SWINE Behavior, Handling, and Restraint

Swine

Refers to the porcine species

Sow

Mature intact female

Boar

Mature intact male

Barrow

Male castrated before puberty

Gilt

Immature female, before the birth of her first litter

Farrowing

Parturition (giving birth)

Piglet

Very young, small pig, generally from birth to weaning

Shoat

Intact male, before puberty

Swine Behavior

Naturally curious, gregarious, and intelligent

Tendency to follow each other and maintain visual or body contact

Isolation is very stressful

They have a natural urge to escape (small gaps between pens, alleys, ramps, side gates)

They prefer lighted areas, oppsed to darkness which can be used to encourage movement

Social Order

One animal is dominant for the group

• if a pig is removed or added, the group will fight to reestablish social order

Pig spend a lot of time doing what?

Forage-related activities, such as rooting, grazing, and exploring with their snout.

They also like to chew on objects, including each other’s ears or tails at times

What can pigs not do?

Pigs can’t sweat and this makes them susceptible to hot temperatures or conditions

This is why pigs like the mud because it helps protect their skin and cool them down. 

When to avoid handling the pigs

• Open mouthed breathing

• Inability to move

• Splotchy skin

Grunting or barking

Happens when agitated

Squeal

This is extremely loud (can exceed 85 decibels; hearing protection)

This vocalization happens when restrained or frightened

Means of defense

Biting, head-butt, or pushing with their sides

Blind Spot

They has a panoramic (310 degree) range of vision

Directly behind the animal

Swine flight zone movement

They have a tendency to move in a direction opposite of the handlers movement

• An animal will usually move forward if the handler moves from the head toward the rear

• To move the animal backwards, the hander should move in front of the point of balance

• Sudden, deep invasion of the flight zone may cause the animal to panic

Reasons for restraint

Blood collection, Vaccination, euthanasia

Tools to aid movement

Flags, plastic paddles (rattle paddles), hog panels

• DONT kick the pigs or use sticks/prods to directly hit the pigs

Pig snare

Used when necessary and if task requires restraint for a significant period of time

• Loop is placed in mouth, over top jaw/snout

• DO NOT move pig with snare

• DO NOT tie pig up with snare

Pig snare

Pig shorting Board

Apply gentle pressure with a pig sorting board to the pig’s hindquarters and flank

Pig Shorting Board

Rattle Paddles and Flags

Makes a rattling noise which encourages pigs to move

• DO NOT hit pigs with these

Rattle Paddles and Flags

Hog tongs

Used to grasp pig’s head behind ears

• Not used very often

• causes bruising

Hog tongs

Boar handling

Requires extra precautions

• Boars can be very aggressive

Move or load individually

Pen separately to prevent fighting injuries

Sow handling

Requires extra time for movement

Increased aggression during estrus or at/near farrowing

Handle cautiously

Piglet Restraint

Pick up by hind leg

Avoid swinging

• Alternatively: place over forearm wih its chest in your palm, legs handing on either side of arm.

NEVER pick up by ears or tails

When setting down, lower gently, front legs first

Processing Piglets

• Clipping teeth (needle teeth)

• Treating the umbilical cord

• Iron administration

• Tail docking

• Identification (ear notching)

• Treating splay-legged piglets

• Providing supplemental nutrients

• Castration

  • Usually done within 24-48 hours of birth. However, some producers prefer to delay some of them for 3-4 days to reduce stress on the very fragile one-day old piglet

What condition are piglets born with

They are born anemic and that is why they must receive iron

Ear notching

There are four quadrants on the ear. You can only make two notches in each quadrant. The exception is the notch in the tip of the right ear-only one notch is allowed. The get the litter number or pig number, add up the notched on the ear

Ear notching - Right Ear

Litter number

Ear notching - Left ear

Pig number

What is the litter number?

19

What is the pig number?

4

Quadrants for ear notching