Swine Industry An Overview of the Swine Industry in Georgia

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Swine IndustryAn Overview of the Swine Industry
in Georgia
Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum
Office Dr. Frank Flanders, and Scott
Register April 2006
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Objectives

• Students will be able to
• Explain the importance of the swine industry to
  Georgia
• Name at least two swine breeds
• State key facts about each breed
• Name the top three swine producing counties in
  Georgia
• Rank the swine industry against the other
  agricultural industries in Georgia
• Rank pork production with the rest of the world.

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Georgia Swine History

• Hogs first arrived in the Southeast with Spanish
  explorers, who introduced them to Florida in
  1539.
• By 1850 hogs in Georgia numbered nearly 2.2
  million, and pork, especially bacon, had become a
  staple of southern cooking.
• Hogs numbers peaked in Georgia in 1979, when
  there were almost 2.4 million head of hogs in the
  state. Most of these were found in smaller herds
  on cash-grain farms.

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Why is the swine industry important?

• Georgia farmers produce over 400,000 pigs and
  hogs in a year.
• The U.S. pork industry has 66 million impact on
  the national economy.
• Pork has always played a big part in Southern
  diets.
• Pork is not better for people than is once was.
• Pork now has 31 less fat than 20 years ago.
• Hogs and pigs are raised in approximately
  one-third of Georgia's counties.
• Archaeological evidence indicates domestication
  of the pig occurs earlier than 9,000 years ago in
  China and the Middle East.

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Swine Breeds

• There are 8 breeds of swine that are commonly
  raised in Georgia.

• Berkshire
• Poland China
• Spotted
• Pietrain
• Hampshire

• Yorkshire
• Chester White
• Landrace
• Duroc

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Berkshire

• Originated in England
• Originally Berkshire hogs were a reddish or sandy
  colored hog,
  sometimes spotted.
• Later they were refined with a cross of Siamese
  and Chinese blood, bringing about the color
  pattern we see today.
• According to the best available records, the
  first Berkshires were brought to the US in 1823.

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Poland China

• Evidence shows that some of theses early hogs
  were of Bedford breeding. (a Berkshire breeder)
• They are valued among other breeds due to their
  characteristic of maximum weight at any given
  age.
• They are excellent feeders and gain readily under
  conditions of good care and management.
• They are hogs that are very quiet and rugged in
  their constitutions.
• They are known for having very substantial bone
  and for being sound in its feet and legs.

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Spotted

• The present day Spots descend from the original
  Poland China
• They were good feeders, matured early, were very
  prolific and produced these characteristics in
  their offspring.
• The breed got its start in Indiana.
• These hogs are known for producing pigs with a
  high growth rate.

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Pietrain

• They are shorter of leg than most breeds,
  stockier in build, and quite broad along the
  back.
• The hams are extremely bulging and muscular. They
  carry an extremely high proportion of lean to
  fat.
• The breed has developed a reputation for
  improving the quality of market swine when the
  boars are used on sows of other breeds.
• They are used primarily for show and not as
  market animals.

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Hampshire

• Named for their popularity in Hampshire, England.
• Noted as the oldest breed of domesticated swine.
• They are admired for their prolificacy, hardy
  vigor, foraging ability and outstanding carcass
  qualities.
• Most well noted for their black bodies and white
  belt.

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Yorkshire

• The most sought after breed
• They are good mothers and produce large litters.
• They exhibit a long, big frame and are white with
  erect ears.

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Chester White

• The Chester White breed originated in Chester
  County, Pennsylvania and thereby derived its
  name.
• Known for a high conception rate and a large
  number of vigorous pigs per litter.
• They usually have large litters and sought for
  their mothering ability.
• Boars of this breed are usually aggressive.
• The Chester White breed is virtually free of the
  stress gene.

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Landrace

• Landrace swine are the descendants of the famous
  Danish Landrace hogs that were developed in
  Denmark.
• Known for their extremely large drooping ears.
• The American Landrace is a white hog of long body
  length.
• The sow have always been noted for their milk
  producing abilities.
• They have the highest weaned average of any
  breed, as well as the highest average
  post-weaning survival rate.

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Duroc

• The Duroc breed of hogs had its origin in the
  eastern United States and in the Corn Belt.
• Known for their red color.
• An acceptable color may range from a very light
  golden, almost yellow color, to a very dark red
  that approaches mahogany.
• On the average, this breed needs less feed to
  make a pound of muscle than the other breeds.

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Top Producing Counties
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Georgias Commodity Value
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World Pork Production

• Top 10 Pork producing Countries

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Resources

• http//www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp
  ?idh-2100
• http//www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/swine/

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Assessment

• 1. Georgia farmers produce ______ pigs and hogs
  in a year.
• A. 250,000 B. 100,000
• C. Over 400,000 C. Over 1 Million
• 2. Hogs and pigs are raised in approximately
  ____of Georgia's counties.
• A. 1/5 B. 1/3
• C. 1/2 D All
• 3. How many breeds of swine are common to
  Georgia?
• A. 4 B. 23
• C. 9 C. 2
• 4. Name at least three of the swine breeds
  common to Georgia.

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Assessment Cont.

• 5. Which breed is known for having a black body
  and a white belt?
• 6. Which breed is known for its red color?
• 7. Which is the most sought after breed?
• 8. Which county in Georgia has the highest number
  of swine for both feeder pig numbers and furrow
  to finish numbers?
• 9. How does Swine production rank with the rest
  of Georgias agricultural commodities?
• 10. Name three of the top ten pork producing
  countries of the world.

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Assessment Key

• 1. C. Over 400,000
• 2. B. 1/3
• 3. C. 9
• 4. Berkshire, Poland China, Spotted, Pietrain,
  Hampshire, Yorkshire, Chester White,
  Landrace, or Duroc
• 5. Hampshire
• 6. Duroc
• 7. Yorkshire
• 8. Oglethorpe County
• 9. 11
• 10. China, European Union, US, Brazil, Canada,
  Russian Federation, Poland, Japan, South Korea,
  or Philippines