1. Feeding and Management of Swine
Chapter 22

2. Objectives Describe different types of swine production
Develop feeding programs for different stages in the life cycle of hogs
Describe accepted management practices for the stages in the life cycle of hogs

3. Types of Swine Production
Pasture Management
Usage decreased rapidly in 1970s due to growth of confinement hog production
By late 1990s, larger producers had converted to confinement facilities
Slight resurgence due to animal welfare concerns, demand for natural and local pork

4. Types of Swine Production (cont.)
Purebred Production
Specialized business
Purebred hogs make up less than 1 percent of total hogs raised in U.S.
Breeding stock used in commercial hog production
Producers must be excellent managers

5. Types of Swine Production (cont.)
Commercial Production
Feeder pig production
Produces pigs for sale to feeders
Buying and finishing feeder pigs
Buys feeder pigs, raises them to market weight
Farrow-to-finish system
Most common method
Farrow pigs, care for, feed to market weight

6. Contracting in the Swine Industry
Becoming more commonplace
Farmer provides buildings, equipment
Contracting company provides pigs, financing, and makes management decisions
Contracts offered for raising feeder pigs, or for feeding feeder pigs to market weights
Farmers paid flat fee per pig raised, marketed

7. Pork Quality Assurance Plus Program
Management education program
Emphasis on swine herd health and animal well-being
Anyone who raises swine can take part
Management practices reviewed and improvements designed
Producer’s plans verified by a veterinarian

8. Reducing Nitrogen and Phosphorus Excretion
Problems in swine: odor and pollution
Nitrogen, phosphorus excessive in manure
Odor caused by ammonia released from manure
Change in swine diet may reduce problems
Substitute synthetic lysine for soybean meal
Practice split-sex feeding
Use four to five diets in phase feeding rather than two

9. Selecting Feeds for Swine
Energy Feeds
Corn
Barley
Buckwheat
Milo
Wheat
Oats

10. Selecting Feeds for Swine (cont.)
Energy Feeds (cont.)
Rye
Triticale
Potatoes
Bakery wastes
Fats, tallow, greases
Molasses

11. Selecting Feeds for Swine (cont.)
Plant Proteins
Soybean oil meal
Cottonseed meal
Linseed meal
Peanut meal
Whole soybeans

12. Selecting Feeds for Swine (cont.)
Animal Proteins
Tankage and meat scraps
Meat and bone meal
Fish meal
Skim milk and buttermilk
Whey

13. Selecting Feeds for Swine (cont.)
Roughages
Alfalfa meal
Alfalfa hay
Silage
Pasture

14. Selecting Feeds for Swine (cont.)
Minerals
Four major minerals added: calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and chlorine
Six trace minerals added: zinc, iron, copper, selenium, manganese, and iodine
Vitamins
Vitamins added: A, D, E, K, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, choline, and B12

15. Selecting Feeds for Swine (cont.)
Water
One of most important nutrients in hog rations
Plenty of water should be available at all times
Water no colder than 45°F
Too much nitrate in water not good for hogs

16. Selecting Feeds for Swine (cont.)
Additives
Increase efficiency in hog production
Promote faster growth rate
Improve feed conversion
Reduce disease stress
Anthelmintics, antibiotics, arsenicals, nitrofurans, and sulfa compounds

17. Feeding the Breeding Herd
Too much fat is not good
Breed gilts about 7 to 8 months of age
Pasture may be used for consumption
Temperature control should be used
Limited feeding is different for each stage of production
Self-feeding may be used during gestation

18. Feeding Baby Pigs
Critical to ensure each pig nurses shortly after it is born
Colostrum in milk needed to fight disease
Need to eat real feed by 3 to 4 weeks
Baby pigs will nibble on creep feed a week after born

19. Feeding Growing-Finishing Pigs
Scours sometimes an issue during first 2 to 3 weeks after weaning
Some early weaned pigs may lose weight or not gain weight in first week or two due to immature digestive tract
Adding fumaric acid or whey to diet can help maintain weight gain during this period

20. Feeding Growing-Finishing Pigs (cont.)
SDPP during first 2 weeks post-weaning will increase feed intake, rate of gain
Antibiotics in starter diet typically improve feed efficiency by 5 to 10 percent and growth rate by 10 to 20 percent

21. Feeding Growing-Finishing Pigs (cont.)
Phase feeding helps reduce post-weaning growth lag
Phase I: lasts 7 to 10 days for pigs weaned at 3 weeks, 3 to 4 days for pigs weaned at 4 weeks
Phase II: lasts 1 to 2 weeks after phase 1
Phase III: starts when pigs reach 25 pounds, and 3 to 5 weeks post-weaning

22. Feeding Growing-Finishing Pigs (cont.)
Nutritional needs of younger pigs are greater than those of older pigs
Phase feeding has been extended throughout the finishing period to match changing protein needs of animals
Increased phases require close monitoring by producer

23. Feeding Growing-Finishing Pigs (cont.)
Rations can be fed free choice, or as completely mixed feeds
More uniform growth from completely mixed
Growing-finishing pigs gain less efficiently on barley rations than on corn or milo
Experimental work done on restricted feeding to improve efficiency

24. Feeding Growing-Finishing Pigs (cont.)
Split-sex feeding can be used to better meet the different nutritional needs of barrows and gilts
Barrows gain 8 percent faster than gilts
Gilts produce carcasses with less back fat and a larger average loin eye area
Practice requires additional facilities

25. Preparation of Feeds Grains should be ground for efficient use
Pelleting of complete feeds improves feed efficiency, due to lower feed waste
Labor-intensive liquid/paste feeding reduces waste; rate of gain may increase
Commercial feeders available for wet feeding

26. Management Practices Pre-Breeding Management
Crossbreeding is recommended
Multiple farrowing results in higher average price
Purchase sows and gilts at 4 to 5 months
Purchase boars 45 to 60 days before use
Worming is important

27. Management Practices (cont.)
Pre-Breeding Management (cont.)
Conception rate, litter size can be increased by using more than one boar on each female
Artificial insemination use is on the rise
Brings superior genetics to herd
Makes better use of semen from superior boar
Reduces risk of disease transmission
Allows new bloodlines into the herd

28. Pre-Breeding Management Practices (cont.)
Breeding-Gestation Period
Breed gilts when 7 to 8 months, weigh between 250 to 300 pounds
Fence-line contact of sows with boars stimulates estrus
Hand mating or artificial insemination
Keep gilts and sows separate

29. Management Practices (cont.)
Common Reproductive Problems
Anestrus
Abortion
Unusually small litter sizes
Fetal mummification
Stillbirths

30. Management Practices (cont.)
Farrowing Period
Close monitoring helps determine farrow time
Facilities must be cleaned, sows washed
If present, producer/operator can save baby pigs
Pigs should be warm and dry
Ears can be notched for identification

31. Management Practices (cont.)
Farrowing Period (cont.)
Clip needle teeth
Extra labor required to save runt pigs
Litter sizes can be equalized by moving pigs from large litters to small litters
Must be done during first 3 days after farrow
Pigs must first be nursed with colostrum

32. Management Practices (cont.)
Farrowing to Weaning Period
Tail docking done in first 1 to 3 days
Iron injections may be required
All male pigs raised for harvest should be castrated before 2 weeks of age
Vaccination, worming help reduce losses
Start on feed as soon as possible

33. Management Practices (cont.)
Weaning to Market
Hogs typically raised in confinement housing
Raised on pasture in small operations
Group in uniform lots according to size
SEW systems help reduce disease
MEW systems feature antibiotics and vaccines
All-in/all-out system moves groups uniformly

34. Feeder Pigs Typically 8 to 9 weeks, 35 to 50 pounds Faster turnover
Less feed required for dollar’s worth
Labor required year-round
Management practices are the same as for other hog enterprises