Swine Round Robin Questions

General Information

  1. About how many pigs are born in a litter?
    • 8-12
  2. What do you call an intact adult male swine? An adult female? A baby?
    • Boar, sow, piglet
  3. What do you call a female pig that has not had a litter yet?
    • Gilt
  4. What is the ideal market weight for hogs?
    • 250-300 pounds
  5. What is a group of pigs called?
    • A herd

Breeds and Meat Cuts

  1. Name 3 common breeds of swine.
    • Berkshire, Chester White, Duroc, Hampshire, Landrace, Poland China, Tamworth, Spot, Yorkshire
  2. What do you call the average amount of gain per day based on the amount of feed?
    • Average Daily Gain
  3. Name three popular cuts of pork.
    • bacon, ham, pork chop, spare rib, picnic shoulder, boston butt, loin
  4. Where do the most tender cuts of pork come from?
    • Rib and loin
  5. What does PQA stand for in the Pork industry?
    • Pork Quality Assurance

Breeding, Care, Health

  1. What is the birth process in swine called?
    • Farrowing
  2. About how much feed will a 1500 pound pig eat per day?
    • About 6 pounds
  3. What type of digestive system does a pig have?
    • Monogastric
  4. What are progeny?
    • Offspring of an animal
  5. At what phase of production is a pig most efficient at converting feed to muscle?
    • Nursing pig
  6. How long is a sow’s gestation?
    • 114 days or 3 months 3 weeks and 3 days
  7. About how many teats does a sow have?
    • From 12-14

Diseases and Safety

  1. What swine disease causes worms in the feces, decreased feed intake, and slow growth?
    • Internal parasites
  2. What is resistance to disease , usually created through vaccination?
    • Immunity
  3. What medication is used to destroy or inhibit the growth of microorganisms, specifically bacteria?
    • An antibiotic, such as Streptomycin or penicillin
  4. A stall in which the sow is confined during farrowing and lactation periods to prevent her from turning around is called a what?
    • Farrowing crate
  5. If your market hog starts to act sick a few days before the Fair, is it okay to give it an antibiotic just in case?
    • NO! The antibiotic used could make humans who consume the meat sick or die