PAHD - general pig husbandry and welfare

what is a porcine?

resembling a pig/boar

what is a gilt?

young female before first litter

what is a sow?

female pig that has had a litter of pigs

what is a V-boar?

a vasectomised boar - used in heat detection

what is a barrow?

a castrated male pig but not common in the UK

what is a boar?

male pig of breeding age

what is farrowing?

gilt/sow giving birth

what are the uses of pigs in the UK?

meat production, tourism and farm attractions, pets and companionship, land management.

describe a neonate

new-born piglet weighing 1.5kg up to 7kg at weaning

0-4 weeks old

describe a weaner

>7kg to 35-40kg

4-12 weeks old

no milk

describe growers

35/40 kg to 65kg

12-16 weeks old

describe finishers

>65kg usually fattened to 100-120kg

16 to 23 weeks old maximum

describe breeders

breeding gilts, sows or boars

>135kg (min)

8 months old

what are the three main production systems in the UK?

farrow to finish

farrow to grower

grower to market

why do many people sell at growers stage?

due to cost of finishing

what percentage of UK pig farms are indoor?

60%

what percentage of UK pigs farms are outdoors?

40%

what are the pros of indoor rearing?

easily controlled environment

easier returns on investment

what are the cons of indoor rearing?

noise levels

iron deficiency

more respiratory issues

public image of sector

behaviour and welfare issues

what are the pros of outdoor rearing?

ideal for free draining soils

better public image

more natural environment and natural behaviours

what are the cons of outdoor rearing?

land degradation

safety of piglets from mother and predators

difficult to get return on investment

build up of Ascaris suum (parasitic worm)

where does high quality pork come from?

minimal stress in production

pros and cons of organic pig production?

lower stocking density so better meat quality and welfare

higher cost of production

organic pig system?

housed outdoors all year round

in natural habitat unless extreme weather - allowed inside

what percentage of outdoor reared pigs are organic?

3-4%

what are the 5 needs of a pig

-          Nutrition

-          Environment

-          Health

-          Welfare

-          Behavioural interactions

what is important with pig environment to prevent disease spread?

bedding, cleanliness and ventilation

important ages of breeding boars

Sexual maturity at 6 months (184 days)

Breeding age 10-12 months old

important age and weight of breeding gilts

Sexual maturity at 6 months (184 days)

Breeding age 8 months old (135-170kg)

what age should you test mate the boar and why?

test mate at 7-8 months to observe for desire to mate and aggressivness

what’s an important strength in boars?

strength in their legs

what are the 5 boar soundness/selection criteria?

genitalia, diseases, legs, pasterns and behaviour

what is important about the genitalia in boars?

symmetrical testes

no abnormalities or injuries to penis

semen quality

what diseases should a boar be screened for?

porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV)

brucellosis (transmitted via sexual contact)

importance of pasterns in boars?

short and strong pasterns

pros and cons of natural insemination?

introduction of diseases if bought in

boar pheromones most effective to induce standing reflex in gilts/sows

key factors of using AI for insemination

use AI catheters and skilled operators

only fresh semen used

cleanliness is key to prevent inter uterine infections

storage temperature of pig semen?

stored at 15-19 degrees and cant be frozen due to proteins

what is the target breeding age of gilts?

240 days/8 months

what weight and BCS should gilts be for breeding

135kg - 170kg and BCS 3-3.5

what should happen when gilts hit 110kg?

introduce daily boar contact for 10 minutes to see if she is interested or stimulated by a boar

what are the 4 selection criterias of gilts?

toes = big and well spaced to take weight of animal

underlines = minimum 7 teats per side

vulva = good size and shape - not tilted up as this will cause issues with farrowing

behavioural characteristics = good mothering ability

how often does oestrus occur?

every 21 days

signs of oestrus in gilts/sows?

swollen and reddened vulva with viscous secretion

vocalisation/barking

restlessness/heightened activity

how long is standing heat?

5/10 minutes

what should you do after serving a gilt/sow?

leave for 30 minutes before moving to prevent stress and will help draw up semen into oviducts

how do you move gilts and boars for breeding?

bring the gilts/sows to the boar

how many times will a gilt/sow be served?

If she is at standing heat you serve her and then 10-24 hours later = 2 services

how long is gestation?

114 days - 3months, 3 weeks and 3 days

how long do piglets stay with sow for and when is sow next served again?

piglets stay with sow for 28 days and sow served again 5-7 days post weaning

when will a pregnancy naturally terminate?

if 5 or less embryos survive

what does a larger litter size do to birthweights and subsequent weights?

lower birthweights which impacts weaning weights due to feeding from the sow reduced

what body condition score, weight gain and diet should a pregnant/ dry gilt/sow have?

sows and gilts should not be BCS over 3.5

gilts should gain 45kg and sows 27-32 during pregnancy

a daily balanced diet of 1.8 kg of feed dependent on system and season

when are sows moved to farrowing crates?

1 week pre-farrowing

how long are indoor pigs in farrowing crates for?

5 weeks

signs of farrowing?

reddened, swollen vulva

nesting, rooting and paddling the ground

increased respiration rate from 10/20 bpm to 60

what is the risk of the last 1/3rd of the litter?

increased risk of stillbirth

when will post farrowing placenta be passed?

4 hours

typical number of piglets born alive indoors vs outdoors

14 indoors and 12 outdoors

what is a lactating sows energy requirement immediately after farrowing and a few weeks after?

2-3kg food/day for first 3 days post-farrowing

can increase to 10-12 kg feed/day at 3 weeks post farrowing

is there a waiting period for serving pigs?

first oestrus will be served

what is the average number of farrowings per year?

2.2

what is the colostrum requirement of piglets?

min of 150ml/kg birth weight of piglets within 6h post farrowing (gut closes after 16 hours)

what is the protocol for large litters when a sow is struggling with milk?

Split suckle large litter (>13 piglets) and cross foster as last resort

when should creep feed be introduced

at 12 days of age - high energy and 300g consumed pre-weaning

common nutritional issue with piglets reared indoors?

iron deficiency anaemia (IDA)

what weight should piglets be at weaning?

minimum 7kg - 13kg

what age is natural weaning?

10-12 weeks when piglet GI tract is almost mature

what weight to weaners grow to before growers?

35-40kg

what happens to piglets at weaning due to stress?

high vaccination period, post-weaning growth check, post-weaning diarrhoea

nutrition of a weaner?

creep/ starter feeds should be highly digestible (skimmed milk powder/cooked cereals)

should water be limited in weaners?

it is essential but have to prevent gut fill

what happens during weaning to the villi?

weaners can have irregular feed intake causing atrophy of villi in small intestine which causes food to pass through and cause scouring

what is used to limit post-weaning growth check and diarrhoea

antibiotic growth promoters - banned in 2006

what weight are growers and what age?

35-40kg to 65kg from 12-16 weeks old

what is the biggest cost in pig production?

finisher food

type of finisher food?

wheat, barley, high protein soya, rapeseed and beans

type of growth of a finisher?

rapid growth of lean meat and limited fat

normal behaviours of a pig?

-          Resting behaviour/thermal comfort zone

-          Feeding patterns

-          Rooting and explorative behaviour

-          Tail wagging

-          Excretory behaviour

-          Socialising behaviour

-          Noises

-          Strong dislike to drafts especially around food which limits food intake

-          Need enough space for feeding

-          Tails are an indicator of health and happiness

-          Bullying signs through biting