Breeding Hogs AGRI 1419 Laboratory - PowerPoint Presentation

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Breeding Hogs

AGRI 1419 Laboratory

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Breeds of Swine

Things to Know

Description

Ear Carriage (Down or Erect)

Type (Sire or Dam)

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Landrace

Originated in Denmark

Large down ears

Known for their maternal instincts

WhiteDam Type

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Berkshire

Originated in England

Black with white legs, snout and switch

Once kept at Buckingham Palace

Known for producing high quality meatsErect ears

Sire Type

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Chester White

Originated in Chester County, Pennsylvania

White

Down ears

Mothering breedKnown to produce large littersDam Type

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Duroc

Originated in the United States

Solid red

Down ears

Slight dish to the faceSire Type

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Hampshire

Originated in the United States

Probably the oldest American breed

Black with a white belt

Erect earsWell-known meat breedSire Type

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Poland China

Originated in the US

Noted for ability to easily gain weight

Quiet dispositions

Black with white snouts, legs and switchDown ears

Sire Type

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Spots

Developed in Indiana

Black and white spots

Efficient feeders

Noted for rapid weight gainDown earsSire Type

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Yorkshire

Originated in England

White

Erect ears

Known as “The Mother Breed”Produces large littersDam Type

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Key Terms

Porcine – Scientific term referring to domesticated swine

Barrow – Male pig that has been castrated before reaching sexual maturity

Gilt – Female swine that has not given birth to piglets

Boar – Intact male pig, any ageSow – Female pig that has given birth to piglets

Farrow – The act of giving birthLitter – Term used for the offspring of a sow at one deliveryParity – number assigned to litters, i.e. second parity = second litterWhiteline- Progeny resulting in crossing Yorkshire, Chester White and/or Landrace

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Life Cycle

Birth

Gestation Length 114 Days

3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days

Weaned at 21 days of age

Moved away from sow into nursery

Sow comes back in heat 5 -10 days post weaning and is rebreed

Moved to the finishing floor at about 9-10 weeks old where they will grow or finish

Harvested at about 6 months of age (220lbs – 280lbs)

Gilts and Boars may be held back for entry into the herd for replacement animals in which case they will enter at about 5-6 months of age

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Why does parity matter?

Litter size (NBA)

Weaning (NW)

Milk Production

Farrowing Ease

Profitable LifeWhen are most sows removed from commercial swine operations?

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When referring to right and left we always do so from the pigs perspective!

No more that 2 notches in one quadrant

Identification nomenclature-

Litter Number- Individual Number

Right Ear

Litter Number

Left Ear

Pig Number

1’s

3’s

9’s

27’s

1’s

3’s

9’s

81

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Phenotypic Evaluation

Structure

Skeletal

Reproductive

VolumeMuscleConditionBalance

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Skeletal Structure

Determines longevity within operation

Majority of large swine operations utilize concrete flooring

Evaluate how skeleton is organized

Flexibility of jointsMobility

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Skeletal Structure

Undesirable

Desirable

Notice the angularity in the joints. She is laid back in her shoulder, has flex to her forelimbs, is level

spined

, and cranked higher in her

tailsetting

Notice how this gilt is straight shouldered, straight fronted, and she consequently roaches in her spine. She also is straight hocked and round hipped.

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Feet and Leg Soundness

Weak pasterns should be avoided

Buck kneed hogs should almost always be culled

Cow hocked hogs should be avoided

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Reproductive Structure

Vulva

Underline

Scrotum (Boars)

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Vulva

Proper size and placement

Too small-

infintile

Usually do not conceiveDifficulty during breedingAvoid upturned vulvasHinder penetration during natural service

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Vulvas

Vulva with a proper size, set and placement

Upturned vulva

Tipped vulvas should be avoided

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Underlines

At least six pairs of functional teats

Start as far forward as possible

Refined underlines are desired

Evenly spacedFree of blunt or pin nipples

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Acceptable underline

However the two circled appear to be rather coarse

Not enough teats

Uneven spacing

Pin nipples

the 3 at the back are not functional

The 4 towards the front are rather coarse

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Volume

Length of Body

Depth of Body

Rib Shape

Study how the rib turns out of the toplineCrate adaptabilityHigher

volumed swine will better maintain their body condition

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Notice the gilt on the right is deeper bodied, bolder ribbed, and softer flanked

The gilt on the left is too tight in her rib, too shallow in her body depth, and not soft enough in her flank

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Muscle

Want heavy muscled sows

Flatter, smoother muscle pattern than boars or market hogs

Base width is best indicator, especially as sows get older

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Wide based gilt

Narrow based gilt

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Condition

Want females that can maintain their BCS

Length, Depth, and shape of rib

Sows too fat

Have trouble conceivingSows too thinAbnormal cycling patternsWill not milk as well

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Balance

Want gilts that are feminine, and eye appeal

Traditionally higher fertility rate

Blends pieces together smoothly

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Nice Balanced

Poor Balanced

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Evaluation

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Evaluation

Weak pastern

Round hipped

Tight ribbed

Straight shoulder

Broken topped

Buck kneed

Sickle hocked

Shallow bodied

Extremely tight ribbed and shallow bodied

Steep hip

Low fronted

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Performance Selection

Actual vs. EPD’s or

(Expected Progeny Differences)

Carcass/Growth

- Days to 250 lbs.

- LEA (loin eye area)- FT or BF (fat thickness/back fat)- LBS- Pounds Fat Free Lean per day of age

Maternal

- NBA (number born alive)

- NW (number weaned)

- 21 day weight

- Parity

Indexes

- SPI (Sow Productivity Index) Maternal

- MLI (Maternal Line Index) Growth/Maternal

- TSI (Terminal Sire Index) Growth/Carcass