Improve your knowledge and skills, learn about

• Pig health management
• Management of sow and litter
• Feeding of pigs
• Breeding and selection of pigs

Learn pig management: for commercial production, self sufficiency, or a hobby. This course is relevant to whatever production system you use. A sound foundation course, it develops a broad understanding of pig biology and production; covering such things as breeding and selection, feeding, diseases, boar management, managing the sow and litter, fattening pigs, record keeping and more

There are 9 lessons in this course:

1. Introduction
2. Breeding & Selection
3. Feeding
4. Diseases
5. Managing the Boar
6. Managing the Sow & Litter
7. Managing of Fattening Pigs
8. Economics & Records
9. Managing a Piggery

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

• Select appropriate pig breeds for different purposes.
• Explain how to manage the breeding of pigs.
• Explain the physical facilities, including buildings and equipment of a pig farm.
• Explain the procedures used in managing the condition, including the health and feeding of pigs.
• Explain the husbandry operations associated with pig farming.
• Develop strategies for marketing, including both traditional and innovative marketing plans of pigs and pig products.
• Develop different strategies, including both traditional and innovative approaches, to manage the general operations associated with pig farming.

• List the commercial breeds of pigs being successfully farmed in a specified locality.
• Compare the different characteristics of common breeds of pigs including:
  • appearance
  • hardiness
  • commercial potential
• Select appropriate pig breeds for three different specified situations.
• Explain heritability factors relevant to pig breeding.
• Explain how pig performance testing is carried out by one experienced tester.
• List factors which affect the selection of pigs for breeding.
• Compare applications for straight breeding with cross breeding of pigs in a specified locality.
• Describe how the process of artificial insemination of a pig is carried out by an experienced technician.
• Explain the different husbandry operations carried out during each of the different stages of pig breeding, including:
  • Weaning to service
  • Early pregnancy
  • Mid pregnancy
  • Late pregnancy
  • Lactation
• List the minimum facilities, including equipment and buildings necessary for growing healthy pigs.
• Recommend three items of machinery which can be used to automate a piggery operation, including details of:
  • the supplier
  • cost
  • technical specifications
• Explain the housing requirements of pigs in a commercial production enterprise, in the learner's locality.
• Compare housing requirements for boars with those for sows, in a piggery visited by the learner.