Judging and Scoring of Pigs and Estimation on Live Weight

6 traits need to be closely examined.

• Degree of Muscling

• Growth

• Capacity or Volume

• Degree of Leanness

• Structure and Soundness

• Underline Quality

center of the hams

The best indicator of degree of muscling is thickness

Evaluating Degree of Muscling

Thickness through the center of the ham (stifle area).

evaluation of shape over the top (loin)

• It is important to make sure that the animal is lean before evaluating the top so that you’re not confused by width due to fat cover.

• A muscular top will have a butterfly shape with the loins on both sides of the backbone extending out higher than the center.

Evaluating Growth

• simply based on the weight of the animals in the class.

• The heaviest pig is the fastest growing pig, and the lightest pig is the slowest growing pig.

Evaluating Capacity or Volume

Hogs with good capacity or volume will be able to consume the feed necessary for growth and be able to perform well in terms of reproduction

Capacity or volume

determined by body width, depth, and length, as well as how well these three factors fit together (balance).

Width

• Best evaluated starting at the ground and working your way up.

• Pigs with good width will walk and stand wide both in front and rear.

• And good will have good width through the chest.

• Also, top width and base width should be equal, with the middle being the widest.

Depth of body

• Depth of body should be uniform from the fore flank to the rear flank.

• An excessively deep appearing hog will usually indicate a fat problem.

• A lack of depth, or a shallow body, takes away from the overall balance of the pig and will hurt the pig's placing in the class due to a lack of a production look

Length of Body

• has increased in importance as the swine industry has moved to a heavier market weight.

• measured visually from flank to flank

Evaluating degree of leanness

• influenced by factors such as muscling, frame size, sex, age, and weight.

• It should be evaluated after muscle evaluation, and heavy muscled pigs are typically lean, while light muscled pigs are fat.

• look for indentations over and behind the shoulders, at the ham-loin junction, and a dimple in front of the tailhead.

• A lean animal has a neat, trim, tight jowl and underline, with the shoulder blade working under the skin when walking. Muscle is hard and firm, while fat is soft and loose

Evaluating Structure and Soundness

• another trait that is best viewed beginning at the ground and working your way upward.

• When evaluating, attention should be given to the feet and pasterns, hocks, knees, rump, and the shoulders

feet and pasterns

• The feet should be big with even toes that are squarely set forward.

• Pasterns should be set at a 45-degree angle to the ground allowing for maximum cushion and flexibility.

hocks

should be constructed of flat, clean bone with approximately 20 degrees of set so that it provides power with flex when the animal walks and gets up and down

knees

should be straight or slightly set backward to provide cushion and flex to the front end

rump

• The ideal structure should be average or above in length and level to slightly sloping from front to back.

• This type allows for maximum strength and power and additional flexibility and good length of stride

shoulders

• should be adjusted to allow for proper front leg extension and provide flex in the shoulder and cushion in the knee and ankle.

• The shoulder set is directly related to the length of stride.

Evaluating underline quality

• Gilts need to have good underlines to raise large litters of pigs, thus, teat accessibility, teat numbers, teat size, and teat placement is critical for proper function.

• A good underline will have 6 to 7 teats on each side, with the teats spaced 2.5 to 3.0 inches apart. This allows for maximum mammary tissue development to feed the piglets and space for the piglets to nurse.

• The ideal teat size should be about the size of a pencil eraser so it will easily fit into the piglet's mouth.

1

• emaciated

• landmark bones re prominent even without palpation. considered unfit to travel

• Ribs, back, hipbones, and pinbones are easily seen and felt. Animal is very thin with little to no fat

2

• thin

• bones can be easily felt with slight pressure

• Thin but smooth-looking body shape. Bones are less visible but still noticeable

3

• ideal

• the pig’s bones are barely felt when palpating with firm pressure

• Smooth and structured body shape. Bones are not visible, but can be felt. Best condition for health and reproduction.

4

• fat

• bones of the pig are undetectable with palpation

• No visible bones, only felt with firm pressure. Body appears rounded and well-fed.

5

• overly fat

• has the same palpation characteristics as a body score of 4. however, the animal is excessively overweight

• Bones cannot be seen or felt. Animal is too fat, which can cause reproductive problems.

heart girth

measure the circumference just behind the forelegs

length

measure from the base of the ear to the base of the tail