MANAGEMENT OF A MONOGASTRIC ANIMAL (PIGS)
- Terms used in pig management
- Breeds of pigs
- Characteristics of pigs
- System of rearing pigs
- Housing, feeding and hygiene
- Management of pigs
Pigs are non-ruminant animals in the genus sus, within the even-toed ungulate family Suidae. They are primarily reared for meat.
TERMS USED IN PIGS MANAGEMENT
Boar: a mature male pig Sow: a mature female pig
Piglet: young or baby pig farrowed Barrow: a castrated male pig
Pork: pig’s meat In-sow: pregnant sow
Dry sow: a sow that is not pregnant Fatheners: pigs reared for meat
Farrowing: act of parturition in pigs Lard: pig fat
Gilt: a mature female pig that has not reproduced or has only reproduced once
BREEDS OF PIGS
Hampshire Yorkshire (Large white) Poland China Landrace
Berkshire Large black West African dwarf Duroc
CHARACTERISTICS OF PIGS
- Pork is a good source of protein
- It has a short gestation period of 114 days ( 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days)
- Pigs are prolific animals, they farrow twice a year with 8-14 piglets per litter.
- Have excellent dressing percentage (the ratio of meat to bone is very high)
- Excellently converts feed to meat
- Matures quickly (6 – 9 months)
- They are polyestrus (they can breed at any time of the year)
- Their salvage value is high
EVALUATION
- List five breeds of pigs.
- List and explain five terms used in pig management.
- Outline five characteristics of pigs
SYSTEMS OF REARING PIGS
EXTENSIVE SYSTEM
This is a system in which pigs are allowed to move out and fend for themselves. The system is not capital-intensive. The animals are exposed to adverse weather conditions.
They are exposed to disease and parasite infestation.
Advantages of this system include low cost of labour, low capital requirement, reduced feeding cost, reduced spread of disease is reduced etc.
Disadvantages of this system include increased exposure to disease-causing agents, increased risk of theft, exposure of animals to adverse weather conditions, no monitoring of animals, and production is relatively low.
SEMI-INTENSIVE SYSTEM
In this system, housing is provided for the pigs, and they are allowed to move out to feed on
natural vegetation. They are housed in a fenced compound with a wallow place where they can cool their body temperature. The system is less capital intensive, but the labour requirement, diseases and parasite infestation are slightly high. Concentrate feed is offered to the animals.
INTENSIVE SYSTEM
In this system, pigs are confined within a building, and they are not allowed to move out of the compound. They are reared in pens. Necessary materials such as feeds, water, and medications are provided for them. They are protected from adverse weather conditions, but the system is capital-intensive, and the growth rate is very high.
EVALUATION
- Discuss briefly the extensive system of rearing pigs.
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of the intensive system of rearing pigs?
HOUSING OF PIGS
Pigs are housed in pens. Pens should be sited far from residential areas because of their odour and noise. The house should be made of low walls with a concrete floor, which allows for free flow of air. The floor should be hard and slope towards the drain for easy cleaning.
The floor should be slightly rough to prevent slippery of pigs. The roof should be made of asbestos for easy absorption of heat. Feed trough, water trough and water bath should be provided.
FEEDING
A balanced diet should be offered to pigs. They should be well fed but not overfed to prevent excessive fat deposition. Breeders’ mash should be fed to breeders. Flushing, which is the intake of the gilt or sow to produce more eggs, should be done 7-10 days before breeding and maintained until the animal is bred.
Pregnant or in-sow should not be overfed to prevent excessive deposition, leading to a small litter size. The laxative diet should be given to pregnant animals to aid easy parturition and lactation. Creep feed should be given to piglets from two weeks of age to promote rapid growth.
Creep feeding is feeding piglets separately from the dam (the feed is either pelleted or crumbled). Weaners’ diet should be given to weaners from about 14 weeks at the rate of 1 kg/pig/day and 2.5 litres of water. During the fattening stage, fatteners mash should be given to pigs until they reach a market weight of 60-90kg at 7 months.
HEALTH/HYGIENE
- The pens should be regularly cleaned by scrubbing the floor.
- The pens should be regularly disinfected to prevent germs.
- The feeding and water trough should be cleaned to prevent contamination.
- They should be dewormed at regular intervals.
- They should be vaccinated against diseases.
MANAGEMENT OF PIGS
The management of pigs from breeding to finishing is discussed under 3 headings.
BREEDING TO FARROWING
Breeders are housed in the breeders’ house. Boar and gilt should be at least 8 months old before they are bred. The gilt must have at least 12 spaced functional teats.
Gilt or sow is made to mate on the second day of heat, and the next mating is done 24 hours later. The gilt should be taken to the farrowing house 3 to 4 days before parturition.
BIRTH TO WEANING
Heat is provided for the piglets to prevent cold. The middle tooth is cut off to prevent injury to the mother’s teats and other piglets while fighting.
The first dose of iron dextran injection is given to piglets at 2-3 days of age, while the second dose is given 2-3 weeks later to prevent baby pig anaemia. Male piglets not needed for breeding are castrated at 2 weeks of age. They are ear-notched for the purpose of identification and weaned at 42 days.
WEANING TO FINISHING
Weaners are fed with weaner’s mash and fattener’s mash a few weeks later. Drugs and vaccines should be provided. They should be allowed to exercise their body to prevent fat buildup.
Wallow place should be provided since they are non-sweating animals. Fatteners reach market weight at about 5-6 months of age, depending on management and nutrition.
PARASITES AND DISEASES OF PIGS
The greatest enemy of animal production is parasites and disease, it has no good, all bad is what comes from it. To this end, farmers must ensure they put things such as
- Effective management
- Adequate nutrition
- Proper hygiene and sanitation
- Well-designed housing
In place to safeguard their investment.
External parasites include mange, mites, ticks, lice, and fleas, all these can be controlled by spraying their post with pesticide regularly or dipping them in insecticide solution.
Internal parasites are roundworm (ascarislumbricoides), whipworm (trichurissuis), nodular worm (oesophagostomum app), kidney worm (stepphanurusdentatus), lungworm (metastrongylus app), tapeworm (taeniasolium). They can be controlled by giving animals broad-spectrum anthelmintics and dewormers, and timely cleaning of faeces from pig houses.
COMMON DISEASES IN PIGS
AFRICAN SWINE FEVER
This is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus and likely transmitted by a tick. It is characterised by high fever, loss of appetite, depression, weak and uncoordinated movement, reddening of skin around ears, nose, and hind legs, abortion in pregnant sows, respiratory disorder (laboured breathing, nasal and ocular discharge), and death within 48 hours.
This disease has no treatment yet, but it can be avoided by obtaining stock from ASF-free farms, slaughtering infected pigs and disinfect pig houses thoroughly with a 10% solution of caustic soda and keeping the pen empty for about 2 months
SWINE ERYSIPELAS
Also referred to as diamond skin disease is caused by bacteria (Erysipelothrixrhusiopathiae) that could come in contact with healthy animals via infected soil or faeces from infected animals. It manifests through fever (pyrexia), unwillingness to stand, swellings in joints, and lameness. It can be treated with antibiotics such as penicillin.
HYPOGLYCAEMIA
Also known as baby pig disease manifests mostly in piglets and could be very deadly. Symptoms include shivering, standing hairs, weakness, and a fall in temperature, twisted neck and uncoordinated eyeballs. Death could occur within 2 days. Provide warmth to pigs farrowing in the cold season to prevent this disease and give diseased animals a glucose injection.
EVALUATION
- State two disadvantages of the intensive method of rearing pigs.
- Discuss briefly the management of pigs from A. birth to weaning, B. weaning to finishing
GENERAL EVALUATION
- Outline four characteristics of pigs
- List five breeds of pigs
- List three systems of rearing pigs
- State two advantages of the intensive method of rearing pigs
- Mention two disadvantages of the extensive method of rearing pigs
- Discuss briefly the feeding and hygiene of pigs
- Discuss briefly the management of pigs from breeding to finishing
WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT
- A matured male pig is called ____ A. boar B. bull C. sow D. buck
- The gestation period in days of a sow is ____ days. A. 124 B. 183 C. 114 D. 141
- The house of pigs is referred to as ____ A. hutch, B. st,y C. paddock D. stable
- The diet given to pregnant sows to aid easy parturition and lactation is referred to as
- mash B. flushing C. creep D. laxative
- Which of the following is a breed of pig: A. Chinchilla, B. Tam worth C. Chester white D. Duroc
THEORY
State two advantages and two disadvantages of each of i) the Extensive system ii) the Intensive system of rearing pigs
See also’