PIG HEALTH EVALUATION

SAPPO TRAINING COURSE

How to see if a pig is healthy

Whether a pig is for sale or a member of the herd, it is important to know how to examine it to see whether it is healthy – a healthy pig is lively when awake, peaceful when asleep, and has no outward signs of anything wrong

Questions to ask a seller

How old is the pig? Has it ever been ill? Has it been vaccinated, and if so, for which

diseases? Has it been treated for parasites? If it is an adult: Has it ever bred? Why are you selling this pig?

Examining a pig that is lying down

Does the pig look comfortable and relaxed?

Examining a pig that is lying down

Is it breathing quietly and regularly? No sounds like wheezing or gasping Only the chest should rise and fall If the belly contracts when the pig breathes, the

pig is having difficulty in breathing

Observing how the pig reacts

If you clap your hands, shout or whistle loudly, a healthy pig will react by looking in the direction of the sound

Examining the standing pig

Is the pig too fat or too thin? If you can see the hip, shoulder, ribs or backbone

under the skin, the pig is too thin Pigs that are too fat may not breed well, and may

develop leg and foot problems; rolls of fat around the neck indicate that a pig is too fat

Is the pig too fat or too thin?

Examining the standing pig

Is the back straight? The pig on the right dips in the middle

Examining the standing pig Does the coat look shiny?

Examining the standing pig

Does the skin look clean and healthy?

Examining the standing pig

Are there any swellings on the head, body or limbs?

Examining the standing pig

Are the legs strong and straight?

Examining the moving pig

Does the pig walk normally?

Other signs to observe

Coughing or sneezing Rubbing against objects for prolonged

periods to relieve itching Dung that is excessively soft, pasty or watery

(diarrhoea) or small hard dry droppings (constipation)

Dribbling or frothing saliva (normal in boars near a sow on heat or at first sight of food)

Any questions?