Care and Management of Growing and Finishing Pigs

Proper management of growing and finishing pigs is essential to achieve optimum growth rate, good feed efficiency, and high-quality meat production.

1. Culling of Unproductive Animals

• Weak, diseased, or poorly performing pigs should be identified and removed (culled) from the herd
• This helps in:
• Preventing the spread of diseases
• Reducing unnecessary feed costs
• Improving overall herd productivity

2. Adequate Feeding and Water Supply

• Growing and finishing pigs require a balanced and sufficient diet for proper weight gain
• Feed should contain:
• Energy sources
• Protein
• Vitamins and minerals
• Ensure continuous access to clean and fresh drinking water, as water intake directly affects growth and feed efficiency

3. Deworming Programme

• Regular deworming is necessary to control internal parasites
• It should be carried out:
• Once every 6 months under normal conditions
• Every 3 months in areas with high parasite prevalence
• Proper deworming improves feed utilization and growth performance

4. Vaccination

• Timely vaccination is essential to protect pigs from infectious and fatal diseases
• Follow a proper vaccination schedule as recommended by veterinarians
• This helps in maintaining herd health and reducing mortality

5. Grouping of Newly Weaned Piglets

• Newly weaned piglets should be kept in small groups
• Group housing helps:
• Reduce stress
• Improve adaptation to new feeding conditions
• Encourage normal social behavior

6. Hygiene and Sanitation

• Pig sties should be cleaned daily to maintain hygiene
• Removal of dung, urine, and leftover feed prevents:
• Disease outbreaks
• Bad odour
• Fly breeding
• Regular cleaning ensures a healthy rearing environment

7. Castration

• Male piglets should be castrated at an early age (around 3 weeks)
• This helps to:
• Prevent development of boar taint (unpleasant odour in meat)
• Reduce aggressive behavior
• Improve meat quality