Swine Industry

Swine IndustryAfter completing this unit of instruction, students will be able

to: 

A. Define terms relating to swine production;

B. List common swine breeds and characteristics;

C. Classify breeds of swine by their purposes & types;

D. Explain pork production systems, production practices,

and facility needs;

E. Explain the importance of the swine industry and its

contributions; and

F. List important points to consider when selecting a swine

breed and judge a class of market hogs.

Pork has changed in the last 20+ years…

Today's pig yields a pork loin with:

• 77% less fat • 53% fewer calories!

In the late 1970s• Americans became aware of the link

between fat in their diet and health.• People began changing their diet:

–Between 1979 and 1985, demand for pork fell 4 percent per year.

–Sales of chicken surged.

America’s change in diet revolutionized the pork

industry

Science improves the pork you buy today.

• Since 1983, fat content of pork has been reduced 31%.

• Many pork cuts have less cholesterol than chicken.

How??????• Improved Feed • Improved Environment• Improved Genetics

Swine Terms• Sow: female pig that has produced litters

• Gilt: young female pig which has not produced young

• Barrow: Male hog that has been castrated while quite young

• Boar: male hog of breeding age

Objective A: Define terms relating to swine production

• Weaner pig: young pig that no longer relies on the sow’s milk.

• Pure Bred: an animal carrying only one blood line.

• Mongrel: an animal of nondescript or mixed breeding

• Pedigree: a written record of an individual animal’s parentage and ancestry.

• Farrow: Process of a female pig giving birth

Swine TermsObjective A: Define terms relating to swine production

Landrace• Originated in

Denmark• Drooped ears• Known for their

maternal instincts• White

Swine BreedsObjective B: List common swine breeds and characteristics

Berkshire• Originated in England• Black with white legs,

snout and switch• Erect ears• Once kept at

Buckingham Palace• Well known meat breed

Swine BreedsObjective B: List common swine breeds and characteristics

Chester White• Originated in Chester

County, Pennsylvania• White• Drooped ears• Mothering breed,

produces large litters

Swine BreedsObjective B: List common swine breeds and characteristics

Duroc• Originated in US• Red• Drooped ears

Swine BreedsObjective B: List common swine breeds and characteristics

Hampshire• Originated in the

United States• Oldest American

breed• Black with a white

belt• Small, erect ears• Well-known meat

breed

Swine BreedsObjective B: List common swine breeds and characteristics

Hereford• Originated in

Missouri• Developed from

crossing Berkshires and Durocs

• Red with white face, legs and underline

• Drooped ear

Swine BreedsObjective B: List common swine breeds and characteristics

Poland China• Originated in the US• Black with white

snouts, legs and switch

• Generally poor mothers

• Drooped ears

Swine BreedsObjective B: List common swine breeds and characteristics

Spots• Developed in Indiana• Black and white spots• Drooped Ear• Efficient feeders• Noted for rapid

weight gain

Swine BreedsObjective B: List common swine breeds and characteristics

Yorkshire• Originated in England• White • Large, erect ears• Known as “The

Mother Breed”• Produces large litters

Swine BreedsObjective B: List common swine breeds and characteristics

Lard Type- Known to carry a lot of fatexample: Berkshire, Poland China,

Bacon Type- Known to be long and have a deep sideexample:Tamworth, Yorkshire

Meat Type- Produce a lot of meat in generalexample: All other breeds

Swine TypesObjective C: Classify Breeds of Swine by their purposes and types

Production systems:1- Farrow to Finish: Pigs are farrowed and raised til ready to harvest all at the same facility.

2-Feeder Pig System- Farrows pigs and raises and sells after weaning. (about 40 lbs)

3- Finishing Feeder Pig System- Buys weaned pigs and raises til ready to harvest.

4- Purebred System: Goal is to produce high quality registered breeding stock for use by commercial facilities.

-Least common

Objective D: Explain pork production systems, production practices, and facility needs

Swine Production Systems

Circle 4 FarmsMilford, UT

Farrow to Finish

• 12th largest in the world.

• Circle Four markets 24,000 pigs each week.

• Most commercial pigs are raised in buildings such as this.

• These building are thermostatically controlled but do have windows with automatic curtains.

Objective D: Explain pork production systems, production practices, and facility needs

General Swine Management:• Fresh water• Adequate feed (usually corn)• Heat in winter or cooling in summer

– Trivia: Why do pigs like the mud?

Objective D: Explain pork production systems, production practices, and facility needs

Facts about Pigs!!!• How much do

newborn piglets weigh when they are born? – 3 to 5 pounds

• How much do pigs weigh when they go to market at 6 months old?– 250 pounds

Objective D: Explain pork production systems, production practices, and facility needs

Piglets1- Clip Needle Teeth2- Castrate males3- Notch ears: method of identifying pigs -Used instead of ear tags because pigs easily rub tags out

Pig’s RIGHT= Litter number

Pig’s LEFT= pig number

9

3

1

279

13

81

Objective D: Explain pork production systems, production practices, and facility needs

Litter# 27+3+1=31 Pig# 9+1=10

Litter# 81+1=82 Litter# 27

Litter# 9

Pig# 9+1+1=11Pig# 9+3+1=13

Pig# 1+3=4

Objective D: Explain pork production systems, production practices, and facility needs

FACTS about PIGLETS…– Nurse (drink milk

from the mother (sow)

– Nurse every hour for the first three weeks

– Need to be kept warm at 90 degrees (heat mat or heat lamp)

Objective D: Explain pork production systems, production practices, and facility needs

Sows–Farrowing Crate

• Used to prevent sow from laying on piglets

Objective D: Explain pork production systems, production practices, and facility needs

More Facts about about Sows…

• How long is the gestation period of a sow?– 3 months, 3

weeks and 3 days– A sow has two

litters per year (all her piglets are

called a litter)– Sows average 8

to 12 piglets in a litter

Objective D: Explain pork production systems, production practices, and facility needs

Swine Contributions• The average

consumer in the U.S. eats fifty pounds of pork per year.

Objective E: Explain the importance of the swine industry and its contributions to society

Byproducts from Pigs

– Crayons– Chalk– Cement– Dye– Jello– Paint brushes– Plastic– Makeup– Matches– Antifreeze– Weedkillers– Dog Food– Linoleum

Byproduct= A secondary or incidental product. NOT the original intention.

Objective E: Explain the importance of the swine industry and its contributions to society

Medical Contributions

• Heart Valves

• Insulin

• Pigskin

• Research

Objective E: Explain the importance of the swine industry and its contributions to society

Nutritional Facts about PORK…

• Protein• Iron• Zinc• Vitamin B• Thiamine

• Builds and repairs body tissues

• Helps with energy production

• Enhances and protects bones

• Ensures healthy nerve tissue

• Builds and repairs nerves and muscles

Objective E: Explain the importance of the swine industry and its contributions to society

Pork and the Rural Economy• Pork Industry

consumes 10% of the total US corn crop - 1.2 billion bushels.

• Pork Industry consumes 27% of all soybean meal - 424 million bushels.

Objective E: Explain the importance of the swine industry and its contributions to society

.Steps to Judging Swine

1. View animal from the ground up, then from the rear and work forward

2. Rank based on the traits of importance they possess

Objective F: List important points to consider when selecting a swine breed and judge a class of market hogs

Ranking of Traits

Market Hog1. Degree of muscling 2. Growth 3. Capacity or volume 4. Degree of leanness 5. Structure and soundness

Objective F: List important points to consider when selecting a swine breed and judge a class of market hogs

1- Degree of Muscling

1-Center width of Hams

Objective F: List important points to consider when selecting a swine breed and judge a class of market hogs

1- Degree of Muscling2- Width of Base

Objective F: List important points to consider when selecting a swine breed and judge a class of market hogs

1- Degree of Muscling

-Bad= very smooth over top and no shape to muscle

-Good= Large pork chops on both sides of the backbone give the extreme “butterfly” shape

3- Shape

Objective F: List important points to consider when selecting a swine breed and judge a class of market hogs

2- Growth• Rule of thumb:

Heaviest pig = fastest growing pig Lightest pig = slowest growing pig.

• Hogs sold by the pound • Pigs need to grow at a high rate and reach

market weight at an early age

Objective F: List important points to consider when selecting a swine breed and judge a class of market hogs

3- Evaluating Capacity and Volume

Width Depth Length

(determined by body width, depth, and length)

Objective F: List important points to consider when selecting a swine breed and judge a class of market hogs

4- Degree of Leanness

Lean

Fat

Objective F: List important points to consider when selecting a swine breed and judge a class of market hogs

5-Evaluating Structure and Soundness

Bad=Straight hock

Bad= Swollen or “Puffy” hocks

Well formed hock

1- Hock

Objective F: List important points to consider when selecting a swine breed and judge a class of market hogs

5-Evaluating Structure and Soundness

2- rump

Bad=Extremely Steep

Good rump- allows for fluid movement

Objective F: List important points to consider when selecting a swine breed and judge a class of market hogs

5-Evaluating Structure and Soundness3-shoulders

Bad= Too straight Good slope- ease in movement

Overall:-Can the hog move easily?-Is it limping?

Objective F: List important points to consider when selecting a swine breed and judge a class of market hogs

Judge Class

#1

Objective F: List important points to consider when selecting a swine breed and judge a class of market hogs

Judge Class

#2

Objective F: List important points to consider when selecting a swine breed and judge a class of market hogs

Judge Class

#3

Objective F: List important points to consider when selecting a swine breed and judge a class of market hogs

Judge Class

#4

Objective F: List important points to consider when selecting a swine breed and judge a class of market hogs

3 – 1 – 2 - 4

1 2

3 4

Score

Objective F: List important points to consider when selecting a swine breed and judge a class of market hogs

Go to: http://livestock.colostate.edu/ youth/judging/index.html

• Judge Market Hog – Class 2 & 3– Hampshire Gilts– Crossbred Gilts– Write your placing

Objective F: List important points to consider when selecting a swine breed and judge a class of market hogs

1 2

3 4