General Introduction to Pig Management
The origin of the pig in pig management is difficult to understand, it is possible that it is mainly derived from the European wild boar. Pigs were thought to have been domesticated as early as 200BC. Since then man has developed the pig as a meat animal
World Pig Population
The estimated world pig population of 826 million (FAO, 1988) means that there is approximately one pig for every six people in the world.
A comparison of the meat produced by pigs with other domestic species has revealed that more pig meat is produced than any other meat despite the fact that pigs are numerically fewer than other domestic species.
Distribution and Consumption
The distribution of pigs around the world is not the same. Almost half the world’s pig population is in Asia, 30 percent in Europe, and the former USSR.
The population of pigs in large parts of the tropical and sub-tropical developing regions for example Africa and Latin America is relatively small.
It is important to note that most of the world’s pigs’ population is located in China.
There are marked differences in the consumption patterns of pig meat throughout the world. In some parts of Europe, annual per capita consumption of pig meat is over 50kg and represents some 60 percent of the total meat consumed.
In developing countries and particularly in Africa, estimated annual per capita consumption ranges from 1 to 3 kg, and forms less than 10 percent of the total meat diet.
The reasons for the uneven distribution of pigs throughout the tropical and sub-tropical world are many. In Asia and parts of China, pork is the predominant component of the diet.
While in areas where the Islamic religion prevails, e.g. the Middle East, Pakistan, and parts of Africa, Muslims are forbidden to eat any pig meat, similarly, believers in the Jewish faith are instructed not to eat pork meat, and many Zionist sects obey the same rules.
Social factors also play an important role in the pig population for example in some pacific islands, pigs are highly regarded as a source of wealth and associated with marriage customs.
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Taxonomy (Biological Classification)
Below is the taxonomy of the pig:
Kingdom – Animalia
Phylum – Chordata (Animas with backbones)
Class – Mammalia (Warm-blooded animals that suckle their young)
Order – Artiodactyy (Even toed hoof)
Family – Suidae (non-ruminant or single stomach system)
Genus – Sus (Restricted wild European boars from which domestic pigs are bred)
Specie – Sus Scrofa and sus Vitatus
Advantages of Pig Farming in Pig Management
They have the potential to be highly prolific. Because they are cable of producing large litters after a relatively short gestation period and have a short generation interval and grow fast.
Their productivity in terms of yield of meat per tonne of live weight of breeding females per year is in the region of six times that of cattle.
Their body size makes them more flexible for Marketing and consumption compared to cattle.
Pigs’ meat is suitable for processing and some of the processed products have a longer shelf life than fresh meat, and can thus be distributed to a broader section of the population.
Pigs are efficient feed converters to meat twice as efficiently as ruminants. (i.e. they have high feed efficiency)
Pig production provides a quick turn-over on investment compared with cattle.
Curative and preventive drugs are available for most swine diseases.
Pigs also give useful by-products like their feces can be used as a good source of manure.
Pigs can be reared almost anywhere given suitable housing and management although their management in extreme temperatures can be expensive.
They produce meat without contributing to the deterioration of the natural grazing lands. This is important considering the steady desertification, soil erosion, and loss of productive land in some areas of the tropics.
Read Also: Pig Diseases and Control/Prevention Methods
Disadvantages of Pig Farming
There is poor product acceptance in areas where the Islamic religion prevails, e.g. the Middle East, Pakistan, and parts of Africa, Muslims are forbidden to eat any pig meat, similarly, believers in the Jewish faith are instructed not to eat pork meat, and many Zionist sects obey the same rules.
In other words, there is a strong taboo against eating poultry products, thereby negatively affecting the market for the products.
While Social factors play an important role in their acceptance, the pig has historically been considered an unclean animal, wallowing in filth, an object of dislike, and a risk to human health.
The digestive tract of pigs and Birds is relatively short compared to other farm animals and can only utilize high-quality concentrate feeds (E.g. staple grains and oilseeds). These are also used as feed for humans making them in direct competition with man.
They cannot provide a source of drought power for farming operations.
They are raised close to human habitation and thereby making their waste product a pollution problem.
Terminology
Boar – mature uncastrated male.
Barrow: – mature castrated male before puberty.
Hog: – castrated male.
Stag: – adult male castrated later in life.
Shoat: – swine of both sex weighing 30-80kg
Gilt – young female swine before farrowing.
Sow: – adult or mature female after one or two pregnancies
Barrener: – sterile female
Farrow: – giving birth to young ones.
Herd: – group of swine
Litters: – young ones (piglets).
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