guide to recognizing defects and unsound limb conformation
TRANSCRIPT
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8/6/2019 Guide to Recognizing Defects and Unsound Limb Conformation
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Guide to recognizing defects & unsound limd
conformation
Toes Uneven toes:
Toes too close together:
Damaged toes:
Poor elbow position:
Weak pasterns: Buck kneed:
Knock knees gilts: Bow legged gilts:
Poor hock placement:
Weak pasterns: Post-legged:
Cow hocked: Bow legged gilts:
Dipped shoulders:
Less than 14 teats:
Inverted or blind teats:
Poor vulval or testicularshape:
No anus (atresia ani):
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General overall view of the pig
The ideal animal provides good cushioning and flexion to all the joints.These animals will have an easier time getting up and down and are less likely to suffer
from leg injuries and complaints and thus are more likely to be retained in the herd
The toes the foundation of the pigToes should be big, even and well spaced to take the weight of the animal
Toes too close together Big well spaced toes Toes splayed
Reject animals whose toes are different by 1cm
or more (adult animal)
Condition of the toesThe toes should have no visible cracks,
swellings or injuries. This needs to include theunderneath surface (palmar front or plantar
hind feet).
The front legThe position and angle of the dew claws indicates the strength of the pasterns
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Ideally the dew claws should only just contact the floor.
From the side
Weak or dropped pasternposition
Good pastern position Bucked knees
From the front
Toes point inwards - varus
Bow legged
Toes face forward
Good conformation
Toes point outwards-valgus
Knock kneed splayfooted
The elbow
Desirable conformation Poor conformation
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Weak or dropped pastern
position
Good pastern position Bucked knees
From the front
Toes point inwards
Bow legged
Toes face forward
Good conformation
Toes point outwards -
Knock kneed splayfooted
The elbow
Desirable conformation Poor conformation
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The hind legThe position and angle of the dew claws indicates the strength of the pasterns
Ideally the dew claws should be just off the floor.
From the side
Sickled legAngle of the hocktoo small
Weak or droppedpastern position
Good conformation Post-legAngle of the hock toogreat
From the rear
Toes point inwards or are
narrow based
Toes face forward
Good conformation
Toes point outwards -
Cow hocked
The hock
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Desirable conformation Poor conformation
Photographic examples:The hind legThe position and angle of the dew claws indicates the strength of the pasterns
Ideally the dew claws should be just off the floor.
From the side
Sickled legAngle of the hock
too small
Weak or droppedpastern position
Good conformation Post-legAngle of the hock too
great
From the rear
Toes point inwards or is
narrow based
Toes face forward
Good conformation
Toes point outwards -
Cow hocked
The hock
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Desirable conformation Poor conformation leg under abdomen
Reproductive examinationUnderlinesThere should be a minimum of 7 nipples present on each side.
The nipples should be prominent, evenly spaced and straight
Prominent well spaced even nipples in a gilt
In the boar have three nipples ahead (cranial) of the prepuce
Vulvas
Infantile Small Good Tipped upAvoid any gilt with damage to her vulval and this may cause problems at farrowing
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Scrotum and testicles
Select boars with good sized testes. Thereis a correlation between testicular size and
semen output
Avoid any abnormalities includingdifference in size between testes.
Avoid loose testicals
Anus Any other defect
All gilts should be checked to ensure that
an anus is present. Absence called atresiaani. Boars born without an anus die shortly
after birth
Avoid any animal with a visible defect for
example dipped shoulders
Pigs with abnormalities particularly heritable and congenital abnormalities should not beselected. This should include congenital tremor.
Pigs which are sick or have been sick during their growth period are difficult to evaluate
properly and therefore should also be avoided at selection.
Management and growth characteristicsFuture breeding animals should be carefully managed and fed throughout its life. Aim forgilts to be 130 kg at 220 days with 18 mm backfat at breeding
Select the correct number of animalsTo stand a reasonable chance of selecting sufficient breeding animals, from a group of
good gilts, expect to only select 75% for future breeding.
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