PIGGERY PRODUCTION MANUAL.
PIGGERY PRODUCTION MANUAL.
Piggery enterprise has the potential for poverty alleviation an expanding business venture favoured by the scarcity and high demand of dietary animal protein sources, improvement in the standard of living in the country, increased population and an increasing change in the rearing of ruminate animals for meat production due to the decrease in the available grazing land.
Piggery enterprise face challenges of lack of technical production knowledge and skills in the area of pig breeds, production management practices, pig housing, feeds and feeding practices, control of diseases and parasites and record keeping to boost productivity and profitability of the piggery enterprise.
This manual has been designed to bridge the gap of lack of access to, and uptake of appropriate knowledge due to the insufficient investment in agricultural research to empower farmers in making sound decisions to mitigate production risks and enhance profitability and productivity of the piggery enterprise.
Learning objectives.
1. Appreciate the statistical facts about piggery sub-sector in Uganda and the advantages of keeping pigs.
2. Understand the biological behaviors in pigs.
3. Explore the characteristics of pig breeds and husbandry management practices of breeding Boars, Sows and litter.
4. Understand facts about feeding pigs and the nutritional requirements of pigs.
5. Analyse the pig management production systems and production house planning.
6. Equip farmers with pig health knowledge and general guidelines of pig diseases prevention and control.
Piggery production in Uganda.
According to the National Livestock Census 2021 main report. There are mainly five recognized pig breeds, these include; Duroc, Landrace, Large white, Camborough, Yorkshire with a percentage pig population of 18.3%, 17.6%, 25.5%, 14.2%, 13.4% respectively and other pig breeds 10.9% on the 7.1 million pigs.
Western region with largest pig population of 2,285,618 (32)%, central region 2,280,512 (32)%. Karamoja region with the least pig population of 82,001 (1.2)%.
Compared to other livestock sub-sectors, the piggery sub-sector is still very small. Majority of pig farmers rear (1-5) pigs with kitchen leftovers and crop residues as the main source of feed. The SMEs rear about (10-20) sows. Pig market is not organized and there is a need for slaughter houses.
Advantages of keeping pigs.
The pig industry is one tool which can be used for improving livelihoods in Uganda due it's numerous unique advantages.
Pigs have a fast growth rate of about (6-7) months to reach sexual maturity.
Pigs can be kept on small piece land hence increase production per unit area.
Sows produce many live young ones hence profitable for breeding sub-enterprise.
They can utilize different by-products as feeds hence reducing feed costs.
Pork has a ready and growing market.
Pig can utilize kitchen wastes hence reduce wastage of resources.
There is the desire in the population to rear pigs to improve household livelihood.
Biological behaviors of pigs
Understanding animal (pigs) behaviors aids in preparation of a suitable, comfortable environment to mitigate risk of stress in pigs. These include social and communication behaviors, stress behavior, thermo-regulation behaviors and excretory behaviors.
1. Social and communication behaviors.
Pigs are highly social animals , forming matriarchal social groups and maintain close family bonds.
Pigs communicate using a variety of vocalization including squeals, screams and grunts and also body language like tail position to indicate well being.
Piglets start socializing with other pigs at (5) weeks of age and other species at (14) weeks of age.
Pigs belly-noise each other which is natural behavior not necessarily aggressive.
Rooting and nosing is a natural tendancy in pigs to explore and forage for food.
2. Stress behaviors.
Aggression can occur during mixing of unfamiliar animals or during breeding season.
Piglet crushing by dams due to increased reactivity and getting up and lying down, especially in the presence of humans.
Tail biting in mass production or over crowded environment.
Cannibalism especially in intensive management environment due to hunger stress and boredom.
Scratching and rubbing can be an indicator of parasites infestation like lice and mites.
3. Excretory Behavior.
Pigs typically have a natural tendency to leave the nest for defecation and urination.
4. Thermo-regulation behaviors.
Pigs often sleep in groups, sometimes nose-to-nose as a thermo-regulation behavior and they spend a significant amount of time resting.
Wallowing in mud and water to cool the body and provide insulation against sunburn and ecto parasites.
Snout bubbling during hot weather, pig plunge their snout into water and release air to create bubbles.
Characteristics of common pig breeds.
Large-white.
Originate from United Kingdom. These are characterized with a white colour, erect ears and slight dished face, sows farrow large litters and abundant milk.
Landrace.
Originate from Denmark. These are characterized with a white colour, lopped ears with a long body known for fertility, strong maternal abilities and excellent meat.
Duroc.
Originate from America. These vary in colour from golden to a dark reddish-brown, large framed and muscular of medium length with partially dropped ears.
Camborough.
Developed by Pig Improvement Company (PIC). These are known for their efficiency and robustness. characterized by high reproductive performance, excellent mothering ability and strong growth efficiency.
Hampshire
Originate from America. It has a black body with a white band over the shoulders and extending down the front legs with erect ears.
Local pigs.
Indigenous to Uganda. These are characterized with different colours, highly adaptable to the tropical environment.
BREEDING IN PIGS.
The reproductive performance of the breeding herd determines the rate of animal turnover, directly influencing the economic status of the production unit.
Reproductive performance is most critical in pigs managed in confined houses (intensive system) because of large capital investment in facilities.
Caring for breeding Boars.
Boars should be feed on a ration containing (14)% crude protein.
They should neither be kept too lean nor too fat with adequate exercise area of (5.5)m²
Boars perform effectively under a thermo-comfortable zone ranging from (10-25)⁰C. Under very hot conditions or when suffering from fever, boars can remain infertile for along time.
Boars should be housed in individual sty separated from sows for proper breeding records.
Young, health and we'll developed boars are ready for mating for their first time when they are (9-10) months old. The first sow they serve should be of their own size or smaller.
In the early stages of the young boar should not serve more than (1) sow per week and the number of mating can gradually be increased. If the boar mates more often than this his health and productivity will decline.
It's advisable to work carefully with boars, as they may be aggressive.
Selecting a breeding boar.
Selection of a breeding boar is more important than the selection of a breeding sow. Factors to consider when choosing a breeding boar include;
Presence of at least (12) good nipples
Select a boar from a large, health and we'll producing sow and select only the biggest male in the litter.
Avoid choosing a too highly in-bred boar ( boar and sow that closely related). In-breeding leads to reduced fertility, poor growth and lower the level of disease resistance.
Physical characteristics to consider when choosing a boar.
A long straight back, deep thighs, strong bones and full heart girth.
Should stand sound on all four legs to support the boar and hold its weight during mating.
Should not exhibit any signs of lameness
Should have twelve or more teats that are not inverted.
Should have attained (80)kg or more by (6) months of age.
Should not have any genetic defects like Atresia-ani, Cryptorchidism, Hermaphroditism, Hernia, blind, small inside toes and inverted nipples.
Should have well developed testicles of equal size.
Caring for breeding Sows.
Sows that are kept for breeding should be separated from other pigs at (3) months of age.
Should be feed on correct feed ration with adequate crude protein (16-14)% at each age stage. They should not be allowed to grow too fat because this will create fertility and leg problems.
Ensure conducive temperature, with in a thermo-comfortable zone ranging between (10-24)⁰C for effective productive and mitigate effects of heat stress.
Avoid mating sows to early this will result in small litters, birth problems, poor growth of sows. Infact a sow that bred too early will never reach her normal end weight.
Young sows are sexualy mature at (6) months but should be served (8-9) months of age when they have reached (60)% of their adult weight.
Selecting a breeding Sow.
Selecting the best female for breeding and giving them good housing and proper care are essential. When selecting the sow to be kept for breeding, the following points should be considered.
Sow should have at least (12) normal teats. In well developed farms they should have (14) teats preferable (7) on each side.
Should be the biggest and healthiest in the litter.
Should have strong legs and walk well.
Parents should be good breeding animals, cable of producing good size litters at regular intervals.
The Estrous cycle in sows.
This typically lasts around (21)days ranging from (18-24) days and is characterized by four stages; Proestrus, estrus, met-estrus and Diestrus stage as illustrated below.
This stage marks the end of the "luteal phase" and the beginning of "follicular phase", where the corpus luteum (which produces progesterone) regresses and follicles start to develop due to the stimulation of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH).
2. Estrus.
This is the period of sexual receptivity lasting (2-3)days in sows. As the follicle mature, they secrete Estrogen Hormone which is responsible for the typical signs of standing heat.
3. Metestrus
This stage follows and characterized by "ovulation", the release of eggs from the follicles, initiated by the stimulation of Luteinizing Hormone (LH).
4. Diestrus
This is the longest stage, where the corpus luteum is fully developed and produce progesterone, preparing the uterus for pregnancy.
Standing heat signs in sows.
Restlessness and the sow sometimes produce a grunting noise.
Marked swelling and redness of the vulva.
Frequent urination.
Attempts to mount other sows and the sow allows to be mounted by others.
When pressure is applied at the back, the sow stands still.
Note.
Pig ovulate after they have been on heat and the ideal time for fertilization (mating/insemination) is around (8)hours after the on set of the heat period. When standing heating signs are observed follow the "AM-PM" rule, those observed in the morning should be served in the evening and those observed in the evening should be served in the morning.
Management of breeding sow during pregnancy.
Gestation lasts for (3) months, (3) weeks and (3) days a total of (114)days. Sows should gain (25-35)kg during pregnancy mainly due to the uterine growth.
Management practices aim at maintain the health status of the pregnant sow and ensure production of health live litters
i) Separation of pregnant sows.
Pregnant sows should be separated from boars to mitigate risk of losing zygotes as result of fighting, knocking and bullying.
ii) Feeding
During gestation the sow is limited to (2-3)kg of feed per day with (14)% crude protein.
Close to farrowing, maize bran may be added as (25)% in the ration, this will be the main source of energy, it will also increase bulkness and this prevents constipation. Water must provided at all times.
The day before farrowing, reduce the day feed to (1.8-2.0)kg or remove the feed altogether.
iii) Deworming
Sows should be dewormed about (2)weeks before moving to the farrowing pen. Using fenbendazole or ivermectin orally, to control tape worms and round worms infestation to newly born litters.
iv) Farrowing pen preparation.
Clean thoroughly using water and detergents.
Disinfect using a suitable disinfectant (Bio-safe).
Rest the farrowing pen for at least (2)weeks before introducing the pregnant sow.
v) Washing the sow.
Before the sow is placed in a farrowing pen wash her thoroughly especially the hindquarters, udders using warm water and mild soap. This will eliminate soil and faecal matter that may contain disease causing microbes and worm eggs which would infect and infest the nursing piglets.
vi) Introduce sow to the farrowing pen.
The sow should be taken to her farrowing pen not later than the (110) days of gestation. It permits time for sows to become accustomed to the pen and daily routine care before onset of birth.
vii) Steaming up
Refers to an act of increasing the feed in-take particularly with a high-energy and protein rich diet in the last month of pregnancy in sows.
Steaming up aims to increase nutrition reserves of the sow, promote increased growth of fetuses, supply nutrients to the developing udder tissue and cater for growth of gilts if it is still developing.
Furrowing
Refers to the process of a sow giving birth to a litter of piglets. Normal farrowing takes between (2-4) hours to complete fetal delivery, with placenta expulsion occuring upto (4) hours later.
Signs of furrowing.
Sow becomes increasingly restless and exhibit nesting behaviors like gathering straw or bedding materials.
Sow's tail twitches frequently.
Sow's vulva becomes swollen and may appear red.
Sow exhibit abdominal contractions, straining and pushing.
Increased breathing rate.
Mammary glands swell and fill with milk and small amounts of colostrum may leak from the nipples.
Mucous discharge seen on the vulva.
Sow milk lines may appear on the udder.
Stages of farrowing in sows.
Farrowing process is categorized into three stages preparatory stage, fetal expulsion and expulsion of the placental membrane.
i) Preparatory stage; this is characterized with muscular contractions, restlessness and abdominal discomfort ending with complete cervical dilation.
ii) Fetal expulsion; begins with the first fetus entering the pelvic canal and ends with the delivery of the last fetus.
iii) Expulsion of the placental membrane; the afterbirth is passed within (1-2) hours after the last piglet is born.
Signs of difficult farrowing.
Gestation exceeding (116) days.
Blood tinged fluid without signs of straining.
Meconium are discharged without signs of straining.
The time between birth of piglets exceeding (1)hour and the sow still has a full abdomen.
Foul smelling, brown/gray discharge.
Reddening of the sows eyes.
Exhaustion after prolonged labour.
Inability to rise.
Types of farrowing problems and methods of assistance.
1. Uterine inertia (uterus unable to contract).
Manual intervention, be certain that the sow is dilated and nothing is blocking the birth canal, delivery any piglet within reach by grasping the snout or use a snare.
Administer oxytocin, and get the sow up to exercise, cool the sow with mister or fan and finally call veterinarian if farrowing doesn't occur.
2. Improper presentation of piglets
i) Breech, manual intervention: hook index finger under the hock of each hind leg. Extend the legs caudally or use a snare.
ii) Two piglets simultaneously, manual intervention: grasp the head, jaw, feet to deliver one pig at a time.
iii) Upside down piglet, manual intervention: grasp head, lower jaw or feet and deliver.
3. Canal obstruction.
i) Hymen constriction in gilts; manual dilation or severing with scissors.
ii) Vaginal or cervical prolapse; call veterinarian.
iii) Pelvis too small; call veterinarian.
iv) Constipation; manual remove feaces, give enema of warm, soapy water.
v) Full bladder; get the sow to stand up and force exercise, give oxytocin and rarely the veterinarian will have to catheterize the bladder.
4. Deviation of the uterus.
Partial uterine torsion; call the veterinarian.
S-shaped deviation; manual intervention.
5. Sow hysteria; give tranquilizer as prescribed by the veterinarian, give oxytocin and remove piglets until sow is quiet and finished farrowing.
6. Others
Pigs too large, Hemorrhage, vaginal, bladder and uterine prolapse; call the veterinarian.
How to examine a birth canal
When the time between birth of piglets exceeds (1)hour, intervention to examine the birth canal is necessary and must be gentle. The tissue of the birth canal are easily bruised and torn, damage can lead to swelling, hemorrhage and death of the sow and litter. Familiarization with the basic anatomy of reproductive tract is essential.
Thoroughly clean the sows rectal and vaginal area.
Cut short finger nails to mitigate risk of torn tissues.
Wash the arms with soap and water. Glove the arms and lubricate with "Lubrivet or KY Jelly".
The hand should be cupped in the shape of a cone for easy penetration of the vulva lips.
Gently insert the hand in the birth canal.
The hand can be moved forward through the pelvis and into the uterus which slopes downwards and divide into two side.
The birth canal can be examined for evidence of damage and causes of delayed farrowing.
If the sow is not ready for farrowing the forward part on the canal will be closed and the bony pelvis can be felt below and at the side of the hand.
Piglet litter management.
Management of newly born piglets begins before they are born to ensure piglets are born heavy and health to enhance survival rate of piglets till weaning period. Litter management practices include steaming up, colostrum suckling, fostering, disinfection of the naval cord, trimming needle teeth, attending to runts, identification, diarrhoea control, tail docking, castration, solid or creep feeding, control of parasites, weaning and record keeping.
Disinfecting the naval cord.
Soon after birth the naval cord should be cut (3-4)cm from the body and treated with iodine tincture. Treating of the naval reduces the risk of infection caused by disease causing microbes.
If excessive bleeding occurs from the naval, tie the naval cord off with a piece of string about (2.5)cm from the body.
Colostrum suckling.
Ensure piglets suckle with in the first few hours after birth. The first milk (colostrum) is highly nutritious, act as a laxative aids in digestion and prevent constipation. Also contains antibodies that give immunity to the piglets.
Incase of death of the sow, provide artificial colostrum by mixing (700)ml of cow milk, (1)egg, (1)tea spoon of vegetable oil and (1)heaping table spoon of sugar.
Fostering
Refers to an act of piglets suckling a dam other than their own mother sow. Used Incase of death of the sow, agalactia (failure of a mother sow to produce sufficient milk) or evening the litter size among dams.
Fostering focus on enhancing survival of newly born piglets.
Identification
This involves giving each piglet a number or mark to identify it from all the others. Methods of identify include ear tags, ear notching and tattoos.
Identification aids in proper record keeping, management program selection and culling.
Ear notching and ear tagging uwcan be done in the first (3)days after birth and provides a permanent identification.
Trimming needle teeth.
Piglets are born with (4) pairs of sharp needle teeth. The farmer should trim the eight sharp needle teeth, to prevent injuries to the sow's udder and piglet face injuries.
Use teeth trimmer as close to the gum as possible, taking care not to injure the gum. Clean and disinfect the trimmer after working with each litter of piglets.
Attending to runts.
Underweight newborn piglets called "runts". Require extra care to be able to survive.
A practical approach is to allow runts to suckle before releasing the whole litter.
Anemia control.
Piglets are born with low reserves of iron in the body and sow's milk cannot meet the nutritional requirement.
This can be prevented by iron supplementation on day (3-4) and again at (2) weeks of age. Iron is administered orally, by iron injection and placing clean red soil in the furrowing unit are satisfactory methods of Anemia control.
Iron deficiency cause Anemia. Iron is essential for the formation of hemoglobin which transports oxygen to all body organs and parts.
Diarrhoea control.
Piglet diarrhoea (scours) is a major problem caused by various strains of bacteria "E.Coli". The symptoms include watery yellowish stool.
Piglets are more susceptible at (1-4)days of age and at (3)weeks of age and it's therefore advised to avoid stress (castration, tail docking, vaccination and deworming) at the time since immunity is low.
Sanitation is very important in reducing incidence of piglet scours. Thoroughly cleaning and disinfection of the farrowing pen after every sow aid in prevention.
Solid feeding (creep feeding)
Beginning about (10)days, the milk from the sow is not enough to meet the requirements of litter. The sow's milk production peaks at (3-4)weeks and begin to decrease.
At the age of (10)days piglets begins to grow rapidly with high nutritional requirement hence the farmer should supplement creep feed (solid feed) with (20%) crude protein. Provide fresh clean water at all times.
Tail docking
This done to prevent subsequent tail biting of pigs in confined area.
Cut off the tail an inch from the body with "side cutting pliers". Disinfect the tail wound with "antiseptic" and disinfect the tool after docking each piglet.
Castration.
Castration must be done (10)day of age to minimize stress. Pigs at this age are easy to handle, health faster and suffer less.
Use a clean "surgical blade" to make an incision cut low to make good drainage and use "antiseptic" to disinfect the open wound.
Control of parasites.
Internal parasite are a problem in pigs. High infestation of internal parasites leads to low feed conversion rate, stunted growth, loss of appetite, Anemia and death in pigs. Common internal parasites include round worms and tape worms.
A good internal parasite control begins by deworming the sow before bringing her to the farrowing unit.
Under Uganda conditions, it is not advisable to deworm piglets before (7-8) weeks of age to mitigate risk of gastrointestinal upset, diarrhoea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
Weaning.
Refer to an act of stopping piglets from suckling their dam.
It can be done early (3-5) weeks of age or late (7-8) weeks of age.
In Uganda, we recommend late weaning for improved health, better growth performance and potentially reduce mortality rate since commercial breeds reared are mostly crossed and not well adapted to the environmental conditions.
Record keeping.
Record keeping is a very important management operations to trace and analyzed performance of piglets.
Litter management records capture date of farrow, litter size, number of live and still births, sex at birth, birth weight, weight at (3)weeks, mortality cause and rate.
FEEDS AND FEEDING PIGS
The pig is an omnivorous animal. Therefore can utilize all type of food of animal and plant origin as feed.
It should be noted that although pigs eat all types of food, it can not digest too much fibrous feed and therefore cannot live entirely on roughages. Pigs are non-ruminates lack cellulase enzymes to breakdown and untilize cellulose in plant tissue materials. To ensure pigs are healthy and produce to the optimum they need to get enough to eat and must be of good quality.
Facts about feeding pigs.
Feed cost on piggery farm represent (60-70)% of the total cost of production hence piggery enterprise to be profitable, pig feed must be used in efficient and economic manner.
Pigs thrive best on food that are suitable for human consumption and fortunately they also thrive on by-product feed and other materials that are practically useless food for man.
Nutritional requirements for pigs vary with sex, age and physiological status.
Farmers should always aim at using cheaper, lower grade feed stuff to the fullest extent and to supplement them by the more expensive nutritional feeds to the point that true the economy production.
Nutritional requirements for pigs.
Pig feeds are classified as Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, water, minerals and vitamin.
1. Water.
Fresh clean drinking water is the first requirement for almost all livestock enterprise.
Pig drink about (2-5) times as much as they eat, depending on the amount of moisture content in the feed.
It is advisable to have extra drinking water available. When an animal is under stress due to heat or when diseased. It will stop eating but will need extra water to drink.
A lactating sow with (10) piglets needs at least (25)litres of water per day. Clean the drinking trough at least once a day.
Although pigs wallow to cool down, they should be prevented to lie in drinking water. A closed water system can prevent this natural behavior of wallowing.
2. Carbohydrates.
These are energy giving feds necessary for fattening. Pigs need energy to perform all it's body functions and metabolic processes.
In Uganda cereals and brans are the main source of carbohydrates in pigs feeds.
3. Proteins
This is the most important nutrient in the pigs feed. All muscle tissues, organs, enzymes, skin, hair, hooves and milk in dams constitute of proteins.
Proteins are made of amino-acids essential for the formation of pigs tissues cells, milk and source of energy.
Protein feed sources are categorized into animal protein source and plant protein source. Animal protein sources provide the best protein this include blood meal, fish meal, bone meal, milk and milk by-products. However farmers must be careful when using proteins of animals as these may be source of infectious diseases to pigs.
4. Minerals.
Macro-minerals for pigs include iron, calcium and phosphorus.
Iron is very essential to piglets to control Anemia disease and can be provided orally or by injection in form iron sulphate and provision of clean red soil.
Calcium and phosphorus are essential in the formation of bones. These can be provided in the bone meal.
Feeding different pig categories.
Piglets.
Each newborn piglet should be fed on colostrum within the first (18) hours after birth.
If the sow is hostile, bottle feeding of the colostrum to the piglets is recommended.
Iron should be given to piglets within their first (3-4) days orally.
Creep feed with (20%) crude protein is provided to piglets (1-3)weeks of age preferably in solid form as pelleted feeds. Water should be available at all times.
Starter feed with (18%) crude protein is provided to piglets of (3) weeks of age until weaning age when weighing about (15)kg.
After weaning piglets are switched to growers feed with (16%) crude protein.
Boers.
Boers may be fed on rations containing (14%) crude protein and water must be provided at all times.
Pregnant sows.
During gestation the sow is limited to (2-3)kg of feed contain (14%) crude protein.
Close to farrowing maize bran may be added as 25% in the ration, this will be the main source of energy. It will also increase bulk and this prevents constipation and water must be provided at all times.
Lactating sow.
Bulky ingredients should be removed from the sow ration soon after farrowing.
Lactating sows are feed on a ration containing (14%) crude protein and those nursing large litters need full feeding during lactation period.
Sows nursing fewer than (8) piglets may be fed an amount of (3) kg per day with an added bonus (0.25)kg for each piglet being nursed.
Sows that finish lactation with excessive weight loss have delayed estrus beyond the usual (3-7) days post weaning.
PIG PRODUCTION SYSTEM.
There are mainly (3) categorize of pig production system. Classified depending on the level of input. Adaption of a given system depends on the level of investment capital available. These systems include.
I) Traditional scavenging or backyard system.
ii) Semi-intensive system.
iii) Intensive system.
i) Traditional scavenging or backyard system.
This is an extensive substances oriented production system where animals are kept outdoors all the time.
In this system pigs move freely around the homestead surrounding, scavenging and rooting most of their food themselves. Some are tethered under the shade to stop them from destroying crops and are fed on household feed scraps and bran.
Characteristics of the traditional system.
The level of production is low and mostly subsistence.
Indigenous pig breeds are predominately kept because they are tolerant to low quality feed, resistant to most of parasites and diseases.
The growth rate and body condition of pigs under this system are generally poor. Little investment is invested in feed and drugs or medication.
Associated with high piglet mortality rate caused by disease infections and other factors like malnutrition, chilling, predators and crushing.
Pigs are completely left on their own to scavenge for food all the time, supplement feeds are either household food scrap or occasionally commercial pig feed is offered.
At night pigs are enclosed in simple farm structures or housed in kitchen.
ii) Semi intensive system.
In this system, pigs are housed and more attention is put to the pigs health and feeding. The level of inputs is relatively higher than extensive system.
This is commonly practiced near developing urban centers where the demand for pork is relatively high.
Characteristics of semi intensive system.
Pigs are partly housed and partly outdoor on pastures and are confined in limited fenced area.
The level of input is relatively higher than extensive system with more productivity per unit area.
iii) Intensive system.
In this system, pigs are fully confined all the time. The level of input is high as well as the level of production.
A few commercial pig units exist in peri-urban sites. Supplying hotels, restaurant and pork joints.
Characteristics of intensive system.
Pigs are kept in confirmed area houses. However pregnant sows are allowed to graze sometimes or prepared for a farrowing unit.
Large size herd of more than (30)sows, focused on commercial production.
Intensive investment on feeds with feeding programmes for each age group.
Practice good husbandry practices with respect to feeding, hygiene, disease control and housing.
The growth rate is fast, there is good feed conversion ratio, high sow reproductive efficiency and good quality carcass.
HOUSING PIGS.
Improved housing is an essential factor if pig keeping is being converted into commercial piggery enterprise.
Importance of housing pigs.
Housing pigs provides an environment which improves feed efficiency, reduce labour in husbandry management tasks.
Ensures crops are protected from damages of scavenging pigs.
Ensures animals conserve energy, as they don't have to frequently regulate body temperature metabolically.
Reduces risk of pig theft.
Enhance survival rate of piglets, if born in warm, healthy environment.
Aids to control the spread of diseases and parasites hence minimize mortality and encourage production of health pigs.
Feeding routines can be more carefully controlled, especially when they are adjusted for different categories of pig.
Ease record keeping and management.
Weaning, heat control and service management can be done at the right time and in the right way.
Commercial production house Planning.
Successful piggery enterprise requires proper planning which involves construction of standard infrastructures and have adequate expansion land.
Planning starts with selecting an appropriate site, followed by designing specifications of the sty house and construction of the sty and other structure for bio-security measures.
Factors to consider when selecting a sty site.
The site should have adequate land expansion and for direct disposal of waste.
The site should be surrounded by multi-purpose trees to provide shade.
The topography should be relatively flat, well drained to prevent moisture problems in the sty.
The site should have a reliable water source since water is a vital need for livestock production.
The site should be accessible with motorable roads for transportation of pigs and feeds.
The site should be secure from political insecurities to mitigate risk of structure damage and pig theft.
Features of a standard pig sty.
A standard pig differs with the production system. Whatever the production system,the following features must be considered.
Roof.
Should have leak-proof, vermin proof roof, able to protect pigs from harsh environment conditions (rain and scorching sun).
Under semi intensive system the roof is made of cheap and readily available resources like grass, papyrus reeds, banana fibres.
However this materials root quickly and need replacement after a short period of time.
Intensive system roofs are commonly made of iron or aluminum sheets durable and expensive.
Broad houses of about (10) meters in width should have a breath roof to enhance natural ventilation in the house.
A sty should have a roof over hang to protect pigs from direct sunlight and splashing rain that may penetrate the open wall.
Wall.
Should have a strong wall to support the roof and protect pigs from strong wind and intruders.
The wall should be partially open to allow movement of air through the house.
Walls can be made of traditional mud and wood techniques line with hard wood poles inside. This will prevents the pigs from digging into the earthen wall.
Walls can also be made of papyrus reeds or bamboo poles, a row of small tree trunks will provide simple-structured wall, even though the wind can enter more or less freely.
Common walls for commercial production are made of bricks and cement durable and strong.
Floors and bedding.
The floor should be slightly raised from the surrounding with a good drainage, ease to clean and dry. A concrete slope at least (5%) is recommended to avoid flooding in wet seasons and allow liquid manure to drain easily.
Incase a farmer can't afford concrete, the floor can be made of compacted soil, However it should be kept hard and smooth for easy sweeping with an increased floor area.
Wooden floors are often used as slats though wood is not recommended since it is hard to keep clean, rots easily and it's slippery. Slatted wooden floor are less suitable for piglets, associated with high risks of lameness in piglets.
Other slat floor materials include bamboo, concrete and metals. Slats should be big enough to allow manure to drop but small enough to prevent the feet from passing through.
Fermented bed technology is adopted by commercial piggery farmers, it is a climate smart and environmentally friendly method of pork production. It exploits biological activity of microbes that decompose cellulose and lignin in bedding materials into simple organic compounds and generate warmth suitable for prime pork production. It is cheap and an effective way to rear clean and healthy pigs, allows natural pig behavior of rooting, prevent outbreak of diseases, improves pig immunity, reduces urine and manure disposal, minimize frequent cleaning and the need for disinfection due to the high temperatures of about (60)⁰C produced during microbial activity that sterilizer the floor bedding.
Sleeping area.
Should have a standard sleeping area which varies with body weight as shown below.
Body weight (Kg). Area (m)²
35. 0.50
75. 0.70
100. 0.80
Sow and litter. 10.00
Dry sow. 5.00
Boar. 5.00
Exercise area.
Should have a standard exercise area which varies with body weight, sex and physiological status as shown below.
Body weight (Kg). Area (m)²
35. 0.30
75. 0.35
100. 0.40
Sow and litter. 3.50
Dry sow. 1.00
Boar. 3.50
Feed trough.
Should be easy to clean, fill with feeds, designed in away that prevent feed wastage by spillage of feed by the animals. Proper Feed trough spacing mitigates competition and aggression behavior in pigs. Feed trough spacing varies with body weight of pig as shown below.
Body weight (Kg). Spacing (cm/pig)
35. 20
75. 30
100. 35
Sow and litter. 50
Dry sows. 50
Boars. 50
Farrowing unit.
A farrowing unit is a special sty house unit used to isolate pregnant sows, dams and their litters. The sub-components a farrowing unit include guard rails and creep area.
Guard rails are metal bars which guard piglets from crushes from the dam when it lies down. Guard rails should be fitted to the walls of the farrow pen at a distance of about (25)cm from the floor.
Creep area is a special section where piglets are fed separated with the dam.
PIG HEALTH.
Under extensive system local breeds are normally reared, these are resistant to diseases and well adapted to the tropical environment conditions. The major health problem in free range and semi intensive system is infestation of external and internal parasites. In free range system and sometimes in semi intensive system, farmers don't generally have money to spend on medical treatment.
In intensive systems, commercial breeds (exotic) are reared. These are less adapted to the tropical environment conditions and less resistant to diseases. Disease is a greater risk because many pigs are kept together in a small space. Infestation and spread of diseases is easy and rapid hence it is essential to take all necessary measures to prevent diseases and treat the animals if they get sick as long as the costs of treatment don't exceed the expected loss of income.
General illness signs in pigs.
A pig is suspected to have ill health if it shows any combination of the following signs.
Dullness and loss of appetite.
Laboured or rapid breathing.
Sudden deaths.
Loss of weight.
Low weight gain.
Fever usually manifest by shivering.
Abnormal nasal discharge.
Diarrhoea with bad smell feces.
Lameness.
Reddening of the skin and skin discoloration.
Loss of hair and hardening of some parts of the skin.
Itching of the skin and cracking of the skin.
Common diseases in pigs
Pig diseases can be categories into bacterial, viral, protozoan and nutritional deficiency diseases. Other causes of diseases include poisonous substances, internal and external parasites.
1. Bacterial diseases
These include Brucellosis, Erysipelas, Salmonellosis, Swine dysentery, infectious poly-arthritis, porcine pleuropneumoniae
Brucellosis (Malta fever)
Caused by a family of bacteria called "brucella".
Transmitted through direct contact with infected semen, milk, reproductive fluids, placenta, urine, aborted fetuses.
Symptoms include abortions, infertility, birth of weak piglets and also lameness due to joint infection.
Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease "can infect human".
There is no vaccine for Brucellosis in pigs so prevention focuses on identification and managing herd free from infection.
Erysipelas.
Caused by bacterium "Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae".
Transmitted with pig carriers, present in feces and oral and nosal secretions.
Symptoms include sudden deaths, fever, skin lesion (diamond shaped lesion) and arthritis.
Controlled by vaccination, quarantine of new stock and use of strict bio-security measures.
Salmonellosis.
Caused by S.Cholerassuis and S.Typhimurium.
Transmitted by direct contact with infected pigs, contaminated feces and can also survive in the environment for extended periods.
Carrier pigs can can carry and shed salmonella bacteria without even showing any signs of illness hence potential sources of infection.
Symptoms include fever, depression, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, dehydration, congestion of ear, snot and tail, respiratory distress and death. Diagnosed using ELISA tests.
Controlled by vaccination, good hygiene practices and strict bio-security measures and stress reduction.
Swine dysentery.
Caused by "Spirochete Bacterium"
Transmitted through fecal-oral contact
Symptoms include diarrhoea with blood and mucus, reduced growth performance and death.
Controlled by use of good bio-security measures, early treatment with antibiotics (tiamulin) and thoroughly clean and disinfection.
Infectious poly-arthritis (Joint ill).
Caused by Streptococcus suis bacterium in piglets and mycoplasma hyorhinis in post weaning pigs.
Contributing factors for Joint ill disease include trauma, stress, concurrent infections, fault iron injection.
Controlled by early aggressive antibiotic treatment, good hygiene and minimize stress
Porcine pleuropneumoniae.
Caused by bacterium (APP), it is highly contagious disease that can be fatal, especially in grower pigs.
Transmitted through direct contact, especially via nosal secretions and spread through aerosol droplet over short distance.
Symptoms include sudden onset of pneumonia characterized by coughing, difficult in breathing and sudden deaths.
Treatment involves antibiotics and control measures include bio security measures to prevent spread of the disease, proper sanitation, quarantine of new stock and vaccination programs.
2. Viral and mycoplasma diseases.
These include African swine fever, Classical swine fever, Swine Influenza (Swine Flu), Swine Pox, Enzootic pneumonia, Transmissible gastroenteritis.
African swine fever.
Caused by African Swine Fever Virus.
Transmitted through direct contact with infected pigs, their body fluids and indirectly via contaminated materials, ticks or by eating infected meat (pork)
African swine fever has no vaccine or treatment and it is a zoonotic disease that is highly contagious.
Symptoms include high fever reaching (42)⁰C, skin lesions, particularly on the ears and snout, loss of appetite, weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea, coughing, difficult in breathing, abortions and sudden death.
Prevented by use of strict bio-security measures, proper disposal of dead pigs and using disinfectants.
Classical swine fever.
Caused by pestivirus.
Transmitted through direct and indirect contact with infect pigs, excretory wastes or contaminated materials.
Symptoms include constipation followed by diarrhoea, conjunctivitis, high fever (40.5)⁰C, loss of appetite, skin hemorrhage particularly around the ears, abdomen and inner thighs.
Prevented by vaccination, strict bio-security measures, quarantine of new stocks, slaughter and disposal of carcass and the bedding since it has no treatment.
Swine Influenza (Swine Flu)
Caused by type A Influenza viruses.
Transmitted primarily through close contact with infected pigs, aerosolized respiratory secretions and contaminated materials.
Symptoms include fever, cough, sneezing, runny nose, lethargy, reduced appetite, difficult in breathing, eye redness.
Prevented by vaccination, strict bio-security measures, good hygenic practices of disinfecting facilities.
Swine Pox.
Caused by Swine Pox Virus, a member of poxviridae family.
Transmitted by direct contact to infected pigs and insect bite especially by "hog louse". Young pigs of less than (3)months are more susceptible.
Symptoms include generalized pustular lesions, skin lesions, papules, vesicle and pustules that progress to scabs lesions are often found on the abdomen, inner surface of the legs, pinnae, snout, vulva and back.
Controlled primarily by preventing transmission through hog lice and maintaining good hygiene.
Enzootic pneumonia.
Caused by mycoplasma hyopneumoniae.
Transmitted through direct contact "nose to nose" contact, airborne transmitted via respiratory droplets from coughing pigs and also from sow to born piglets.
Symptoms include a low grade dry non-productive cough, reduced growth rate, loss of appetite and high temperatures.
Controlled by use of strict bio-security measures, vaccination, strategic ventilation and hygiene.
Transmissible gastroenteritis.
Caused by Transmissible gastroenteritis virus, a member of Coronaviridae.
Symptoms include diarrhoea, vomiting and high mortality in piglets under (2) weeks of age, rapid dehydration, shivering and marked thirst. Piglets weaken rapidly and usually die within (1-2)days.
Prevented by feeding piglets on colostrum and use of strict bio-security measures.
There is no specific treatment. Supply electrolytes and an easy access to clean water to prevent dehydration along with any antibiotics.
Other diseases.
Helminthiasis a health problem caused by worms like lung worm Ascaris worms.
Nutritional diseases include piglet anemia, parakeratosis.
General guidelines of disease prevention and control.
Ensure proper housing conditions by maintenance of good sanitation, cleaning and disinfecting the pig sty and bedding materials.
Ensure proper house ventilation to mitigate risk of respiratory diseases and increased build up of microbial disease causing organisms.
Ensure proper disposal of excretory wastes and regular disinfection of manure heaps.
Ensure feed troughs and water troughs are cleaned regularly with a standard design to mitigate spillage and contamination.
Isolate or quarantine new stocks secured with a health certificate for a minimum of (3) weeks.
Ensure proper disposal of dead pigs by burning or burying in (4)ft deep pits.
Ensure a foot disinfection point at the sty entrance.
Adopt a vaccination program as prescribed by the veterinarian.
Pig parasites.
Parasite infestation is a common health problem in pigs. These are categorized into external and internal parasites.
External parasite.
These cause irritation,wounds on the skin, stress and may lead to Anemia disease and transmission of some diseases like Swine Pox transmitted by hog lice.
Controlled and prevented by spraying with insecticides and acaricide on the pigs and house environment.
Examples of external parasites include hog lice, mites, ticks, flies and jiggers.
Jiggers (Tunga penetrans) are common in Sub Saharan region faced by most piggery keeping community. Prevented by using planting insect repellent crops (mari-gold) around the pig sty. Treated by surgical removal of Tunga penetran using sterilized tools and apply antiseptic solution to the wound.
Internal parasite.
These damage the internal organs like lungs, livers and intestinal mucosa membrane.
They suck blood hence high infestation leads to Anemia, loss of appetite, reduced feed intake, reduced growth rate, stunted growth, reduced weight gain, loss of weight death and contamination of the carcass.
Examples of internal parasites include round worms, tape worms, whip worm and liver fluke.
Controlled by deworming with fenbendazole or Albendazole solution orally using a drench gun.
PIGGERY RECORD KEEPING.
Commercial piggery enterprise must have a good system of record keeping to track developments and profits. A good record means noting done simple and clear details or events.
Importance of record keeping in piggery enterprise.
Records aids to identify better performing pigs and those that have a problem.
Records aids to trace expenses and revenue.
Guides in selecting breeding sows and boars.
Acts as a reference for comparison on performance with other farm piggery enterprise.
Aids to identify healthy and infertility issues.
Aids to identify management weakness and correct mistakes.
Acts as reference for comparison of pig performance with the standard production goals.
Types of records.
There are mainly two types of records namely individual records and herd records
Individual records
These are used by breeders for selection of potential breeding sows, boars and culling non-productive ones.
Taking the sow as an example; records include identification number, information on it's productive life, litter size at each farrowing interval, growth rate, information on health status and culling reason and date.
Herd records.
This is a summary of individual records. It allows comparison on a monthly or annual basis in order to determine whether one is making progress or not. For example death rates may vary from one month to the next.
Herds records aids a farmer to know litter weight at birth and weaning, mortality rate in the herd, feed conversion efficiency, age at marketing, carcass quality and culling rate.
In conclusion.
Piggery livestock sub-sector is still very small in Uganda with the potential to grow rapidly since majority of pig farmers rear (1-5) pigs faced with challenges of lack of technical production knowledge and skills in the of pig breeds, husbandry management practices, pig housing, feeds and feeding practices, control of diseases and parasites. Hence the development of this piggery production manual to assist piggery farmers in self-help learning to improve and boost growth of the piggery sub-sector.
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