Animal Science and the Industry

Exploring the Swine Industry

Common Core/ Next Generation Science Standards Addressed

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social science.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.2a - Introduce a topic and organize ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

Agriculture, Food and Natural Resource Standards Addressed!

• AS.01. Analyze historic and current trends impacting the animal systems industry.

• AS.01.01. Evaluate the development and implications of animal origin, domestication and distribution on production practices and the environment.

• Sample Measurement: The following sample measurement strands are provided to guide the development of measurable activities (at different levels of proficiency) to assess students’ attainment of knowledge and skills related to the above performance indicator. The topics represented by each strand are not all-encompassing.

• AS.01.01.02.b. Describe the historical and scientific developments of different animal industries and summarize the products, services and careers associated with each.

Bell Work

1.Name as many breads of swine as you can?

2.Are pigs Ruminants?3.Can a gilt be a father and why?4.What is better ham or bacon, and why?

Student Learning Objectives

• Locate major physical characteristics of swine.

• Describe common swine breeds.• Explain selection of superior animals.• Contrast various pork production systems

and methods of marketing hogs.

Terms

• Barrow• Boar• Farrowing• Feeder Pig• Gilt• Meatiness• Meat-type hog• Pedigree

• Piglet• Porcine Stress

Syndrome (PSS)• Production testing• Prolificacy• Sow• Specific pathogen

free• Type

Swine Terms

• Piglet– a baby pig

• Barrow– a male pig that was castrated at a young age

• Gilt– a young female pig that has not given birth or “farrowed”

• Sow– an older female pig

• Boar– mature male hog

Swine Terms

• Prolificacy– the ability to produce large numbers of

offspring• Meat-type hog

– hog that produces the greatest amount of high value meat cuts

What are the major parts of a hog?

What are the major parts of a hog?

Main use of swine is for meat• 4 primary carcass cuts (most valuable meat)

– picnic shoulder– ham– loin– Boston Shoulder

• Other carcass cuts (usually ground into sausage)– jowl– side– hock

What are the major parts of a hog carcass?

What are the common swine breeds and characteristics of the breeds?

Duroc• Originated in the United States• color is varying shades of red• droopy ears• good mothering ability• efficient feed converters• fast growth rate• a meat-type hog

Hampshire• Originated in England• black hogs with a white

belt that encircles the forepart of body, starting behind head and neck

• erect ears• foraging ability• leanness of carcass• muscling• used as show animals or

in crossbreeding programs

Yorkshire• Originated in Yorkshire,

England• color is white, can have

black freckles• long bodies• erect ears• large litters• good mothering ability• good feed efficiency• rapid growth• used as bacon-type hogs

or in crossbreeding programs

Hereford

• Originated from the Poland China, Duroc and other breeds

• color is red with a white face

• droopy ears• prolific• good mothering ability• foraging ability

Berkshire

• Originated in Berkshire & Wiltshire Counties in England

• color is black with 6 white points (feet, tail, snout)

• erect ears• medium-sized hog• lean carcass

Poland China• Originated in Ohio• color is black with six

white points (feet, tail, & face

• drooping ears• large breed• produces carcasses with

large loin eyes• very little back fat• commonly used in

crossbreeding programs

Chester White

• White in color with drooping ears.

• Originated in Pennsylvania.

• Very aggressive• Used in cross

breeding programs

• Black and white spots with drooping ears.

• Original cross between a Poland China and English spot. Developed in Ohio.

Landrace

• White with very large drooping ears

• Originated in Denmark

• Considered a bacon breed in Europe.

Tamworth

• Red/brown with erect ears.

• Originated in England/Ireland.

• A lean breed, but not noted for exceptional growth.

How do I know which hogs are better than others?

Terms• Specific pathogen free (SPF)

– these swine are free from diseases at birth/raised indoors

• Porcine Stress Syndrome (PSS)– an inherited neuromuscular disease in

heavily muscled animals• Type

– means that you are trying to find an animal that is close to ideal as possible

How do I know which hogs are better than others?

More terms• Meatiness

– describes how much meat and fat an animal has• Pedigree

– a record of ancestry or heredity• Production testing

– the best way to evaluate and make predictions on an animal’s potential to be productive

How do I know which hogs are better than others?

• Selection will vary based on your personal preference and production needs

• buying wrong animals could lead to failure of your business

• Things to look for:– size– health– type– pedigree– production testing

How do I know which hogs are better than others?

• Health of animals is very important• You want to purchase animals that are disease

free• Herds should be certified brucellosis &

pseudorabies free• Never buy swine from herds that do not offer

health information available from the seller• Test for PSS• Observe animals for parasites & diseases• Isolate animals with problems to avoid spreading

How do I know which hogs are better than others?

• Select for type– meatiness– genetic defects– PSS– pedigree

• avoid genetic defects by researching pedigrees

How do I know which hogs are better than others?

• Swine registries have production testing for purebred animals

• characteristics included in registries– offspring– health– appearance– back fat– ability to grow quickly– reproductive qualities– if breed standards are met

What are the different production systems and how do they work?

Terms• Farrowing

– process of a female pig giving birth

• Feeder pigs– a pig that has been weaned and weighs

approximately 40 pounds

Sow and Litter Systems

• Pigs are farrowed and fed up to slaughter weight at the same farm

• confinement or pasture systems

• most common swine operations

Sow and Litter SystemsConfinementAdvantages

• pigs can be marketed throughout the year

• less labor• income throughout

the yearDisadvantage

• expensive startup costs

PastureAdvantage

• lower initial investment

Disadvantages• more labor intense• production might be

limited depending on season

Purebred System

• Produces breeding stock that others producers will use in their systems

• Requires intense management – registration paperwork

• Least common operation• Less than 1% of all hogs raised in the U.S.

are registered purebreds• Purebreds are extremely important

because of breed improvements

Purebred Systems

• To be a purebred producer you must know:– a great deal about genetics– showing & promotion of your breed

• Purebred Producers are working to:– create animals that will meet consumer

demands

Feeder Pig Production System

• Breed & farrow litters of piglets• This systems farrows and weans and sells

the feeder pigs• Keeps a breeding herd of sows that farrow

between 14 to 16 piglets each• Minimal investment is required• Must mange to keep a steady supply of

feeder pigs to sell• Less feed is required in this system

Finishing Feeder-Pig System

• Operations that buy feeder pigs and feed them until they are market weight approximately 240 pounds

• Profit is based upon how much feed it takes to produce 1 pound of pork

• The less feed it takes the more profit• Balancing feed rations is very important in

this system

Review

• What are the major parts of a hog?• What are the common swine breeds and

characteristics of the breed?• How do I know which hogs are better than

others?• What are the different production systems

and how do they work?

The End!