SWINE PRODUCTION

Board Exam Review

May 29, 2010
Rodeza Kristine S. Cu
ADSC, CA
Swine A-B-C-s
QUESTION # 1

What is the scientific name of swine?

a. Anas platyrhynchos

b. Ovis aries

c. Gallus gallus

d. Sus scrofa

e. Bos taurus
Hog Zoological Scheme
Kingdom ANIMALIA
Phylum CHORDATA (backbone)
Class MAMMALIA (warm-
blooded, young suckle)
Order ARTIODACTYLA
even-toed
Family SUIDAE
Genus SUS
Species SCROFA / VITTATUS
Sub-species DOMESTICUS
 Sus scrofa is a wild hog of
continental Europe from which
most domestic swine have
been derived.

Sus vittatus was the chief, if not

the only species of the East
Indian pig that contributed to
domestic swine.
QUESTION # 2
This refers to the act of giving birth in
swine
a. Kidding

b. Farrowing

c. Calving

d. Foaling

e. Lambing
QUESTION # 3

This refers to a group of pigs born in

one farrowing
a.Litter size
b.Weanling
c.Litter
d.Barrow
e.None of the above
Litter size refers to the number of
pigs born in one farrowing.
Example: A sow has given birth to 6 piglets. (Litter size is 6)

Weanling an animal that has just

been weaned.
Weaning refers to the process of
separating the young from their
mother.
Barrow castrated male swine
QUESTION # 4

This refers to a young female pig,

usually one that has not yet given birth
a.Gilt
b.Sow
c.Boar
d.Shote
e.Ewe
Sow refers to an adult female swine

Boar male swine

Shote refers to a young pig of either

sex, approximately weighing 60 kg

Ewe female sheep

QUESTION # 5

This refers to a female which has

farrowed 2 or more litters and
sometimes referred to as an old sow.
a.Primiparous sow
b.Open sow
c.Monotocous
d.Multiparous sow
e.Polytocous
 Primiparous sow a female which
has farrowed only once. It is
sometimes referred to a young sow
Open sow a sow whose litter has
been weaned nut which has not yet
been bred or is not pregnant
Monotocous an animal which gives
birth to only one individual at a time
Polytocous a litter bearing animal
which gives birth to more than one
individual at a time
QUESTION # 6

The normal body temperature (C) of

swine is
a.42 C
b.39 C
c.35 C
d.28 C
e.36 C
QUESTION # 7

The normal respiration rate (per

minute) of swine is
a. 29 33
b. 43 51
c. 19 25
d. 9 15
e. 8 25
QUESTION # 8

The normal pulse rate (per minute) of

swine is
a. 55 86
b. 43 51
c. 29 35
d. 19 25
e. 34 44
Industry
Situationer
QUESTION # 9

Which of the following is the top pig

producing region in the Philippines?
a.Region III
b.Region IX
c.Region VI
d.Region IV
e.Region XI
SWINE POPULATION PER REGION, 2008
I 518,030 II 539,070
CAR 206,150

III - 1,893,580

IV - 2,266,010

V 776,160

VIII 998,990
VI - 1,477,500
VII 971,210
CARAGA 397,970

IX 809,070 X 798,020
XI 937,640
XII 849,140
ARMM 272,480

TOTAL SWINE POPULATION: 13,701,020

QUESTION # 10

Majority of swine raisers in the country

are ________.
a. commercial raisers
b. backyard raisers
c. both commercial and backyard
raisers
d. none of the above
 Types of Hog Raisers in the
Philippines

Commercial: 29%

Backyard: 71%
Backyard farm beginning stocks this year went
down by 1.00 percent while, commercial farms
inventory registered a 9.37 percent increase
against beginning stocks of 2007.
QUESTION # 11

Which of the following is the top pig

producing province in the Philippines?
a.Batangas
b.Bulacan
c.Iloilo
d.Davao
e.Laguna
 TOP 5 HOG
PRODUCING REGIONS

2,000,000
BATANGAS
1,800,000 611,720
1,600,000
1,400,000 DAVAO
1,200,000 BULACAN ILOILO CITY
pop'n

1,000,000 1,048,370 462,760 292,860

800,000
600,000 LEYTE
400,000 339,320
200,000
0
REG IO N III

REG IO N XI
REG IO N VII
REG IO N IV

REG IO N VI

regions
Breeds of Swine
QUESTION # 12
The Philippine Native Swine is
generally characterized by the
following, except
a. late maturing and small
b. mostly solid black or black and
white in color
c. straight back
d. with weak pasterns
e. none of the above
Philippine Native Swine

They have the following general

characteristics:
Small and late maturing
Mostly solid black or black and
white in color
Have small ears
Sway back
With weak pasterns
Very strong motherly instinct
Philippine Native Swine

Most native pigs are named after the

region and/or province where they
are found.
They may differ in size, color, general
conformation and appearance.
QUESTION # 13

This breed is known to be the longest

breed of swine, white in color with large
and drooping ears most often covering
the eyes.
a. Large white/Yorkshire
b. Landrace
c. Duroc
d. Hampshire
Landrace
Originally developed in Denmark for bacon
production
General characteristics:
white (black freckles are common)
drooping ears
longest breed of swine (16-17 ribs)
back less arched (almost flat)
prolific and good mothering abilities
weakness: legs and pasterns
QUESTION # 14

This is known as the mother breed

because its mothering ability is
exceptionally good
a. Large White/Yorkshire
b. Duroc
c. Pietrain
d. Berkshire
Large White / Yorkshire
name interchangeable
originated in Yorkshire (England) for bacon
production
general characteristics:
white
erect ears
farrow large litter
great milkers
Weakness:
Some are short and with big belly.
Tends to develop carcasses with excess
backfat.
QUESTION # 15

This breed is known as the Red Power

because its color ranges from cherry red to
mahogany red and the boar of this breed is
known for its aggressiveness
a. Duroc
b. Pietrain
c. Berkshire
d. Hampshire
 Duroc
Originally called Duroc-Jersey
General characteristics
light golden to dark red (mahogany)
drooping ears
Good growth rate and FE
Good muscle quality and resistant to
stress
Weakness:
Well arched back
Unsound legs
QUESTION # 16

The Pietrain has a white belt on its

a. foreleg
b. shoulder
c. ham
d. back
e. none of the above
Pietrain

Muscle Pig
Pietrain, Belgium
General characteristics
Spotted black and white
Ears pointed, some drooping
Extremely muscular (ham, loin & shoulder)
Thin backfat
Weakness:
Hind legs
Highly susceptible to stress
Hampshire

The Belt
Hampshire, England
General characteristics:
Black with white belt around the shoulder and
body including the foreleg.
Feed efficiency excellent
Weakness:
Small litter size at birth and weaning
Poor mothering ability
Black color being associated to being fat
QUESTION # 17

Which of the following is NOT an

example of an upgrade?
a. Diani
b. Kaman
c. Berkjala
d. Miracle pig
e. Meishan
Upgrades
Upgrading: native pigs bred with foreign
breeds

Diani - upgrade of native pigs (Batangas)

with Berkshire
Kaman - upgrade of native pig (Batangas)
with Duroc
Berkjala - 5/8 Berkshire and 3/8 Jalajala
pig (Rizal)
Miracle Pig - Large White Landrace
Native
Meishan
purebreed from China, considered Taihu pigs,
deriving their name from the Taihu Lake
slow growing and fat, but have a very good taste,
resistant to some diseases
The Meishan breed is known for its wrinkled face
and skin.
Meishan pigs are perhaps one of the most prolific
breeds of pig in the world
large litter size of 15-16 pigs.
QUESTION # 18

The following are examples of hybrid

pigs, except
a. Babcock
b. Camborough
c. Poland China
d. Hypor
e. none of the above
Hybrid pigs or synthetic breeds do
not have distinguishing physical
characteristics which differentiate
them from other group of pigs. Most
of them are white with good muscle
development.

Examples are:
Babcock, Camborough, Cotswold,
Hypor, Seghers, Minnesota No.1,
Nieuw Dalland
Poland China
From USA
General characteristics:
Black with 6 white points:
4 feet, poll, switch
Ears drooping
Full jowl

Berkshire
Berkshire, England
General characteristics:
Black with 6 white points: 4 feet, forehead
switch of the tail
Long bodied
Weakness:
Small litter size, late maturing, thick backfat and
black skin
Production
Systems
QUESTION # 19

This type of sow-herd enterprise starts with

a pregnant sow to produce weanlings which
are sold to other raisers who raise them to
slaughter weight
a. Farrow to feeder
b. Farrow to finish
c. Farrow to breeder
d. Boar for Hire
e. None of the above
PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

Growing-finishing - Weanling pigs 80 kg

slaughter pigs
Sow Herd
Farrow to feeder - pregnant sow
weanlings
Farrow to finish - pregnant sow
weanlings growers finishers sold for
slaughter
Farrow to breeder - breeder animals sold as
replacement
Boar for Hire (Boar stud) boar is used to
breed the gilts/sows in the community for a fee
Management of
gilts and sows
QUESTION # 20

The recommended age at breeding of

gilts is when they are about:
a. 6.5 months old

b. 8 months old

c. 7 months old

d. 5 months old

e. 12 months old
Gilts should be bred at 8 months old to
farrow the first litter at about a year old.
Very young gilts at first farrowing
usually have smaller litter size than
older gilts.
Age at first farrowing also affect the
lifetime reproductive performance of the
sow.
Very young animals also manifest less
maternal instinct to take care of her
young.
QUESTION # 21

This refers to the practice of feeding

gilts with high-energy ration before
breeding
FLUSHING
the daily feed intake of gilts is
increased by 0.5 to 1.0 kg for 10-14 days
before expected date of breeding.
Ovulation rate typically increases 2-3
eggs in response to flushing (Flowers
et al., 1989).
QUESTION # 22

The following are the signs of heat,

except:

a. reddening and swelling of the vulva

b. mounting other animals
c. frequent attempts to urinate with very
little or no discharge at all
d. mammary glands are fully
distended
e. none of the above
 Signs of heat, which indicate that the gilt or
sow is receptive to the boar:
reddening and swelling of the external genitalia
mounting other animals or willingness to be
mounted by others regardless of sex
restlessness, continuous moving around and
grunting as if calling for its kind
frequent attempts to urinate with very little or no
discharge at all
capricious appetite
assumes a characteristic mating position when
touched on back either by a boar or caretaker
difficult to move or be herded in the presence of a
boar
 The surest sign of heat is the
acceptance of
Reddening and swelling of
the boar by the gilt
Mounting other animals
or sow!
vulva
QUESTION # 23
This technique in verifying sexual
receptivity is done by applying force on
the rump of the female pig with both
hands
a. Haunch pressure test
b. Riding-the-back test
c. Semen-on-snout test
d. Teaser boar method
e. None of the above
 These are some techniques which are generally
used in verifying sexual receptivity:

Haunch pressure test

This is done by
applying pressure
on the rump with
both hands. A
receptive animal will
just stand firm and
assume a mating
position.
Riding-the-back test
This is done by
riding the back of
the animal, the
receptive female will
assume a mating
position.
Semen-on-snout test
This is done by placing
sample of semen on
the snout of the female.
A receptive female will
just look around and
assume a mating
position in the
presence of boar
semen odor.
Teaser boar method
This is done with a
teaser usually a
vasectomized boar. If
the female allows the
teaser to mount or
assumes a mating
position, she is sexually
receptive.
QUESTION # 24

The average estrous cycle of sows

and gilts
a. 15 days
b. 21 days
c. 28 days
d. 10 days
e. 33 days
QUESTION # 25

The average estrus period in days of a

sow or gilt is
a. 3 days
b. 21 days
c. 30 days
d. 14 days
e. 28 days
The estrous cycle ranges from 17 to
24 days, with an average of 21 days.
Estrous cycle is continuously
manifested by the individual unless
interrupted by pregnancy.

Estrus = phase in the estrous cycle

when a female is sexually receptive,
in heat
QUESTION # 26

The average gestation period of swine

is
a. 109 to 127 days
b. 114 weeks
c. 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days
d. 5.5 months
e. 9 months
Gestation period (pregnancy),
the intervening period between
successful mating and farrowing,
ranges from 109 to 119 days, with
an average of 114 days. Or
simply put, 3 months, 3 weeks &
3 days.
QUESTION # 27

It is recommended that the daily feed

intake of gestating animals be
increased by 10% during the
a. First trimester of pregnancy
b. Second trimester of pregnancy
c. Third trimester of pregnancy
d. Fourth trimester of pregnancy
e. All of the above
 Fetal growth rate in the last trimester
of pregnancy increases dramatically
compared with early and mid-
gestation.
Increase feed intake to accommodate
demands of rapid fetal growth!
QUESTION # 28

A pregnant sow is about to farrow if she

shows the following signs, except
a. enlargement, reddening and
swelling of the snout
b. nervousness, restlessness and often
accompanied by slight increase in
breathing
c. mammary glands are fully distended
d. milk let down
e. none of the above
Signs of Farrowing

Swelling of vulva,
presence of meconium
(piglets feces)
Restlessness

Milk let down presence

Distended mammary of milk when teats are
gland stripped
QUESTION # 29

It refers to the inflammation of the

uterus
a. Mastitis
b. Metritis
c. Agalactia
d. None of the above
 Mastitis inflammation of the
mammary apparatus
Metritis inflammation of the uterus
Agalactia cessation of milk
production
Management of
Boars
QUESTION # 30

A good replacement boar should have

a. At least 6 pairs of functional teats
b. Two pairs of big testicles
c. Strong legs
d. All of the above
e. None of the above
Characteristics of a good boar
At least 6 pairs of rudimentary
teats (NOT FUNCTIONAL), not
inverted
2 big equally-sized testicles
(NOT 2 PAIRS)
Strong legs
Strong slightly arched back
Toes not uneven (NO SMALL
INSIDE TOE)
2 equally-sized Cryptorchid
Unequal
testes
testes
Assessing the breeding
potential of the boar

1. Semen evaluation
Collecting fresh semen sample
and examining the volume,
motility, concentration and
morphology
2. Test mating
Observing the new boars sexual
behavior and ability to serve the
female
QUESTION # 31

The boars average volume of ejaculate

a. 20 30 ml
b.150 200 ml
c. 20 30 L
d.150 200 L
e. 2 3 ml
CHARACTERISTICS OF
AVERAGE EJACULATES

Volume, ml: 150-200 (gel free)

Sperm concentration: 200-300 M/ml
Total sperm per ejaculate, billion: 30-60
Total sperm per week, billion: 120-150
Motile sperm: 70 %
Morphologically normal sperm: 80 %
Color: Creamy white
QUESTION # 32

A boar is ready for breeding when it is

a. 8 months old
b. 120 to130 kg
c. large enough to mount and mate with a
normal-sized female
d. producing good quality and quantity
semen
e. All of the above
 A boar should start serving at 8
months of age.
boars below 8 months generally
produce smaller volume and
inferior quality of semen
Mating Frequency

Junior boar (8months 1 yr)

Twice weekly, 48 hrs apart

Senior boar (>1 yr)

2-3 times weekly, 24 hrs
apart
Boar to Sow Ratio

Natural mating 1:15 1:20

Artificial 1:50 1:200

Feeding Boars

Feed boars 2.3 to 3.0 kg of ration

with a 13 to 14% crude protein.
May depend on breeding load,
conditions of boar and climatic
condition
Provide fresh water at all times.
Management of
Litter
QUESTION # 33

Which of the following is an

important management practice to
prevent navel ill?
a. Creep feeding
b. Iron supplementation
c. Cutting of needle teeth
d. Brooding
e. Cutting of umbilical cord
Creep feeding

Feeds are offered to nursing

piglets so that they get
accustomed to solid diets
even before weaning
Iron supplementation

Provision of iron to prevent

anemia
Cutting of needle teeth

Needle teeth should be cut to

avoid face sores on
themselves and injuries to the
sows udder
Brooding

Provision of heating devices for

the piglets in order to keep them
comfortable and warm since
during the first days of post-natal
life, they still have sparse hair
coat and limited thermal
insulation.
Castration

Removal of the primary sex

organ of the male, usually done
when the pigs are about 2 weeks
of age
QUESTION # 34

How many pairs of needle teeth are

removed in the piglets?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 4
d. 6
e. 8
QUESTION # 35

Which of the following is a method of

identifying piglets?
a. Ear notching
b. Tail docking
c. Hot iron branding
d. Wing band
e. None of the above
Ear tagging

Ear notching
QUESTION # 36

At first week of age baby pigs prefer

an environmental temperature of
a. 24-25 oC
b. 26-27 oC
c. 28-29 oC
d. 30-32 oC
 Baby pigs prefer an environmental
temperature of 30-32C for the first
week of birth, 29-30C after the first
week until the 6th week.
This can be achieved by brooding or
provision of heating devices such as
heating lamps, brooder box, jute
sacks, etc.
Ambient Temperature
Preference of Swine

As the animal ages, the

ambient temperature
preference declines.
A 50 kg pig would prefer a
temperature of 26 to 30 C
A 100 kg pig would prefer a
temperature of 17 to 22 C
Question # 37

In conventional weaning, pigs are

usually weaned at around _______
weeks?
a.8 to 10 weeks
b.5 to 7 weeks
c.3 to 4 weeks
d.Few days to 2 weeks
 Traditional weaning pigs are
weaned at 8 to 10 weeks of age
Conventional weaning pigs
are weaned at 5 to 7 weeks of
age
Early weaning pigs are
weaned at 3 to 4 weeks age
Very early weaning pigs are
weaned from a few days from
birth to 2 weeks
Swine 1-2-3-s
QUESTION # 38

What is the average daily gain (ADG)

of a pig who initially weighed 25.0 kg
and was fed for 90 days to reach 90.0
kg?
a. 0.865 kg
b. 0.722 kg
c. 0.423 kg
d. 0.560 kg
e. none of the above
Average Daily Gain

ADG = Final weight initial weight

number of feeding days

ADG = 90 kg 25 kg
90 days
= 0.722 kg
QUESTION # 39

If the total amount of feed consumed by an

animal from an initial weight of 25.0 kg to
90.0 kg is 200 kg, what is the feed efficiency
of the said animal?
a. 3.1
b. 2.8
c. 2.2
d. 4.3
e. none of the above
Feed Efficiency (Feed Conversion
Ratio)

FE = amount of feed consumed

gain in weight

FE = 200 kg
90 25 kg
= 3.1
Lower FE, better performance
QUESTION # 40

If a farm wean their piglets at 28 days

of age and has a weaning to
conception interval of 10 days. What is
the farrowing index of the farm?
a. 152
b. 38
c. 0.41
d. 2.4
Solution:
Given: Lactation period= 28 days
WCI =10
Remember! Farrowing index refers to the
number of times a sow farrows in a 365 day
period.
Farrowing index= 365 days/Farrowing Interval
FI= LP + WCI + Gestation period
28 + 10 + 114 =152 days
Farrowing index = 365/152
= 2.40
QUESTION # 41

If a sow is bred on July 18, 2009 when

will you check for pregnancy?
a. August 18, 2009
b. August 8, 2009
c. July 28, 2009
d. July 8, 2009
 Remember!
Estrous Cycle = 21 days (18 22 days)

Solution:
July 18, 2009 + 21 days
= August 8, 2009

If signs of heat are NOT observed

after 21 days, it is assumed that the
female is pregnant.
QUESTION # 42

If a sow is bred July 18, 2009 when do

you expect it to farrow?
a. November 19, 2009
b. December 29, 2009
c. December 17, 2009
d. November 9, 2009
e. November 2, 2009
 Remember!
Gestation Period = 114 days

Solution:
July 18, 2009 + 114 days
= November 9, 2009
QUESTION # 43

If the average daily gain (ADG) of the animal

is 500 grams. How long will it take a 15 kg
pig to reach 85 kg?
a. 175 days
b. 140 days
c. 350 days
d. 240 days
Remember!
ADG= Final wt. initial wt.
feeding days

Solution:
500 g or 0.5 kg = 85 kg 15 kg
???
??? = 70/.5

Days to Reach 85 kg= 140 days

And more
QUESTION # 44

Which of the following class of swine

has the highest protein and energy
requirement?
a. Pre-starter
b. Starter
c. Grower
d. Finisher
e. All of the above
Type of Ration Crude Protein
Requirement
(NRC, 1998)
Creep 22 23%
Pre-starter 19 20%
Starter 17 18%
Grower 15 - 16%
Finisher 13 14%
Gestating 13 14%
Lactating 15 16%
Boar 16%
QUESTION # 45

This refers to a system of feeding

wherein feeds are made available at all
times
a. Restricted feeding
b. Ad libitum feeding
c. Flushing
d. Combination feeding
e. All of the above
Feeding Systems
Ad libitum feeding. Giving feeds without
restriction and always available at any
time.
Restricted feeding. Controlled amount of
feed given to the animals.
Combination of ad libitum and
restricted feeding. Fed ad lib until they
reach the weight of 50 kg and fed
restricted until they are marketed.
Maximizing the advantage of the growth
curve.
QUESTION # 46

This refers to pigs weighing 60 kg and

up
a. weanlings
b. finishers
c. growers
d. breeders
e. none of the above
Classification Weight (Kg) ADFI (kg/day)
Creep 2.0-8.0 0.20
Pre-starter 8.0-22.0 0.80
Starter 23-40 1.5
Grower 41-60 2.20
Finisher 60-85 2.50
Gestating 170 2.50
Lactating 170 4.0-4.50
Boars 180 2.80
Philsan Feed Reference (2nd ed.)
QUESTION # 47

The recommended orientation of

housing for animals
a. West to north
b. North to south
c. East to west
d. East to south
e. All of the above
East-West Orientation
This would prevent the animals
from too much exposure to the
sunlight. This orientation would
ensure equal distribution of
sunlight throughout the day.
QUESTION # 49

The daily water requirement of a

lactating sow is
a. 18 to 23 L
b. 5 to 10 L
c. 2 to 6 L
d. 9 to 15 L
 Daily Water Requirement of
Different Classes of Pigs
CLASSIFICATION (L/day)
Boars 7.0 11.00
Replacement Gilts 7.0 11.00
Dry sows 2.25 2.75
Pregnant animals 14.00 17.00
Lactating sows 18.00 23.00
Suckling 0.010 0.045
Weanling 2.40 5.50
Growers 4.70 6.25
Finishers 6.25 7.80
QUESTION # 49

The recommended height of

waterers for suckling pigs
a. 5 to 10 mm
b. 5 to 10 cm
c. 15 to 20 mm
d. 15 to 20 cm
Recommended height of waterer

Class of animal Height of waterers

from the floor
SUCKLING PIGS 15 to 20 cm

WEANERS 30 to 40 cm

BIGGER ANIMALS 40 to 50 cm
(grower-finisher,
breeder)
QUESTION # 50

Are you ready for the BIG day?

a. YES na YES!
b. Of course!
c. Syempre!
d. Oo naman!