Introduction to Pork Production

Definitions Female after giving birth: Sow Young female: Gilt Having piglets: Farrowing Male: Boar Castrated Male: Barrow Pork: Product made from pig

Canada is one of the world ’ s leading pork producing nations We produce about 30 million pigs each year of which about 23 million stay in the country to be processed

September 10, 2009 WORLD MEAT CONSUMPTION BY SPECIES Pork 43% Poultry 27% Beef 23% Other 7%

January, 2009 Total # pigs (1000's) % of Canada Alberta1, B.C Saskatawan Manitoba2, Ontario3, Quebec3, Atlantic Prov CANADA12,400100

2800 producers who market hogs in the province of Ontario Ontario’s pork industry contributed 33,000 jobs from “farm to fork” in 2008 Farm – transport – processor – retailer Feed crop producer Pesticide/ fertilizer sales Transport Vet Equipment and barns Marketing Sales Packaging

Pork producer numbers, like all farm numbers, have continually declined, down by 86% from the highest number of 20,354 pork producers in 1979.

Swine Breeds Major Canadian breeds include the Yorkshire (44%), Landrace (33%), Duroc (14%), Hampshire (7%), the Lacombe and smaller populations of other breeds

Each breed is characterized by its own unique attributes relating to litter size, growth rate, feed conversion, carcass structure and composition.

Characteristic leanness, growth rate, feed conversions Males are virile and aggressive breeders Females are known for their milking ability and the farrowing of large litters of strong, vigourous piglets Used most often in crossbreeding programs for commercial operations Yorkshire

Landrace well muscled white breed noted for its high quality carcass Female, used in purebred and crossbreeding programs, is well known for its excellent mothering ability, temperament, longevity and prolific reproduction. The boars are dependable breeders and have an excellent temperament breed is highly desired for its average daily gain, feed conversion and leanness

Landrace

Duroc Solid red, meat type animal, is noted for its carcass characteristics and feed efficiency Strong feet and legs, large litters, a charactistic retained even when used in a crossbreeding program Commonly used as a terminal sire in crossbreeding programs, as well as the third breed in rotational breeding situations

Duroc

Hampshire well muscled pig provides good carcass muscling and when used in a crossbreeding program black in color with a white belt around the body that includes the shoulder and front legs.

Hampshire

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Performance Testing Finished pigs are evaluated using ultrasound measured backfat thickness, live weight, age and average daily gain Info is then related back to boar EPD Sow’s EBV (estimated breeding value) is determined by litter size, the total weaning weight of the litter while taking into account the number weaned Info courtesy of

Estimated Breeding Value Estimated Progeny Difference Trait is expressed as a + or - compared to the average for the breed EBV vs EPD