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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