1. Swine Evaluation

2. Industry Trends Late 1990’s “Extremes” Current “Productive”
Very Large Framed
Extremely Lean
Very Heavy Muscled
Productivity not a Focus
Structural Correctness not a Focus
Current “Productive”
Moderate + Frame
Moderate Leanness
Heavy Muscled, but not at Expense of Structure
Skeletal Width
Soundness

3. What will we know? Swine anatomy Correct skeletal structure
Where to look for body volume and width
Where to look to determine muscle and leanness
Where growth indicators are
Balance differences
Priorities for breeding and market swine evaluation

4. Swine Anatomy Upper Skeleton Front Skeleton Rear Skeleton
2 basic segments dividing top from bottom…
3 basic segments from the side…
Center Skeleton (Body)
Front Skeleton
Rear Skeleton
Upper Skeleton
Lower Skeleton

5. Front Skeleton Anatomy
Ears
Crest of Neck
Chine
Blade
Neck
Face
Always start at the ground!
Elbow
Forearm
Knee
Declaws, pastern, foot

6. Front Skeleton Anatomy
Always start at the ground!
Chest Floor
Knee
Foot

7. Front Skeleton Anatomy
Crest of Neck
Blade
Chine

8. Center Skeleton Anatomy
Ham Loin Junction
Loin
Rear Rib
Center Rib
Fore Rib
Flank
Sheath

9. Center Skeleton Anatomy
Spine
Blade
Loin
Rib Shape
Ham Loin Junction

10. Always start at the ground!
Rear Skeleton Anatomy
Tail
Hip
Ham
Testicles
Stifle
Always start at the ground!
Hock
Declaws, pastern, foot

11. Always start at the ground!
Rear Skeleton Anatomy
Ham Loin Junction
Tail
Hip
Ham
Testicles
Always start at the ground!
Hock
Foot

12. Female Anatomy
Vulva
Underline

13. Swine Anatomy
How many areas do we divide the skeleton into from the side, and what are their names?
3 – Front, Center, and Rear
What are the names of the 2 ways the skeleton is divided between top and bottom?
Upper and Lower

14. What do we know? Swine anatomy Correct skeletal structure
Where to look for body volume and width
Where to look to determine muscle and leanness
Where growth indicators are
Balance differences
Priorities for breeding and market swine evaluation

15. Quick Facts About Structure
Top priority for breeding gilts – part of functionality
High priority for market swine – part of practicality
Evaluating structure from the ground up is critical
Most swine are raised on concrete or wire flooring – correct structure is essential!

16. Structure Why is structure so important? Modern production methods
On some type of confinement flooring entire life
Concrete, slats, etc…
Spend 42 days a year in a farrowing crate

17. Housing

18. Housing

19. Swine Structure
Desirable Skeleton

20. Swine Structure
Undesirable Skeleton

21. Swine Structure
Desirable Skeleton

22. Swine Structure
Undesirable Skeleton

23. Differences in Structure
Front Skeleton
Even toes and correct angle to pastern
Long and weak pastern
“Flat Footed”
Upright and straight pastern ”Rigid”

24. Differences in Structure
Front Skeleton
Correct curve and set to knee
Knee is correct even with weak pastern
Knee coming forward due to upright pastern

25. Differences in Structure
Front Skeleton
Correct angle to blade
Very slight upright angle to blade
Extremely upright angle to blade

26. Differences in Structure
Front Skeleton
Even toes, feet point forward
Uneven toes, feet point in “Pigeon Toed”
Uneven toes, feet point out “Toes Out”

27. Differences in Structure
Center Skeleton
Level and flexible spine
High and tight spine

28. Differences in Structure
Rear Skeleton
Level hip and correct set to hock and pastern
Somewhat level hip and straight set to hock and pastern
Steep hip and extra set to hock (sickle hocked)

29. Differences in Structure
Rear Skeleton
Correct hock placement
“True and Square”
In at his hock
“Cow Hocked”

30. Differences in Structure
Desirable
Undesirable

31. Swine Structure
Where does structure rank as a priority for breeding gilts?
1st, in combination with volume and width, and acceptable growth it is a part of functionality
Is structure important for market swine?
Yes, it is a high priority because it is the last part of carcass value we evaluate.
Draw the correct angles of a skeleton on the next slide.

32. Draw the Skeleton

33. What do we know? Swine anatomy Correct skeletal structure
Where to look for body volume and width
Where to look to determine muscle and leanness
Where growth indicators are
Balance differences
Priorities for breeding and market swine evaluation

34. Quick Facts About Body Volume and Width
Top priority for breeding gilts – part of functionality
High priority for market swine – part of practicality
High volume breeding gilts tend to be more functional when farrowing than narrow, tight ribbed gilts
High volume market hogs tend to be more productive and practical than narrow, tight ribbed hogs

35. Body Volume and Width Three Areas Skeletal Width Depth of Body
Rib Shape
Chest Width
Base Width

36. Which hog is wider chested?
Body Volume and Width
Which hog is wider chested?

37. Which hog is wider chested?
Body Volume and Width
Which hog is wider chested?

38. Which hog is square from blade and chest to the knee and ground?
Body Volume and Width
Which hog is square from blade and chest to the knee and ground?

39. Which hog is square from blade and chest to the knee and ground?
Body Volume and Width
Which hog is square from blade and chest to the knee and ground?

40. Which hog is wider and more genuine in his base width?
Body Volume and Width
Which hog is wider and more genuine in his base width?

41. Which hog is wider and more genuine in his base width?
Body Volume and Width
Which hog is wider and more genuine in his base width?

42. Which hog is squarer from hock to ground?
Body Volume and Width
Which hog is squarer from hock to ground?

43. Which hog is squarer from hock to ground?
Body Volume and Width
Which hog is squarer from hock to ground?

44. Body Volume and Width
Which hog is deeper bodied, softer flanked, and appears to have more rib shape, making him have more body volume?

45. Body Volume and Width
Which hog is deeper bodied, softer flanked, and appears to have more rib shape, making him have more body volume?

46. Which hog is flat ribbed?
Body Volume and Width
Which hog is flat ribbed?

47. Which hog is flat ribbed?
Body Volume and Width
Which hog is flat ribbed?

48. Body Volume and Width
What are the areas we consider for volume and width?
Chest and base, depth of rib, and shape of rib
Body volume and width are parts of what top priority trait in gilts?
Functionality
Body volume and width are parts of what high priority trait in market hogs?
Practicality

49. What do we know? Swine anatomy Correct skeletal structure
Where to look for body volume and width
Where to look to determine muscle and leanness
Where growth indicators are
Balance differences
Priorities for breeding and market swine evaluation

50. Quick Facts About Muscle and Leanness
Top priority for market swine – part of carcass value
Moderate priority for breeding gilts
Muscularity and optimal leanness are required for a market hog to be considered “good”
High volume, wide made hogs tend to be muscular and have optimal leanness, but not always. Need to study shape!

51. Muscle Evaluation
Forearm and Blade
Top (Loin)
Hip
Base width

52. Differences in Muscle Extremely shapely, heavy muscled and wide based
Vs.
Narrow Base, flat, tapering ham and non-descript muscle shape

53. Evaluating Leanness Blade Top Line Jowl Seam of Ham Elbow Pocket
Lower Skeleton

54. Differences in Leanness
Too lean to be practical. Very raw, reads with total body leanness.
Too fat to have carcass value.
Over finished, wasty design.
Just about right! Lean, but still has a productive center.

55. Differences in Leanness
Look for the hour glass, not the canoe!

56. Muscle and Leanness
Where does muscle and optimal leanness rank for evaluating market hogs?
1st, market hogs must have carcass value
Where does it rank for breeding gilts?
Moderate priority, most hogs with high volume and width will have muscle, just need to make sure they are lean enough, and won’t take away from the offspring

57. What do we know? Swine anatomy Correct skeletal structure
Where to look for body volume and width
Where to look to determine muscle and leanness
Where growth indicators are
Balance differences
Priorities for breeding and market swine evaluation

58. Quick Facts About Growth
Most market hogs are sold between pounds
Most market hogs are sold based on how much muscle and fat they have, but weight makes up about 80% of the check
Skeletal size is the main contributor to how quickly hogs start becoming fat
Growth is important for both breeding gilts and market hogs

59. Areas of Evaluation Growth and Frame Size Face and Neck
Height at top of blades
Length of body
Length of cannon

60. Which hog appears to have more growth?
Differences Growth
Which hog appears to have more growth?

61. Growth Where does growth rank as a priority? Why is growth important?
It is high for both market and breeding hogs
Why is growth important?
Weight contributes to a large portion of the value of hogs, and skeletal size contributes to when hogs start becoming fat

62. What do we know? Swine anatomy Correct skeletal structure
Where to look for body volume and width
Where to look to determine muscle and leanness
Where growth indicators are
Balance differences
Priorities for breeding and market swine evaluation

63. Quick Facts About Balance
Vital for show ring and seedstock success, but not very important in the commercial industry
Balance is more important in breeding gilts than in market hogs
Balance is what sorts hogs that have all of the high and top priority traits
Well balanced market hogs without the fundamental priorities can’t be “good”, they can only be well balanced

64. Balance
Awful balance, short and low fronted, high topped, steep hipped, high flanked, and frail boned.
Good balanced, tall and long fronted, level top line, high tail set, deep full flank, and bone that matches her body type.

65. What do we know? Swine anatomy Correct skeletal structure
Where to look for body volume and width
Where to look to determine muscle and leanness
Where growth indicators are
Balance differences
Priorities for breeding and market swine evaluation

66. What are the priorities?
Breeding Gilts
Market Hogs
Functionality = Structure + Volume and Width + Acceptable Growth
Power
Balance
Carcass Value = Muscle + Optimal Leanness + Acceptable Growth
Practicality = Structure + Volume and Width
Balance

67. What do we know? Swine anatomy Correct skeletal structure
Where to look for body volume and width
Where to look to determine muscle and leanness
Where growth indicators are
Balance differences
Priorities for breeding and market swine evaluation

68. Questions?