Recognizing Signs of Illness in Pigs and Biosecurity

Signs of a Sick Pig

• Poor appetite, weakness, and lethargy are signs of a sick pig
• Rapid, noisy breathing, dry, crusty, or runny nose, limping, and changes in skin or developed abscesses are also signs
• Diarrhea is another indicator of illness

Biosecurity

• Herd additions, isolation of new animals, people movement, pig movement, and disease transmission on-farm are biosecurity concerns
• Vermin control, vehicles, water, and feed can also introduce diseases

Good Management for Disease Prevention

• Be alert for signs of disease and stress-causing conditions
• Provide clean, disinfected quarters with adequate ventilation and sunlight
• Ensure proper drainage and protect pigs from environmental stressors
• Practice rigid sanitation and manure removal, and provide a well-balanced diet
• Get accurate diagnosis of health problems immediately and avoid unnecessary stress
• Buy disease-free stock, isolate new animals, and follow a set vaccination program
• Be cautious of visitors and dispose of dead animals immediately

Reproduction

• Estrous cycle lasts 21 days
• Gestation period is 114 days
• Nursing lasts 3 weeks, growing 9 weeks, and finishing 9 weeks
• Processing takes 1 month, and conception to plate takes about 10.5 months

Litter Management

• Maintain body temperature and protect from injury

Health

• Normal temperature: 101-104°F
• Normal respiratory rate: 15-30 breaths per minute
• Normal heart rate: 59-86 beats per minute

Nutrition

• Six basic nutrients: protein, carbohydrates, lipids, minerals, vitamins, and water

Protein

• Provides essential amino acids
• Needed for growth and repair
• Forms muscles, internal organs, skin, hair, wool, feathers, hoofs, and horns
• Contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen (16%)

Carbohydrates

• Used as energy for body functions
• Largest part of an animal's feed supply
• Include sugars, starch, and cellulose
• Composed of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen

Fats

• Concentrated source of energy (2.25 times carbohydrates)
• Form cholesterol, steroids, and other body compounds
• Found in every cell, affects skin and hair condition when absent
• Composed of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen

Minerals

• Needed in nearly all body parts, primarily in bones and teeth
• Affect heartbeat and nerve transmission
• Divided into two groups: macro and micro minerals

Meat

• Quality grades consider lean meat quality and belly thickness
• Carcasses with unacceptable lean or bellies that are too thin are graded U.S. Utility
• Dressing percentage is the percentage yield of chilled carcass to live animal weight
• U.S. No. 1-4 grades have specific dressing percentages

Grading Exceptions

• Carcasses with thin muscling cannot grade US 1
• Carcasses with last rib back fat > 1.75 inch must grade US 4
• Carcasses with unacceptable quality must grade US Utility

PSE: Pale Soft Exudative Pork

• Causes meat to be very light gray in color
• Muscle is soft in texture, lacks ability to hold water, and exhibits separation between muscles
• Although PSE pork has acceptable nutritive value and taste, some protein and vitamin loss occurs

Learn to identify common signs of illness in pigs, such as poor appetite and rapid breathing, and understand the importance of biosecurity measures to prevent disease transmission.