SWINE CARE PRACTICES INTRODUCTION There are at least two reasons to give pigs proper care. One is an ethical concern for the pig’s well-being. Another is production efficiency. Management practices that incorporate good animal care are usually also the most effective from a production standpoint. When pigs receive good care, production costs per pound of [...]
INCREASE GILT REPRODUCTIVE EFFICIENCY Introduction A successful swine breeding unit is dependent upon the reproductive efficiency of the breeding herd. Maintaining an optimum litter size at birth and increasing the overall efficiency of the breeding herd offer two good opportunities for assuring a productive swine unit. Because 30 to 40% of the sow herd is [...]
Day of Birth: clip needle teeth Day 1: dock tails Day 2: castrate Clipping needle teeth, is easy and painless when done right. The sharp teeth can cause irritation to the sow’s teats, resulting in refusal to allow nursing. Also, pigs may injure each other playing or fighting. You may want to leave the teeth [...]
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