The farmer must know the feed needs of the different age groups and feed each group the correct amount of the correct mixture. Feed is the largest cost factor in pig farming and can amount to 60 to 80% of the total production costs. The latter is cheaper, but it is important to consult an expert about mixing the feed materials to be included in the mixtures for each of the production classes.
By-products from the animal and fish industry can be used as an animal protein source for pigs. It burns easily during processing, which adversely affects the quality of the proteins. The ground flour can then be used to replace part of the flour meal when mixing pig rations.
After that, it is important to seek advice from a pig nutritionist on how much of the dried manure meal should be included in a pig ration. Availability and cost must be considered when determining the feed materials required for specific mixtures for each of the four production classes. Finally, it is very important that feed mixtures meet the protein and DE requirements of the specific production class.
They usually live in the stomach and intestines, but also in other parts of the body.
Poisoning
Examples of animal diseases caused by viruses are rabies, Newcastle disease and three-day. Diseases caused by viruses are difficult to treat because the viruses live in animal cells. Any drug that can kill the viruses will therefore also be harmful to the animals in which the viruses are present.
Humans and animals have bacteria living on and in them that do not cause disease. Fungi occur widely in the environment (soil, air and water) and include mold on old food and. Fungi must grow on organic matter to feed, and this can include animals and humans.
Others must live inside cells and include those that cause coccidiosis, red water, heart water, and gall disease. Animals can be poisoned by chemicals (such as insecticides and dips), poisonous plants and fungal toxins.
Dietary problems
Metabolic diseases
Congenital diseases
Environmental diseases
Cancer
Allergies
Degenerative disease
How to prevent disease
Private Bag X05, Onderstepoort 0110 Tel. (012) 529 9158
Management
Sow's milk does not provide enough iron for pigs raised on concrete floors. The sow must be brought back to a pig 19 days after she has been served for three to seven days to ensure that she becomes pregnant. The parasite infection will affect the health of the sow as well as her food intake.
Wash and scrub the farrowing pen properly each time the sow and piglets are removed. The piglets should be kept warm in a dry, draft-free crawl space such as a box. Wash and disinfect the sow before it is placed in the farrowing pen four to five days before the piglets are born.
The sow becomes restless and begins to "make a nest" with the litter in the box when she is ready to farrow. The afterbirth must be unloaded from the sow as soon as possible (within one to two days). Lactating sows (sows with piglets) will produce less milk for the piglets, causing the piglets to grow more slowly.
If the amount of feed given to the sow is increased too soon after farrowing, it can cause diarrhoea. After weaning, clean water and feed must be available to the piglets in a trough, preferably in a separate pen. Always keep piglets from the same sow together by moving them to the same breeding ground seven days after weaning.
The date the sow was served so it is possible to know when she needs to come back to heat if she is not pregnant, or to know if she is pregnant if she does not heat 20 to 25 days after serving. The date of weaning, so that the piglets can be weaned on the right date and that the sow is brought back to the boar for work three days after weaning. The age of the sow and how many litters she has had so that sows that become too old can be culled.
Breeding pigs
Buy pigs at least four or five weeks before they are used for the first time. This will give you time to quarantine them and the pigs to adjust to the new environment. Young pigs must be carefully supervised to identify potential problems and to ensure that they will not injure themselves when a sow is first served.
The boar must work (serve the sow) in his own pen or in a pen known to him. The boar should be in the pen a few minutes before the sow is brought in, so that he can get used to the pen. Stand in the pen with a shelf ready to prevent the sow from harassing the boar or to prevent the boar from harassing the sow if necessary.
Do not force the boar to climb onto the sow, but gently direct it to the rear of the sow. If the sow is well warmed, she will not move around the pen too much. Help the boar by letting the sow stand with her head in the corner of the pen.
After the service, allow the boar to "court" under supervision for a few minutes, but do not allow him to ride again. On a farm with 20 breeding sows, we must have at least two boars, namely a young boar that serves the gilts that come into heat for the first time, and a full-grown pig that serves the older and heavier sows. The dates the boar served the sow should be recorded as well as the number of the sow served so that infertile boars and boars producing small litters can be identified and eliminated.
Boars must be replaced when they become too large to serve most of the sows on the farm. It is very important to keep records of the boars' use so that infertile ones can be detected and replaced as soon as possible. One must pay attention to these boars so that they can be replaced if necessary.
Gilt (sow) selection and management
Sows that farrow regularly and raise large litters (nine or more piglets) and are free of other problems and diseases should raise five to six or even more litters before they need to be removed from the herd. A sow is usually removed from the herd if her litters start to get smaller (two small litters in succession) or if she does not come into heat soon after weaning.
Housing
The boar pen
The structure and specifications (apart from the size) of the sow/gelt box are the same as those of the boar box. Sufficient trough space with partitions to allow the pigs to eat individually is therefore necessary. Nineteen days after the pigs have been fed by a boar, they are again exposed to a boar for five to seven consecutive days to ensure they are pregnant.
If the boar does not serve them again, it can be concluded that they are pregnant and they can then be placed in the pregnant sow house.
Pregnant sows
Farrowing pens
Weaner and finishing house (growing pigs)
Handling of manure
An income equal to the sale of 20 hams is possible if good quality compost is produced. It can be used as fertilizer on cultivated land or sold for additional income. A building in which pigs will be raised from the time they are weaned until they are sold for slaughter.
The charts show the number and size of each pen required on a farm keeping a maximum of 20 breeding sows. Detailed construction plans and information on the necessary equipment on a pig farm can be obtained from the ARC Institute for Agricultural Engineering, Private Bag X519, Silverton 0127, Tel.
Outdoor housing of pigs
Pigs can only be kept outside on light, well-drained soil. Sketch with the dimensions of the facility for rearing pigs from weaning to slaughter (minimum 16 and maximum 20 required for a farm with 20 breeding sows). The external dimensions of the walls and roof of the buildings (the length of the building should be east/west).
A suitable climate, the correct type of soil surface and well-educated, motivated workers are essential. Temperatures must be within the thermal neutral zone for pigs, preferably not below 15 °C and not higher than 30 °C. Do not farm outdoors in areas with high rainfall of more than 500 to 800 mm per year.
The sows are divided into groups of five and remain together in their groups in the camps. Land is also needed for a warehouse for feed and equipment, houses for the farmer and workers, and roads.
Economic considerations
Important movable assets
Initial feed requirements
Production cost
A saving of as little as R10 on a tonne of mixed feed will save R3 on the production costs of a 90 kg pig. The production costs can be further reduced by R30 if 10% is saved on the amount of feed fed to produce a 90 kg pig. Feed is the biggest cost factor on the farm (60 to 80 %) and therefore the most expensive cost item.
The total amount of feed to be fed to the different groups of pigs must be known if a profit is to be made. In a well-run pig farm with good quality pigs kept in good farming conditions, the following guidelines can tell the farmer if his pigs are performing adequately. These figures are rough estimates and can vary from 270 kg or less to over 300 kg.
The importance of keeping the amount of feed required for aftermarket pigs as low as possible cannot be overemphasized. Therefore, no attempt is made to attach monetary values to the economic aspects discussed in this chapter.
Publications and further information
Publications
Information
Glossary
