PIG HEALTH EVALUATION SAPPO TRAINING COURSE. How to see if a pig is healthy Whether a pig is for...
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Transcript of PIG HEALTH EVALUATION SAPPO TRAINING COURSE. How to see if a pig is healthy Whether a pig is for...
PIG HEALTH EVALUATION
SAPPO TRAINING COURSE
How to see if a pig is healthy
Whether a pig is for sale or a member of the herd, it is important to know how to examine it to see whether it is healthy – a healthy pig is lively when awake, peaceful when asleep, and has no outward signs of anything wrong
Questions to ask a seller
How old is the pig? Has it ever been ill? Has it been vaccinated, and if so, for which
diseases? Has it been treated for parasites? If it is an adult: Has it ever bred? Why are you selling this pig?
Examining a pig that is lying down
Does the pig look comfortable and relaxed?
Examining a pig that is lying down
Is it breathing quietly and regularly? No sounds like wheezing or gasping Only the chest should rise and fall If the belly contracts when the pig breathes, the
pig is having difficulty in breathing
Observing how the pig reacts
If you clap your hands, shout or whistle loudly, a healthy pig will react by looking in the direction of the sound
Examining the standing pig
Is the pig too fat or too thin? If you can see the hip, shoulder, ribs or backbone
under the skin, the pig is too thin Pigs that are too fat may not breed well, and may
develop leg and foot problems; rolls of fat around the neck indicate that a pig is too fat
Is the pig too fat or too thin?
Examining the standing pig
Is the back straight? The pig on the right dips in the middle
Examining the standing pig Does the coat look shiny?
Examining the standing pig
Does the skin look clean and healthy?
Examining the standing pig
Are there any swellings on the head, body or limbs?
Examining the standing pig
Are the legs strong and straight?
Examining the moving pig
Does the pig walk normally?
Other signs to observe
Coughing or sneezing Rubbing against objects for prolonged
periods to relieve itching Dung that is excessively soft, pasty or watery
(diarrhoea) or small hard dry droppings (constipation)
Dribbling or frothing saliva (normal in boars near a sow on heat or at first sight of food)
Any questions?