Pig Farming II – SS1 Livestock Farming Lesson Note (Third Term)

Pig farming management is the set of practices that help sows produce many healthy piglets and keep pigs free from disease.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. State how to select a boar and a sow for breeding.
2. State the length of a sow’s pregnancy and describe what happens at farrowing.
3. Describe the care given to piglets: iron injection, tail docking, teeth clipping and creep feeding.
4. Name three common pig diseases, with their signs and control.
5. List the daily management practices in a piggery.

What are the key terms in pig management?

These are the words used in breeding and care of pigs. This lesson follows the last one on breeds of pigs and the piggery.

• Boar: an adult male pig kept for breeding.
• Sow: an adult female pig that has given birth at least once.
• Gilt: a young female pig that has not yet given birth.
• Piglet: a baby pig.
• Litter: the group of piglets born to a sow at one time.
• Gestation: the period of pregnancy.
• Farrowing: the birth of piglets.
• Weaning: the stopping of milk feeding so the piglet eats solid feed.

How are a boar and a sow selected for breeding?

A good breeding pig is healthy, well built and comes from a line that produces many strong piglets.

Selecting a boar

• Health: the boar is strong, active and free from disease.
• Body shape: it has firm legs and a well-built body.
• Sex organs: both testes are well developed.

Selecting a sow

• Teats: she has at least 12 well-spaced teats, so she can feed a large litter.
• Health: she is healthy and in good body condition.
• Mothering: she comes from a line of good mothers that give large litters.

How long is the gestation period of a pig?

A sow’s gestation lasts 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days, which is about 114 days.

• Mating: the sow is mated when she is on heat (ready to mate).
• Signs of heat: she is restless, her vulva is swollen and she stands still when pressed on the back.
• Heat cycle: a sow that is not pregnant comes on heat about every 21 days.
• 3-3-3 rule: add 3 months, then 3 weeks, then 3 days to the mating date to find the farrowing date.

What happens at farrowing?

Farrowing is the birth of piglets, and the farmer should be present to protect them.

Signs that farrowing is near

• Restlessness: the sow cannot settle and keeps standing up and lying down.
• Nesting: she gathers wood shavings or bedding into a corner.

What the farmer does

1. Move the sow to a clean, dry farrowing pen a few days before the due date.
2. Stay near the pen during farrowing.
3. Make sure the sow does not sit or lie on the piglets.
4. Dry the piglets and help each one to reach a teat.

How do we care for piglets?

Piglet care is the set of tasks done in the first weeks of life to keep piglets healthy and growing.

Details of each practice

• Iron injection: piglets are born with little iron, and sow’s milk has very little, so anaemia can make them weak.
• Tail docking: we cut a small piece of the tail, because pigs bite each other’s tails and a bloody tail can become badly infected.
• Teeth clipping: piglets are born with 8 sharp “needle teeth”, and we clip the tips so they do not hurt the sow’s teats or scratch each other.
• Creep feeding: we give a high-protein feed in a corner the sow cannot reach, which prepares piglets for weaning.

What are the common pig diseases?

Most pig diseases spread in a dirty environment, so cleanliness is the first line of control.

African Swine Fever (ASF)

• Cause: a virus.
• Signs: high fever, reddening of the skin (especially ears and belly) and sudden death.
• Treatment: there is no vaccine and no cure.
• Control: report sick pigs to a veterinary officer, remove and bury dead or culled pigs deep, keep the farm very clean and keep visitors out.

Mange

• Cause: tiny mites living on the skin.
• Signs: the pig scratches against walls all the time, and the skin becomes thick, crusty and red.
• Control: treat the pigs with medicine such as ivermectin and wash the walls of the pen.

Worms

• Cause: worm eggs picked up from the floor, because pigs keep their noses on the ground.
• Control: deworm the pigs every 3 to 4 months and keep floors clean.

Comparison of the three diseases

What are the daily management practices in a piggery?

Daily management is a routine of cleaning, feeding, care and record keeping that keeps the piggery healthy.

• Washing: wash the floors every morning, because dung causes smell and flies spread disease.
• Castration: castrate male piglets meant for meat at about 2 weeks old, to prevent boar taint (a strong smell in the meat) and make them calmer.
• Record keeping: write down the mating date so you know the farrowing date and can be present to prevent crushed piglets.
• Temperature control: on hot afternoons, spray the pigs with water or keep the wallow (pool) full.

How does a pig farm multiply?

A pig farm multiplies because a sow gives birth to many piglets, and can farrow about twice a year.

• Example: 2 sows that each give 10 piglets twice a year produce 2 × 10 × 2 = 40 piglets in a year.
• Cleanliness: keeps piglets alive and healthy.
• Good timing: correct mating and farrowing dates prevent losses.

Evaluation

1. State two points to look for when selecting a sow for breeding.
2. A sow is mated on 1 January. Use the 3-3-3 rule to say roughly which month and week she will farrow.
3. Why are piglets given an iron injection?
4. Why is African Swine Fever more feared by farmers than mange?
5. Give two reasons for washing the piggery floor every morning.

Assignment

A sow was mated on 10 March. Use the 3-3-3 rule to find her expected farrowing date, then list in order the piglet care practices to be done after birth.