Transcript GOLDEN RULES For beginner and small herd pig farmers

GOLDEN RULES
For beginner and small herd pig farmers
Seven important headings:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Marketing
Breeding
Housing
Feeding
Welfare
Health
Biosecurity
Marketing
•
Make sure there is someone who is going to
buy your pigs and pay for them;
•
•
•
•
Decide which type of pig you are going to sell:
Weaners
Porkers, or
Baconers
3. Make sure you can finance all the expenses
until your first pigs are ready to sell
Records are important
Tattoos are compusory
Informal records are OK
Breeding
1.
Decide what type of pig will suit your farm best;
2.
Don’t buy other people’s problems
3.
Plan a program that is going to fit your resources –
•
•
•
Cash
Feed
housing
Breeds to think about
Large White
SA Landrace
Duroc
Kolbrook
c
Housing
1,
Indoors or outdoors or both;
2.
Basic protection against sun and cold does not have
to be expensive;
3.
Mothers and babies are special and need extra care
Welfare
1. Pigs must be protected against thirst, hunger, pain,
fear, extreme heat and cold, diseases;
2. Pigs in pens are entirely dependent on their care
givers for all their needs;
3. Certain procedures may be done by stockmen,
such as: injecting, tattooing, wound treatment, tailclipping
Health and disease
• Three common problems:1. Malnutrition – food is too little, too watery, rotten
or toxic;
• 2.
Scours (diarrhoea) in young pigs
• 3.
Mange: itchy diseased skin – pigs of all ages
Biosecurity
• 1.
Diseases are spread mainly by pigs, people, bad
food, vehicles, workers;
• 2.
Protect your pigs with: pig-proof fence, locked gate,
healthy replacement stock, no speculators on site;
Never feed swill from restaurants or harbours or food
that contains animal tissues ;
3.
Use the help that is available from Veterinarians,
nutritionists, animal scientists
.
Disinfection must be well done
Good fences pay
Controlled access
Transport vehicles must be clean