Feeding and Management of Swine

1
Feeding and Management of Swine

• Animal Science 1
• Unit 22

2
Objectives

• Describe the different types of swine production.
• Develop feeding programs for the different stages
  in the life cycle of hogs
• Describe accepted management practices for the
  stages in the life cycle of hogs

3
Introduction

• Efficient use of resources is the key to
  profitability
• To remain competitive swine producers MUST select
  breeding stock that will remain lean and feed
  efficiently

4
Factors That Affect Profitability

• Number of pigs weaned per sow
• Minimum goal for producers should be 21-22 pigs
  per year for each breeding female
• Females should be bred and managed to produce a
  minimums of 2.3 litters during each 12 month
  period
• Feed efficiency
• feed wastage should be considered and controlled

5
Types of Swine Production
6
Types

• Purebred
• Commercial
• Feeder pig production
• Buying and finishing feeder pigs
• Complete sow and litter systems
• Swine production can also be classified according
  to the type of housing used
• Pasture, combination pasture and low-investment
  housing, high-investment total confinement

7
Pasture Management

• Farrowing a smaller number of sows per year
• Requires enough pasture to be able to rotate
  pasture to reduce disease and parasite problems
• Farrowing only once or twice a year
• Low investment in building

8
Confinement Management

• High level of mechanization to reduce labor
  requirements
• High investment in buildings and equipment
• Multiple farrowings per year with a large number
  of hogs raised
• High level of management ability needed
• High degree of control over feeding operation
• Better year-round working conditions
• Stringent disease and parasite control program
• Use of very little priced land

9
Purebred Production

• Specialized
• Make up less than 1 of the total hogs raised
• Produce foundation stock used in commercial
  production
• Must be excellent managers
• Higher investment in labor and record keeping
• Must keep accurate records
• Must spend a great deal of time advertising,
  showing and promoting swine breeds

10
Commercial

• Means used to produce most of the pork produced
  in the United States
• Use crossbreeding
• Often cross purebred boars onto crossbred sows
• Good management is necessary

11
Feeder Pig Production

• Produces pigs that are sold to feeders who feed
  them to market weights
• Producer has a herd of breeding sows
• Baby pigs are taken care of until they reach
  weaning weight
• A high producing herd is required
• An average of 14-16 pigs marketed per sow is
  required to break even
• Goal is to raise uniform groups of feeder pigs
  for sale
• Health problems MUST be prevented or carefully
  treated
• Generally requires only small investments
• Farrowing needs to be scheduled to have a steady
  supply of feeder pigs for sale
• Requires less total feed

12
Buying and Finishing Feeder Pigs

• Operator buys feeder pigs and raises them to
  market weight
• Lest investment and managerial ability
• Possible to feed pigs on pasture or with limited
  facilities
• Trend is towards investing in more confinement
  systems
• Cost are higher with this operation

13
Buying and Finishing Feeder Pigs

• Requires higher investment to purchase pigs
• Well adapted to producers who have large amounts
  of grain for feed
• Requires less labor
• Disadvantages
• Health problems
• Variation in market prices
• It is a fairly high risk that there will be no
  profit made

14
Complete Sow and Litter System

• Most common method of production
• Involves
• Breeding herd of sows
• Farrowing pigs
• Caring for and feeding the pigs to market weight
• Investments
• Can be low for pasture systems
• High for confinement systems and facilities
• Trend is toward more confinement systems with
  larger numbers of sows being kept in the
  producing herd

15
Complete Sow and Litter System

• Confinement permits spreading the production and
  marketing of pigs more evenly through the years
• This results in an increased potential for profit
• Labor, management and investment requirements
  vary considerably

16
Pork Quality Assurance Program
17
Pork Quality Assurance Program (PQA)

• Implemented in 1989 by the National Pork
  Producers Council
• Management education program with major emphasis
  on the swine herd health program
• Anyone who raises pork can take part
• Just like the Beef Check-Off

18
PQA

• 1st stepreview of management practices,
  especially focusing on the use and handling of
  animal health products
• Series of good management practices are reviewed
  and a plan is developed for needed improvements
• Final stepproducers plans are reviewed and
  verified by a verifier
• The verifier can be a vet, an extension
  specialist, or agricultural education instructor

19
Reducing Nitrogen and Phosphorus Excretion
20
Problems faced by the Swine Producers

• Odor
• Pollution due to excessive N and P in the manure

21
Nitrogen

• Odor problem is caused by the release of ammonia
  from the manure
• This is caused by the nitrogen (N)
• Nitrogen can be reduced by substituting synthetic
  lysine for soybean meal in the diet
• This reduces the amount of nitrogen excreted and
  thus reduces the amount of ammonia generated and
  all in all reduces the smell!
• Note No more than 3 pounds of synthetic lysine
  per ton in growing-finishing diets.
• Replacing two much of the soybean meal with
  synthetic lysine reduces the amount of other
  necessary amino acids in the diet and thus has a
  negative effect on daily gain, feed efficiency
  and some carcass traits.

22
Nitrogen

• Another method of reducing nitrogen is by using
  split sex feeding
• Barrows have lower protein requirements than
  gilts
• Feeding them separately means less protein can be
  fed thus reducing the amount of nitrogen excreted
  in the manure.

23
Phosphorus

• Corn and soybean oil, both the basis of the swine
  diet, have high phosphorus content
• Problem-
• 90 of the phosphorus is in the form of phytic
  acid, which is not available to the pig
• More phosphorus must be supplemented, increasing
  the amount that is released in the manure
• This all contributes to a problem of excessive
  amounts of phosphorus being released into the
  environment when the manure is applied to the
  land.

24
Phosphorus

• Solution??
• Adding the enzyme phytase results in more
  utilization of the phytate phosphorus
• This results in a reduction of as much as 30
• Research is also being done in using genetically
  modified corn that contains less phytate

25
Selecting Feeds for Swine
26
Feed Costs

• Range from 55-70 of the total cost of raising
  hogs
• Combining the right kinds of feed in a well
  balanced ration is one of the most important
  tasks of the hog producer.
• Nutrient needs of hogs include
• Energy
• Protein
• Minerals
• Vitamins
• water

27
Energy Feeds

• Corn
• Barley
• Buckwheat
• Milo
• Wheat
• Oats
• Rye
• Triticale
• Potatoes
• Bakery waste
• Fats,tallows and greases
• Molasses

28
Corn

• Basic energy feed
• High in digestible carbs
• Low in fiber
• Palatable
• Other feeds are compared to corn when determining
  their feed value
• See table 22-2

29
Corn Co-Products

• Products from the corn-refining industry
• Corn gluten feed
• Corn germ meal

30
Barley

• Good substitute for corn
• In some parts of the US it is fed more than corn
• High fiber
• Slightly less digestible
• Higher protein
• Must be supplemented with proteins, minerals, and
  vitamins
• Ground medium fine
• Also rolled or pelleted
• Not as palatable
• Poisonous to hogs if scabby

31
Buckwheat

• Has 80-90 of the feed value of corn
• 11 crude fiber
• Not as palatable
• Generally mixed with other grains
• Less protein supplement needed
• Not recommended for lactating sows or small pigs
• Can be used for gestating sows and in fast
  growing rations
• Not recommended that it be used for more than 50
  of the ration
• Can cause buckwheat rash in white pigs when they
  are exposed to sunlight

32
Milo

• Higher protein than corn
• Can replace all the corn in hog rations
• Must be supplemented with protein, minerals and
  vitamins
• Has a relative feed value of 90-95 compared to
  corn

33
Wheat

• Equal to or slightly higher in feed value than
  corn
• Higher in
• Protein
• Lysine
• Phosphorus
• Relative feed value is 100-105 compared to corn
• Energy value is slightly lower
• Relative price of wheat compared to other grains
  is a determining factor when considering its use
  in swine rations
• Must be processed through a roller mill

34
Oats

• Higher protein, but poorer quality
• Protein supplement must be used
• High in fiber
• Relative feed value of 85-90
• Should not be substituted for more than 20 for
  growing-finishing hogs
• Should be medium to finely ground
• Hulled, rolled oats make an excellent starter
  ration for baby pigs

35
Rye

• Not a very good feed for hogs
• Relative feed value of 90
• Less palatable than other grains
• Should not make up more than 25 of the grain
  ration
• Harder than corn and should be ground
• Sometimes infested with a fungus called ergot
• Ergot will cause abortion in pregnant sows and
  ergot infested rye should never be fed to them
• It will also slow down gains in growing-finishing
  hogs

36
Triticale

• Hybrid cereal grain
• Cross between wheat and rye
• More lysine than corn
• Not as palatable
• No more than 50 of the ration should be
  triticale
• Some varieties maybe infested with ergot
• Ergot infested triticale should not be fed to
  pregnant sows.

37
Triticale
Wheat Rye Triticale
38
Potatoes

• May be fed to hogs
• Contain mainly carbs
• Must be fed with a protein supplement
• Heavier hogs make better use of potatoes
• Takes about 400 lbs of spuds to equal the feed
  value of 100 lbs of corn
• Should be fed at the rate of 1 part potatoes to 3
  parts grain
• Should be cooked before they are fed

39
Bakery Waste

• Include
• Stale bread, bread crumbs, cookies, crackers
• Average protein content is about 10
• A good protein supplement must be fed

40
Fats, Tallow and Greases

• High energy
• Make up less than 5 of the ration
• Used to improve the binding qualities of pelleted
  feed
• Binding quality is how well the feed particles
  stick together
• Decreases carcass quality if feed in excess
• Contain no protein, minerals, or vitamins
• Proper nutrient supplements are essential when
  these substances are part of the ration

41
Fats, Tallow, Greases
Tallow
Lard
42
Molasses

• Provide carbs
• Can be substituted for part of the grain
• Should never be more than 5 of the ration
• May result in scours if over-fed

43
Plant Proteins
44
Soybean Oil Meal

• Available with a 44 or 49 protein content
• 49 meal is used in pre-starter and starter
  rations
• Both are equal in value for growing-finishing
  pigs
• Protein quality is excellent
• Most widely used protein source in hog rations
• Very palatable
• Hogs will overeat soybean oil meal if fed free
  choice
• Good balance of amino acids
• Other feeds that are fed are compared to soybean
  oil meal when determining their feed value.

45
Cottonseed Meal

• 40-45 protein
• Poor quality
• Low in lysine
• Maybe fed as 5 of the protein in the ration
• Some contains gossypol which is toxic to hogs
• If the gossypol is removed cottonseed meal may
  replace up to 50 of the soybean oil meal in the
  ration
• Low in minerals
• Fair in in Vitamin B
• Not palatable to hogs
• Do not use as a starter ration

46
Linseed Meal

• 35-36 protein
• Poor quality
• Must be fed with other protein sources
• Usually makes up no more than 5 of the ration
• More calcium than soybean or cotton meals, about
  the same for Vitamin B
• Best fed in combination with animal protein
  sources
• Acts as a laxative in large amounts

47
Peanut Meal

• 47 protein
• Low in several amino acids
• Must be fed with other protein sources
• Becomes rancid if stored more than a few weeks
• Low in vitamins and minerals

48
Whole Soybeans

• About 37 protein
• Can be used to replace soybean oil meal
• Higher in energy
• Lower in protein
• 6 lbs of whole cooked soybeans can substitute for
  5 lbs of soybean oil meal
• Higher energy of the whole soybeans may increase
  feed efficiency by 5
• Do not use raw soybeans in growing-finishing
  ration
• They contain an antitrypsin factor that prevents
  the action of the enzyme trypsin in non-ruminants
  such as swine, resulting in a reduction in the
  availability of tryptophan, an essential amino
  acid
• Heating the soybeans destroy the antitrypsin
  factor

49
Animal Proteins
50
Tankage and Meat Scraps

• 50-60 protein
• Inadequate amounts of the amino acid tryptophan
• Must be used with other protein sources
• High in calcium, phosphorus
• Vitamin content is variable
• Not as palatable as soybean meal
• Maximum percentage of tankage included depends on
  the ration being fed
• Gestation rations 10
• Lactation 5
• Growing and finishing 5
• Starter rations 0

51
Meat and Bone Meal

• 50 protein
• The amount of bone in the mix determines the
  value
• Low in lysine
• Maximum percentage varies with the type of ration
• Gestation 10
• Lactation, starter, grower, finisher 5

52
Fish Meal

• 60-70 protein
• Excellent quality
• High in minerals and vitamins
• Palatable
• Usually to expensive to use except in creep
  rations
• Maximum fish meal to use is 5

53
Skim Milk and Buttermilk

• 33 protein when dry
• Only worth 1/10 that much when in liquid form
• Quality is good
• Good sources of B vitamins
• Often used in creep rations in the dry form
• Maximum amount to use in starter rations 20
• Dried skim milk should not be used in gestation,
  lactation, grower or finishing rations

54
Whey

• Liquid form 1 protein
• Dry 13-14 protein
• Excellent quality
• Starter rations may contain up to 20 dry whey
• In gestation, lactation, grower, and finisher
  rations whey should be limited to no more than 5
  dry whey

55
Roughages
56
Alfalfa Meal

• 13-17 protein
• Large amounts of vitamins A B
• Excellent roughage for hogs
• Good source of minerals
• Should be limited to no more than 5 of the
  ration for growing-finishing hogs
• For brood sows it may make up as much as 50 of
  the ration it helps keep them from getting too
  fat
• For lactating sows it may make up a maximum of
  10 of the ration
• Do not use alfalfa meal in starter rations

57
Alfalfa Hay

• Generally not used in hog rations except for the
  breeding herd
• Hay must be ground and mixed in the ration for
  self feeding sows and gilts
• It can be used to make up as much as 1/3 of the
  ration

58
Silage

• Most valuable in the ration of breeding stock
• 10-12 lbs of corn or grass-legume silage can be
  fed per day to sows and gilts during pregnancy
• Must be supplemented with protein and minerals
• Moldy silage should never be fed.

59
Pasture

• Valuable for feeding the breeding herd
• Good quality pasture supplies the same nutrients
  as alfalfa meal and hay
• Growing-finishing hogs will not gain as rapidly
  as those in a dry lot
• However, pregnant sows and gilts get the exercise
  they need
• Putting the breeding herd on good quality pasture
  supplies enough nutrients that concentrates may
  be reduced by up to 40
• Pasture is also sufficient for the herd boar

60
Minerals Vitamins
61
4 Major Minerals

• Calcium
• Phosphorus
• Sodium
• chlorine

62
Trace Minerals

• Zinc
• Iron
• Copper
• Selenium
• Manganese
• iodine

63
Salt

• Adds sodium and chlorine
• Should make up about 0.5 of the ration

64
Calcium Phosphorus

• Most common source is ground limestone
• Ration should contain 0.5-0.7 Ca
• Dicalcium phossphate supplies both calcium and
  phosphorus
• Ration should contain 0.4-0.65 phosphorus
• Other sources of calcium and phosphorus
• Steamed bone meal
• Defluorinated rock phosphate

65
Calcium Phosphorus

• Feeding too much calcium or phosphorus may reduce
  the rate of gain for growing-finishing hogs
• Excess calcium will interact with zinc and cause
  a zinc deficiency
• Ratio of calcium to phosphorus should be 1.0 to
  1.5 calcium to 1.0 total phosphorus in a
  grain-soybean meal diet

66
Sources of Trace Minerals

• Found in commercial protein supplement mixes
• Trace mineralized salt is another source
• Trace mineral premixes are also available

67
Iron and Copper

• Especially important in baby pig rations
• They prevent anemia
• In addition to the iron supplied in the ration
  baby pigs should be given iron shots when they
  are 2-4 days old

68
Zinc

• Needed to prevent parakeratosis
• Early weaned pigs have a higher zinc requirement
  than older pigs

69
Feeding Minerals

• Care must be taken
• Excess minerals slow the rate of gain
• Minerals shouldnt be added to rations that
  contain commercial protein supplements unless the
  feed tag says otherwise
• Mineral mixes can be fed free choice to hogs
  since they will not overeat minerals if they are
  receiving enough in the ration.

70
Vitamins

• Many that are required are already present in the
  feeds
• Vitamins that must be added to the ration are
• A
• D
• E
• K
• Riboflavin
• Niacin
• Pantothenic acid
• Choline
• Vitamin B12

71
Vitamins

• May be added as part of
• complete protein supplements
• Mineral-vitamin premixes
• Vitamin premixes
• The major differences between these sources is
  the amount of vitamins they contain and their
  costs

72
Vitamins

• It is difficult to determine the exact amount of
  vitamins they contain since the feed tags do not
  usually list the amounts
• Past experience with a particular mix is the best
  guide to follow in selecting a vitamin source

73
Vitamins

• Complete supplements and mineral-vitamin premixes
  usually cost more than vitamin premixes
• If the producer does not have mixing equipment on
  the farm it is best to use complete mixes.
• Premixes are used in such small amounts per ton
  that it is difficult to mix them into the ration
  properly

74
Water
75
Water

• One of the most important nutrients
• Plenty of water should be available at all times
• It should be fresh, clean and no colder than 45
  degrees F
• It should be checked periodically for nitrate
  content
• To much nitrate or nitrite in the water is not
  good for hogs
• See fig 22-2 p. 423

76
Additives
77
Additives

• Increase efficiency
• Enable pigs to
• Grow at a faster rate
• Improve feed conversion
• Reduce disease stress

78
Common Additives

• Anthelmintics
• Antibiotics
• Arsenicals
• Nitrofurans
• Sulfa compounds

79
Sources of Additives

• Complete protein supplements
• Complete mixed feeds
• Premixes
• Must be carefully mixed into the ration for even
  distribution

80
Factors to Consider when Evaluating Additives

• Costs
• Which additives are included
• Amounts of additives in the source

81
Other Rules for Additives

• Feed tag instructions must be carefully followed
• Withdrawal times must be observed when marketing
  hogs

82
Feeding the Breeding Herd
83
Gilts

• Separate from market hogs when they reach a
  weight of 150-200 pounds
• They may then be fed a sow diet
• Do not allow them to get too fat
• They should gain about 1 lb/day before breeding

84
Breeding Gilts

• Breed at 7-8 months of age
• They should weigh about 250-300 lbs
• Pasture may be used in the feeding program

85
Flushing

• Increasing the amount of feed fed for a short
  period of time
• May allow a gilt to farrow a bigger litter
  depending on her condition
• When flushing increase the ration to 6-8 pounds
  about 10 days prior to breeding
• Sows that have been on restricted rations before
  breeding should also be flushed
• Gilts and sows should be put back on limited
  feeding immediately after breeding so they do not
  get to fat
• Limited feeding also reduces fetal death during
  gestation

86
Gestation Rations

• Should not be allowed to become to fat
• A gain of 50-75 pounds is right for sows
• 70-100 lbs for gilts
• 4-5 lbs/day may be fed during the first 2/3 of
  gestation
• Last 1/3 of gestation it should be increased to 6
  lbs
• Pasture, silage and hay may also be fed

87
Farrowing Rations

• Should be bulky
• Adding bulk helps reduce constipation and reduces
  problems with mastitis-metritis-agalactia (MMA)

88
Feeding after Farrowing

• Limit fed rations the first few days after
  farrowing
• Lactating sows and gilts will eat 2.5-3 pounds of
  feed per day per 100 pounds of body weight
• Amount of feed fed will also vary according to
  the number of pigs being nursed

89
Hot Weather

• Feed intake maybe reduced by as much as 25 when
  the temperature reaches 80 F in the farrowing
  house, compared to 60 F
• Keep sows cool to maintain proper feed intake

90
Feeding the Heard Boar

• Keep on limited rations during the breeding
  season
• Fat boars make poor breeders.
• Young boars should be fed for moderate weight
  gain
• Boars can be maintained on 4lbs of feed when not
  used

91
Feeding Baby Pigs

• ¼ of pigs are lost before weaning due to poor
  feeding
• Baby pigs should nurse shortly after birth
• This is how they receive disease protection.
• Baby pigs will nibble on creep feed within a week
  of birth if it is available.
• Ensure baby pigs have plenty of clean, fresh
  water.

92
Creep Feeding Baby Pigs

• Small amounts can be provided in pans
• It should be fresh every day
• Best to use commercial creep feeds
• Baby pigs eat creep feed better if it is
  sweetened
• Use feeds that have sugar mixed in instead of
  sugar coated pellets.

93
Creep Feed for Baby Pigs
94
Feeding Growing-Finishing Pigs

• Scours sometimes a problem within the first 2-3
  weeks after weaning
• Especially if the pigs have been weaned early
• Replace 10-15 of the corn in the ration with
  oats to prevent scouring

95
Phase Feeding

• Recommended when pigs are weaned at 3 weeks of
  age
• Designed to meet the rapidly changing nutritional
  needs of pigs during early weaning
• It helps reduce
• Post weaning growth lag
• Gets pigs started on a grain and soybean meal
  diet

96
Phase I

• Last for 7-10 days for pigs at 3 wks age
• 3-4 days for pigs at 4 wks age
• Fed a pelleted diet
• 20-22 crude protein
• 1.45 lysine
• 4-5 plasma protein
• 20 food grade whey
• 10 food grade dried skim milk
• 4-6 cheese by-product
• 2-3 egg protein
• 4-6 soy oil

97
Phase II

• Follows phase 1
• Lasts 1-2 weeks
• May be pelleted or meal
• 18-22 crude protein
• 1.35 lysine
• 10-15 food grade whey
• 2 ½-5 menhaden fish meal
• 2-3 blood meal
• Max. 8 soybean meal

98
Phase III

• Start when pigs weigh about 25 lbs
• 3-5 weeks after weaning
• Diet is grain-soybean in pelleted or meal form
• 18-20 crude protein
• 1.1 lysine
• 5-10 whey
• 4-5 fish meal
• Diet continues until the hog reaches 45 pounds

99
Preparation of Feeds
100
Preparation of feeds

• Hog feeds are generally ground for most efficient
  use
• Corn, barley, milo, and oats should be finely
  ground
• Wheat should be coarsely ground

101
Pelleting Feed

• Improves efficiency
• Less feed waste
• Improves high fiber rations
• Buying complete pelleted feed may be less
  expensive

102
Liquid or Paste

• Reduces waste
• Rate of gain increase
• Higher costs for labor
• No clear advantage to feeding liquids or pastes

103
Wet Feeding

• Made from different materials
• Stainless steel last longer but is more expensive
• Some are made of plasticthey are easier to clean
• Need to be kept in an area that doesnt freeze
• Must be checked frequently
• Better management is needed
• No advantage to cooking, soaking or fermenting

104
Management Practices
105
Pre-breeding Management

• Must decide on a breeding system
• Crossbreeding hogs for slaughter is recommended
• Crossbred pigs generally grow faster and use feed
  more efficiently
• Sows have larger litters and are better mothers

106
Multiple Farrowing

• Arranging the breeding program so that groups of
  sows farrow at regular intervals throughout the
  year
• Usually results in a higher average price for
  hogs on a yearly basis
• Chances of selling at a better prices are
  increased
• Income is spread more evenly through the year
• This makes more efficient use of facilities
• Reduces the investment per pig raised
• Year round labor supply is required as well

107
Replacement Gilts

• Select at 4-5 months of age
• Separate from finishing hogs and feed separately
• Worm gilts and sows before first breeding
• Spray for external parasites

108
Boars

• Purchase at least 45-60 days before use
• Buy only from healthy, purebred herds with good
  performance records
• Isolate the boar when he is first brought to the
  farm to help prevent disease
• Treat for internal and external parasites
• Semen test
• Test breed on a few market gilts to ensure the
  boar will breed

109
Boars

• Age determines the number of time a boar can mate
  per day or week
• Mating boars with too many females in a short
  period of time decreases the boars ability to
  service

110
Increasing conception and litter size

• Can be done by using more than one boar on each
  female
• This is easier when hand-mating or using
  artificial insemination
• Can also be accomplished with pen breeding
• Rotate the boars once a day between pens

111
Artificial Insemination

• Not widely used in the past
• Mostly only by the purebred producers
• Improvements in technology are trending toward
  more use of AI in commercial herds
• Advantages
• Increases the ability to bring superior genetics
  to the herd
• Makes the use of superior boars on more sows
  possible
• Reduces the risk of disease transmission
• Makes it possible to bring new bloodlines into
  the herd

112
Breeding-Gestation Period

• Breed gilts at 7-8 months of age and a weight of
  250-300 pounds
• Breed during the second heat for larger litters
• Move gilts outside to dirt lots by the time they
  weigh 175-200 pounds to increase conception rates
• Boars should be 7 ½ months of age before breeding

113
Breeding

• Check for standing heat at least 1 X day
• Checking 2 Xs day increases conception rate
• Breed gilts at least twice at 12 hour intervals
  after standing heat is detected
• Breed sows at least twice at 24 hour intervals
  after standing heat is detected

114
Gestation

• Keep gilts and sows separate
• Boars of the same size and age can be run
  together during the off-breeding season
• Do not run boars of different ages together
• Provide shade to animals on pasture
• Avoid overheating
• Supply plenty of fresh water
• Keep the breeding herd separate from the other
  hogs to avoid disease

115
Common Reproductive Problems

• Read p. 434-435

116
Farrowing Period

• Behavior determines when a sow is about to farrow
• Most sows farrow within about six hours after
  they begin a period of intensive activity
• Intensive activity is when a sow stands up and
  lies down more often than once per minute
• Sows will also root and paw at the pen floor when
  they are ready to begin farrowing

117
Farrowing Period

• Farrowing can be induced by giving the sow
  commercially available drugs 111-113 days after
  breeding, the sow will farrow 18-36 hours later

118
Advantages of Farrowing in a Short Period of Time

• Easier to even up litter sizes by cross-fostering
  piglets
• Labor is more efficiently utilized
• Easier to keep a group of sows on a uniform
  rebreeding schedule
• Breeding herd can be better managed because the
  farrowing time is more predictable

119
Farrowing Facilities

• Must be cleaned and disinfected before sows are
  placed in them
• Traffic must be kept to a minimum in farrowing
  houses
• Sows must be washed with soap and water before
  being moved to clean pens
• Sows should be moved to farrowing pens at least 1
  day before farrowing.

120
Farrowing Facilities

• Guard rails and artificial heat are used to
  protect the baby pigs after birth
• For newborn pigs the temperature should be 90-95
  degrees F under the heat lamp
• Heat maps are placed 18 above the pigs
• After 4-5 days the temperature is lowered to
  80-85 degrees F by raising the heat lamp

121
Caring for Baby Pigs

• Many are saved by the operator being present at
  farrowing time
• Sows need assistance
• Piglets trapped in after-birth can be saved
• Baby pigs must be kept warm and dry

122
Caring for Baby Pigs

• Clip needle teeth
• Done with disinfected clippers
• Pigs less than 2 days old, clip needle teeth at
  the gum line
• Pigs over 2 days old, clip 1/3 to ½ of the tooth
• Avoid injuring the gum
• See fig. 22-4
• The navel cord should also be clipped shortly
  after birth to 1-1.5 and disinfected with
  tincture of iodine

123
Ear Notching

• Used for identification
• Required for registration in purebred
  associations
• Determination of right and left ear is made from
  the rear
• See fig 22-5 p. 436

124
Caring for Baby Pigs

• Efforts should be made to save runts
• Use milk replacer or other methods
• Feed orally once or twice a day
• Saves about ½ the pigs that would otherwise die
• Litter size should equalized
• Move pigs from large litters to small in order to
  make them equal.
• Be sure that pigs nurse colostrums milk before
  moving them.
• Make sure the sow has the nursing ability and the
  number of teats necessary for the number of pigs
  that are in the litter.

125
Farrowing to Weaning Period

• Several important management practices
• Tail docking
• Cutting the pigs tail ¼-1/2 inch from the body
• Done when pigs are 1-3 days old
• Use side cutting pliers or chicken debeaker
• Disinfect the tail stub with iodine spray and
  disinfect the cutter between pigs.
• Producers of feeder pigs should always
• Do not dock tail while pigs have scours
• Docking the tail prevents tail biting among pigs
  in confinement.

126
Docking Tails
127
Farrowing to weaning period

• Give iron injections or oral iron doses
• Should be done at 2-4 days old
• Injections should be given in the neck or forearm
  
• Iron-dextran shots are given at the rate of
  100-150 mg per pig
• Give a second dose at 2 wks of age
• Iron can be added to feed or water at this time.
• Use care when giving iron shots as an overdose
  may cause shock

128
Farrowing to Weaning Period

• Watch closely for scours
• Treatments with oral drugs work better.
• Castrate male pigs that will be raised for
  slaughter
• Best done when young, before 2 weeks of age is
  best
• Do not castrate, vaccinate and wean all in the
  same period of time as it overstresses the animal.

129
Farrowing to Weaning Period

• Start pigs on feed as soon as possible.
• Control diseases and parasites.
• This program should be tailored to the farm.

130
Weaning

• Trend towards earlier weaning
• Earlier weaning requires higher levels of
  management and nutrition
• Usually means pigs are weaned before 5 weeks of
  age
• Average is between 5 and 8 weeks
• Pigs should weigh at least 12 pounds at the time
  of weaning
• Avoid drafts and great temperature change when
  weaning pigs
• Group pigs according to size
• Groups should be no more than 30 pigs if possible

131
Weaning to Market

• Most management centers around feeding and
  facilities
• Hogs are raised either in confinement or on
  pasture

OR
132
Confinement

• Requires more capital investment
• Hogs gain a little faster

133
Pasture

• Good pasture can reduce the need for protein
  supplements

134
Grouping

• Group hogs in uniform size lots by weight
• Groups should be no large than 50-75 head
• Weight range should be no more than 20 above or
  below the average of the group
• Hogs should be marketed at about 230 pounds

135
Feed

• Accounts for 60-65 of the expenses
• Wasted feed reduces feed efficiency
• Feed loss can be reduced by
• Adjusting feeders at least once a week
• Controlling rodents in feed storage and feeding
  areas

136
Medicated Early Weaning

• Can help reduce the incidence of disease
• Sows are given broad spectrum antibiotics before
  farrowing and during lactation
• Pigs are weaned at 10 days of age and moved to a
  new location
• Pigs are given broad spectrum antibiotics during
  the first 5 days after birth
• Phase feeding is used to feed the pigs

137
Advantages

• Reduced incidence of disease
• Research shows an increase of 14 in average
  daily gain
• Also shows an increase of 9 in feed efficiency
• Death loss is reduced

138
Disadvantages

• Increased cost when multiple sites are used
• More facilities are needed
• Pigs and feed must be transported to other sites
• Other hog facilities must be 2-10 miles away
  depending on the disease that is the problem

139
All In/ All Out Method

• Can improve rate of gain and feed efficiency
• Reduces incidence of disease
• Pigs move as a group from nursery, through
  growing and finishing and to market
• Groups consist of pigs farrowed within a short
  period of time-usually 2-3 weeks

140
All In/ All Out

• Facilities are cleaned and disinfected between
  groups
• Manure, bedding and feed is moved from the
  facility when it is cleaned
• Facilities are left idle for a short period of
  time between groups

141
Feeder Pigs

• Generally 8-9 weeks of age
• Average 35-50 pounds
• Faster turnover in the volume of pigs handled
• Less feed is required for each dollars worth of
  pig sold
• Labor is needed year round
• Good sanitation and disease control are necessary

142
Feeder Pigs

• Large volume operators have lower costs per pig
  than small volume operators
• Net returns are higher for large volume operators
  as well
• Up to weaning, feeding and management practices
  are about the same for feeder pig production as
  other types pig production
• Good management and marketing practices are
  necessary if feeder pig production is to be
  profitable.

143
Feeder Pigs

• Should be bought from a reliable source
• Isolate newly arrived feeder pigs from other pigs
• Allow pigs sufficient space, time to rest and
  shade if is hot
• Sort pigs into uniform lots according to size
• Feeding and management practices are similar to
  those for market hogs

144
Summary

• 2 types of swine production commercial and
  purebred
• Purebred production is specialized and less than
  1 of the hogs raised in America are registered
  purebreds
• Purebred producers raise foundation stock used in
  commercial production
• Most commercial hogs are crossbred
• Commercial producers may
• Raise hogs for slaughter
• Buy and feed out feeder pigs
• Use a complete sow and litter system

145
Summary

• Most common feeds are corn and soybean oil meal
• Pasture is valuable for feeding the breeding herd
• Most important minerals are sodium, chlorine,
  calcium and phosphorus
• Salt, limestone and dicalcium phosphate are
  common sources
• Trace minerals come from commercial mineral mixes
• Vitamins are provided by using commercial feeds
  and vitamin premixes
• Water must be clean, fresh and in adequate supply

146
Summary

• Breeding herd should be fed so that they do not
  become to fat
• Baby pigs should be started on feed as soon as
  they will eat
• Growing-finishing hogs may be fed free choice or
  with self feeders
• Pelleted rations increase feed
• efficiency

147
Summary

• Crossbreed and have multiple farrowings
• Producers can save more pigs by being present
• Clip needle teeth, ear mark, disinfect and clip
  the navel cord and dock tails within the first
  few days after farrowing
• Equalize litter sizes and give iron shots
• Castrate boars before they are 2 weeks old
• Control scours and prevent disease
• Feed a good ration and group in uniform
• lots according to size after weaning

148
THE END