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buy in catering waste, as well as supplementing with concentrates. However, if you wish to keep pigs commercially, you will have the following aims: ❑ The pigs must grow as quickly as possible. ❑ Their feed must be converted into muscle as effectively as possible. ❑ The pigs must not have too much fat in their meat. In order to achieve this, you must know the feed requirements of the different age groups and feed each group the correct quantity of the right mixture. Feed mixtures can either be bought or you can mix them yourself, which may prove to be cheaper. An adequate supply of water is most important. An adult pig can consume as much as eight litres a day and a lactating sow will need double that amount. A pig needs to drink twice as much water as the food it eats, to maintain healthy levels of salt in its body. They also need access to water or mud puddles to keep their temperatures stable. Learn about common health problems such as scours( diarrhoea) in young pigs and mange, which is itchy, diseased skin in pigs of all ages. Also learn about
QUIRKY
The British Army Manual for servicing 15 pounder guns was revised in World War II when a training film revealed that Gunner No 6 stood smartly to attention throughout the exercise without performing a single operation. After lengthy enquiries, puzzled Staff Officers finally found a veteran of the Boer War who could explain the function of G6 ~ he remembered that G6, at that time, used to hold the horses. malnutrition( poor condition), other skin conditions including lice, fly damage, greasy pig disease, diamond skin disease; worms such as roundworms and tapeworms, lameness, abscesses, fever, heatstroke, salt poisoning and pneumonia. It is compulsory to mark all pigs, so all owners must register an identification mark at the office of the registrar of animal identification. Pigs must be tattooed at the age of one month in the left ear.
They can also be marked in the left or right side of the neck or shoulder area by means of a“ hogslapper”. Biosecurity is important. Diseases are spread mainly by pigs, people, bad food, vehicles or workers. Protect your pigs with pig-proof fencing, locked gates, healthy replacement stock and limit the people who come near your pigs. Never feed swill from restaurants or food that contains animal tissues. Use the help that is available from
LIVESTOCK
veterinarians, nutritionists or animal scientists. Disinfection must be thorough and continuous. The pens in which the pigs are kept must be well drained and kept scrupulously clean. Flies must be controlled and the feed kept in a clean, dry, rat-proof place. Transport vehicles must be clean. The Sappo office can be contacted at 012 361-3920 or admin @ sapork. com.
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