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Lesson 10
Advisor’s Guide
Lesson 10 • GPP 10
Provide proper swine care to improve swine well-being.
Key learning objectives:
• Explain the importance of having written documentation of VCPR, medication
treatment records and caretaker training.
• Explain the importance of having a written plan for euthanasia.
• Explain the importance of having a written emergency action plan and an
emergency detection system.
• Explain the importance of daily observation of animals and facilities and how to
properly document this.
• Explain the role that proper ventilation plays regarding animal well-being.
• Explain how proper facility maintenance & management impact animal well-being.
• Explain why intentional acts of neglect or abuse are unacceptable.
• Explain how body condition scores are measured and their importance to animal
well-being.
• Explain the importance of providing adequate space to all animals.
• Explain proper handling procedures.
• Explain the role that animal evaluation plays in early identification of animal wellbeing issues.
Estimated teaching time: 15 minutes
Number of activities provided: 4
Key Terms
Abscess
Average Daily Gain (ADG)
Body Condition Score (BCS)
Daily observation record
Emergency action plan
Emergency detection system
Euthanasia
Feed efficiency
Malicious
Recordkeeping
Skin lesions
Swine well-being
Veterinarian/Client/Patient Relationship (VCPR)
Wounds
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Lesson 10
Slide 1 • Welcome
Advisor’s Guide
Speaker’s Notes
Welcome to lesson number ten of
the Youth Pork Quality Assurance
(PQA) PlusTM Program. Lesson
ten underscores the importance
of providing proper swine care to
improve swine well-being.
Slide 2 • Objectives
Speaker’s Notes
In this lesson you will learn the
importance of recordkeeping,
daily observation and interaction.
You will also learn the role
ventilation, space and facility
maintenance plays in your
animals’ health and well being
along with learning why acts of
abuse or neglect towards your
pigs are unacceptable.
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Lesson 10
Advisor’s Guide
Slide 3 • Recordkeeping
Speaker’s Notes
One step you can take to care
for your animals responsibly is
to keep accurate records. As
a producer there are several
records that are important for you
to keep on your farm.
Suggested Group Activities
Recordkeeping Role Play
Age: All Time: 10-15 min.
Completing Treatment Records
Age: All Time: 5-10 min.
Review Question
Q. T/F: Medication records should be kept a
minimum of 12 months after marketing an
animal.
A. TRUE
Recordkeeping includes keeping
records of a Veterinarian-ClientPatient Relationship (VCPR),
medication and treatment
records, and of a caretaker
training program.
A VCPR allows the caretaker and
veterinarian to work together to
ensure the health and well-being
of the pigs on that operation.
Medication and treatment
records provide the health history
of each individual pig as well as
give an adequate picture of herd
health. All food animal producers
are required to keep medication
records for 12 months after
marketing the animal by the FDA.
One of the most important factors in animal well-being is the skill of the people
caring for the animals. The people caring for your animal are the people that ensure
your pig’s well-being. There are three common areas in which producers train swine
caretakers. They are: euthanasia, animal handling and husbandry. You should always
keep a record of the training that each of your animal’s caretakers has received.
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Lesson 10
Advisor’s Guide
Slide 4 • Recordkeeping
Speaker’s Notes
A record to keep is your PQA Plus
certification. You may have to be
PQA Plus certified to sell or show
your animal.
Review Question
Q. What are three records you should keep?
A. PQA Plus Certification, Daily observation
record, Euthanasia plan, Treatment record,
Inventory record, Emergency Action plan,
Caretaker training record.
A daily observation record is
also a good record to have.
This documents that you have
cared for your animal on a daily
basis. This record could be as
simple as recording the building
temperature and the caretaker’s
initials on a calendar each day.
Through daily observation
you will be able to more easily
identify any ill or injured pigs
as well as evaluate an animal’s
condition. You will also be able
to promptly detect facility or
management issues that need to
be addressed.
Another record to keep is a written euthanasia plan. Every operation will at some
time have sick or injured pigs that do not respond to care and treatment, therefore it is
important to have a written action plan for such an event. Your plan can be as simple
as calling your veterinarian when euthanasia is needed.
Every operation should have a treatment or notification plan if animals with health
conditions of concern are found. Your veterinarian can help you make euthanasia and
treatment decisions.
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Lesson 10
Advisor’s Guide
Slide 5 • Emergency Backup Support
Speaker’s Notes
Review Question
Q. T/F: A written emergency action plan
should include contact information for
individuals that may be of help in an
emergency such as the fire department and
veterinarian.
A. TRUE
In case of an emergency, quick
communication is important. A
written action plan can provide
directions on what to do in
case of an emergency. The plan
may consist of a list of phone
numbers of people to contact
if an emergency occurs. You
may include a phone number
for the fire department, your
veterinarian, the facility owner
and/or producer and equipment
suppliers.
Many commercial operations
have an emergency detection
system that will warn them of
power failures, temperature
changes or other emergencies.
Therefore, you should consider
how you can detect an emergency in your operation, especially if your pigs are kept
at another location. Action should be taken immediately when an emergency occurs.
If your house is located near the facility where your animals are and you can visually
see when the power is off or if a fire occurs this would count as a detection plan.
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Lesson 10
Advisor’s Guide
Slide 6 • Daily Observation
Suggested Group Activity
Swine Care Worksheet
Age: All Time: 3-5 min.
Review Question
Q. T/F: One way to show that someone has
observed the animals every day is by keeping
a log or record.
A. TRUE
Speaker’s Notes
Daily observation and animal
care are key factors in addressing
animal health and well-being and
facility or management issues.
Daily observation can also help
to assess the effectiveness of
health and nutrition programs,
the suitability of facilities and the
quality of caretakers. One way
to document that someone has
observed the animals every day
is by keeping a log or record.
An example of this might be
recording the daily temperature
or amount of feed given on a
calendar posted inside the door.
Daily observation helps ensure
that sick animals do not go
unnoticed and that your animal’s
caretakers are doing their job.
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Lesson 10
Advisor’s Guide
Slide 7 • Animal Evaluation
Speaker’s Notes
The production performance
of the pig can often be an
indicator of the well-being of
the pig. When the well-being
of a pig is compromised, the
production performance of that
pig may also be compromised.
Some production performance
measures to track include
average daily gain, feed efficiency
and mortality rates.
Review Question
Q. T/F: Feed efficiency is the amount of food
consumed per day.
A. FALSE – Feed efficiency is pounds gained
per pound of feed consumed.
The average daily gain is the
amount a pig gains per day. If
this is an extremely low number
it may mean that your animal is
not getting the proper nutrition
or amount of feed. This could
be due to the type of feed, the
caretaker or other factors.
Feed efficiency can be calculated most simply as pounds gained per pound of feed
consumed. Feed efficiency is the primary driver of profitability for meat producing
animals. If your animal eats a large quantity of feed and does not gain a lot of weight
it may have a disease that prevents it from gaining weight or it may be eating feed
that is not providing the nutrition it needs.
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Lesson 10
Advisor’s Guide
Slide 8 • Animal Evaluation
Review Question
Speaker’s Notes
With careful observation, your
animals can give clues to how
well they are being managed.
Look at their skin and their
extremities. Do they have
wounds that indicate fighting?
Do they walk with equal weight
on all four legs? Watch how they
react to people being around.
Are they inquisitive? Are they
fearful? These initial observations
will serve as a personal
benchmark.
Q. T/F: Daily observation of animals can help
determine the condition of a facility.
A. TRUE
Observe your pigs while they
are standing or walking on a flat
surface. A lame pig is one that
cannot bear full weight on all four
legs, including shifting weight from leg to leg because of pain.
If your pigs are showing an excessive amount of skin lesions, abscesses and wounds
it is important to evaluate how and where they got them. Consultation with your
veterinarian may be helpful in identifying the cause and facilitating the treatment.
If skin abscesses or wounds are present, count how often they occur and note their
location to give some important clues about their sources and about ways to prevent
them. Abscesses are fluid filled pockets in or under the skin that may cause the skin
to be raised. They can be observed after a deep bruise, a penetrating injury or an
injection. Pay attention to how many pigs have abscesses and if one location is
more common than other locations. Wounds are defined as a break that completely
penetrates the skin, for example bites or other lesions that penetrate through the skin.
Observe wounds and note their location, for example on the shoulder, vulva or other
parts of the body.
When conducting animal evaluations you should observe all your animals for
symptoms of disease. These may include, but not be limited to, respiratory or
gastrointestinal ailments.
A recommended time for animal evaluation is while your pigs are eating. This will
allow you to observe the physical state and behavior of your pigs.
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Lesson 10
Advisor’s Guide
Slide 9 • Animal Evaluation
Review Question
Q. An obese pig has a body condition
score of ___.
A. 5
Speaker’s Notes
Another item to consider when
evaluating your animals is their
Body Condition Score or BCS.
Body condition scores are useful
to assess the adequacy of the
nutrition program. They are
usually used when assessing
sows. Animals should be fed
according to their body condition.
While a body condition score
of 1 is a potential indicator of a
pig’s well-being, showing it needs
immediate attention, an obese
pig (BCS 5) also has increased
health risks. Decrease the daily
caloric intake of obese swine. A
BCS of 3 is ideal.
When you evaluate your animals
you can learn a lot about their health, feed intake, air temperature and quality, and
facilities. Be sure to look at and observe your pig daily. Take time to identify and react
to a potential problem.
Slide 10 • Animal Evaluation
Speaker’s Notes
Swine behavior can also give
you an indication of the care
your animal is receiving. If your
animal is repeatedly exposed
to unpleasant handling and
abuse it will show signs of fear
in the presence of humans. Pigs
that have repeated exposure to
pleasant handling are relaxed
around people and will generally
be easier to move, and as a
result, have better meat quality.
Review Question
Q. T/F: Pigs that have repeated exposure to
pleasant handling are relaxed around people
and will generally be easier to move than a
pig exposed to unpleasant handling.
A. TRUE
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Lesson 10
Advisor’s Guide
Slide 11 • Body Space
Speaker’s Notes
It is important for your pig to be
comfortable. Your pig must have
the proper amount of space to
continue to grow and perform.
For pig space to be considered
big enough or adequate, the pig
must be able to:
•
•
Suggested Group Activity
Give Them Their Space
Age: All Time: 10-15 min.
Review Questions
Q. T/F:A pig’s pen space is considered
adequate if a pig has to lie on another pig.
A. FALSE - For body space to be considered
adequate, pigs must be able to easily lie
down on its side without having to lie on
another pig.
Q. T/F: If your pig’s pen is too small it can
cause your pig to be uncomfortable and
possibly cause harm to your pig.
A. TRUE
•
Easily lie down on its side
without having to lie on
another pig
Lie down without the head
having to rest on a raised
feeder
Easily stand back up from a
laying position
Additionally, a sow housed in a
stall must be able to:
•
Lie down fully on its side (full
lateral recumbency) without
the head having to rest on
a raised feeder and the rear
quarters coming in contact
with the back of the stall at the
same time.
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Lesson 10
Slide 12 • Euthanasia
Advisor’s Guide
Speaker’s Notes
Every operation will at some time
have injured or disadvantaged
pigs. Therefore, it is important
to have a written action plan
in such an event. The On-Farm
Euthanasia of Swine brochure
provides information to help you
choose the appropriate method
by considering the following:
• Human safety: The method
must not put you or others at
unnecessary risk
• Pig well-being: The method
should minimize any pain or
distress on the pig
• Practicality/technical skill
requirements: The method
Q. List 3 of the 6 items to consider when
should be easily learned and
choosing a euthanasia method.
repeatable with the same
A. Human safety, Pig well-being, Practicality
expected outcome (proper
and technical skills, Cost, Aesthetics,
supervision by an adult or
Limitations.
veterinarian of all methods of
euthanasia is required )
• Cost: The method should be economical for you to ensure it is used when needed
• Aesthetics: The method should not be objectionable to the person administering
the procedure
• Limitations: Some methods are only suitable for certain sizes of pigs or certain locations
Euthanasia is defined as humane death occurring with minimal pain or distress. Pigs
that are not responding to care or unlikely to recover must be euthanized humanely.
Timely euthanasia, as well as using the appropriate methods and equipment, is critical
to the well-being of these pigs. The definition of “timely” is as follows – animals
showing no improvement or prospect for improvement after two days of intensive
care should be euthanized humanely. In addition, severely injured or non-ambulatory
pigs with the inability to recover are euthanized immediately. Any animal immobilized
with a body condition score of 1 should be euthanized immediately. Personnel trained
in euthanasia should always be available to respond if called – including nights
weekends and holidays.
Review Question
Any equipment that you use for euthanasia of pigs in your operation must be kept in
proper repair and must be functional. A maintenance record can help to demonstrate
that the condition of the equipment is being addressed.
An animal should be considered for euthanasia if it refuses to get up or if it can
stand with support but refuses to bear weight on two of its legs. Another situation
where a decision for euthanasia should be made is when an animal is under
veterinary intensive care for two or more days with no improvement or prospect for
improvement, unless there are special circumstances.
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Lesson 10
Advisor’s Guide
Slide 13 • Facilities
Speaker’s Notes
The maintenance of your facility
can impact the well-being of
your pigs. A facility includes
pens, feeders, waterers, flooring,
chutes and alleyways.
Review Question
Q. T/F: The maintenance of your pig’s pen can
impact the well-being of your pig.
A. TRUE
Your pig’s pen should be well
maintained. It should not
have any nails, metal or other
items that could injure your pig
protruding out from the walls,
gates or flooring of the pen.
For example, sharp objects like
nails could affect the number of
wounds that might be found on
your pig.
Feeders and waterers that are
properly maintained will allow for your animal to freely access feed and water. There
are a wide variety of feeders available today. Whatever type you use on your farm, the
number of feeding spaces and their size should allow your pigs to consume their daily
ration without fighting or competition. Water should be available to your pig at least
twice a day in an amount that fully satisfies your pig. Your pig should not have to fight
for its daily amount of water either. Specific information about water requirements
can be found in the Swine Care Handbook.
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Lesson 10
Advisor’s Guide
Slide 14 • Animal Movement
Review Question
Q. T/F: Swine never get stressed when being
moved to a new location.
A. FALSE –New experiences can stress your
pig, including handling and moving.
Speaker’s Notes
Proper handling and movement
of your animal is also an element
of proper animal care. The
handling and movement of
swine involves many unfamiliar
experiences for pigs. These new
experiences can stress your
pig. You will want to handle
and move your pig in a manner
that causes the least possible
amount of stress. Handlers
should be quiet and calm during
animal movement. You should
take steps daily to get your pigs
accustomed to human contact.
This will help make movement
and loading easier on your pig
and you. Remember that your pig
does not understand why you are
moving it.
During movement you should eliminate any visual distractions, such as people and
other pigs, from the path of movement. This will allow your pig to be less distracted
and move more freely. A second way to allow your pigs to move more freely is to
only move six or less pigs at a time. This will allow you to have more control and your
pig to have more room to move.
Each person handling your pigs should be trained in proper handling techniques prior
to any animal movement. Handlers should use the most effective tools for movement.
One of the most effective is a sorting board or panel. It blocks the pig’s path and
vision while protecting the person holding the sorting board. Use of electric prods
is very stressful for pigs and should be avoided. Pigs should never be prodded in
sensitive areas such as the eyes, nose, anus, testicles, etc.
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Lesson 10
Advisor’s Guide
Slide 15 • Transportation
Speaker’s Notes
Proper animal handling is also
important during transportation.
Transportation can be stressful
for a pig. You should try to move
pigs when it is not to hot or cold.
Review Question
Q. T/F: Unpleasant handling will not have an
affect on meat quality.
A. FALSE - Unpleasant handling can result
in negative effects in meat quality such as
bruising.
If you do have to transport your
pigs when it is hot, make sure
your pigs have some shade.
Also be sure to place wet straw
or shavings in the bottom of the
trailer. This will help keep your
pigs cool during transport. If you
keep the trailer moving it will
create a cold air flow that will aid
in keeping your pigs cool.
If you have to transport your pigs
when it is cold outside, be sure
your pigs have enough straw or
bedding to stop cold drafts.
No matter what the temperature it is always good to give your pigs water immediately
after transport and during if possible.
Be sure to use proper equipment for loading and transporting your swine. You should
always load your swine in a calm careful manner to prevent stressing your animals.
Electric prods, buzzers and slappers should never be used. You should treat your
animals humanely at all times.
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Lesson 10
Slide 16 • Ventilation
Advisor’s Guide
Speaker’s Notes
Besides maintenance of your
physical building you should also
be aware of other factors of the
building that can effect your pig’s
health. Both air temperature
and air quality or ventilation
can impact the well-being of
your pig. These two factors can
be controlled through proper
ventilation management.
You should be able to assess the
thermal environment of your
pigs. If the air temperature is
Q. T/F: Poor ventilation can result in high
too cold for your pigs, they will
ammonia levels.
huddle together, shiver and pile
A. TRUE
onto each other to keep warm.
If the air temperature is too hot,
Q. T/F: Air quality and temperature can affect
pigs will try to avoid body contact
the health of an animal in a positive or
with other pigs and often have
negative manner.
increased breathing or respiration
A. TRUE
rates. In daily observation,
your animals’ caretaker should
record the temperature. By recognizing these behaviors you can make appropriate
temperature and ventilation measurements and changes.
Review Questions
The air quality of your facility can be controlled with proper ventilation. Ventilation
should always be maintained and in working order. Poor quality air often contains
gases and dust that can effect the respiratory health of your pig and further lead
to disease or death of your animal. Watery and mattery eyes, bloodshot eyes and
difficulty breathing are all indicators that pigs are being exposed to poor air quality.
Ammonia is a common air contaminant that can directly impact the well-being of your
pigs. There are tools to measure contaminants in the air in your facility.
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Lesson 10
Advisor’s Guide
Slide 17 • Willful Acts of Abuse
Review Question
Q. T/F: If a willful act of abuse is observed it
should be stopped immediately.
A. TRUE
Speaker’s Notes
There currently are no national
laws or regulations on improper
handling or abuse of swine.
However, there are some local
and state governments that do
have laws that address animal
cruelty. Willful acts of abuse
are unacceptable on any farm
or operation. Willful abuse and
neglect can include:
• Intentionally applying prods
to sensitive parts of the
animal like eyes, ears, nose or
rectum
• Malicious hitting or beating
of an animal
• Purposeful failure to provide
minimal food, water and care
that results in significant
harm or death to animals
If you ever observe a willful act of abuse, you should immediately intervene or get an
adult to stop the situation. You should then report the act to the appropriate people
such as the owner or law enforcement.
Slide 18 • Take Home Message
Speaker’s Notes
As a producer it is important to
pay attention to your animal.
Some objectives or goals you
may have as a producer to help
you do this are to keep records.
These records may include but
are not limited to treatment
and daily observation records.
Another goal you may have
to maintain or increase your
animals health is to evaluate your
animal and facility and identify
potential hazards.
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Lesson 10
Slide 19 • Summary
Advisor’s Guide
Speaker’s Notes
In summary, to keep track of and
improve your animals’ health it is
important to keep records. These
records will help indicate when
something has changed with your
animal. You should also observe
your pig on a daily basis. This
will help you recognize a health
problem when it is showing
its first signs and has a better
treatment success rate. You can
learn a lot from observing your
pigs. You can learn about their environment, feed intake, and comfort level just from
daily observation. In this lesson you also learned that willful acts of abuse should be
stopped immediately. They should not be tolerated. You want to take every action
possible to ensure that your animal is healthy and cared for properly.
Slide 20 • Questions
Speaker’s Notes
Are there any questions?
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Lesson 10
Advisor’s Guide
Review Questions:
Q1. T/F: Medication records should be kept a minimum of 12 mo. after marketing an animal.
A. TRUE
Q2. What are 3 records you should keep?
A. PQA Certification, Daily observation record, Euthanasia plan, Treatment record, Inventory record, Caretaker training record, Emergency Action plan.
Q3. T/F: A written emergency action plan should include contact information for individuals that may be of help in an emergency such as the fire department and veterinarian.
A. TRUE
Q4. T/F: One way to show that someone has observed the animals every day is by
keeping a log or record.
A. TRUE
Q5. T/F: Feed efficiency is the amount of food consumed per day.
A. FALSE – Feed efficiency is pounds gained per pound of feed consumed.
Q6. T/F: Daily observation of animals can help determine the condition of a facility.
A. TRUE
Q7. T/F: An obese pig has a body condition score of ___.
A. 5
Q8. T/F: Pigs that have repeated exposure to pleasant handling are relaxed around people
and will generally be easier to move than a pig exposed to unpleasant handling..
A. TRUE
Q9. T/F: A pig’s pen space is considered adequate if a pig has to lie on another pig.
A. FALSE - For body space to be considered adequate, pigs must be able to easily lie
down on its side without having to lie on another pig.
Q10. T/F: The maintenance of your pig’s pen can impact the well-being of your pig.
A. TRUE
Q11. List three of the six items to consider when choosing a euthanasia method.
A. Human safety, Pig well-being, Practicality and technical skills, Cost, Aesthetics, Limitations.
Q12. T/F: If your pig’s pen is too small it can cause your pig to be uncomfortable and
possibly cause harm to your pig.
A. TRUE
Q13. T/F: Swine never get stressed when being moved to a new location.
A. FALSE–New experiences can stress your pig, including handling and moving.
Q14. T/F: Unpleasant handling will not have an effect on meat quality.
A. FALSE-Unpleasant handling can result in negative effects in meat quality such as
bruising.
Q15. T/F: Poor ventilation can result in high ammonia levels.
A. TRUE
Q16. T/F: Air quality & temperature can affect the health of an animal in a positive or
negative manner.
A. TRUE
Q17. T/F: If a willful act of abuse is observed it should be stopped immediately.
A. TRUE
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