7/30/2019 Getting Started With Hogs

1/8

GETTING STARTED WITH HOGS

January 26, 2013

BY Dr. ART DUCKWORTH

APPLE ORCHARD FARM

STANLEY, N.C.

SPONSORED BY:

Gaston County Cooperative Extension

Personal or small scale commercial market parameters are

those boundaries, either opportunities or constraints, that

help answer the who, what, when, where and how questions

with regard to the pork products or services you wish to

provide.

This session will focus on getting started,

how to purchase and raise pigs, common

health considerations, production facility

and feed options, processing, regulatory

parameters and sources of information.

7/30/2019 Getting Started With Hogs

2/8

Course Objective: Learn the 7 basic but

key considerations to raising hogs.

1.Breed Stock

2. Facilities

3. Feed

4. Water

5. Health

6. Processing

7. Husbandry

How many already raising hogs?What breeds?

Breeding or buying feeders?

Buying or raising feed?

Pasture, paddocks, confinement?

Organic, sustainable, conventional?

Why do you want to raise hogs?

7/30/2019 Getting Started With Hogs

3/8

Breed Stock

Major breeds: Landrace, Berkshire,

Chester White, Duroc, Hampshire,

Poland China, Yorkshire

Heritage breeds: Hereford, Large

Black, Mulefoot, Red Wattle, andTamworth

Buy healthy, vet checks recommended

Straight bred or crosses, final product(live or meat) helps determine type or

breed

o Farrow to wean

o Farrow to finish

o Wean to finish

Know your sources!

Understand Hog behavior

7/30/2019 Getting Started With Hogs

4/8

Facilities

Pastures and grazing vs confinement

Paddocks

Housing varies with production goals

Variety of fencing options

Incorporate catch, handling and loading

capability!

Feed

Forage not enough, must have

supplemental feeds and nutrients Corn, wheat, milo, barley and oats

along with soybeans are typical base for

carbohydrates and protein

Protein needs vary with age/size, 13-

20%

Balance of amino acids critical formuscle formation and protein

Commercial feeds vary, watch for

added animal proteins and sources

7/30/2019 Getting Started With Hogs

5/8

Supplement home grown feeds with

vitamins and minerals

They are what they eat!

Water Dont forget the water!

A pig will typically consume 2-3 times

as much water as its daily feed

consumption, more in hot weather Water is necessary to maintain body

temperature, to carry digested food

through the body and to remove body

waste

Rule of thumb about 2 gallons/day

Health

Isolate new animals

Vet health certificates

140 known different diseases, mostcommon are:

o Brucellosis (Bangs disease,

reproductive systems)

7/30/2019 Getting Started With Hogs

6/8

o Atrophic Rhinitis (face distortion

from rubbing)

o

Hog Cholera (fever, coma, death)o Parvovirus (reproductive failure)

o Pseudorabies (mad itch)

o Porcine Reproductive and

Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) (virus,

blue ear)

o Erysipelas (bacterial lesions)o Dysentary (bloody diarrhea, black

scours)

Internal parasites include round worms,

lung worms, and stomach worms

External parasites include lice, mange,ticks and flies

Commercial or natural controls

Manage farm visitors and potential for

cross contamination from other growers

Processing

Develop relationship with your

processors and customers

7/30/2019 Getting Started With Hogs

7/8

Know your carcass potential and

products

Plan for your market and know when tosell

Husbandry

Keep good records

Know your animals and see them everyday

Know the trouble signs and take

preventive actions

Be vigilant and implement protective

measures Work safely

Resources

County Agricultural Extension Livestock

Agent Technical Schools

Other farmers, get a mentor!

Universities

7/30/2019 Getting Started With Hogs

8/8

State Department of Agriculture

Web info is unlimited

Book, How To Raise Pigs, PhilipHasheider (FFA)

Breed organizations

NCCHOICES