infertility occur?
foetuses produce 2 signals to tell body its pregnant. One or both of these signal fails at certain times of year = lose pregnancy earlier
When does seasonal infertility occur
first 16 weeks of the year (christmas to easter)
What is effected by seasonal infertility? what is NOT effected?
Effected:
lower farrowing rate, increased/irregular return to cycling after mating, more abortions, more NIPs, more wean-oestrus interval.
NOT effected:
litter size
what is an SEW
segregated early weaning facility… can help to improve use of farrowing shed. off-site early weaning systems can help reduce disease and increase average number of litters/year
How can gilt puberty onset be altered?
- boar exposure
- stocking density
- nutrition
- season
Some key goals for gilt performance:
- gilts non-cyclic (not yet mature) by 30-32 weeks: <5%
- age of 1st service: 30 weeks
- weight at 1st service: >130kg
- first litter size: >10.5
What vaccines are commonly given before 1st service?
PPV, E. Coli, Erysipelas, Leptospirosis
Should be given 4 weeks apart both BEFORE gilts 1st service.
How can the weaning-1st service interval be reduced for a gilt?
- good lactation nutrition (diet and factors effecting VFI)
- post-weaning boar stim
- stocking density
- wean early if sow is struggling (pressure sores)
VFI
Voluntary feed intake:
- frequency
- wet food
- drinker design
- temp (22 ish)
- pellets vs ground meal
Factors that effect litter size:
- parity
- servicing on second cycle
- genetics
What is significant about day 35 of gestation?
Skeletal calcification: abortion before this= foetus resorption, after this= mummified piglets.
What happens if embryos die between 17-35 days?
Irregular return to oestrus, after day 35 will get mummies.
What happens at day 70 of gestation?
Piglet foetuses are immunocompetent.
What stimulates release of oxytocin and subsequently ovulation?
boar presence, pressure on back
still birth vs abortion vs mummified
still born: Cause of death occurs during farrowing (e.g. gets stuck)
Mummified: death after 35 dyas
abortion: before 35 days (will be resorbed.
when is farrowing taking too long?
> 45min between births need to intervene. can give oxytocin to trigger contractions but that wont help if they are stuck.
Vaccination protocol for gestation
22-24 weeks before farrowing: PLE
4 weeks later : PLE booster
9 weeks before farrowing: E coli
2-3 weeks before farrowing: PLE
these all cause foetal death so need to give during lactation
PLE
- Parvovirus
- Leptospirosis
- Erysipelas
leading cause of piglet death
- overlay
- small/weak (<800g)
- starvation or exposure
feeding of piglets
teat hierarchy
sow grunt= oxytocin in piglets
cross-fostering might be necessary
Milk production
about 12L per sow per day… about 1L per piglet
Effect of parity on piglet outcomes:
Too low: - infectious diarrhoea - lower litter size Too high: - more overlays - more still births (sow size and litter size cause this) - sows start to get huge - more blind teats.
Pig colostrum
only made until afterbirth is delivered.
only good 24 hours
Ideal temperatures for different life-stages:
lactating sow: 16-20 piglets (DOB): 30-34 piglets: 28-30 weaners: 22-28 growers: 20 finishers: 18 Dry sows: 16-18
