Pork, the other white meat Downloaded off National Website

What are the types of Hogs? u Primary Lean Cuts = hams, loins, picnics, Boston Butts u Meat Type Hog: more than half the weight of a Number 1 animal is Primary Lean Cuts u Bacon Type Hog: less than 1/2 is PLC –large litter size –little value in U.S. except to increase litter size

Hog Selection u Feed Conversion Rate: pounds of feed needed to make a pound of hog –no more than 4 lbs of feed per 1 lb of hog u Minimum Litter Size = 9 u First Litter should have a combined pig wt at 21 days of 95 lbs or more –110 lbs for a mature sow

Hog Management Programs u All-in-one: all pigs are at the same stage of development –buy feeder pigs, finish, market, repeat –no breeding stock –income all at once u Staggered or Continuous Flow: costantly raise pigs of all ages –farrow all year long –constant supply of income

Feeding Hogs u Need more protein & vitamins than ruminants u lots of water - susceptible to heat stress u Feeders need lots of protein u Finishing needs lots of energy u Crude Protein = total protein in feed, not all is used by the animal u Digestible Protein = amount of protein that the animal can actually use

Feeding Hogs u Antibiotics often added to feed to prevent disease, grow faster u Full Feeding: animals get all the feed that they want (self feeder) –usually not done with breeding stock, if sows are too fat, they won’t get pregnant u Hand Feeding: animals are fed rations at chore time

Hog Management u Sanitation is critical –facilities should be easy to clean - concrete –inspect new pigs –clean pens whenever pigs are moved –isolate new pigs for 3 weeks u Cholera can wipe out an entire herd u Chester White needs sun protection –sunburn u Pens = maximum of 30 pigs / pen

Breeding u Flush sows before breeding –increasing level of nutrition u 4 days before farrowing, put sows in farrowing crate (disinfect pen & sow) u Heat lamp on babies u Exercise sow daily u 3 Days old - clip needle teeth

Breeding u 10 days old - begin creep feeding (feed for the babies only) u 1 month - vaccinate & castrate males u 2 months (30 lbs) - wean

Livestock Terms u What do you call a mature male hog? Boar u What do you call a mature female hog? Sow u What do you call the act of giving birth? Farrowing u What do you call a castrated male hog? Barrow

Livestock Terms u What do you call an young female hog? Gilt u What is the gestation for hogs? 114 days or 3 months, 3 weeks, & 3 days

Berkshire

Chester White

Duroc

Hampshire

Landrace

Poland China

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