Life Cycle of a Pig

Where and what a pig does from beginning to

end…
 Objectives

Learn the life cycle of a pig by:

 Learning about Breeding, Gestation, and Farrowing
 Followed by how to properly care and feed your young pig
once it is weaned.
 Finally, the processing plant.
 Learn the cuts of meat
 All you need to know…


Breeding

Gestation

Farrowing


 *Once you master one go on to the next one!

 Breeding

Terms to know:
 Artificial Insemination
 Introduction of semen to the uterus by other than natural
means
 Natural Insemination
 Introduction of semen to the uterus by penis ejaculation
 Spirette
 Tool used to deposit semen into the sow
 Semen Extender
 Powder mix used to extend the life of the semen once collected
 Heat Cycle
 21 day cycle of ovulation
 Breeding

Terms to know:
 Penis
 Male organ of copulation
 Vulva
 External female genitalia
 Vagina
 Female organ of copulation
 Ejaculation
 Release of semen from penis

 Breeding

Steps to Artificial Insemination:

 1. Allow the sow to be by a boar so she will stand. Stand means
to almost freeze and lock into place.
 2. Administer the spirette in a counter-clock wise motion into
the vulva.
 3. Attach the semen bottle to the end of the spirette and apply
constant pressure to the bottle, but don’t squeeze it in!
 4. Once the sow as pulled in all of the semen, in a clock wise
motion twist the spirette out.
Artificial Insemination
 Want to see how it is done?









 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y48cjS4o4dI
 Breeding

Steps to Natural Breeding:

 1. Allow the sow and boar to be together
 2. Confirm penis entry into the vulva
 3. Remove the boar or sow from the breeding area once
ejaculation has occurred
Natural Breeding
 Quiz Question #1

What is the term that describes introduction of semen

by other than natural means?


Natural Insemination

Vulva

Artificial Insemination
Sorry Try Again!
Congratulations!!!

Click the smiley to go on!

 Gestation

What is Gestation?
 Carrying young within the uterus
 Gestation Diet

Do I feed my sow the same that I do when she isn’t

carrying pigs?
 The answer is NO!


Since sows are caring for young and preparing to

lactate, sows need to be fed 3-4 lbs of feed per day
for adequate nutrient intake.
 Farrowing

Terms to know:
 Farrow
 Act of parturition in pigs
 Uterus
 Location where the fetus are carried
 Contraction
 Movement of abdominal muscles to expel fetus
 Mammary Glands
 Gland that produces milk
 How is it done?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2KPR3QXmXo
 Quiz Question #2

What is the term that refers to the ‘act of parturition

in pigs’?


 Calving


 Farrowing


 Pigleting

Sorry Try Again!
Congratulations!!

Click on me to go on!
 Where do we go from here?

Once the pig is farrowed what happens to it?



 After three weeks nursing from its mother the pigs can be
weaned.
 Weaned means to remove from the mother’s care
Weaning Stage

 Weaning pigs have to have lots

of TLC.


 Pigs this size need to have

warm temperatures.
 Approximately 75 degrees
 This prevents illness that may
occur
 Weaning Stage

At this stage pigs need to

have a minimum of 20%
protein diet.
Weaning pigs weigh 10-35 lbs
Click on me!!
 Grower Pigs

Once the pigs leave the weaning stage they enter the
grower stage.

These pigs weigh 40-200 lbs

This is the longest stage of the pigs life.
 Grower Pigs

In this stage pigs need to continue on a 18%-20%

protein ration for optimum growth and
development.

Temperature needs to be kept around 65-70 degrees
 Quiz Question #3

What percent protein do weaning pigs need for

optimum growth?

 10%
 ≥ 20%
 18%-20%
Sorry Try Again!
Congratulations!!

Click on me!
 Finishing Stage

Finishers are in the final

stage of the pigs life.

A pig at this size can have
a diet consisting of
16%-18% protein.

These pigs finish out
between 250 and 270.
 Question…not a quiz though!



Why does the protein level gradually decrease as the
pig ages?

Click here to find out…

 Answer…

What does protein do?

 It builds muscle.


If the pig would continue to eat the high protein diet it
would grow all muscle and no fat.


Fat is a crucial element in the taste of the meat. It

gives it all of the flavor.
 Quiz Question #4

Protein is essential in building what in a pig?




 Ears
 Muscle
 Fat
Sorry Try Again!
Congratulations!!

Click on me!
MEAT PROCESSING
 Cuts of Meat

2
1

5
3
6
4 7

8
8
 Boston Butt

This cut of meat is

generally used for pulled
pork because it is a fatty
cut of meat with lots of
marbling.
Loin

This is where the most

expensive cuts of meat are
cut from.
The meat in the loin is also
the most tender but is
easily overcooked.
 Ham!!

Has the most meat when

compared to other cuts.
The muscles in the ham are
also used the most in the
pig.
 Side

This is the fattest cut of

meat on a pig.
It contains the bacon.
Tenderloin

Leanest cut of meat

found in a pig
and boneless
That combo equals
a higher price at
the grocery store.
Finger Licking Good! (Ribs)

The most fun piece of

meat to eat!
Found at most
barbeques.
 Picnic Roast

The Picnic Shoulder

Roast is very similar
to the Boston Butt.
Used mainly for
pulled pork.
 Hocks

This cut of meat

is used very
little. Mainly
for soup and
ham and beans
for the flavor.
 Quiz Question #5

What is the most expensive cut of meat?


 Ham
 Loin
 Boston Butt
Sorry Try Again!!
Congratulations!!

Click on me to go on!!
 Quiz Question #6

What cut does bacon come from?


 Boston Butt
 Hocks
 Side
Sorry Try Again!!
Congratulations!!

Click on me to finish up!

 How much did you really learn?

Grab a piece of paper and briefly describe the life

cycle of a pig in your own words. Once that is

complete click on the pig below.
 It should go something like...

Once a sow is bred, naturally or artificially, they will

farrow in 114 days. After the sow has nursed the pigs
for 21 days, the pigs will then be weaned. Upon
weaning, the pigs go through three phases, weaning
phase, grower phase and finishing phase. At the
time the pig weighs between 250 and 270, they are
sent to the butcher block to be processed for meat
consumption.
 There are eight different types of meat cuts
Boston Butt, Loin, Ham, Side, Tenderloin, Ribs,
Picnic Shoulder and Hocks.
Congratulations Partner! You are a master h