PIGS AHW Flashcards
What do the following terms mean?
Porcine
Gilt
Sow-
Dry sow
Barrow
Boar
Farrowing
Piglet
Weaner
pig
young female before first litter
female pig that has had a litter of piglets
pregnant sow but not lactating
castrated male pig
male pig of breeding age
process of giving birth
animal from birth to weaned
animal taken off mother/milk
What are side cutting pliers used for?
Tail docking
Removing small teeth, to prevent damage between piglets
What are notching pliers used for?
To cut notches on the pliers to attach ear tags for identification
What is a slap tattoo used for?
To permanently identify/ mark pigs
What is a pig snare used for?
Catching a single pig, as larger methods are impractical
Can be used to catch feral pigs that could cause damage
What is the blind point on pigs?
Directly behind
When and how do you use a snout snare?
Used on animals > 10kg
Place the snare loop in the mouth and over the top jaw and snout of the pig- start with it as wide as possible
Snare handle held vertically in other hand
Move loop as far back in mouth as possible before tightening it
What behaviour would a boar show when aggressive?
Butt heads
Bite
Bark
Squeal
Raise neck hairs
Chomp jaws
How would you sex a pig?
Same as sheep, look under tail for how many holes
1 hole- anus- male
2 holes- anus and vulva- female
How would you catch a piglet
Approach from behind gently and slowly
Catch by grasping hind leg just above hock
Whilst holding hing leg, with other hand go under chest for support and lift
Being piglet close to your body for support, with forearm under chest
When and how do you tail dock a pig?
2-3 days old
Cauteriser is used, tail must remain longer than 6cm
What is a withhold period and what is the purpose of it?
Minimum amount of time you must wait after giving drugs before it can be used for production
Ensures that the consumers aren’t at risk from medication administered
Which sites must be avoided on pig when medicating and why
Ham and loin
May bruise or ruin cut of meat, so financial issue for farmer
What is the intravenous sites of medication in piglets and adults
Vein in ear
What are the IM sites in a pig?
Use a spot on the neck just behind and below the ear, but in front of the shoulder
What are the SC sites in a pig and piglet?
For small pigs, use the loose flaps of skin in the flank or behind the elbow.
For larger pigs, inject in neck behind the ear at the same location as for IM injections after grabbing the skin to make an elevated area to inject into.
What is ileitis and what are the signs of it?
It is caused by Lawsonia intracellularis, a bacterium that infects the intestinal tract. It causes the wall of the ileum and colon to become thickened, resulting in diarrhoea, internal bleeding, reduced feeding efficiency and impaired growth
What causes ileitis?
Prevented by rodent control, biosecurity and good hygiene
Usually spread through infected fseces
Where should you put a tattoo on a pig?
On ear with UK
Where should a slap mark be?
On both shoulders
When can a slap mark be used for pigs?
Before they leave holding premise, even if they have existing ones
Pigs must be identified from the holding they move from
What common breeds of pig are seen at;
- shows
- placement
- Berkshire pig
Large white/ landrace
What percentage of pigs are farmed
Indoors
Organic
Outdoors
60%
4%
36%
What are the stages and weights of each pig?
Weaner- 7-35kg
Grower- 35-40kg
Finisher- >65kg
When can pigs be weaned
Under vet instruction at 21 days if sow welfare is compromised
UK legal requirement of 28 days
Naturally weaning occurs at 10-12 weeks when piglet GI tract is almost mature
When does slaughtering of pigs tend to happen
6 months
