Teacher ’ s Guide
Ag in the Classroom - Helping the Next Generation Understand Their Connection to Agriculture
Additional Resources growingyourfuture . com - connects you to Colorado ’ s Agriculture in the Classroom program . A variety of resources are available at this site . Need a lesson about food , fiber & more ? Go to : http :// agclassroom . org / colorado / matrix /
Skillathon Quiz Bowl http :// www . pork . org / youth-and-education / skillathon-quiz-bowl / From county fairs to larger pigs shows on a national level , there are always opportunities for youth education . Many exhibitions have skillathon or quiz bowl competitions built into their events . The Pork Checkoff has created a downloadable resource for teachers , Extension personal and other leaders to use for organizing these types of competitions . Resources for both skillathons and quiz bowls are divided into three age categories : junior , Intermediate and senior . A variety of subject areas are addressed , including breeding , animal well-being , swine health and other key topics .
Producers Pigs and Pork Video Producers , Pigs and Pork is a set of five lessons that addresses our food supply system and focuses on pork production . It includes a variety of lessons and activities which enhance standards and skills . Best practices and multiple teaching techniques are used in Producers , Pigs and Pork to provide a meaningful learning experience for students as they gain knowledge about pork and our food supply .
Amazing Pig DVD Watch the Amazing Pig video to learn about everything you ever wanted to know about pig . These video can be ordered at : http :// www . pork . org / youth-and-education / educational-materials-videos /
Pork Reader
Introduction Food animal producers ’ livelihoods depend on the well being and performance of their livestock . To do anything short of providing the best , humane care possible would be selfdefeating .
Producers use science as a basis for their animal husbandry practices . Producers invest significant costs in housing facilities , feeding systems and other items of infrastructure . They recognize that science evolves as new research discovers better ways to care for animals , it may take time for producers to implement changes their own farming operation .
Addressing animal welfare in isolation without consideration of animal health , food safety , and the environment is not wise and will lead to unintended consequences . Each of these other areas must also be addressed simultaneously in a way that ensures an effective balance without sacrificing critical points and that maintains the pork operation ’ s susainability .
Specific treatments and procedures ( i . e ., vaccination , weaning , tail docking , etc .) are performed for specific health and welfare benefits for the animal . They can be short-term stressors , however they provide long-term welfare , health and management benefits to individual animals and
Comments , questions , suggestions and feedback about the Colorado Reader are welcome . Contact : Colorado Foundation for Agriculture Bette Blinde , Director PO Box 10 Livermore , CO 80536 Phone 970-881-2902 bblinde @ growingyourfuture . com www . growingyourfuture . com their herd mates .
The National Pork Board has an Animal Welfare Committee that is charged with using producer checkoff funds to review the science of animal welfare , to relate that science to production practices and to inform the producer about the latest , scientifically sound swine husbandry practices that can be implemented on farms . National Pork Board has been fully supportive of adding to the scientific knowledge about animal welfare in all phases of pork production .
The industry also has a “ Swine Care Handbook ” that is the guideline for producers regarding animal care . The Swine Care Handbook is based on the current scientific research and extension literature for animal science , veterinary medicine , and agricultural engineering .
PAGE 2 Answers
Use the word ( s ) to the left and choose the best word to fill in the blanks below .
1 . The large swine in the picture above is a sow .
2 . The small swine in the picture above are called piglets .
3 . The group of small swine pictured above are called a litter or farrow .
4 . The small swine pictured above are nursing the sow .
5 . Hogs , pigs , piglets are collectively called swine . 6 . A sow is pregnant for about 3 months , 3 weeks and 3 days . 7 . A male pig is called either a boar or a barrow . 8 . A female pig is called either a gilt or a sow .