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 Breeds
Objective 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 Breeds
Objective B: List common swine breeds and characteristics
Chester White• Originated in Chester
County, Pennsylvania• White• Drooped ears• Mothering breed,
produces large litters
Swine Breeds
Objective B: List common swine breeds and characteristics
Duroc• Originated in US• Red• Drooped ears
Swine Breeds
Objective 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 Breeds
Objective 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 Breeds
Objective 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 Breeds
Objective 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 Breeds
Objective B: List common swine breeds and characteristics
Yorkshire• Originated in England• White • Large, erect ears• Known as “The
Mother Breed”• Produces large litters
Swine Breeds
Objective 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
1
3
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
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