Porcine Flashcards
Porcine industry
Industry
Farrow to finish
Traditional, most common
Feed conversion 3:1
3 lbs feed = 1 lbs gain
Gilts/sows bred, farrow, weaned, fed to market weight, transported, slaughter
How can pigs be used
Research
Backyard
Pets
Service animals
Industry
Pigs are social hierarchal animals
Small groups
Housed by age, weight, production stage, gender, temperament
Introducing new animals should be limited
Groups follow all-in-all-out practices
Agression in pigs
Aggression common
Limited feed structures
Increased bulk of feed, straw forage
Gestation stalls first 4 weeks
Reduce embryo loss from fighting
How often will pigs lay down
Happy pigs will lay/rest for 75-80% of the day
When do pigs get uncomfortable
Stress/discomfort
Restlessness
Tail biting
Indiscriminate elimination
Reduced weight gain
Overcrowding
Uncomfortable temp
Ammonia/Noxious gasses
Competition for resources
Environment to keep pigs in
Loss tolerant of temp fluctuations than other livestock species
Do not have coat or sweat glands
15-30*C for individual animals
Colder for mature sows, warmer for neonates
Influenced by bedding, group size, feed availability, body condition, humidity, drafts, etc.
Pilling, panting, hair growth, flushed, lying away from pen mates, etc.
Can tolerate cold temp better then hot temp
Nutrition for pigs
Designated by a nutritionist
Bulky feed to aid satiety, reduce aggression/boredom
straw/hay
Individual feeding best to avoid overeating, competition
Especially sows
Water is the most important nutrient!
Free choice, low mineral content
Check everyday that functioning
Lactating sows - 15L/day
Transportation of pigs
Weaned
28 hours without food, water or rest
Usually fasted 4 hours before transport, so usually 24 hours of transport
8 hours offloaded
Bedding, ventilation, avoid humid/hot weather, avoid prolonged stops
Fit for transport
How are pigs selected when it comes to reproduction
Highly fertile, rapidly growing
Selected for leanness, heavy muscled, soundness, frame size, reproduction
Boars begin to service at what age and what are there secondary sex characteristics
Begin to service at approximately 8-10 months
Selected for high fertility, large testicles, sound limbs
Secondary characteristics
Well muscled, tusks neck crest
Corkscrew shaped penis, sigmoid flexure
Sows become mature at
Gilts mature at 6-8 months of age
Influenced by body condition, exposure to boar
Non-seaonal
Estrous cycle lasts how long in sows
Estrous cycle approx. 21 days
Estrus cycle lasts how long in pigs
1-3 days
Signs of estrus in pigs
Swollen, red vulva, discharge
Vocalization (“barking”)
Mounting other sows
Restless
Perked ears
“Locked up” with pressure on back (standing heat)
What type of breeders are pigs
Long duration breeders
Up tp 30 mins
After courtship, boar mounts sow, obtains erection just prior to intromission, inserts penis into vagina then cervix (also corkscrew shaped), ejaculates into cervix
Natural vs AI insemination in pigs
Natural breeding
Boar introduced to sows in heat
Artificial insemination
Collect semen in artificial vagina, cooled, administered to females in standing heat
Average gestation of pig
Average gestation 114 days ( 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days)
2-3 litters in a year
Type of pig placenta and are they born immunocompromised
Epitheliochorial placentation
Partially immunocompetent at birth
Still need colostrum for best litter survival
Gut begins to close after 1 hour (complete closure 6-12 hours)
High litter desirable
Stage 1 parturition of pig
(12-24 hours)
Early labour
Weak uterine contractions, relaxation of cervix
Stage 2 parturition of pig
(1-5 hours)
Rupturing of membranes to delivery of piglets
1-15 mins between piglets
Stage 3 parturition in pigs
(1-3 hours)
Usually all placentas delivered after birth of piglets
Is dystocia common in pigs and what causes it
Dystocia relatively common
<1%
>1 hour between piglets
Causes
Maternal fetal disproportion most common
Malpresentation
Uterine inertia
Constipation
Prolonged destination
Obesity
Identification for pigs
PigTrace
Individual and herd ID
Farm-to-Farm within Canada
DO NOT need individual ID
EXCEPT sows and boars
MUST have manifest
Slaughter
Herd mark shoulder slap tattoo
OR herd ear tag
Fair/Show
Individual ear tag
