Module 3

SELECTING THE FOUNDATION

STOCK
 FACTORS IN SELECTING A BREED

What is the difference between breed and type?

Breed refers to the distinct characteristics of an animal which are generally
transmitted from one generation to generation. Type, on the other hand, refers
to a group of animals with certain characteristics which serve to distinguish
them from others and is to be raised for a certain purpose.

TYPES OF HOGS
1. Lard: has thick, fat, and wide body conformation
Example: Yorkshire, Berkshire, and Duroc
2. Bacon or Meat Type: have long and rounded bodies with thin fat.
Example: Landrace and Hampshire

FACTORS IN SELECTING A BREED

1. Availability of breeding stock: Availability of the breed is a limiting factr

whenever a raiser selects a breed to raise.
2. Prolificacy: This refers to the ability of the animal to reproduce. A good or
superior sow must be able to produce an average of 10 to 12 piglets per
farrowing. Prolificacy also includes the ability of the sow to produce a large
litter size at birth and care for it up to weaning time.
3. Growth ability or feed efficiency: This refers to the ability of the animal to
convert feeds to attain the market weight of 90 kg at the earliest possible time.
The feed efficiency of a superior breed is 2.6. The average daily gain in weight
should be 0.8 kg.
4. Temperament and Disposition: A good sow is one that is quiet, motherly,
and produces enough milk for her piglets. She does not bite her piglets or the
caretaker, although it is instinctive for a sow to protect her young against
predators. She is docile and ready to nurse her piglets any time. A sow with
poor temperament and disposition is one who bites her piglets, is noisy, is lazy
to nure her piglets, and keeps moving inside the pen. This is manifested by the
uneven sizes and weights of piglets at weaning time.
5. Carcass quality and market demand: Carcass refers to the whole meat of
the animal when slaughtered. When considering a breed, consider the demand
in the market. If the demand is more for fatty meat, select breeds under the
lard type. But if consumers prefer fleshy meat, select breeds of the bacon type.
6. Nicking ability: This refers to the ability of the animal to eat all the feeds
inside a feeding trough or feeds scattered on the floor.
7. Resistance to disease: Resistant breeds require less attention. When given
proper care and management, resistant breeds grow faster compared to breed
that require complicated housing and feeding.
8. Feeds available: If the supply of quality feeds in the market is continuous,
exotic or improved breed are more profitable to raise.
9. Personal preference: This refers to likes and dislikes of an individual.

PARTS OF A HOG
Swine experts in the country keep on improving breeds. This is done
primarily to increase the production of hogs for a shorter period of time and at
less cost.
To understand the characteristics of the existing breeds in the country, the
raiser must first study the external parts of the animal. Knowing the external
parts of the animal is an important guide for a beginner.

DIFFERENT BREEDS OF SWINE

1. Yorkshire
 The local name of this breed is Large White. It is one of the most superior
breeds in litter size and mothering ability. They perform well under
confinement system of housing and reproduce well even in cross breeding.
Growth rate is excellent. These pigs have white haircoat and skin. However,
this breed has excess backfat and pale, soft muscles.

Quality of Sow/Litter Positive Qualities Disadvantages

Physical Characteristics

Heavy, entirely white with medium  Superior mothering ability, excellent  Grow fast, produce high  Adapt well to confine

erect ears milkers, give birth to and wean large  quality meat, high dressi ment but not to rugged
litters ng percentage, high feed  conditions
conversion ratio
 2. Landrace
 This breed is excellent in litter size and mothering ability and performs well
in confinement. It is pure white in color, with a long body and an almost
flat back. It has a long head and a clear jowl, the ears sometimes covering
the eyes. The breed experiences difficulty in leanness when it is exposed to
full feeding of high energy diets. The breed is also prone to feed trouble.

Quality of Sow/Litter Positive Qualities Disadvantages

Physical Characteristics

Light breed, white with occasio Excellent mothering a Produce pigs of highly  Weak underfeet and legs; p

nal black spots, short legs and l
ong body; medium to large dro
oping ears
bility; produce large li acceptable carcass quali roblems adapting to rugged 
tter sizes; heavy meal  ty when crossed with ot conditions; corrected by cro
curse; produce pigs wi her breeds ss breeding with large whit
th superior growth rate  es or Duroc
and efficient feed utili
zation

3. Duroc
 This breed is superior in growth rate and feed efficiency. It excels in muscle
quality and is probably the breed most resistant to stress or unfavorable
local conditions. The breed has considerable variation in color but
acceptable colors may range from a very light golden almost yellow color to
a very dark red approaching the color of mahogany. The Duroc has a
slightly dished face with the ears drooping and set wide apart. It has a firm
jowl and the neck blend well with the shoulder. It has a medium length
body, arched back, full loin, and a long, well rounded rump with the tail set
high.

Physical Characteristi Quality of Sow/Litter Positive Qualities Disadvantage

cs
Heavy breed; comes in  Prolific; good mothers and milkers;  - Quality meat_x000B_- High  -
varying shades of red, a piglets with superior growth rates a feed conversion_x000B_- Perf
lmost mahogany re sought after as cross breeders; orm better under rugged condit
ions other white breeds

4. Hampshire
 This breed is the leanest breed found in the country. Feed efficiency is
excellent. The hog has a black haircoat with a white belt around the
forequarters. The breed has a trim and firm jowl, a long straight face, and
ears carried erect.

Physical Characteristics Quality of Sow/Litter Positive Qualities Disadvantages

- Black with a white belt aro Can wean a high percen - Adaptable to very  - Average or below a

und the shoulder and body_x tage of pigs farrowed rugged conditions verage growth rate
000B_- Short legged_x000B
_- Lack body thickness

5. Berkshire
 The dominant ability of the breed to transmit its color characteristics to its
offspring is one of the good characteristics of a Berkshire. If the breed is
cross-bred with white breeds, the resulting color of the litter will be
prevalently black. The breed is distinctly black in color with six white
points, on the face, four on the feet, and at the tip of the tail. It has a
dished broad face, short snout, and prominent jowl.
 Berkshire hogs are known for their meatiness and good adaptability to
rugged conditions. They have a desirable length, depth, and balanced body.
The sows are not prolific but produce well in crosses mated with any of the
common breeds.
Physical Characteristics Quality of Sow/Litter Positive Qualities Disadvantages

- Black with six white points - Not as prolific as the o - Meaty_x000B_- Desirab - Lack good growth and 

_x000B_- Some white in the  ther breeds le length_x000B_- Depth  efficiency in converting 
face and tail_x000B_- Ears a and balance body_x000B_ feed to weigh gain
re erect and inclined forward - Good adaptability to rug
ged conditions

6. Pietrain

Physical Characteristics Quality of Sow/Litter Positive Qualities Disadvantages

- Very meaty_x000B_- Er - Worthwhile for cross breeding  - Carcass has a high  - Poor body constitution
ect ears_x000B_- Spotted  but not as pure breeds lean meat percentag _x000B_- Not good feed 
black and white body_x00 e efficiency_x000B_- Slo
0B_- Well shaped hams, l w growing_x000B_- Hig
oins and shoulders hly susceptible to stress.

7. Poland China
 This breed has the same color that is characteristic of the Berkshire except
for the white point at the tip of the nose. This is the only color
characteristic which differentiates it from the Berkshire.
8. Hypor
 Hypor sows have excellent fertility, outstanding mothering ability, and high
milking qualities. They produce healthy pigs with outstanding body
conformation, well-muscled back, well-developed ham, and high carcass
quality.
 SELECTING FEEDER AND BREEDING STOCK

Feeder pigs are raised for fattening purposes. Buy pigs which are healthy,
vigorous, and show promise of being good gainers or rapid growers. Never
purchase runts or bansot a feeder pigs. Rapid growers are those that attain the
highest weight gain at weaning. An indication of the animal’s health can be
gauged by its appearance and behavior.
Observable Characteristics of Healthy and Sick Pigs

Characteristics Healthy Pig Sickly Pig

Haircoat Fine and smooth with shine and  Dull and rough haircoat
luster
Skin Clean and shiny Dirty, crusted, or scaly

Activity Alert and active Inactive, often sleeping or lying down in 

the pen
Appetite Voracious during feeding time Poor appetite or does not eat at all
Movement Seeks the company of other pigs  Stays away from its penmates
in the pen

Pointers in Selecting Breeding Animals

1. Use production records to show the performance of the boar and sow.
2. Select from a large and healthy litter of at least eight piglets at weaning. This
is a good mothering ability of the sow. Good mothering ability is gauged by the
number, size, and weight of the piglets at weaning.
3. Select animals that have twelve or more well-developed, well-spaced teats,
equally distributed on each side.
4. Breeding animals should be well-balanced and sound footed visible by its
free and active movement when walking.
5. Avoid breeding animals with physical and hereditary defects.
A. Ventral Hernia
 An inherited defect occuring between abnormally arranged or weak muscles
of the abdomen.
B. Scrotal Hernia
 This involves weakening of the musculature of the inguinal ring and other
structures, allowing the intestine to pass into the scrotum.
C. Inguinal Hernia
 This is a condition in female hogs similar to scrotal hernia in boars, where
the intestines pass through the inguinal ring.
D. Umbilical Hernia
 This involves a weakened supportive musculature of the umbilicus,
allowing the intestine to protrude into the orifice of the stomach.
E. Cryptorchidism
 A defect which causes one or both testicles to descend into the scrotal sac.
F. Atresia ani.
 Closed rectum in pig.
g. Inverted or improperly spaced teats.
h. Nervousness

6. Select breeding animals at two to three months of age.

7. Select breeding animals with well-defined sex characteristics.
For boars, consider the following:
a. Masculinity both in appearance and action
b. Two-well developed testicles, equal in size, and hanging uniformly
c. Vigorous constitution
d. Massive structure
e. Ambitious but controlled temperament

For sows and gilts, consider the following:

a. Good mothering ability
b. Should be refined about the head
c. Should be smooth in general appearance

REPLACEMENT AND CULLING STOCK

Replacement of sows should be based on litter to litter performance.

Economic performance should always prevail over physical appearance when
sows are replaced. Selection of replacement animals must be done as early as
2-3 months of age. Those with poor performance in terms of growth rate, feed
efficiency, and backfat thickness should be sold.
Standard of Excellence for Breeding Swine
Standard of Excellence Class Culled
1 2 3
Age at 90 kgs (in days) 150 165 180 more than 180

Average daily gain (in kgs) 0.8 0.7 0.6 less than 0.6

Feed efficiency (in kg) 2.6 2.9 3.2 more than 3.2
Backfat thickness (in cm) 1.6 1.8 2.0 more than 2.0

Guidelines in Culling
1. Cull gilts and sows that do not settle inspite of repeated mating with a
proven boar, considering that mating was properly timed and done.
2. Cull a sow with two poor successive litters inspite of good management. Cull
a prolific sow which failed to wean a minimum of eight healthy piglets after the
second farrowing, considering that proper nutrition and management were
given to the animal.
3. Cull sows that do not farrow twice a year.
4. Cull sows with poor maternal instinct and mothering ability. They may lose
their litters from natural causes such as lack of milk, cannibalism, crushing.
5. Cull boars or sows producing undesirable hereditary traits.
6. Cull boars or sows that react to diseases such as contagious abortion,
tubercolosis, and leptospirosis.
7. Cull boars that can no longer mount due to old age. Remove also sterile
boars.
8. Remove weak piglets.
9. Remove slow growing feeder pigs.
10. Remove sows which do not produce enough milk. Remove sows that have
undergone agalactia or a complete cessation of milk flow.

Agalactia: This is a failure of milk let down, shortage of milk or no milk in an

otherwise healthy animal.

Symptoms

Lactating Sows only

 Inappetence may or not be present.
 May have slight fever but usually no temperature.
 Udder tissue is poorly developed and disappearing.
 Oedema of the udder.
 No milk.
 Piglets starving due to no milk.

Causes / Contributing factors

 Old age.

 Excess body condition.

 Water shortage.

 Poor crate design.

 Sequel to oedema or mastitis.

Diagnosis

 This is based upon the appearance of the litter, piglets showing starvation,
and the udder which lacks milk and is "drying up", or the udder may be
hard with oedema or fluid.

11. Remove sows who have difficult or complicated farrowing.

12. Cull sows who has damaged udders just after weaning.
13. Some sows exhibit serious lameness just after weaning. Inspect their toes
and if no sores are found on the toes, better cull them.

JUDGING BREEDING PIGS

What is judging?
 It is a systematic and careful way of estimating the value of an animal
according to the purpose for which it is best fitted.
TWO METHODS OF JUDGING
1. Score Card Judging
 contains a systematic, logical, brief, and ideal description of the different
parts of an animal and their numerical values.
 Animals are judged one at a time.
 The parts of the animal are carefully examined and compared one by one
against.
 The total score corresponds to the rating of the animals as given in one
judging.

Steps in Score Card Judging

A. Identify the animal to be judged or scored and examine its thoroughly
following the order and sequence parts in the score card.
B. Write your score next to the criteria in the score card following its order and
sequence.

a. Deducting from the perfect score the deficiency that the judge may find
in the specific parts
 b. Giving rating to the parts of the animal according to its merits
In deductions involving fractions, one-fourth, one-half, and three-fourths
are close and accurate enough. Only one method should be used
throughout the judging for uniformity and convenience in correcting.
Deductions should not always be greater than one-half of the perfect value
of any part.
C. Add the total score.
2. Judging by Comparison
 It is the placing of two or more animals for evaluation and ranking them
according to their merits by direct comparison.
Score Card for Boar

Parts Description Perfect  Student Score

Score
1. Size Score according to condition and age 10

2. Head Wide between the eyes; face moderately dished, medium in length,  4
strong and masculine
3. Eyes Large, prominent, and clear 2
4. Ears Medium size, strong knuckles not coarse; typical of the breed 2
5. Neck Full, slightly arched, short, strong, and free from creases, blending  2
smoothly with the shoulders

6. Jowl Full, firm, smooth and neat; not coarse or wrinkled 2

7. Shoulder Compact, cmooth, and deep; blending smoothly with the black and  6
sides; well covered
8. Chest or  Deep, full and large girth 7
heart-girth
9. Back an Strong, evenly arched; high, square-sprung ribs; fairly wide, unifor 13
d loin m width; mellow covering
10. Sides Long, deep, straight with shoulder and hams; smooth, free from cre 8
ases or wrinkles
11. Belly  Belly broad, full and neat; teats prominent, numerous, and symmetr 8
& Flanks ically placed, flanks low and full
12. Rump  Rump wide, same width as back and loin; long, full, rounding and s 8
and ham loping gradually from loin to tail; hams deep, wide, thick, firm, mus
cular, and smoothly stifles well covered; junction of hams low and f
ull
13. Legs, p Legs of medium length, straight and set squarely; bone large, clean  12
asterns, &  cut, pasterns nearly upright, strong, toes together, short, and placed 
feet squarely
14. Tail Medium in size and length, nicely curled, and indicative of size and  1
quality
15. Coat Fine, straight, thick, smooth, and glossy, lying closely to the body,  3
evenly distributed, free from swirls; color typical of the breed

16.Skin Healthy, soft, smooth, and free from excessive scurf 2

17. Action  Action free and easy, legs carried straight forward, attractive carria 3
and style ge
18. Disposi Easy to handle, gentle, active and lively 3
tion
19. Symme Refers to the relationship of the different parts of the body 4
try and Bal
ance of poi
nts
16.Skin Healthy, soft, smooth, and free from excessive scurf 2

17. Action  Action free and easy, legs carried straight forward, attractive carria 3
and style ge
18. Disposi Easy to handle, gentle, active and lively 3
tion
19. Symme Refers to the relationship of the different parts of the body 4
try and Bal
ance of poi
nts