Raising 4-H Pigs Item Type text; Book Publisher College of Agriculture, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ) Download date 28/09/2021 19:48:31 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/312233 College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Extension Publications The Extension Publications collections in the UA Campus Repository are comprised of both current and historical agricultural extension documents from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Arizona. This item is archived to preserve the historical record. This item may contain outdated information and is not intended to be used as current best practice. Current extension publications can be found in both the UA Campus Repository, and on the CALS Publications website, http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/ If you have questions about any materials from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences collections, please contact CALS Publications by sending an email to: [email protected] For Your Reference Page Market Pig 3 Selection 3 Equipment 5 Feeding - 6 Sanitation 9 Fitting and Showing 11 Marketing - 12 Sow and Litter 13 Selection - 13 Equipment - » 13 Breeding - 14 Before Farrowing 15 Farrowing Time 15 After Farrowing - 15 Before Weaning 16 Weaning - 16 Castration, Vaccination 16 Sanitation 17 Marketing 18 Butchering and Preparing the Meat 18 References 19 University of Arizona College of Agriculture, Agricultural Extension Service Clias. U. Pickrell, Director Cooperative extension work in agriculture and home economics, the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture cooperating. Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. 3AI—Revised November 1952—Circular 129 Raising 4-H Pigs This circular is written for you you fatten one or two weaner pigs as a 4-H club member to provide as a first-year project. a guide for your pig project. The The project then may be expand- market pig, whcih should be the ed to fattening two or more pigs or more desirable project for begin- to raising a litter. The second sec- ners, is the subject of the first sec- tion is devoted to the sow and litter tion. Financial loss is less likely if project. Market Pig Select either a gilt or a barrow Selection at about weaning time. Be partic- Raise the very best pig possible! ular and consider these points: The best is determined by market (1) The market standards of con- demands. Don't feel that because formation. you may plan to fatten your pig for home use, you need not select (2) The characteristics of a good what is considered to be the best feeder. type of pig. (3) Health and thrift. that particular breed and well pro- portioned indicates that the pig is from selected breeding and should feed well. A head that is too long for the breed usually reflects "hit and miss" breeding and a combin- ation of conditions that do not pro- duce economical feeders. Body In a good feeder, the body should be deep but not out of proportion. Market standards are important. Avoid the long, rangy pig and also the "chubby," very fat type. Market Standards Health and Thrift Health and thrift in your pig are Market standards of conforma- important. These traits are shown tion are important. At your local by the strength of the back and meat market, the butcher likes to legs, brightness of the eyes, shine show his customers a well-rounded in the coat, and vigor in action. ham—smooth, full, and carried well Select from a healthy, well-bred down to the hock. He knows that litter in which pigs have been vac- is what the customers will buy. cinated for hog cholera. You will note, too, that his cus- The "Perfect" Pig tomers demand smoothness, thick- ness, firmness, and even flesh in the Study a judging score card for sides, the shoulders, and the loins. fat barrows. It will be divided into Note other demands in the butcher a scale of points with 100 repre- shop and remember them when se- lecting your pig for fattening. Characteristics Of a Good Feeder Characteristics of a good feeder are important to you from the standpoint of economical produc- tion. Naturally, you will want a pig that will gain the most with the least feed. Your management will have much to do with this, but certain characteristics of feeding must also be remembered in select- ing your pig. You'll want a pig that will gain Head the most with the least feed. The head is a good indicator. A broad head that is rather short for sentmg perfection. Score cards, vary, but usually you will find that the body is credited with about one-third of these points, the hind quarters nearly one-fourth (usual- ly 23 points), the fore quarters one- tenth, and the head and neck about eight points. General appearance (weight, form, quality, and condi- tion) makes up the remainder of the score, or about one-fourth. Consider these factors and form a picture of your ideal finished pro- Shade is necessary and must be duct. This mental picture of your provided for if you do not have a ideal finished product should be of naturally shaded area. a pig with the following: (1) Trim jowl and middle. (2) Smoothness and firmness of Ec[Ulpil!©nt fleshing. (3) Uniform width and depth of Pet! body. In the warmer parts of the state, (4) Large hams and a wide loin. some sort of open shelter which (5) Rather long, deep side with will keep the pen dry should be medium length of leg. constructed. At higher elevations When you have this "picture of more shelter will be required for perfection" well in mind you are storm protection. Floor space of ready to select your weaner pig and shelters need not be great, but some start to work. provision for daily exercising (at least 15 by 15 feet) for one pig will be necessary if pasture is not avail- able. There are many plans for hog houses published in various books and bulletins. Your needs will de- pend on your particular location, but build equipment that will last. Shade Shade is a necessary part of equipment for summer, unless you have a naturally shaded area. A frame structure with brush or palm Your pig will need daily exercise. branches is effective and inexpen- Provide for it in your plans. sive. (See "Swine Raising in Ari- zona," Arizona Experimental Sta- tion Bulletin No. 185 Revised.) Water Pigs like a constant supply of clean, clear water. This can be pro- vided by a portable drum trough. (Shown in "Swine Raising in Ari- zona.") A wallow is not necessary and should be avoided unless it can be kept clean. The best wallow is a concrete type which will maintain Proteins are muscle - building about six to eight inches of clean foods. water. Clean the wallow at least twice a week. You alone must decide what Feeding Equipment equipment you have and what you must have, but some equipment The feeding equipment you con- should definitely be used. The idea struct will depend a great deal on of just throwing the hog some slop plans for future pig projects. In in any sort of trough does not pay. the references (Page 19) you will find plans for good types of equip- ment which will pay for itself if the project is to be carried on over a period of years. If only one or Kinds of Feed two pig projects are planned, then In feeding, your objective is to only a small amount of equipment raise 200-pound pigs with the least need be constructed. cost in feed stuffs. To do this it is Types of feeding equipment that necessary to supply the right kinds should be considered are feeding of feed in the right proportion. troughs, self-feeders, and possibly Heat and energy producing feeds hayracks. Whatever equipment you are fats and carbohydrates. Car- use, build it well. You can't pro- bohydrates include sugars and ceed with a half-done job. starches.. .Grains contain high per- centages of carbohydrates. Barley, corn, wheat, hegari, milo, kaffir, oats, and rye are examples. Tissue or muscle building feeds are those classed as proteins, which are nitrogenous compounds. Pro- teins are particularly important in the ration of growing pigs. Grains contain only small amounts of pro- teins, so that it is necessary to sup- ply other feeds in addition to grain to get sufficient proteins. Fats, sugars and starches are en- ergy foods. Commercial 60 percent tankage and meat scraps, cottonseed meal, alfalfa hay and pasture, linseed meal, fish meal, skim milk, and buttermilk are all good sources of proteins. Better results are ob- tained if a mixture of two or three of these protein concentrates is in- cluded in the ration. Cottonseed meal cannot be safe- ly fed as more than 10 percent by weight of the ration. Amounts over 10 percent are apt to cause diges- tive disorders and be toxic to the Minerals Be sure that your ration contains Bone growth is dependent on salt, or that salt is before the pig minerals in the ration. Calcium at all times. and phosphorus are most important to bone development. A well-bal- anced ration including tankage, period. A ration must contain the meat scraps, skim milk, or other proper mixture of carbohydrates, animal products will not usually proteins, and minerals to provide require mineral supplements. energy and build tissues and bone If minerals are needed, a mixture or growtli. of 40 percent ground limestone, 40 Salt percent steamed bone meal, and 20 percent salt will supply calcium Be sure that the ration contains and phosphorus.