Module 4

Care and Management Practices of the Herd

Lesson No 1: Management of Sow and Litter

At the end of the module, the students should be able to:

a. Describe appropriate care and management practices into different

stages of swine: sow and litter weanling, growing, and finishers stocks.

Time Frame: 1 Week

INTRODUCTION

The module aims to give the students the understanding and provide
pork producers with the latest information available on swine care practices
that are recommended for safe, humane, and efficient pork production. Swine
can be raised humanely in a variety of production systems. Even though
several different types of production systems are used, they all have some
common considerations for animal welfare. But each production system also
has specialized characteristics, which this module specifically addresses..
Pre-Assessment

TRUE/FALSE Directions:Read each statement below carefully. Place

a T on the line if you think the statement is TRUE. Place an F on the
line if you think the statement is FALSE. (Individual Activity)

_____1. Feeders and supplemental must be in place and

malfunctioning, and waterer should not be checked and adjusted to the
proper height.
_____2. Weaners pigs should have one watering space for each 10 to
15 pigs.
_____3. Pigs should not be limited after arrival.
_____4. Ventilation controls should be checked for functionality and
properly set, allowing times for the rooms to become warm and dry
before the pigs arrive.
_____5. Pigs should be observed to ensure they have found the
waterer and are beginning to develop feeding behaviour.
_____6. Checked the pig carefully at time of arrival for sign of disease
or poorly doing pigs.
_____7. House pigs in clean and dry, draft free pens.
_____8. Provide wet bedding, preferably straw.
_____9. Do not soak all movable equipment and clean down.
_____10. Visually checked the building.
 Learning Activities

At all stages, pigs should be handled with care, gentleness and patience. An
understanding of the behavioral characteristics of pigs will be helpful for handling,
increasing productivity, improving meat quality and helping to reduce undesirable
stress (Grandin, 2000a). Pigs are very alert and curious when put into a new
situation. Even very small disturbances in the surroundings can frighten them
(https://porkcdn.s3.amazonaws.com)

Task 1: Define the commonly used swine term

1. Castration_________________________________________________

2. Taildocking________________________________________________

3. Teethclipping______________________________________________

4. EarNotching_______________________________________________

5. EarTagging________________________________________________

6. Litter_____________________________________________________

7. Colostrum_________________________________________________

8. Lactation__________________________________________________

9. Gestation_________________________________________________

10. Weanling__________________________________________________

Note: The following answers will be graded based on the set criteria:

Content (5 pts), Relevance and Accuracy (3pts.), Organization of thoughts

(2 pts.) Total of 10pts.
Activity 2. 1. Show a photograph of teeth clipping. Why is it need to clip the teeth of
the new born pig?

Activity 3. Show a photograph of tail docking. Why is it need to dock the tail of
the new born pig?
 Analysis

Answer the following question and write your answer on your notebook.
(Individual Activity) The answer must be composed of 100 words and a
maximum of 150 words.
1. Explain how the ear notching could affect the quality of the meat?

Answer:
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2.Explain why it is needed to acquire the colostrum to the newly born pigs.
Answer:
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Note: The following answers will be graded based on the set criteria:
Content (5 pts), Relevance and Accuracy (3pts.), Organization of thoughts (2 pts.) Total of 10pts.
 Abstraction

Pigs are highly prolific in nature and two farrowings in a year should be
planned by adopting optimal management conditions. For every 10 sows one boar
must maintained for maximum fertility. Breed animals when it is in peak heat period.

Give special attention to pregnant sows once a week before providing

adequate space, feed water etc. the sows as well as farrowing pens should be
disinfected 3-4 days before the expected date of farrowing and the sows should be
placed in the farrowing pen after bedding properly.

Care and Management of sows are very essential since they are retained in
the herd mainly for breeding. Good management and feeding will minimize
problems related to breeding. Sows should be looked after with particular care so
that piglets are delivered normally and nursed properly.

Care of newborn piglets should be removed as they are farrowed and keep

warm in creep space until farrowing is complete. Each piglet is cleaned of all

mucous to ensure that the breathing passage is clear, the navel cord should be tied

2.5 cm away from the navel, remaining portion is removed hygienically and stumps

are painted with iodine. Piglets should be nursed after birth. The nurse 8-10 times

a day. Piglets are born with 4 pairs of sharp teeth (2 pairs in each jaw) which may

injure udder or teats. Hence clip these teeth soon after birth.
 Application

Direction: If you are the Husbandman of the herd, what will be your initial plan
to address the problems with regards to the how will you feed piglets
whose mother does not produce milk. Complete your answer using
the mind map given below.

Reason to Plan A

Plan A

Reason to Plan A

Plan B

Plan C Reason to Plan A

 Direction: Using Venn Diagram, compare and contrast the term Ear notching and
Ear tagging. You may use bullet form answers or in sentence form as well. Further readings
from different reading resources are advised for a comprehensive answer.

VENN DIAGRAM

Ear Notching Ear Tagging

Note: Do not merely focus with its definition. Try to research more about the
management.
 Post Assessment

Direction: Below are the questions related to swine production and

management. Read each item carefully and use your notebook to write your
answers.Choose only the letter of the correct answer.

1. Which of the following diets are the most critical for the
future development of a pig.
A. Farrowing C. Lactation
B. Gestation D. Weaning
2. What is the average length of the gestation cycle for the
swine?
A. 110 days C. 150 days
B. 200 days D. 114 days
3. What prevents anemia in baby pigs.
A. Milk C. Leptospirosis
vaccine
B. Iron shots D. Carbohydrates
4. As the pig grows, the levels of what nutrient can be
decreased?
A. Carbohydrates C. Protein
B. Fats D. Minerals
5. The first milk that need to be ingested to newly born pig.
A. Milk C. Colostrum
B. Lactation D. Bearbrand

Test II. Identify the litter number and pig number for each pig illustrated.
 Glossary
The following terms used in this module are defined as follows:

Is any action, surgical, chemical, or otherwise, by which an

individual loses use of the testicles; the male gonad.
Castration Surgical castration is bilateral orchidectomy( castration of
both testes), and chemical castration uses pharmaceutical
drugs to deactivate the testes.
Is the removal of portions of an animal’s tail. While docking
and bobbing are more commonly used to refer to removal of
Docking the tail., the term cropping is used in reference to the ears.
Tail docking occurs in one of two ways.
.is to reduce injuries caused to each other and to their
Clipping mother as piglets nurse.
Helps identify a pigs litter and which one of the litter it is,
Notches giving each pig a unique identity number.

Tagging Allows to identify easily your pigs by sight.

Litter A group of young pigs.

The first milk produced when starting breastfeeding, is the
Colostrum ideal nourishment for a newborn.
Describes the secretion of milk from the mammary glands

Lactation and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her
young.
The process of carrying or being carried in the womb
Gestation between conception and birth.

Weanling A newly weaned animal.

 References

Blokhuis, H., R.B. Jones, R. Geers, M. Miele and I. Veissier, 2003.

Measuring and Monitoring animal Welfare: Transparancy in the
food product Quality Chain. Anim. Welf 12, A45-457
Blokhuis, H.J., R.B. Jones, I. Veissier and R. Geers, 2006. Cost
Action 846- Meassuring and Monitoring farm animal welfare.
Proceedings of the meeting in Bratislava, Slovakia, March 24-
26, 50 pp.
Diericks, Jody. (2006). Introduction to Swine Industry.
Lapus, Z. (2009). Swine Production in the Philippines.
Livestock Research Division (2016). Philippine Pork to the World.
Accessed June 9, 2020. www. DOST-PCAARD S&T Media
Service.
Main, D.CJP Kent, E Wemelsfelder, E. Ofner and F. Tuyttens, 2003.
Applications for Methods for on-farm welfare assessment.
Anim. Welf. 12, 523-529
Philippine Statistics Authority (2019) Philippine Pork Production.
Accessed June 9,2020. www. Pig333.com.