INTRODUCTION TO PIG FARMINGWhat is pig farming ?Pig farming is the feeding, breeding , care and management of domestic pigs as livestock, and is a branch of animal husbandry.Pigs are known to be even-toes ungulates which are a term that refers to a hoofed animal whose weight is spread evenly by more than one toe. Pigs are also known as hogs and swine.Domestic PigScientific nameSus scrofa domesticus2n= 38(domestic swine )Domestication of pig

Demographics

Population statistics of pig World Population: 977.02 million (FAO, 2014) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations China 48.71%, USA 6.63% Brazil 4.00 %

Asia population

China 82% Vietnam 4% India 2%

India Population

Pig population in different States

* The total Pigs contributes around 2.01% of the total livestock population.*The total number of Pigs in the country as per 2012 Census is 10.29 million .Pig population in different states as follows :

The eastern and north eastern regions of the country comprise around 63% of pig population .West Bengal population : 0.65 million.

Pork production

Among land animals, more pork is eaten in the world than any other meat

Pork production in India

Pork production in India is limited, representing only 9% of the country’s animal protein sources. Production is concentrated mainly in the northeastern corner of the country and consists primarily of backyard and informal sector producers.

Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries (DADF) under Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is the nodal agency for carrying out Livestock census in India. Livestock Census started in India in the year 1919 and is generally conducted once in 5 years ( quinquennial ).So far 19 such censuses have been conducted. The Livestock Census in 2012 is 19th and the latest one in the series of Livestock censuses. 

Contribution in World pork production:China 47% , European Union 20% USA 9%

Regional Pork Demand India’s States and regions are diverse in terms of economic factors affecting food

demand, food preference including population, income, and urbanization. North-East India: The eight states in North East India (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura) are ethnically and culturally akin to South East Asia . Livestock keeping – especially pig keeping - is integral to their way of life in the NE Region. There is a growing demand for pork due to increasing per capita income, urbanization and changes in lifestyle and food habits. Much of this demand is met from imports from other states in India and from Myanmar. North East India has much higher pork consumption that the rest of the country. Of these states, Nagaland has the highest per capita consumption. The tribal population in particular appears to consume more pork on average than other groups. Traders in both Assam and Nagaland reported that the demand for pork was increasing along with prices. South India: Goa, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Kerala, Bangalore -States are meat-eaters and small Christian sectors also consume pork. - Pork is a popular meat in Goa and the eastern states of India. - It is eaten by the Portuguese Christians in Goa. Kolkata (West Bengal) - Community of immigrants and descendants of Chinese origin; so the demand of pork meat is high. Pig farming in Indian context

Animal husbandry and livestock sectors are critical for rural livelihood and economic development of the country. India possesses one of the largest livestock wealth in the world and a quarter of the agricultural gross domestic product (25%) is contributed by the livestock sector. Among the livestock species, pig finds

an important place as it being reared by socio-economically weaker sections of the society. Pig as compared to other livestock species has a great potential to contribute to faster economic return to the farmers, because of certain inherent traits like high fecundity(the ability to produce an abundance of offspring), better-feed conversion efficiency, early maturity , short generation interval and less capital investment. It has immense potential to ensure nutritional and economic security for the weaker sections of the society. In India, majority of pigs are reared in traditional small-scale subsistence demand-driven production systems. Pigs in such low-input systems provide value-added output for farmers by consuming feed that would otherwise be lost. Pig farming improves livelihood and food security for the poorest people. In addition to providing protein for human consumption, pigs are often one of the main sources of cash income in rural areas and provide manure for cropping. Further it provides a financial safety umbrella in distress and playing a role in cultural traditions of communities. Pig production in particular promotes greater self-sufficiency and provides a greater food security to urban households and increases incomes. Among tribal communities in India, smallholder pig rearing provides for nutritional, financial benefits, as well as providing for conversion of household waste intofertilizer for agricultural crops.Pig raising fits in very well with mixed farming.As any other livestock pig can be easily be complimentary to intensive crop enterprise. Pig farming can also be integrated with fish –duck integrated farming system. A few years back, pig farming had a bad image in the society (only socially back ward, down-trodden Indian people used to raise pigs since the time immemorial and they were not respectable people). But at present

Generation interval : average age of parents when progeny are born. It varies with gender and management.

the scenario has changed tremendously and commercial pig farming in India is no more restricted to lower class people.Now people are conscious about the economic value of pigs like other domestic livestock animals. And higher caste, educated people also started commercial pig farming business in a modern and scientific manner.

In India, 70% of the pig population is reared under traditional small holder, low-input demand driven production system, except for limited number of semi-commercial pig farms in Kerala, Punjab and Goa. The typical production system consists of a simple pigsty(a pen or enclosure for a pig or pigs) and feeding comprises locally available grains, vegetables and agricultural by-products along with kitchen waste.

Breeding Level : Over 20% of the pigs kept in India are crossed with exotic breeds, but with a large amount of inbreeding because of non-systematic breeding and selection. In nutshell, the pig rearing is still unorganized venture that requires science and technology driven support to make it a vibrant enterprise. Salient features of Pig production system in India• Pig farming has been adopted by small and landless farmers, and in tribal areas.• Production is small-scale, backyard, marketed-oriented enterprise.• Pigs are mainly dependent on locally available feed resources/vegetations, cropresidues and kitchen waste which are of low or no cost.• It is low-external input activity relying mainly upon women’s labour for rearing• There is lack of proper housing and shelter under low-input traditional system thusexposing pigs to adverse weather conditions like high temperatures and rain.•Most of pig sty are located in backyard of house and the unhygienic conditions ofthese building predispose pigs to diseases.• Best breeding stock rarely goes to the market, resulting in the use of a foundationstock with poor breeding qualities.• There is non-utilization of improved breeds from government farms and increased useof own stock and that of neighbors, which gives rise to inbreeding and consequently lowproductivity .• A wide gap still exists between the need/demand and availability of pork. The majorreason is that the pigs reared by the farmers are of the nondescript local breed, whose growthrate is claimed to be poor, and hence, their production is hardly adequate.• Producers have inadequate knowledge about feeding, health care and breedingmanagement• The commercial pig production system in India is characterized by improvedcrossbred/ exotic breeds of pigs that are bred and reared under confinement

In comparison to other livestock species, pig rearing has higher potential to contribute to more economic gain for small, marginal farmers or rural poor belonging to the lowest socioeconomic strata due to its following advantages: 1) Better feed conversion efficiency of pigs i.e. they attain more unit weight gain per kg of feed consumed as compared to other meat producing animals except broilers.

FCR = Feed consumed (g)

Body weight gain (g)

2) Higher fecundity in pigs – Sows produce 6 - 12 piglets in each farrowing. 3) Pigs reach sexual maturity at an early age. A sow can be bred as early as 8 - 9 months of age and can farrow twice in a year under optimal management conditions. 4) Pigs have shorter generation interval as compared to other classes of livestock .5) Offers quick returns since the market weight of 60-90 kg can be achieved in a period of 7-10 months. 6) Converts damaged feeds which are either not edible or not very palatable to human beings into valuable nutritious meat. 7) Apart from providing meat, it is also a source of skin, bristles .8) Can survive and grow on wide variety of feed stuff viz. grains, vegetables, fruits, fodder, sugarcane, kitchen waste. 9) Piggery employment opportunities to seasonally employed rural farmers and supplement income to improve their living standards 10) Require little initial investment on building and equipment. 11) Pigs can be raised for their entire lifetime in enclosure and they do not contribute to loss of grazing lands .11)Earning is made by selling both pork and piglet.12)Piggery can be done in waste and uncultivable land.13)Piggery is less labour intensive than other livestock farming.14)Dressing percentage is more than other livestock.15) It produces high quality manure.16) Pig products range from primary commodities such as pork, to processed food products such as sausages and smoked hams to cooked salted ears, eaten as snack foods. 17) Demand for pig's fat in poultry feed, soap, paints and other chemical industries. 18)The small scale pig sector has seemingly greater potential to reduce poverty.Disadvantage1.They compete directly with humans for food eg. maize.2.If proper management is not practiced they harbor diseases and parasites communicable to man like tapeworm and swine flu.3.The effluent is very smelly and may pollute the environment if not properly managed.4.Religious taboo attached to pork consumption is also disadvantage for which marketing of pork has to be confined to a selective group.

Terms and terminologies

Barrow – A male pig castrated at a young age.It is also called stag. Boar – An adult male pig that can be used for breeding purposes. Boarling– Young male, also called Shoat

Boar Taint – This is a strong smell and taste on the meat from a boar over the age of seven months that has not been castrated. Boar taint is caused by the accumulation of two compounds – androstenone and skatole – in the fat of male pigs. Androstenone (a male pheromone) is produced in the testes as male pigs reach puberty, while skatole (a byproduct of intestinal bacteria, or bacterial metabolite of the amino acid tryptophan) is produced in both male and female pigs. However levels are much higher in intact boars because testicular steroids inhibit its breakdown by the liver. As a result, skatole accumulates in the fat of male pigs as they mature.

Brimming – This is when a female pig comes into heat and is ready to accept the boar.

Colostrum – The first milk after farrowing from the sow. This milk has some of the natural immunities of the mother which are passed onto the piglets.

Coupling – Act of mating Creep – An area where piglets can feed away from the sow. Creep Feed – Food that is given to the piglets from two to three weeks onwards

which is high in energy and milk proteins that is given as a supplement to the mother’s milk.

Cross Breeding – The mating of pigs from different breeds. Drove – A herd or group of pigs. It is also called stock or herd. Estrus – The period of time when the female pig will accept the male pig for

reproduction. Farrow – When a gilt or sow gives birth to piglets. Farrowing – Giving birth to piglets. Farrowing Crate -A pen made of metal and wood that confines the sow or gilt so

that they do not lay on their piglets. The crate restricts the pigs movement thus protecting the piglets once they are born.

Gestation Period – The length of the pregnancy, which is approximately 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days for a pig or approximately 114±3 days.

Gilt – A young female pig that has not yet had piglets.

Grunting – Sound produced Hog – Another term for a pig. In-Pig – When a gilt or sow is pregnant. Lard – Rendered pig fat. Litter – The offspring of a single farrowing. Litter number – Different numbers of parity Litter size – Number of piglet born in single

farrowing Navel Cord – The cord which attached the

unborn piglet to the uterus. Needle Teeth – Two large teeth on each side of the upper jaw. Overlay – Overlay is when the sow or gilt lays on the piglets and crushes them to

death. Piggery -a farm where pigs are bred or kept Piglet/Pigling – A young pig. Pork - the   meat from a domestic pig  Runt – The smallest piglet in the litter. Sow – An adult female pig which has got piglets. Spayed –Castrated female Stag – A boar that is castrated after maturity.

Parity is the number of times a female is or has been pregnant and carried the pregnancies to a viable gestational age

Swine – A term used to describe all pigs. Weaner – A piglet that is strong enough to have been removed from the sow which

occurs from 3-4 weeks of ageat about 6-7 kg b.wt. They are below 25 kg body weight. They are also called nursery /weanlings.

Classification of market pig Porker – Porkers are slaughtered at the liveweight of 70-75 kg.Their meat is lean

with more protein and less fat.Porkers are best type for slaughter because of higher FCR

Baconer – Baconers are slaughtered at a live weight of about 90 kg. Their meat contains more fat

Heavy hog – Heavy hogs are highly fattened pigs which are slaughtered at a weight of about 120-125 kg.

Grower -From weaning to about 18 weeks of age (20-50kg live weight)Finisher - Last growth phase before slaughter (50kg plus)

SWOT analysis of pig farming in India

While pork production of one hundred years ago was mixed and grazing, today all developed countries use the industrialized systems for the majority of pigs and pork produced. Developing countries are rapidly moving pork production to the industrialized model.In the rural India, pig husbandry is merely at subsistence level.Rural families maintain a few pigs feeding on domestic waste and whatever they pick on free range including farm offal. Pig rearing has been continued in this manner traditionally for ages .There is a tremendous regional scope for improvement of pig farming in India by transforming it towards a commercial production system. The pig farming constitutes the livelihood of rural poor belonging to the lowest socio-economic strata and they have no means to undertake scientific pig farming with improved foundation stock, proper housing, feeding and management. Pigs are potential source of animal proteins and avenues for additional income andemployment that can improve the livelihood in a sustainable manner. Presently, our pigproduction system has many lacunae namely absence of sufficient number of breederfarmers, tendency of the pig grower to raise pig to marketable age on negligible inputs andlesser preference of the consumers for pork from the local pigs etc. Absence of sufficientnumber of breeder farmers throughout the country is also a major constraint leading to lesser availability of quality pigs for fattener farmers and market. Therefore, genetic improvementof indigenous pigs must be undertaken on priority for production of superior germplasm. Selective breeding and crossbreeding has to be expanded for improving production andproductivity. There is need for strengthening the pork marketing mechanisms at the locallevel to the marketing channels, and integrate production programme with slaughterhouses to ensure better

sustainability. Given its prospects, piggery has the potential to have a positive impact on the livelihood of millions of resource poor, under-privileged, landless and marginal farmers.Specimen Questions

Write TRUE or FALSEA young pig is called runt .Ans.FalseMCQ type Statement 1 : Short generation interval is a unique characteristic of pig.Statement 2. Lower feed conversion efficiency leads to quicker growth in pig.Ans. I)Both statements 1 & 2are correct II) Statement 1 is correct and statement 2 is incorrect III) Statement 1 is incorrect and statement 2 is correct IV) Both statements 1 & 2 are incorrectAns. IIFill in the blanksAct of mating in pig is called ________________ .Ans. CouplingWhere NRC on Pig is situated ?Ans.Write the differencesWeaner and Grower pigShort notesRegional pork demand in IndiaSubjective Question1.Write a brief note on pig population in India 2.Opportunities for improvement of pig farming3.Classify different age groups of pig with respect to their body weight and ageAns.

4.What are the different types of piggery ?Ans.Closed Herd

A farrow-to-finish piggery includes the breeder, weaner and grower / finisher stages.The pigs born at the site are reared until sale age (usually 20-26 weeks of age). Many farrow-to-finish piggeries operate with ‘closed herds’, where no new animals are introduced, and replacement breeding animals are selected from within the herd and /or from artificial insemination. Other farrow-to-finish piggeries import some or all oftheir replacement breeding animals from outside herds.Weaner ProducersWeaner-producing farms keep breeding stock and sell weaners to other farms for finishing/fattening. Fattening FarmsFattening farms buy weaners for fattening. They do not keep any breeding stock.

Because of the fluidity of the pig market, many of the farms did not maintain a fixed type of production. Rather, they changed with market demands, e.g., when there was insufficient demand for suckling pigs, farmers kept them longer and later sold them as weaners or porkers.