Piggery farm
Intensive pig farming
Intensive piggeries (or hog lots) are a type of factory farm specialized in the raising of domestic pigs up to slaughter weight.
In this system of pig production, grower pigs are housed indoors in group-housing or straw-lined sheds, pregnant sows are confined in sow stalls and give birth in farrowing crates.
Pigs are kept in large stalls with large numbers of pigs per square metre. The temperature is raised which allows the pig to spend less energy on keeping its body heat at the right temperature so it gets fat quicker enabling the process to be much more efficient.
The use of sow stalls for pregnant sows has led to more significant animal welfare concerns.
Disputes
Pigs do not experience natural activities
wallowing in mud
relating to young
rooting soil
Outdoor systems
Less economically productive
Increased space requirements
Higher morbidity.
They also have a range of environmental impacts, such as denitrification of soil[and erosion
Chances for heat stress.
Outdoor pig farming may also increase the incidence of worms and parasites in pigs
Management of these problems depends on local conditions, such as geography, climate, and the availability of skilled staff.
Sow breeding
Sow breeding systems
'gestation crate' and farrowing crate'.
Only the sows selected for breeding.
The length of the sow's gestation is 3 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days.
Farrowing crate houses the sow in one section and her piglets in another. It allows the sow to lie down and turn around to feed her piglets, but keeps her piglets in a separate section. This prevents the large sow from sitting on her piglets and killing them.
Advantages of pig rearing
Pigs convert inedible feeds, forages, certain grain byproducts obtained from mills, meat by products, damaged feeds and garbage into valuable nutritious meat. Most of these feeds are either not edible or not very palatable to human beings
Pig grows fast and is a prolific breeder, farrowing 10 to 12 piglets at a time. It is capable of producing two litters per year
The carcass return is high ie. 60-80 percent of live body weight
With a small investment on building and equipment, proper feeding and sound disease control programme the farmer can profitably utilize his time and labour in this subsidiary occupation
The faces of pigs is used as a manure to maintain soil fertility
BREEDS
Large white Yorkshire
Most extensively used exotic breed in India
Body colour is solid white with occasional black – pigmented spots
Erect ears, snout of medium lengths and dished face
Excellent breed for the purpose of cross breeding
Prolific breeds
Mature boar 300-400 k.g
Mature sow 230-320 kg
Landrace
White with black skin spot
Long body, large drooping ears and long snout
Prolific breeding and efficient in utilizing feed
Carcass quality equal to Yorkshire
Excellent breed for crossbreeding
Mature boars weigh 270-360 kg
Mature sow weighs 200-320 kg
Feeding management
Most economical ingredients should be selected
Grains- maize, sorghum, oat, other millets, wheat and rice should form the basic ingredients
Protein supplements - oil cakes and fishmeal and meat meal
No vitamin supplements is necessary if the pigs are allowed to pasture or are fed fresh green legumes. Vitamin B 12 supplement would be necessary if little or no animal protein is fed
Antibiotic supplements at the rate of 11 mg of antibiotic per kilogram of ration
Mineral supplements should be provided
The following table gives specifically the various requirements in the formation of creep, grower and finisher rations for pigs
Castration
Male piglets not selected for breeding may be castrated when they are three to four weeks old.
Management during lactation
Sows and gilts should be fed with good judgment during lactation.
When fully fed a sow needs about 0.5 kg of feed per piglet she is nursing in addition to her own requirements.
Prevention and control of diseases
All pigs should be vaccinated against swine fever at the age of 2-4 weeks.
Breeding pigs should be tested for brucellosis and leptospirosis.
Newly purchased animals should be isolated from the other animals in the farm for a period of three to four weeks.
No visitor allowed visiting the farm.
Those stys or pig houses cleared of the animals are kept empty for three to four weeks for destruction of microorganisms causing the disease.
