Managing a pig herd

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Managing a pig herd

• SAPPO Training Course

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Introduction

• Each age group/development stage has special
  management requirements to stay healthy and
  produce well
• Breeding stock
• Breeding gilts
• Pregnant and lactating sows
• Boars
• Young stock from birth to point of sale
• Piglets before and after weaning
• Weaners and growers

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Breeding stock

• Their wellbeing and continued high production
  depends on
• Housing
• Nutrition
• Good breeding management (service, farrowing)
• Health care (vaccination, parasite control)

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Introducing gilts

• Gilts are usually selected when they are 4-6
  months old
• At 6-7 months, vaccinate for E. coli and
  erysipelas, leptospirosis, parvovirus, with a
  booster 4-6 weeks later for both vaccines
• Treat for mange and worms
• Feed ad lib until served
• Put them in a pen next to a mature boar to
  stimulate them to come on heat
• Breed at 7-8 months, modern breeds should weigh
  at least 120 kg at service

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Breeding gilts and sows

• Females come on heat every 3 weeks
• When on heat they will stand firm to hand
  pressure on the middle of the back
• Females are taken to the boar for service
• Observe mating the boar should remain mounted
  and ejaculating for at least 5 minutes
• Remove sow after service and repeat 12 and 24
  hours later can use a different boar if
  available to get larger litters

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Breeding sows

• Sow on heat stands firm to pressure
• Normal mating

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Pregnant sows

• Pregnancy lasts about 115 days
• Observe served sows for signs of heat especially
  about 3 weeks after first service, and repeat
  service if necessary
• Vaccinate with E. coli 2-3 weeks before farrowing
  date and treat for worms, lice and mange

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Pregnant sows

• Check for constipation straining, small hard
  faeces or none
• Feed green feed and wet bran to prevent or
  correct constipation

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Farrowing

• Put sow into farrowing pen about a week before
  due date and supply lots of bedding
• Stand by during farrowing to help if needed but
  do not interfere if process is normal piglets
  born 1-2 at a time at about 10-15 minute
  intervals
• Do not break the umbilical cord
• Can rub and dry piglets and remove membranes from
  face
• Foster the bigger piglets from large litters with
  sows with smaller litters if necessary

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Farrowing

• Unsupervised farrowing can lead to losses

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During lactation

• Increase the sows feed to 2-3 times the normal
  amount, observe for weight loss and give more if
  necessary
• Feed at least 3 times a day to prevent excessive
  intake at any one time
• Ensure that unlimited water is available,
  lactating sows can drink at least 30 litres per
  day
• Wean piglets at 4-6 weeks
• Sow can be served at first heat after weaning if
  she is in good condition

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During lactation

• Sow should not appear thin as piglets grow the
  sow in the picture at the bottom is much too thin

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Managing the boar

• Treat at least 4 times a year for mange, lice and
  worms
• Breed from about 10 months of age
• Let him serve a quiet sow first if possible
• Do not overwork not more than 3-4 services per
  week
• Cull when lame, overweight, or not siring good
  litters
• Avoid boar serving own daughters as it leads to
  inbreeding

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Managing the boar

• A good boar is a valuable asset

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Care of piglets

• Most piglet deaths occur in the first 3 days of
  life
• Major causes are cold, starvation, accidents
• Supply a warm creep area
• Make sure that the piglets are suckling well
• Provide a farrowing rail or deep straw to enable
  the piglets to get away from the sow so that she
  will not accidentally lie on them

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Creep area
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Deep bedding

• Deep bedding provides warmth and protection

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Care of piglets

• Piglets may also die as a result of infectious
  diseases or birth defects
• Ensure good hygiene in the farrowing pen
• Disinfect the navel and feet with iodine on the
  day of birth
• Vaccinate and treat the sow for parasites as
  described before
• Make sure that the piglets suckle as soon as
  possible to take in colostrum
• Avoid inbreeding

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Suckling

• Piglets and sow should be calm and happy
• Piglets not suckling and hard red teats mastitis

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Procedures

• Injection with iron
• Castration

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Tattooing

• Pigs are tattooed at weaning

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Care of weaners

• Wean at 4-6 weeks by removing sow and leaving
  piglets in farrowing pen for 3-5 days
• Feed small amounts of weaner feed from 10 days
  before weaning
• Restrict feed for 1-2 days after weaning to
  prevent over-eating give wet feed
• After that feed ad lib, water always available
• Good food, good hygiene, good health management
  and timely treatment if necessary are the keys to
  success with weaners and growers

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Mixing litters

• If possible mix piglets of the same size, age,
  sex
• To prevent excessive fighting
• Provide enough space for them to move apart
• Make sure there is plenty of space at the feeder
• Provide toys pieces of old motor tyres,
  sacking, branches to occupy them

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Any questions?