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Swine Industry. Swine Facts. Swine are popular because of their meat - pork. They reproduce at a high rate, grow fast, require low amounts of labor, and give a fast return on investment. Pork is referred to as: the other white meat. Swine Facts.
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Swine Facts • Swine are popular because of their meat - pork. • They reproduce at a high rate, grow fast, require low amounts of labor, and give a fast return on investment. • Pork is referred to as: • the other white meat.
Swine Facts • Swine were first domesticated in Asia about 9,000 B.C. • Swine were brought to America by Christopher Columbus in 1493. • These swine were not wild, but of European and Asian breeding. • Scientific Name - Sus scrofa domestica.
Swine Industry • 3/4 of the hogs produced in the U.S. are produced in the Corn Belt. • When corn yields are high, corn prices are low and hog production increases.
Swine Industry • More than 60% of the hogs in the U.S. are grown in confinement buildings. • Many of these are produced under contract with a processing company.
Swine Industry • Hogs are the second largest livestock population in the U.S., with nearly 70 million head. • Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana are the leading states. • North Carolina sharply increased production in recent years.
Favorable Factors • Efficient in converting feed to meat. • Less than 5 pounds of feed for 1 pound of pork. • 9 pounds are needed for beef.
Favorable Factors • Swine are very prolific. • Meaning they will produce a large number of young. • Sows will farrow 7 to 12 piglets twice a year. • Gestation is 114 days.
Favorable Factors • Swine excel in dressing percentage. • They will yield 65-80% of their live weight. • Cattle dress out at 50-60%.
Favorable Factors • Labor requirements are lower: hogs are good at self-feeding. • Capital investments are generally low, with return to investments relatively short.
Unfavorable Factors • Hogs are susceptible to disease and parasites. • Hogs must be fed a large amount of concentrates and minimal forages due to the simple stomach (monogastric).
Unfavorable Factors • Require special attention at farrowing. • Disposal of waste is an issue.
Corporate Swine Production • More swine are being grown in large, factory farm systems and less as family-operated farms. • Producers may be under contract with a company that provides the piglets, monitors production, supplies feed, and markets the hogs. (vertical integration)
Corporate Swine Production • During growth careful attention is given to nutrition and disease control. • People are not allowed in facilities where the hogs are growing. • Producers enter only after bathing and wearing carefully laundered clothing.
Classification of Swine • Piglet • Young swine • Barrow • Castrated male • Sow • Mature female • Gilt • Young female • Boar • Male hog
High-Quality Meat Hogs • Barrows and gilts are used for high-quality meat. • Sows and boars may be made into sausage or cooked food products.
Meat-Type Hogs • Swine are produced for meat. • People want lean meat without much fat. • Meat-Type Hogs give the greatest amount of lean meat in high-value cuts, such as the ham.
Meat-Type Hogs • Need to grow fast and efficiently. • Need plenty of muscle tissue (meat). • Long animal, with deep, well- developed muscles in the hams.
Meat-Type Hogs • Major meat products: • Ham • Bacon • Loin Cuts • Roasts
Production Systems • Feeder Pig Production • A feeder pig is about 40 pounds and has just been weaned. • This system involves maintaining a herd of brood sows and having facilities for breeding and farrowing litters of pigs. • Boars or AI may be used. • Feeder pigs are sold to farms that feed them to market weight.
Production Systems • Finishing is feeding feeder pigs to market size. • Ideal market hog weight is around 250 pounds. • Many packers have specific weights. • Prices may decline if producers don’t hit the ideal or target weight.
Production Systems • Farrow-to-Finish • Pigs are farrowed and fed to market weight on the same farm. • The producer has farrowing facilities and facilities for feeding out the pigs.
Production Systems • Purebred hog production is raising hogs that can be registered by the breed associations. • All standards must be met. • Goal - Breeding Stock.