Swine Introduction and

Breeds
Dr. Randy Harp
Swine

 Domestication
 species
– sus scrofa - wild boar
– sus vittatus - domesticated pig
 Factors favorable for swine production
– prolificacy
– conversion of grain and waste to meat
– cash flow is quicker
Swine

 Factors unfavorable
– cost of grain
– more sensitive to careless management
– susceptibility to diseases
– fencing or facilities
– labor esp. at farrowing
 Future
– competition, human consumption of pork
Feeding Swine

 Basic diet = corn and soybean meal

 Pelleted versus bulk ground meal
 Basic nutrients
– Protein
– CHO
– Fat
– Vitamins and minerals
– Water
Swine Feeding Stages

 starter pig ration at 10- 40 lbs (18%)

 grower at 40 - 100/125 lbs (16%)
 finishing at 125-250 lbs (12-14%)
 feed efficiency should be around 3:1
 3 lbs of feed to - one lb. of wt. gain
 replacement gilts - 4 lbs/day
 increase feed 2-3 X during lactation
Swine Feeding cont.

 Sows & boars are condition dependent

 do not over feed
 Soft Pork - caused by lower melting
points in the fat caused by feeding
certain feeds:ie too much peanut meal
 Trichinosis – trad. garbage fed swine
 Pale, Soft, and Exudative Pork
Swine Breeding

 Purebred: linebreeding, outcrossing

 Crossbreeding- hybridization
 Company specific
– Commercial industry
Swine Reproduction

 Gestation- 114 days

 Estrous – 21 days
 Estrus – 2-3 days
 Birth weight 2-4 lbs.
 Weaning weight 12-15 lbs.
 Days at market (250 lbs) - 180
Swine
Establishing a herd

 Type and breed

 size and age of animals to purchase
 Health (diseases)
 Water quality and availability
 price
 selection systems
 Environmental control (housing) / EPA
 waste management
Swine

 Types and breeds of swine

 Causes for type
– consumer demand
– availability of feeds
– breeding type by breeders
 Types
– meat, bacon, lard
Swine

 Major purebred breeds

– Hampshire
– Yorkshire
– Duroc
– Spot
– Poland
– Chester White
– Landrace
 US Swine Breeds

- 40 World wide
- Only 8 Industry Impact

Four Classifications
 Sire / Carcass Breeds
 Maternal Breeds
 Minor Breeds
 Swine Company Genetics
Breeds of Swine

 classification by type
– lard, meat, or bacon
 all US breeds are now meat/lean type
 7 major purebreeds vs new and hybrid
breeds
 Black and Red or sire/Carcass breeds
 White or Mother Breeds/Maternal
Sire/Carcass Breeds

 Berkshire- black with six white points

with erect ears
 origin- England/ medium frame size
 probably the best mother of colored
breeds
 Hampshire- black with white belt
 origin - Boone County, Kentucky
 known as the carcass breed
 Sire/Carcass Breeds
Berkshire
 Developed:
– Berkshire England

 Characteristics:
– Black with erect
– 6 – white points
 Face, legs, tail
Berkshire Gold
 Noted For: - Premium Pork Product
– True Pure Breed
– Highest Pork Quality
Sire/Carcass Breeds

 Hampshire- most popular sire or

terminal crosses
 Poland China- black with six white
points with drooping ears
 origin- Butler and Warren counties,
Ohio
 known for their carcass merit and size
 Sire/Carcass Breeds
Hampshire
 Developed:
– Hampshire Co. England
– Imported in 1825 to Kentucky
– Called “Thin Rinds”
– Major growth in 30’s

 Characteristics:
– Black with a White Belt

 Noted For:
– Carcass Traits
– Heaviest muscled leanest breed
Colored Breeds cont.
 Spot - Spotted Poland China until 1961
 approx. 50 % white and black with drooping
ears
 origin - Indiana from Gloucester Old Spots
imported from England
 Pietran- known for carcass yield, not qual.
 Duroc - Red with drooping ears (light sandy
to dark red)
 known for growth, & hardiness
 Sire/Carcass Breeds
Pietrain
 Developed:
– Belgium

 Characteristics:
– Spotted
– Double muscled

 Noted For:
– Leanness and muscle
– Below average pork quality
 Sire/Carcass Breeds
Duroc
 Developed:
– New Jersey Reds
– Sire named “Duroc”

 Characteristics:
– Red body
– Variation is light to dark

 Noted For:
– Ruggedness / durability
– Feed efficiency
– Rate of Growth
White Breeds

 Yorkshire - white with erect ears

(occasionally black spots on the skin
that does not disqualifiy them to be
registered)
 known as the “Mother Breed” due to
their prolificacy, milking ability, feed
efficiency, and structurally sound
 origin- England , where it is known as
the Large White
 Mother Breeds
Yorkshire
 Developed:
– York county England
– Imported in 1830

 Characteristics:
– White with Erect ears
– A large breed

 Noted For:
– Maternal characteristics
– Most carcass oriented of Mother breeds
– “Dual Purpose”
 Maternal Breeds
Chester White
 Developed:
– Chester Co Pennsylvania
– Mid 1800’s from White hogs in the area

 Characteristics:
– White body
– More Bone “Rugged design compared to other mother
breeds”

 Noted For:
– Maternal characteristics
– Durability
– Meat quality
White Breeds

 Chester White- white with drooping

ears
 origin - Chester and Delaware counties
of Pennsylvannia
 excellent mothering ability, prolific,
and adapt well
White Breeds

 American Landrace- white long bodied,

level topped, straight snout and lop
ears
 origin- Denmark
 Very prolific and may have 16 to 17
pairs of ribs (normal is 13)
 may have black spots or freckles
 Mother Breeds
Landrace
 Developed:
– From Danish Landrace
– 1930’s imported

 Characteristics:
– White with Big Droopy ears
– Fine boned
– Distinctively long bodied

 Noted For:
 Most Prolific Breed
 Largest litter size
Other Breeds

 Hereford
 Tammworth
 OIC - Ohio Improved Chester
 Many hybrids for commercial breeding
 Cross Breeding
Crossbreeding
 Developed:
– To improve the hog being developed by utilizing the
positives from the breeds selected

– Greater performance and growth rates from increased

hybrid vigor
Developing F1 crosses
Hampshire Yorkshire
Developing F1 crosses
Hampshire Duroc

H D Terminal Boars
 Terminal Line
Maternal Line