Title: Chapter 4: The pig
Headings: Chapter 4: The pig
Chapter 4: The pig
Unit 26: Handling and restraining pigs
Learning objectives
Handling the young pig
Handling the young pig
Handling the older pig
Restraining a pig
Restraining a pig
Unit 27: Teeth clipping in young pigs
Learning objectives
Why are the teeth of piglets clipped?
When to clip the teeth
Clipping the teeth
Clipping the teeth
Unit 28: Internal parasites of pigs
Learning objectives
Roundworm infections of the pig
Treatment and control of roundworms
Problems caused by pig parasites in humans
Unit 29: Skin infections of pigs
Learning objectives
Mange in pigs
Lice and tick infections
Erysipelas (diamond skin disease)
Unit 30: Heat (oestrus) in the sow
Learning objectives
When is the sow ready for breeding?
Signs of heat
Signs of heat
How to bring the sow into heat
Unit 31: Pregnancy and farrowing (giving birth)
Learning objectives
Care of the pregnant sow
Signs that the pig is ready to farrow
Normal farrowing
When and how to help in farrowing
Unit 32: Care of the sow and piglet
Learning objectives
How good a mother is the sow?
Are the young feeding well?
Fostering piglets
Hand rearing piglets
Unit 33: Castrating piglets
Learning objectives
Why are pigs castrated?
Restraining the pig for castration
Castration cuts
Castrating the pig
Unit 34: Feeding pigs
Learning objectives
The types of feed to give to pigs
The types of feed to give to pigs
How often will a pig need feeding?
Weaning
Unit 35: Housing for pigs
Learning objectives
Keeping pigs in a field
Keeping pigs in a field
Housing and pens for pigs
Housing and pens for pigs
Housing for piglets
Housing for piglets
Unit 36: Ear tagging or notching (identification)
Learning objectives
Why we need to identify animals
Notching the ear
Notching the ear
Recording the number of the pig
Recording the number of the pig

Content: Treatment can be carried out by spraying with a suitable compound (see R15 Annex 1) or by removing the ticks by hand or by touching them with kerosene or a lighted cigarette. Affected pens should be thoroughly cleaned. Erysipelas (diamond skin disease)
Erysipelas or diamond skin disease of pigs can kill the animals. This is an infection of the pig's body which produces recognisable discolouration on the pig's body. These are reddish diamond-shaped areas on the skin or the animal may have a purplish colour to the head and ears. Pigs with erysipelas have a high temperature and do not feed; they squeal if touched. The animal can die from an acute infection or in chronic cases the animal survives but suffers from swollen joints and lameness. Erysipelas is treated by using the antibiotic penicillin (see R 7 Annex 1). Animals can be vaccinated against the disease.