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Laboratory Exercise No. 7

ESTIMATION OF WEIGHT OF HOGS

Introduction

The most common and most accurate way to measure the weight of a pig is to use

a weighing scale. This is true both in commercial and even

backyard production. However, in cases wherein there is no

available scale, which is especially true in backyard production

where farmers are raising very few animals and buying a

weighing scale is not practical, we must know how to obtain a

good estimate of a pig’s weight . This is through the use of a

measuring tape and a calculator.

This is a simple skill, yet, very important for a hog grower, and even students

planning to engage in the production in the future. With this knowledge, the viajeros and

even the middleman who usually are experienced and very smart in estimating the

weight of the animals can not just dictate the weight of the animals at their advantage

when buying the animals from ordinary farmers.

Objective

After completion of this exercise, the students are expected to:

1. estimate the weight of the pigs using a measuring tape and a calculator; and

2. name other method of weight estimation of pigs.

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Materials

Live animals

Weighing scale

Measuring tape

Calculator

Procedure

Visit the University Piggery Project and get the estimated weight of 3 fatteners

by following the procedure below.

Get the weight in pounds

a. Obtain a measuring tape to use as a measure.

b. Place the tape under the pig just behind the front legs and measure the

circumference of the pig’s girth inches. This measurement is known as the heart

girth.

c. Measure the length of the pig along its back from the base of its ears to the base

of its tail in inches.

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d. To calculate the pig’s weight, square the heart girth to get the girth result.

e. Multiply the girth result by the length and divide by 400.

Metric version – weight in kilograms

a. Use the same procedure as above taking your measurement in Meters.

b. Square the heart girth to get the girth result.

c. Multiply the girth result by the length and multiply by 69.3

Conversions

Alternatively use either procedure and convert the result to your chosen units

a. To convert kilograms to pounds : multiply by 2.2

b. To convert ponds to kilograms : divide by 2.2

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Question/Critical Thinking

1. Base on your observation, how do backyard growers estimate the weight of their

animals? What are their bases?

2. Name another method of estimating the weight of the pig? Explain and give its

limitations/disadvantages.
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Laboratory Exercise No. 8

UNDERSTANDING HERD HEALTH MANAGEMENT

Introduction

Herd health management of hogs is one important aspect of production

that should be given utmost consideration. To produce

healthy and efficient hogs is the primary objective of a

hog producer. Aside from the good inherent

characteristics of the animals, these healthy and efficient

hogs are the result of interaction between proper

housing and proper feeding management employed in the production.

A student who is consider a prospective swine producer must be knowledgeable

as far as herd health management is concerned , to become a successful and profitable

hog producer.

Objectives

Upon completion of this exercise, the students are expected to:

1. perform vaccination of hogs;

2. characterize healthy and unhealthy pigs; and

3. design a simple but effective health program

Materials

Hand-outs on herd health management

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Procedure

1. Review the hand-outs

2. Visit the University piggery project and other hog farms and observe and/or ask the

in-charge about the current herd health program followed in the farm

3. If possible, perform vaccination of hogs.

Questions/Critical Thinking

1. Justify the importance of a herd health program.

2. What are the most common practices in maintaining the good health
condition of the animals?
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3. Characterize a healthy animal.

4. What are the most common health programs of the following:

a. piglets
b. growers
c. breeders
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5. Specify the health management for the following:

a. growing and fattening herd
b. breeding herd
c. litter to weaning period

6. Discuss the waste management program of the farm you visited.

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Laboratory Exercise No. 9

RECORDS AND RECORD KEEPING

Introduction

A hog producer can not rightfully says his production

is profitable or successful without accurate records. There is a

saying that it is only through records wherein one can say that

the production is gaining or losing. Thus, record is a must and

record keeping plays a very important role in any animal

enterprise. This is an aspect of production management that must be given utmost

consideration.

Different farms keep different records. Farms, likewise, use different forms.

Records even change from time to time depending on what information the producers

want to know and keep. Whatever, the future raisers must be knowledgeable on these,

its importance in the enterprise.

Objectives

Upon completion of this exercise, the students are expected to:

1. make the students realize the importance of record keeping

2. analyze and interpret different farm records

3. make and design accurate recording system for different classes of swine
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Materials

Hand-outs

Sample records

Methodology:

1. The laboratory session shall start with a short discussion on record keeping, its

importance in any enterprise.

2. The students will visit the piggery project of the university to be familiar with the

different records used in the farm

Questions/Critical Thinking

1. Justify the importance of record keeping in swine production.

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2. Name the different records necessary in hog breeding and hog fattening

3. After the farm visit and familiarization with the different records used ,

specify each record and its importance in the production. Make

recommendation to improve each record, if possible.

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4. Make a design of a complete and accurate recording system for different

classes of swine.
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Laboratory Exercise No. 10

MARKETING OF HOGS

Introduction

Good pigs and litters are useless if these

animals when they are ready for market, could not

be disposed of immediately. Thus, before anyone

decided to venture in hog production, or any

animal production, he must be sure that marketing

of his products, be it live or dressed, would not become a problem.

Objectives

Upon completion of this exercise, the students are expected to:

1. determine the different marketing channels;

2. determine the trend of marketing hogs in the locality; and

3. make the students realize the importance of ready market when engaged

in hog production.

Materials

Hand-outs

Methodology:

1. A discussion on marketing of hogs shall be made at the beginning of the

laboratory session.
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2. Visit the public market in the locality. Observe how hogs are being marketed.

3. Interview some of the hog vendors to determine problems in marketing hogs,

likewise, the demand and supply of the products..

Questions/Critical Thinking

1. Justify the importance of a ready market in swine production.

2. In your locality, what are the different marketing channels available?

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3. Visit the market in your locality and try to observe for some marketing

problems. Observe the average prices of various hog cuts.

4. What are the factors affecting the marketing of hogs? When is the best time

to market these animals? Why?

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5. Hogs are marketed either in live weight or dressed weight basis. In your

opinion, which is more profitable? Why?

6. Without the weighing device, how are you going to estimate the weight of the

animals?
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Laboratory Exercise No. 11

ESTIMATING THE COST AND RETURNS OF RAISING

650 FATTENERS

Introduction

Before anyone venture into hog fattening, a simple cost and return

analysis must be made first. This will be the

guide of the producer on what inputs she/he

needs to run the project. Likewise, the

potential of the project. With this, one would be

able to know whether the project is feasible or

not. Thus, this is important before one starts the enterprise.

Objective

Upon completion of this exercise, the students are expected to:

1. compute the costs and returns of fattening hogs base on given assumptions;

2. analyze its profitability by determining its returns on investment; and

3. compare the ROI base on liveweight and dressweight basis

Materials

Hand-outs on making cost and return analysis

Procedure

1. Review the hand-outs

2. A list of assumptions in hog fattening will be given to the students.

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Questions/Critical Thinking

1. Assumptions

1. initial weight - 15 kg each

2. age - 55 days

3. weight at market age - 90 kg

4. days reared - 105 days

5. cost per weanling - 2800 pesos

6. 4 bags/head (50 kg/bag)

- 1 starter - 1,190. 50 pesos/bag

- 2 grower - 1,055.50 pesos/bag

- 1 finisher - 1,000.50 pesos/bag

7 . selling price of market hogs - 90 pesos/kg

9. mortality - 1%

10. dressing percentage - 78

2. Compute for the following: Show your complete computation.

a. total cost of weanlings

b. total cost of feeds for the whole production

c. total income from the sales of fatteners (live and dressed)

d. net income per head (live and dressed)

e. return on investment (live and dressed)

f. Average daily gain

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g. feed conversion ratio

h. harvest recovery
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REFERENCES:

Agri-business Fact Book and Directory of the Philippines

Arganosa, V.G. 1989. A Primer on Pork Production, IAS, UP, Los Banos,
Laguna

Eusebio, J.A. 1983. Pig Production in the Tropics. Longman (National

Bookstore)

PCARRD, 2005. The Philippine Recommends for Pork Production

Supnet, M.G. 1980. Pork Production Manual, UP Los Banos, Laguna

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