Pig Husbandry Gateway 2025

Page 1: Introduction

  • Royal Veterinary College

  • University of London

  • Focus: Pig Husbandry

  • Instructor: Dr. Nicola Blackie

Page 2: Learning Outcomes

  1. Global Importance of Pigs

    • Understand the role of pigs in worldwide protein production.

  2. UK Pig Production Overview

    • Briefly describe the functioning of the UK pig production system.

  3. Routine Farm Procedures

    • Outline common on-farm procedures and their reasons.

  4. Procedural Evaluation

    • Discuss pros and cons of these procedures.

  5. Information Resources

    • Learn where to find information on normal farming practices.

Page 3: Pig Glossary

  • Farrowing: The process of giving birth to piglets.

  • Gilt: A young female pig that has not yet given birth.

  • Sow: An adult female pig that has given birth.

  • Dry Sow: A female pig not currently nursing piglets.

  • Lactating Sow: A sow that is currently nursing piglets.

  • Breeding Boar: An adult male used for breeding.

  • Piglet: A pig from birth until weaning (around 4 weeks).

  • Weaner: A pig from weaning until roughly 10 weeks old.

Page 4: Significance of Pigs in Global Protein Production

  • More than 1.1 billion pigs are produced annually worldwide with the UK contributing 4.7 million in 2023.

  • Pigs are the most commonly reared mammals for meat, with production methods affected by religious practices and primarily intensive farming systems, with about 40% of production occurring outdoors.

Page 5: Impact of African Swine Fever & COVID-19 on Pig Production

  • Pig meat production faced a decline in 2020/21 due to African Swine Fever (ASF) and COVID-19, with a projected increase in production for 2022, 2023, and 2024 according to FAO 2024 reports.

Page 6: UK Pig Production System Overview

  • The UK pig production relies on a commercial multiplier system which involves several generations of pigs:

    • Great Grand Parents (GGP): Pure breeding.

    • Grand Parents (GP): Crossbreeding and selection.

    • Parents (P): Providing flexibility for different market requirements.

    • Focus on breeding gilts and slaughter generation.

Page 7: Types of Pig Housing Units

  • Outdoor Units: Pigs raised in an open environment.

  • Indoor Units: Pigs housed in enclosed systems for better management and monitoring.

Page 8: Pig Production Cycle

  • Phases include:

    • Newborn Stage: ~1.4 kg

    • Weaned Stage: ~7-8 kg at 28 days (4 weeks)

    • Slaughter Weight: ~110 kg at 5-6 months old.

    • Gestation Length: 115 days (3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days).

    • Weaning to Mating: 4-5 days.

Page 9: Indicators of Body Condition

  • Scoring system to evaluate body condition:

    • 1: Emaciated.

    • 2: Thin.

    • 3: Acceptable/Optimal.

    • 4: Fat.

    • 5: Grossly fat (fat deposits clearly visible).

Page 10: Routine Procedures on Farms

  • Focus on routine procedures and justifications such as iron injections, teeth clipping, and tail docking.

  • Discuss advantages (e.g., health management) and disadvantages (e.g., stress to animals).

Page 11: Iron Injections

  • Purpose: Combat anemia, slow growth, and enhance disease resistance in piglets.

  • Iron Requirements:

    • Small iron reserve: 50 mg

    • Rapid growth needs ~7 mg/day.

  • Administered ~24 hours post-birth, especially in indoor piglets without soil access.

Page 12: Additional Procedures

  • Teeth Clipping/Grinding

  • Tail Docking

  • Emphasis on minimizing stress and ensuring proper handling during these procedures.

Page 13: Consultation and Resources

  • Resources for more information include:

    • AHDB Pork: Costings, herd performance, and practical guides.

    • Pig Welfare Code, regulations, and educational videos.

Page 14: One Health Relevance

  • Highlight animal health and welfare significance concerning routine pig husbandry practices, public health considerations, and environmental sustainability.