Production systems 8 - 11 Flashcards
what is important for profitability on a pig farm and what day weight is the most important
- starts with consistent numbers produced each week and good milking sows producing heavy pigs at weaning.
○ These grow fast all the way to sale - Weight of pig at weaning most important for growth at 21 days - determined by weight of pig at birth
what is the piglet mortality after birth and what used to reduce this
first 3 days 80% die from being squished by mum
- use sliders which provide shelter for piglets and sow stall to prevent movement
in an average intensive herd in Australia and PNG what is average piglets weaned and piglets born alive in australia vs france
Australia - 10.5
PNG - 8
Australia - 11
France - 14
what is the lactation length (weaning length) of the pigs and what occurs with increasing length
21-28 d
- longer increase weaning weight also have more piglets next farrowing
what is the gestation length of pigs and and how long after weaning before pig goes back on heat
Gestation: 115 d - 3months, 3 weeks, 3 days
Weaning to service: ~6 d
- On heat within 7 days of weaning
what is the main way to test if pig on heat and what used to get pig pregnant
Back pressure test - once apply pressure pig should become rigid if in heat
- Yellow bands apply the pressure
AI - artificial insemination
Uteru contraction will suck up the semen from the cervix into uterus
how is profit calculated with pigs and what is the average FEC
Profit = fast growing pigs (reduce cost of further feed) + efficient conversion of grain + heavy pigs + <13mm fat (P2 position - end of the last rib, relationship between fat there and carcass lean - penalized for high levels of fat)
FEC - about 2.3
List 6 ways to increase profit gains on a pig farm
1) Start with the highest health status possible
2) Implement biosecurity practices
3) Vaccinate against key endemic disease - can raise animals free of diseases
4) Appropriate medications
5) High hygiene standards - animals ethics and production
6) Good air quality
List and describe 5 management issues in piggeries that can decrease production
1) Stocking rate, air quality, hygiene
2) Feeder space
3) Over mating and age at weaning - if too many pregnant then would have to wean pigs earlier - post weaning mortality rate increases
4) High turnover rates in sow herds - gilts don’t produce as much colostrum so increase mortality of the piglets therefore if have high turnover more gilts less mature pigs so increase mortality rate
5) Inspection and observation - if compromised (lameness) then more likely to fall onto and kill pigs
what are the main breeds selected for gilts and why
- Crossbred large white, landrace, duroc breeds
- Large white cross landarce - high maternal capacity
Selected for - Feed efficiency
- Growth rate
- Carcase composition
- Litter size in maternal lines
what is comparison between indoor and outdoor production
Indoor production
– High reproductive and growing pig feed efficiency
- Perceived lower welfare standards - all about the management and treatment of the animals
Outdoor
- High operation costs - more sow, weaner feed, large amount of straw,
- Lower profit but because capital costs are a lot lower (about 50%) than indoor
- Summer temperature significantly decrease reproductive efficiency
○ Pigs are seasonal breeders
outdoor system how are some arranged
1) some destroy the vegetation so arranged in gestation paddocks
2) houses within the paddock contain one sow and piglets
When are gilts selected, when exposed to boar, when mated and how what percentage of the herd should be gilts
- Selected at 20 wks.
- Exposed to boar from about 160 days, mated on second heat at 30 wk and 125 Kg.
- Need about 8% of the herd in the gilt pool at any one time.
how are sows grouped and what is one way to house and feed a sow
1) Feed intake - cant supply at immediate needs
2) Bullying
3) Performance
- Feed can be allocated to the sow on recognition of her transponder (on the ear) and predetermined feed levels
what are the 2 main ways weaners are stored and characteristics
1) On straw
- Lower cost
- More room for the pigs to move
2) Fully intensive
- Better efficiency and easier to manage
- A lot more capital expenses
Differences between Deep Litter (DL) and conventional
DL
1) feed efficiency isn’t as good as conventional
2) individualised care is harder in DL
3) lower cost however cannot manage temperature
4) grow better but higher cost
Welfare perceptive both systems relatively the same
grower pigs outdoor system characteristics
- Not many reared outside - sows can be reared outside but then back inside
- Feed efficiency 20% lower than indoor system
- Sometimes present complex environmental problems
○ Severe parasite infections
○ If not managed then major erosion problems
castration of pigs where does it occur, alternatives and when given
○ North America and Europe heavier - also castrate so don’t have problems with boar taint
○ Vaccine need a booster, blocks gonadotrophic releasing hormones (hypothalamus) - direct effect release of LSH - to decrease boar taint - mediated by the immune system
○ Given generally at 15 weeks
○ Some are castrated to stop this however not widely done in Australia - welfare perspective
grower pigs in indoor systems death rate, weight and week sold, how much eat per day, FCR, what age start
- Deaths 0.5%
- 22-24 weeks = 90-100 kg live weight
- Eat: 2.3 kg/d
- FCR: 2.30
porker pigs - 16 weeks
what are the trends in the pig industry
1) number of pig producers decreasing
2) pork production increasing so herd sizes are getting larger
characteristics of the pig industry in developing countries
1) villages often own small number of pigs - production efficiency often poor
2) as wealth grows people eat more animal protein
3) women generlaly look after the pigs to get extra income
4) more efficient and cost effective production of pigs occurs in facilities close to grain or markets
5) countries with high health status able to export more easily
What is the problem with food supply for pigs in developing countries and what is a way to overcome this
- People and pigs compete for the same foods and protein is in short supply - generally malnourished
- In PNG making silage from sweet potato and adding protein premix
- data shows grow nearly as well as proper commercial diets
what are the 4 issues with disease control in developing countries
1) vaccine delivery program - may have to walk 8 hours to collect vaccination
2) cold chain control
3) vaccination logistics
4) village cooperation - politics, culture, attitudes, all about the village levels
what is the most valuable cut of pig for Australia and North America
- In North America the loin is the most valuable cut
- In Australia the leg (ham on the bone) is a valuable cut
what is energy and protein used for
Energy - Basal metabolic functions, reproduction, lactation, tissue accretion (growth, muscular activity
Protein - growth and immune function
what is the most important amino acid for pigs
lysine increases pigs grow faster - the most limiting amino acid
○ Balance everything against lysine - as a proportion based on ideal protein
what are 6 important things in a weaner diet
- Highly digestive raw materials
- High levels of digestive amino acids
- Low in fibre
- High requirement for lactose (10%) added as whey powder
- Some milk protein
- Usually include fishmeal (expensive) and cook vegetable protein - not too much
what occurs when you increase energy and what is the issue if give too much
As increase energy levels FEC improves for large and small pigs
- Surpassing their maintenance requirements
problem- reach limit of protein deposition then lay down fat
- Depends on genetics on where this line begins in terms of the energy intake
- Also depends on sex - female less efficient and generally lower point when reach protein deposition
Whole market is about creating LEAN meat - don’t want the fat
how much weight should pregnant sows gain, how much MJDE/Kg, lysine/MJ/DE, calcium and phorphorus
about 25 kg for piglets & placenta and 20-40 kg for growth depending on age (growth in gilt)
- 13.0 MJ DE/kg
- 0.4 g lysine/MJ DE
- calcium - 0.8%
- phosphorus 0.55%
what are the requirements for energy for lactating sows
1) allow for milk production
2) allow for maintenance and uterine repair
3) set the sow up for next pregnancy
4) avoid excessive weight loss
what is the minimum average intake of food for a sow during lactation and DE and lysine requirements to prevent comprise performance
6Kg per day during lactation
- 0 MJ DE/kg
- 55g lysine/MJ DE.
what is an important driver for infertility of pigs
- heat is the major driver for infertility and smaller litter size (if gets above 30 degrees for the sows mated that day)
- gilts are more effected
- abortion rates double in summer
what are the 3 type of droughts and which most important
1) Spring deficiency: important because major production time for farms in southern Australia - important for management calendar as rely on high pasture availability for calving/lambing
2) Autumn deficiency: more common because autumn is highly variable anyway
3) ‘green drought’: recent rain but pasture quantity limiting
what are the 4 main issues with a drought
1) Less rain
2) Less feed
3) Fewer animals
4) Less products
what are the 4 effects of animals within drought
1) Declining then no feed - protein then energy deficiency
2) Prolonged supplementation - major cost as higher feed price
3) Decrease stock levels AND/OR feed more
4) Animal health problems from changes diets
what are the problems with pastures/soils in drought
- Over-grazing
○ Loss of pasture base
○ Weed invasion
Soil loss - reduced future productivity if poorly managed
what are the 4 problems with finances in drought
- Lost income as described above
- Lost genetic gain if breeding stock is sold
- High changeover price - if livestock sold
○ Sell cheaply and replacements at end of drought usually more expensive as everyone is trying to buy again
Increased cost
what is the option for saving pasture and soils during a drought
- Sheep in stock containment area (SCA) receiving full ration
○ Not a feedlot as not trying to feed them lots to gain weight
○ Just wanting to maintain them
diet for sheep and cattle in drought situation, how long take, starting rate and how much to feed how many times a week
• Takes 3 weeks to get ruminants safely onto full grain ration
• starting rate
- Sheep 50g/head/d
- Cattle 500g/head/d
• Then feed 2-3 times/week
• Add 15-20% roughage - fibre
• Add 1.5% Ca to cereal grain - calcium carbonate
what is the energy requirement for sheep stock in drought and therefore cow
assumes 1 DSE needs 5MJME/day
Dry cow = 9 DSE
- 9 DSE * 5 MJ/DSE/d = 45 MJ ME/cow/day
what is the cost of hay: $250/t, 8 MJ/kg DM, 85% DM per MJME
1) $/kg DM = $250/t ÷ .85 = $294/t DM = $0.29/kg DM 2) $/MJ ME = $0.29/kg DM ÷ 8 MJ/kg DM = 3.68 ¢/MJ ME
what is the cost /kg of feed /cow/week wheat - $320/tonne - Energy content from FeedTest analysis = 13 MJ ME/kg DM - 89% dry matter
1) Convert wheat energy content from dry matter basis to MJ ME/kg fed = 13 MJ/kg DM * 89% DM = 11.6 MJ/kg fed 2) Divide total animal ME requirement by ME content of feed = 45 MJ/day ÷ 11.6 MJ/kg = 3.9 kg wheat/cow/day ≈ 27 kg/cow/week 3) Cost: 1. Convert cost to $/kg $320/tonne = $0.32/kg 2. Multiply by kg fed 27 kg/week * $0.32/kg ≈ $8.70/cow/week
