Pigs

Pig Feeding

If feeding is mainly flour based food or grains, piglets’ growth is fast, and their slaughtering could be envisaged earlier:

– 15kg at 2months

– 30 kg at 3 months

– 100 kg at 7months

The required food quantities are as follows:

Age (months)	Weight(kg)	Quantity of blended food per day (kg)
2.5 months	20	Kg 1(growth)
3.5 months	30	Kg 1.4(growth)
4 months	40	Kg 1.8 (growth)
4.5 months	50	Kg 2.2(growth)
5-7months	60-100	Kg 2,5(fattening )

Sow feeding is determined according to weight and to the number of piglets to be nursed.

Example:

Weight of the sow (kg)	Quantity of concentrated feed to be provided per day (kg)
	Number of piglets
	8	10	12
150	Kg 4.5	Kg 5.3	Kg 6
200	Kg 5	Kg 5.8	Kg 6.5
250	Kg 5.5	Kg 6.2	Kg 7
300	Kg 6	Kg 6.7	Kg 7.5

Feeding for pregnant sows or at the age of mating depends on its weight.

Weight(kg)	Quantity of required concentrated feeds per day (kg)
150	2
250	2.5
Sow at the age of mating (250kg)	2.5

Pigs Animal Health

Disease prevention:

• The pig has to be raised in a clean environment,
• The farmer has to protect them against all  diseases ,
• The pig need litter using dry grasses,  they have to sleep in an area with slope to avoid the dirty cause by pig dung,
• When it sleeps on the top of the wood, it will need small holes for the dung to pass through, to ensure clean environment
• Twice a year, the house will need to be cleaned using lime before and after giving birth to ensure clean environment ;

1. Diseases affecting the Pigs

Diseases	Category of affected animals	Symptoms	Control measures
1. Ascaridiosis	Especially piglets	Stunt growth, anorexia, loss of weight , general poor conditions	Piperazine Keep the pigs in pigsty
2. Salmonellosis	Especially in piglets	Fever, vomiting, diarrhea dehydration, problem of breathing , bleuish colour spots on the skin  ; mortality rate :25-60%	Sanitary prophylaxis Antibiotics + Anti-diarrhea treatment
3.African swine fever	Young and adult	Hyperthermia 41-42°C, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, conjonctivitis with pus , hindquarters paralyisy, cutaneous haemorrhage, abortion in quite advanced stage of gestation	Sanitary Prophylaxis Keep pigs in pigsty
4. Swine Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae	Adults	No specific symptoms , except spots on the tongue	Keep pigs in pigsty Incinerate carcasses of affected pigs
5. Colibacillosis	Young	Diarrhea,dehydration, oedema, nervous disorders	Rehydration -Tetracycline, – Chloramphenicol, – Colistine, sulfamides

Reproduction (Pigs)

• The first mating takes place at the age of 8 months when an improved breed pig has then approximately 115-120 kg.
• For local breed pigs, the first mating takes place at the age of 12months, when it weighs 80-90 kg;
• One boar (male pig) is able to mate 20 females.
• Gestation lasts for 114 days. If the weaning takes place at the age of two months, the sow can achieve two pregnancies per year.
• One good sow drops generally 10 piglets per pregnancy, eight of them can reach the weaning stage.
• Reforming a sow should be envisaged at the age of 4years, but it could take place any time, if the number of born piglets is deemed unsatisfactory.

Record keeping (Pigs)

The records captures or writes down all information on for each pig.  This information sheets may have but not limited the following information:

1. Statistics and Identification

• Number of sows
• Number of boars
• Number of weaned piglets
• 1. Reproduction
• Number of Sow
• Date of farrowing/ Weaning piglets
• Number of piglets for each birth
• Number of weaned piglets
• Boar or artificial insemination used
• Abortion when it occurs and age of foetuses
• Number of born alive and dead piglets

1. Growth

• How the piglets increases weights  in kg after their birth ,
• They are weighed for the first time after 1 month and keep record of their weights every month.
• They calculate how the weight increases comparing the difference every month,

1. Character

• They record the pigs in most cases the Boar that are aggressive or with good behavior.

e)  Feeding

Type of feeds to each category of pigs ( herbs, roots and tubers, concentrates,…)

f) Financial records

Money related expenses and entries have to be recorded. These records helps the farmer to calculate investments and returns/ losses if any.

1.  PIG BREEDS
   1. Local breed
2. Characteristics
   • Black color skin  sometimes mixed with white color
   • Short head
   • Long mouth , small straight ears
   • Slim  ( not very fat)
   • Long leg ( slim)
3. Advantages : 
   • This breed resists to different diseases
   •  Resists to hot and dry weather
   • Eat everything
   • Produce between 8 -10 piglets once,
   • Produce twice per year
   • 1^st generation at 16 months or two years
   • Grow slowly, reaches 120 kg after 1 year and a half / 16 months
4. Disadvantage
   •  It has a lot of fat and that reduce its value at the market.
5. Large White breed:
6. Characteristics:
   • White color skin ,
   • Long and  bent head
   • Big mouth
   • Big and straight ears
   • Very fat with a lot of meat
   • Big leg  with a lot of meat
7. Advantages:

• Resistant to diseases but need quality food
• Drops between  10-12 piglets once,
• Drops twice per year
• Mate for the first time at age of  12 months,
• Grow very fast, can reach 70kg at 5 months
• It gives a lot  and quality meat but requires a clean environment and quality food.

1. Landrace breed:
2. Characteristics:

• White skin,
•  Long head
•  Big ears
• Long waist compared to the Large White
• Long in large and width

1. Advantages :

• Very productive compared to Large White.

1. Disadvantages:

• Does not have enough ability to resist to diseases , they can be affected easily.

1. Cross breed

• Large White x local breed: it resists to disease and it is productive when given quality food and care.
• Large White x Landrace x Duroc:  recently introduced to Rwanda from Ireland. It is also resistant to disease and productive.