Unit 6 Swine

ANSCI56
SWINE PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT
Unit VI
CARE AND MANAGEMENT
Unit Objective
 Applied the appropriate care and management practices of different classes of hogs
Management of Boars
Puberty in Boars
- 6 to 8 months
A boar is ready for breeding when he is:

 8 (7.5) months old
 100-110 kgs or more (controlled feeding)
 Large enough to cover a normal-sized female
 Good quality and quantity of semen
 Sufficient libido
When to buy boars

- Be purchased at least 6-8 weeks before the breeding season
- Select superior animals
- Check health condition
- Evaluate reproductive performance
Selection of boars
 Sex Character
- Masculine in appearance
- Clearly visible and well-developed primary sex organs
 Age
- 4 to 6 months
 Traits to overcome defects in the herd
 Reproductive soundness
-number, spacing and presentation of live teats
 Body conformation
-body length, depth and height should be well-proportioned
Transporting newly purchased boar

 Proper care (minimize stress, injury and diseases)
Boar usage
 Depends on the Mating System
- Natural
- AI
- Combined System
- Sandwich System
 Depends on Age
1
Boar used for Natural Mating
No. of services Boar < 1 year old Boar > year old
Per sow (Junior Boar) (Seminar Boar)
Per heat period
Two services 2 boars: 15 sows 1 boar : 15 sows

One Service 1 boar: 30 sows 1 boar : 30 sows
Frequency of Use
Boar Age Service Interval

8 – 10 months 5 – 10 days
11 months 4 days
12 months 3 days
Other Considerations
 If possible, have an extra boar for every 30 sows.

 Start service at age of 8 months.
 Replace boars every 1.5 to 2 years (if only one boar is used) if
replacement stock is to be obtained from the farm.
 Boars should be of different ages and sizes.
 Acclimatize new boars at least 1 week before use and after quarantine
period.
 Check semen quality regularly at least 6 months, especially during
summer
 Make a blood test for newly acquired boars.
 Make sure that the mating area is not slippery.
MANAGEMENT OF REPLACEMENT GILTS
Puberty
- 6 to 8 months
Gilt is ready for breeding when:

 Cycled at least twice
 8 months old
 100 – 110 kgs of weight (controlled feeding)
REMINDERS
 Do not breed gilt on 1st estrus

 Start breeding at age 8 months
 Flush at least two weeks before breeding
 Serve at a weight of 110-120 kgs depending on breed or strain of animals.
2
MANAGEMENT OF SOWS
Dry Sows
 A good dry sow should come into heat and be ready for service within 3 to
7 days after weaning.
 Always keep her in good health and body condition.
 Keep lactation period no longer than 6 weeks.
 Do not feed her on the day of weaning
 Exposed weaned sow to the boar
 If she does not come into heat 10-12 days after weaning, induce heat
using hormone injection.
 Old sows of parity 8 and above tend to have longer dry periods.
 Keep her cool as possible during summer
 Check her for heat occurrence twice a day.
 Observe the right timing of breeding.
 Breed only good sows and cull bad sows immediately.
 It is advisable to let newly-weaned sows roam around in a paddock after
weaning.
 Provide adequate shade during summer months for the breeding herd if
the sows are penned in the paddocks.
 Arrange housing and feeding facilities to insure maximum exercise.
 Clean and disinfect the sows’ pen.
Pregnant Sows
 Well-managed sows are expected to farrow as scheduled producing large

litters and quickly returning to heat for breeding after weaning.
 Pregnancy control -
 Day 21 (return to service) [from day 18 to 24]
Methods of Pregnancy Diagnosis

 Records
 Ultra sound
 Hormone Injection
 External signs
 Blood urine examination
 Scanner
 Day 25 (start of pregnancy check) – reliability of a pregnancy tester is

quite good about 4 to 6 weeks after mating, but do not substitute for an
accurate return check around day 21.
 Day 42 (second heat control) – the heat detection can be done on the 36th
day up to 48th day after breeding or mating.
 Increase feed allowance – 30 days before farrowing

 Increase the amount of feed due to the following reasons:
 Fetus development
 Body reserve for the lactation period
 First mange and lice treatment – 14 days before farrowing
 Before treatment of the external parasites, clean the sow
thoroughly with soap, scrubber and water. Let it dry then apply the
biologics for the treatment of manage and/or lice. These are either
pour-ons, sprays or injectable.
3
 Deworming – 10 days before farrowing
 Application may either be through injection or feed medication.
 Second manage and/or lice treatment – 7 days before farrowing
 A follow-up treatment to kill remaining eggs.
 Transfer to the farrowing pen – 7 days before farrowing
 To be acclimatized to the new pen and environment.
 Decrease feed allowance – 3 days before farrowing
 To avoid constipation and difficult in farrowing.
Lactating Sows
 The length of the lactation period has an effect on the productive

performance of a sow. A short lactation period would be advantageous in
terms of her production efficiency.
 The sow and her litter should be observed carefully for any disease
condition and inadequate milk production, during the first few days after
farrowing.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
 Avoid stress, rough handling or disturbances to sows on the first 3 to four weeks
after service.
 Avoid excessive loss of condition during lactation period.
 If possible, practice batch farrowing to assure fostering.
 Assigned a well-trained caretaker in the breeding unit.
 Flush a newly weaned sow until 1st service up to 10 days from weaning.
Management and Care of Piglets
DAY ACTIVITIES
0 Farrowing :
- Cutting and disinfection of umbilical cord
- Cutting of the needle teeth
- Identification: earnotch/eartag/tattoo
- Tail docking
0–3 Iron injection – 200 mg/piglet
5 – 14 Castration
28 – 42 Weaning (piglets should weigh between 6 – 8 kgs/piglet
- Preferably, 7-8 at 28-35 days
30 – 60 Vaccination – Hog cholera
One week after Hog Cholera Deworming and mange treatment animals
vaccination
The following should be observed to assure early weaning:
 Piglets should be exposed to good environment.

 Clean
 Dry
 Draft free
 Temperature on brooder area = 30 – 32 ºC
 Extra care during the first 3 – 5 days

 Crushing should be minimized
 Special care should be given after birth
 Assist piglets to suck milk
4
 Colostrums should be available to all piglets
 Do supplement feeding or fostering if the sow does not have enough milk
 Start solid feeding as early as possible
 Wean not earlier than 21 days
 Prevent anemia-supplement iron
Management of Weaners
The following are the important points to consider in managing weaners:
 Do not wean piglets less than 5 kgs

 Weaning should be done gradually. Let the piglets remain in the farrowing-
rearing pen for at least 3 days.
 Transfer weaners to nursery pen 3 – 5 days after weaning.
 Be sure that weaners are used to solid feed before weaning by giving creep feed
from 5 days after birth.
 Restrict amount of feed at weaning time and make sure the feed trough is
sufficient for all piglets.
 Divide the feed to be given over more feeding times so that they get only a small
amount of feed per feeding time.
 It is better to provide mash than pellets, the intake is slower and the meal gets
mixed better with the digestive fluids.
 Gradually feed piglets ad lib till 20 kgs body weight.
 Avoid mixing litters for at least one week after weaning. Regroup weaners
according to size. Try to put the stronger piglets together and the same with
weaker piglets.
 Provide enough space. A rule of thumb is that each weaned pig requires
approximately 0.23 (raised deck) or 33 (concrete floor pen) square meters.
 Clean and fresh water should be available during the whole day.
Fattener Management
 Our target for fatteners is to have faster growing pigs with good FCR.
 Select good weaners for fattening.
 Dewormed piglets before fattening.
 Proper housing (good ventilation; proper space, clean, dry place, ideal pen
temperature 26ºC).
 Assure clean water supply.
 Gradually change feeds.

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ANSCI56

SWINE PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT

A boar is ready for breeding when he is:

When to buy boars

Transporting newly purchased boar

Two services 2 boars: 15 sows 1 boar : 15 sows

Boar Age Service Interval

 If possible, have an extra boar for every 30 sows.

MANAGEMENT OF REPLACEMENT GILTS

Gilt is ready for breeding when:

 Do not breed gilt on 1st estrus

 Well-managed sows are expected to farrow as scheduled producing large

Methods of Pregnancy Diagnosis

 Day 25 (start of pregnancy check) – reliability of a pregnancy tester is

 Increase feed allowance – 30 days before farrowing

 The length of the lactation period has an effect on the productive

Management and Care of Piglets

The following should be observed to assure early weaning:

 Piglets should be exposed to good environment.

 Extra care during the first 3 – 5 days

The following are the important points to consider in managing weaners:

 Do not wean piglets less than 5 kgs

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