Pig farming

Large White piglets on a farm

A Large White sow suckling her piglets

Interior of pig farm at Bjärka-Säby Castle, Sweden,
1911

Pig farming is the raising and breeding of

domestic pigs as livestock, and is a branch
of animal husbandry. Pigs are farmed
principally for food (e.g. pork, bacon,
gammon) or sometimes skinned.

Pigs are amenable to many different styles

of farming: intensive commercial units,
commercial free range enterprises, or
extensive farming (being allowed to
wander around a village, town or city, or
tethered in a simple shelter or kept in a
pen outside the owner’s house).
Historically, farm pigs were kept in small
numbers and were closely associated with
the residence of the owner, or in the same
village or town.[1] They were valued as a
source of meat and fat, and for their ability
to convert inedible food into meat, and
were often fed household food waste
when kept on a homestead. Pigs have
been farmed to dispose of municipal
garbage on a large scale.[2]
All these forms of pig farm are in use
today. In developed nations, commercial
farms house thousands of pigs in climate-
controlled buildings.[3] Pigs are a popular
form of livestock, with more than one
billion pigs butchered each year
worldwide, 100 million of them in the USA.
The majority of pigs are used for human
food but also supply skin, fat and other
materials for use as clothing, ingredients
for processed foods,[4] cosmetics,[5] and
medical use.[6]

The activities on a pig farm depend on the

husbandry style of the farmer, and range
from very little intervention (as when pigs
are allowed to roam villages or towns and
dispose of garbage) to intensive systems
where the pigs are contained in a building
for the majority of their lives. Each pig
farm will tend to adapt to the local
conditions and food supplies and fit their
practices to their specific situation.

The following factors can influence the

type of pig farms in any given region:

Available food supply suitable for pigs

The ability to deal with manure or other
outputs from the pig operation
Local beliefs or traditions, including
religion
 The breed or type of pig available to the
farm
Local diseases or conditions that affect
pig growth or fecundity
Local requirements, including
government zoning and/or land use
laws
Local and global market conditions and
demand

Use as food
Almost all of the pig can be used as food.
Preparations of pig parts into specialties
include: sausage (and casings made from
the intestines), bacon, gammon, ham, skin
into pork scratchings, feet into trotters,
head into a meat jelly called head cheese
(brawn), and consumption of the liver,
chitterlings, and blood (blood pudding or
black pudding). This is also, technically,
the case for all other mammals, although
the demand is not really there.

Production and trade

 Global pig stocks
in 2014

(million)

 People's Republic of 474.1

China

 United States 67.7

 Brazil 37.9

 Germany 28.3

 Denmark 28.1

 Vietnam 26.8

 Spain 26.6

 Russia 19.1

 Mexico 16.1

 Myanmar 13.9

World total 986.6

Source: UN
Food & Agriculture Organization
(FAO)

Pigs are farmed in many countries, though

the main consuming countries are in Asia,
meaning there is a significant international
and even intercontinental trade in live and
slaughtered pigs. Despite having the
world's largest herd, China is a net
importer of pigs, and has been increasing
its imports during its economic
development. The largest exporters of
pigs are the United States, the European
Union, and Canada. As an example, more
than half of Canadian production (22.8
million pigs) in 2008 was exported, going
to 143 countries.[7] Older pigs will
consume eleven to nineteen litres (three to
five US gallons) of water per day.[8]

Relationship between
handlers and pigs
The way in which a stockperson interacts
with pigs affects animal welfare which in
some circumstances can correlate with
production measures. Many routine
interactions can cause fear, which can
result in stress and decreased production.

There are various methods of handling

pigs which can be separated into those
which lead to positive or negative
reactions by the animals. These reactions
are based on how the pigs interpret a
handler’s behavior.

Negative interactions

Many negative interactions with pigs arise

from stock-people dealing with large
numbers of pigs. Because of this, many
handlers can become complacent about
animal welfare and fail to ensure positive
interactions with pigs. Negative
interactions include overly-heavy tactile
interactions (slaps, punches, kicks, and
bites), the use of electric goads and fast
movements. It can also include killing
them. However, it is not a commonly held
view that death is a negative interaction.
These interactions can result in fear in the
animals, which can develop into stress.
Overly-heavy tactile interactions can cause
increased basal cortisol levels (a "stress"
hormone).[9] Negative interactions that
cause fear mean the escape reactions of
the pigs can be extremely vigorous,
thereby risking injury to both stock and
handlers. Stress can result in
immunosuppression,[10] leading to an
increased susceptibility to disease.
Studies have shown that these negative
handling techniques result in an overall
reduction in growth rates of pigs.

Positive interactions

Various interactions can be considered

either positive or neutral. Neutral
interactions are considered positive
because, in conjunction with positive
interactions, they contribute to an overall
non-negative relationship between a stock-
person and the stock. Pigs are often
fearful of fast movements. When entering
a pen, it is good practice for a stock-
person to enter with slow and deliberate
movements. These minimize fear and
therefore reduce stress. Pigs are very
curious animals. Allowing the pigs to
approach and smell whilst patting or
resting a hand on the pig's back are
examples of positive behavior. Pigs also
respond positively to verbal interaction.
Minimizing fear of humans allow handlers
to perform husbandry practices in a safer
and more efficient manner. By reducing
stress, stock are made more comfortable
to feed when near handlers, resulting in
increased productivity.[11] In other words,
pigs are very social and intelligent animals,
and if they are treated well, better meat
can be obtained. Prohand for pigs is a
training program that teaches handlers to
interact with pigs in a way that promotes
safe handling. It promotes the
development of positive behaviors and
elimination of negative behaviors. This
program has been seen to improve
productivity without any capital
investment.[12]

Impacts on sow breeding

Hogs raised in confinement systems tend
to produce 23.5 piglets per year. From
2013 to 2016, sow death rates have nearly
doubled from 5.8%-10.2%, 25-50% of these
deaths have been caused by prolapse.[13]
Other probable causes of death include
vitamin deficiency, mycotoxins in feed,
high density diets or abdominal issues.[14]
Currently mortality data is being collected
by Iowa's Pork Industry Center in
collaboration with the National Pork Board
to collect data from over 400,000 sows
from 16 U.S. states. The farms all range in
different size and facility types. Raising
rates in death are a profit concern to the
industry, so money is being invested into
research to find potential solutions of
preventing prolapse.[15]

Genetic manipulation
Pigs were originally bred to rapidly gain
weight and backfat in the late 1980s. In a
more fat-conscious modern day America,
pigs are now being bred to have less back
fat and produce more offspring, which
pushes the sow's body too far and is
deemed one of the causes of the current
prolapse epidemic. Researchers and
veterinarians are seeking ways to
positively impact the health of the hogs
and benefit the hog business without
taking much from the economy.[16]

Considering porcine future

Moderate solutions for hog preservation
include downsizing to smaller farms and
choosing to back away from productivity
focuses. As popularity of eating healthier
is becoming more evident from
consumers, the demand of producing a
massive amount of oversized hogs is
declining[16]

Terminology
Pigs are extensively farmed, and therefore
the terminology is well developed:

Pig, hog, or swine, the species as a

whole, or any member of it. The singular
of "swine" is the same as the plural.
Shoat, piglet, or (where the species is
called "hog") pig, unweaned young pig,
or any immature pig[17]
Sucker, a pig between birth and weaning
Weaner, a young pig recently separated
from the sow
Runt, an unusually small and weak
piglet, often one in a litter
Boar or hog, male pig of breeding age
Barrow, male pig castrated before
puberty
Stag, male pig castrated later in life (an
older boar after castration)
Gilt, young female not yet mated, or not
yet farrowed, or after only one litter
 (depending on local usage).[18]
Sow, breeding female, or female after
first or second litter

Pigs for slaughter

Finishing pigs on a farm

Suckling pig, a piglet slaughtered for its

tender meat
Feeder pig, a weaned gilt or barrow
weighing between 18 kg (40 lb) and
37 kg (82 lb) at 6 to 8 weeks of age that
is sold to be finished for slaughter
Porker, market pig between 30 kg (66 lb)
and about 54 kg (119 lb) dressed weight
Baconer, a market pig between 65 kg
(143 lb) and 80 kg (180 lb) dressed
weight. The maximum weight can vary
between processors.
Grower, a pig between weaning and sale
or transfer to the breeding herd, sold for
slaughter or killed for rations.
Finisher, a grower pig over 70 kg
(150 lb) liveweight
 Butcher hog, a pig of approximately
100 kg (220 lb), ready for the market. In
some markets (Italy) the final weight of
butcher pig is in the 180 kg (400 lb)
range. They to have hind legs suitable to
produce cured ham
Backfatter, cull breeding pig sold for
meat; usually refers specifically to a cull
sow, but is sometimes used in reference
to boars

Groups

Herd, a group of pigs, or all the pigs on a

farm or in a region
Sounder, a small group of pigs (or wild
boar) foraging in woodland
Pig parts

Trotters, the hooves of pigs (they have

four hoofed toes on each foot, walking
mainly on the larger central two)

Biology

In pig, pregnant
Farrowing, giving birth
Hogging, a sow when on heat (during
estrus)

Housing

Sty, a small pig-house, usually with an

outdoor run or a pig confinement
Pig-shed, a larger pig-house
 Ark, a low semi circular field-shelter for
pigs
Curtain-barn, a long, open building with
curtains on the long sides of the barn.
This increases ventilation on hot, humid
summer days

Environmental and health

impacts
Feces and waste often spread to
surrounding neighborhoods, polluting air
and water with toxic waste particles.[19]
Waste from swine on these farms carry a
host of pathogens and bacteria as well as
heavy metals. These toxins can leach
down through the soil into groundwater,
polluting local drinking water supplies.
Pathogens can also become airborne,
polluting the air and harming individuals
when ingested.[20] Contents from waste
have been shown to cause many
detrimental health implications, as well as
harmful algal blooms in surrounding
bodies of water.[21]

Drugs
Growth Promoters

Ractopamine

Most pigs in America get ractopamine to

put on more muscle instead of fat, to put
on weight more quickly, to reduce costs
and to reduce pollutants in the
environment because pigs on ractopamine
do not need as much feed to reach
finishing weight and do not produce as
much manure. However, ractopamine has
not been approved for use by the European
Union, China, Russia, and several other
countries.[22]

Colistin

China once used colistin (an antibiotic) as

growth promoter (subtherapeutic
antibiotic use) but discovered a colistin-
resistant form of E. coli bacteria in a pig
from a Shanghai farm in 2013.
Investigations then led to the identification
of "a gene called MCR-1 that allowed
bacteria to survive colistin treatment in
animals and humans."[23] In 2016, these
findings led China to ban colistin as
growth promoter.[23][24]

Antibiotics

China uses sulfamethazine, bacitracin,

chlortetracycline, tetracycline, florfenicol,
sulfonamide, doxycycline, oxytetracycline,
fluoroquinolone, macrolide, and
trimethoprim, and stopped using colistin
as of 26 July 2016.[23][24]
See also
Boar–pig hybrid, Iron Age pig
Domestic pig
Exotic pet
Extensive farming
Intensive farming
Intensive pig farming
List of pig breeds
Miniature pig
Pig toilet
Pig slaughter

References
1. Flisser, Ana; Ganaba, Rasmané; Praet,
 Nicolas; Carabin, Hélène; Millogo,
Athanase; Tarnagda, Zékiba; Dorny,
Pierre; Hounton, Sennen; Sow, Adama;
Nitiéma, Pascal; Cowan, Linda D.
(2011). "Factors Associated with the
Prevalence of Circulating Antigens to
Porcine Cysticercosis in Three Villages
of Burkina Faso" . PLoS Neglected
Tropical Diseases. 5 (1): e927.
doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0000927 .
PMC 3014946 . PMID 21245913 .
2. "Full text of "The collection and
disposal of municipal waste" " .
Archive.org. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
3. http://swine.missouri.edu/facilities/PI
H-11.PDF
4. "The Lost Art of Cooking With Lard" .
Mother Earth News. Retrieved
6 October 2018.
5. "Ingredient: Lard" . cosmeticsinfo.org.
Retrieved 6 October 2018.
6. "Material from pig intestine is remedy
for deep sores, incontinence" .
Purdue.edu. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
7. "Canadian Pork Exports" .
Canadapork.com. Retrieved 6 October
2018.
 8. https://projects.ncsu.edu/project/swin
e_extension/healthyhogs/book1995/al
mond.htm
9. Hemsworth, P.H (2003). "Human–
animal interactions in livestock
production". Applied Animal Behaviour
Science. 81 (3): 185–98.
doi:10.1016/S0168-1591(02)00280-0 .
10. Hemsworth PH, Coleman GJ, Barnett
JL, Borg S (2000). "Relationships
between human-animal interactions
and productivity of commercial dairy
cows" . Journal of Animal Science. 78
(11): 2821–31. PMID 11063304 .
11. Hemsworth, P.H.; Price, E.O.;
Borgwardt, R. (1996). "Behavioural
responses of domestic pigs and cattle
to humans and novel stimuli". Applied
Animal Behaviour Science. 50 (1): 43–
56. doi:10.1016/0168-1591(96)01067-
2.
12. http://www.animalwelfare.net.au/~aw
sc/sites/default/files/Brochure%20Pro
hand%20Pigs.pdf
13. Greenaway, Twilight (1 October 2018).
" 'We've bred them to their limit': death
rates surge for female pigs in the US" .
the Guardian. Retrieved 17 November
2018.
14. "Considering the porcine future" . Big
Think. 2 October 2018. Retrieved
17 November 2018.
15. "Iowa Pork Industry Center - Iowa
State University" . ipic.iastate.edu.
Retrieved 17 November 2018.
16. "Genetic manipulation for more
salable pork or more pigs" . Big Think.
2 October 2018. Retrieved
17 November 2018.
17. Resor, Cynthia (October 2018). "What's
a shoat?" .
https://teachingwiththemes.com/ .
External link in |website= (help)
18. Swine Study Guide Archived 2
December 2007 at the Wayback
Machine from UC Davis
19. Nicole, Wendee (21 April 2017).
"CAFOs and Environmental Justice:
The Case of North Carolina" .
Environmental Health Perspectives.
121 (6): a182–a189.
doi:10.1289/ehp.121-a182 .
PMC 3672924 . PMID 23732659 .
20. Thorne, Peter S. (21 April 2017).
"Environmental Health Impacts of
Concentrated Animal Feeding
Operations: Anticipating Hazards—
Searching for Solutions" .
Environmental Health Perspectives.
115 (2): 296–297.
doi:10.1289/ehp.8831 .
PMC 1817701 . PMID 17384781 .
21. Guilford, Gwynn. "It's not just Ohio—
poisonous algae blooms now plague
20 US states" . Quartz. Retrieved
21 April 2017.
 22. "Ractopamine — a beta-agonist growth
promotant; from google (pig drug
accumulate fat) result 3" .
23. "UK-China collaboration informs
animal feed antibiotic ban" . Medical
Research Council. Archived from the
original on 27 March 2017.
24. McKenna, Maryn (21 November 2015).
"Apocalypse Pig: The Last Antibiotic
Begins to Fail" . National Geographic.

Retrieved from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Pig_farming&oldid=896900604"
Last edited 3 days ago by Ifnord

Content is available under CC BY-SA 3.0 unless

otherwise noted.