Chapter 8 Hog raising

SELECTING HOGS FOR RAISING’S CRITERIA The gilt should have well-developed udder with minimum of six pairs of properly spaced functions set. Must have sound and well- placed feet and legs Female breeders should come from a litter of eight or more good sized piglets with high survivality.

Do not keep gilts that come from sows in which agalactia (failure to secrete milk) have been observe. Masculinity, both in appearance in action, should predominate in the make up of any boar. The primary sex organ should be clearly visible and be well developed.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN RAISING HOGS Water – a pig will drink 24 gallons of water a day. Management –pigs will stay clean if you let them. They will designate an area for eating, sleeping and elimination of waste Housing –pigs need enough space to move comfortably

MOST COMMON BREEDS OF HOGS RECOMMENDED FOR RAISING Y0RKSHIRE – the mother breed. DUROC –they grow on you. HAMPSHIRE –the belt-mark of a meat hog. LANDRACE –the universal breed. POLAND CHINA – more durability. SPOTTED –they’ll deliver BERKSHIRE –the confinement factor CHESTER WHITE –the maternal muscle quality breed

WAYS ON HOW TO TAKE CARE OF HOGS Keep buildings, run-ways, pen and equipment clean always. Sanitize and disinfect them regularly Quarantine or isolate animals recently brought from other source.

CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE SOW Deworm sows and gilts against internal parasites and treat external parasites 14 days before expected date of farrowing. To avoid constipation, provide healthy but a laxative ration.

CARE OF THE BOAR In commercial operations, as a new board should always be checked for fertility and diseases associated with abortion and birth of dead pigs.

Recommended breeding load of boars at different ages Ages, month=no. Of services per week 7 or less= none 8-10=1 or ever 5-10 days 11=1 or every 4 days 12=2 or every 3 days 18 and over=3-7 or every other day

METHODS ON MARKETING Is the last job done on growing –finishing pigs. Choosing a market is one of the important decisions a hog producer must make before sale of slaughter hogs. The market selected may affect income and profitability.

COMMON DISEASES OF HOGS Salt poisoning Mercury poisoning Head poisoning Mould poisoning Lameness and paralysis Heat stroke Sunburn

Constipation Mastitis Metritis Infertility and abortion Agalactia Anaemia White scours Para keratosis

NON-CONTAGIOUS DISEASES External parasites Hog louse Mange mites 2. Internal parasites Large intestinal roundworms Nodular worms Whip worm Red stomach worm

CONTAGIOUS DISEASES Viral Hog cholera Foot and mouth diseases Transmissible gastroenteritis Rabies Swine pox Pig influenza

2.Bacterial diseases Brucellosis Salmonellosis Antrax Pasteurellosis Swine erysipelas Leptospirosis Swine dysentery Tuberculosis

3.Protozoan diseases Balantidiosis

PREVENTION OF SWINE DISEASES -Prevention is definitely better than cure and it is perhaps the only remedy available to pig farmers. -It is possible to prevent most of the non-contagious diseases. -Contagious diseases can be prevented to a certain extent through following timely preventive measures.

4 STEPS REMOVING CAUSE DISEASES 1.Preventing the introduction of new diseases. 2.Removing the existing source of infection to break the diseases cycle. 3.Cleaning and disinfecting to reduce the number of disease organism. 4.Practicing good management to reduce the effect off stress and eliminate carrier animals.