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15 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Pigs industry |
Pigs = most important supplier of global meat (50% of all global meat) UK problems with cheap imports, high feed costs, need to comply with our tough welfare legislation and ND outbreaks preventing trade. Around 4 million pigs in the UK |
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Types of farm |
Farrow to finish or specialised breeding, nursery and finishing units (pyramid structure) Commersial farms or small producers (often specialist nighe products with pure rare breeds eg Gloustershire Old Spot with slow growth) Breeds used are hybrids (mainly large white based) |
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Pig slaughter weight |
~100 to 110kg "bacon weight" |
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Sow management |
Indoors or out in large paddocks Indoor groups of 5-6 to over 50 according to stage in reproductive cycle Maintaining stable groups reduces fighting and disturbing dynamics Washed and moved to farrowing crates (indoor) or farrowing arcs (outdoors) 1 week before farrowing |
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Boar management |
Kept mainly indoors in individual pens near service area. Supervised servicing during oestrus Outdoors boars are kept loose in service pens and service is unsupervised. Some farms only use AI and have vasectomised boars for heat detection. |
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Piglet management |
Born at 1-1.5kg and remain in farrowing accommodation until weaned at 4 weeks (legal minimum is 28 days) when they are 7-8kg. Organic wean at 6-8 weeks but supplementary feed from 3-4 weeks so sow maintains body condition Need warmth |
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Weaning to finishing |
Optimal conditions can have weight gains of 800g/day from weaning to finishing |
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Natural pig lifestyles |
Boars are solitary Sows live in maternal groups with offspring (2-6 sows) Large home ranges and seasonal reproduction Litter size of ~6 and farrow in isolation returning ~10 days later Piglets weaned gradually over 17weeks |
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Tail docking |
Half of tail removed without anaesthetic at a few days old to prevent future tail biting. Shouldnt be routine but occurs in 80% of piglets |
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Castration |
Surgical removal to prevent boar taint but rare due to early slaughter age. |
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Ear notching/ tagging, tattooing, microchipping and slap marking |
To identify pig groups/ individuals |
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Teeth clipping/ grinding |
To reduce sharpness. Happens soon after birth to prevent damage to sows udder and littermate injuries |
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Housing |
Inappropriate space allowance/ stocking density can increase tail-biting, disease and aggression problems Should be able move, lie down, feed and drink and display positive behaviours ie play and avoid aggression |
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Stress before slaughter |
Has a negative effect on meat quality Can be from transport stress |
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Pregnancy stats |
Gestation = ~115 days Gilts served at 6-7 months so have first litter around a year old Average litter size = 12 Average number reared = 10 |
