Swine Industry

Industry trends have (increased or decreased) in the last 5-10 years?

increased

Who ranks first in swine production?

China is #1

• U.S ranks #3

About how many swine farms are there?

66,000

Which two states contain the most hog inventory?

Iowa and North Carolina

genus

sus

piglet

young baby pig

gilt

young female pig

sow

mature female pig

boar

intact male

barrow

castrated male pig

farrowing

the act of giving birth

• moved to different barn

• farrow and raise piglets

• greater climate control

• cross-fostering

pork

meat from pigs

Yorkshire

most recorded breed in the U.S

• most commercial females Yorkshire x Landrace

maternal breed

all white

erect ears

Duroc

terminal breed

solid red

medium size

U.S

Berkshire

terminal breed

black with white points

erect ears

Hampshire

terminal breed

black with a white belt

erect ears

U.S

Landrace

maternal

all white

medium floppy ears

long body

Denmark

modern pork production

• small # of large producers

• total confinement buildings

  • environmentally controlled

• continuous farrowing

  • over 200 litters per week

  • can continuously farrow due to control over the environment

• early weaning

  • 21 days

• A.I

• Efficient

Vertical integration

entire supply chain is controlled and owned by a single organization

What is the #1 company in the swine industry

Smithfield

Vertical integration of industry

• economies of scale

• packer contracts

• industrialization techniques

• “not in by backyard

• environmental concerns

• consumer perceptions

general management considerations

manure

low-stress handling and transport

castration

tail docking

sow housing

General Housing

• total confinement

• concrete flooring

• slats for urine and manure

• manure is stored in a pit/pumped into lagoon

seedstock producer

• sell genetics to commercial producers (genetic improvement)

• private individuals only develop genetics for niche markets

sow housing

gestation crates

• individual stalls

• sow can’t turn around

• movement restricted

• less fighting, safer for handlers

group housing

larger pens

socialization

more fighting

industry is transitioning towards this type

which type of temperature do adult pigs like?

cooler temps

which type of temperature do piglets like?

warmer temps

nursery

weaned pigs

often transported to a new unit

transition to feed

Grow/Finish

• take pigs from nursery

• raised to market weight

• pigs weaned directly into finishing

• less transportation

• less barn cleaning

• better biosecurity

• increased facility costs, less efficient barn utilization, labor

market pigs

• group housed

• nursery (20-30 pigs/pen)

• grow-finish (30-50 pigs/pen)

Thermoneutral zone

temperature range in which animal doesn’t have to expend additional energy to regulate its body temp

All-in, All-out

all pigs enter the facility at the same time, all leave before the next groups are brought in

• strict sanitation and biosecurity

Sow life cycle

Born: 14/litter

Wean: 21 days (11-13/litter)

Puberty: 5 mo.

Breed: 8 mo.

gestation: 114 days (about 3 mo., 3 weeks, 3 days)

farrow: 1 yr

Wean: 21 days

Breed: 3d

market animal life cycle

born: 3.5 lbs

Wean: 21 days, 10-15 lbs

Nursery: 40 lbs

Slaughter 270 lbs, 160 days

Top respiratory pathogen

PRRSV

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV)

• systemic viral pathogen

• presents clinically with fever, respiratory distress, lethargy, reduced feed intake, and reduced growth

• can cause abortion and reproductive failure in females

African Swine Fever

• highly contagious

• spread through wild pig pop.

• devastating to Chinese pig pop.

Swine biosecurity

• keep distance between your pigs and other pigs

• isolate, test, and acclimate any incoming breeding stock

• control flow of people, pigs, feed, and equipment

a pig giving birth is known as…

farrowing

a female pig that has not yet farrowed is known as a:

sow

after weaning, piglets are moved to a:

nursery

the gestation period for a sow is

114 days