Porcine Flashcards
domestic pig origins
originates from the Eurasian wild boar (sus scrofa)
which type of hoofstock are pigs?
artiodactyla
close relatives of the pig
babirusas, warthogs, peccaries, endangered pygmy hog
genus
sus
family
suidae
lifespan
up to 15 years
barrow
castrated male
boar
intact male
rig
male with undescended testicles
gilt
female who has not yet farrowed
sow
female who has farrowed
shoat/hog
growing pig
runt
smallest piglet in a litter
abattoir
pig slaughter and processing house
what types of meat do we get from food production pigs?
fresh meat, cured meat (bacon, ham), lard
domestic pig temperament
calmer and more content than the wild relative but still inquisitive and can be aggressive if disturbed
can pigs sweat?
no, they lose heat by panting
this makes them prone to sunburn and heatstroke in the summer and can catch colds easily in winter
what happens if pigs are deprived of water?
they develop salt poisoning
osteomalacia
caused by feeding waste food (pig swill) or feeding an unbalanced diet
Chester white pig
originated in Chester County, PA
white hogs with droopy, medium-sized ears
known for mothering ability, durability, and muscle quality
Berkshire pig
black with white snout, legs, and tail
known for fast and efficient growth, reproductive success, cleanliness, and meat flavor
Duroc pig
red pigs with drooping ears
valued for product quality, carcass yield, fast growth, and lean-gain efficiency
Hampshire pig
hogs with a “belt”
known for producing lean muscle, high carcass quality, large loins, and minimal backfat
females known for mothering ability and longevity
spotted pig
characterized by large black or white spots
known for rate of weight gain and carcass quality
females known for durability and docile temperament
which breed is the most common mini pig?
Vietnamese pot-bellied
purebred pot-bellied pigs
typically all black with straight tails and upright ears
how can the size of a mini pig be estimated?
can be estimated by size of the parents
mini pigs reach ~1/2 their adult size and weight by 1 year old but continue growing until 4-5 years old
what are the main types of mini pigs?
pork type (for production of meat) and bacon type (for cured meat, bacon, and ham)
Landrace pig
large droopy ears, pink color
dark coat color vs light coat color
white skinned breeds are more susceptible to sun scald so not well suited to free range systems
darker colored coat breeds are more resistant to sun scald
Tamworth pig
brown
prolific breeders
sows are good sucklers and docile with young
suitable to open air pens or paddock feeding conditions
Saddleback pig
black pigs with white band over shoulders, floppy ears
hardy, efficient grazers, reliable breeder
at what age do gilts reach sexual maturity?
by 8 months old
pig gestation
115 days
how many piglets do sows farrow?
6-14 piglets twice a year
what time of day do sows typically farrow?
at night
anterior teats vs posterior teats
anterior teats have more milk
what to do if a piglet is not nursing
might need assistance if there is competition
can also be given a sucrose IP injection or cow’s colostrum
leading causes of death in the 1st few days of a piglet’s life
crushing or starvation
farrowing crates
metal stalls where sows are typically housed from a few days before parturition until weaning (21-28 days)
welfare concerns of farrowing crates
inability of sow to turn or groom, reduction of nose to nose contact with piglets
microclimates for farrowing quarters
cool one for the sow (60-65 F) and a hot one for the piglets (85-95 F for the 1st few days then 70-80 F)
mummification
more common in swine
if only a few fetuses die instead of abortion, the mummies are delivered at term along with the live piglets and still births
how much do runts typically weigh at birth?
~2 1/2 lbs or less
split suckle
removing the largest piglets for 1-2 hours 12 hours after farrowing in the morning and again in the afternoon
this allows the smallest pigs to nurse without competition
sow is given oxytocin (1-1.5 mL) injection each time the largest piglets are removed
crossfostering
piglets removed from biological litter and litters are created based on similar weights
most effective way to reduce within litter piglet weight variation and more evenly match the number of piglets with the sow’s ability to raise them
should be done before they’re 24-48 hours old