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H05 Judging Swine
Lesson Outline
Steps to Judging Swine
Evaluating Degree of Muscling
Evaluating Growth
Evaluating Capacity or Volume
Evaluating Degree of Leanness
Evaluating Structure and Soundness
Evaluating Underline Quality
Example Market Hogs
Steps to Judging Swine
Evaluate animals from the ground up and from the butt (rear) forward
Rank the traits for their importance
Evaluate the most important traits first
Eliminate any easy placings in the class
Place the class based on the volume of the important traits
Ranking of Traits for Market Hogs
Degree of muscling
Growth
Capacity or volume
Degree of leanness
Structure and soundness
Ranking of Traits for Maternal Gilts
Structure and soundness
Growth
Underline quality
Capacity or volume
Degree of muscling
Degree of leanness
Evaluating Degree of Muscling
Thickness through the center of the hams (stifle area)
Width between the rear feet when the pig walks and stands
Shape over the loin (top) - butterfly shape is desired
Evaluating Degree of Muscling - Center Width of Hams
Evaluating Degree of Muscling - Width Between Rear Feet
Evaluating Degree of Muscling - Shape of Top
Evaluating Growth
Unless instructed otherwise, assume all animals in the class are the same age
Evaluate growth based on weight (pounds)
Rank animals from heaviest to lightest (heaviest pig = fastest growth)
Evaluating Capacity or Volume
Capacity (volume) is determined by four factors:
Width through rib and chest
Depth of body
Length of body
Balance - how well does the animal=s width, depth, and length fit together)
Evaluating Capacity or Volume - Width
Pigs with good width will be wide based
Walk wide in front and rear
Good width through the chest
The top-1/3 and bottom-1/3 should be the same width, and the middle-1/3 should be wider
Good spring of rib
Evaluating Capacity or Volume - Depth of Body
Depth of body is important for:
Capacity for feeding (market hogs)
Good ability to eat and grow
Capacity for reproduction (breeding hogs)
Ability to carry large litters
Length is evaluated as the distance from flank to flank
Evaluating Degree of Leanness
Degree of leanness is influenced by
Degree of muscling
Frame size of the pig
Sex of the pig
Age and weight of the pig
Fat is deposited from the front to the rear
Checks/Jowls > Behind Shoulders > Flanks > Tailhead
Leanness can be determined by indentations in the following areas:
Over and behind the shoulders
Ham-loin junction
Dimple just in front of tailhead
Key points to remember:
Muscle is hard, fat is soft
Muscle is firm, fat is loose
Evaluating Structure and Soundness
When evaluating structure and soundness, attention should be given to the following areas:
Feet and pasterns
Hocks
Knees
Rump
Shoulder
Evaluating Structure and Soundness - Feet and Pasterns
Evaluating Structure and Soundness - Hocks
Evaluating Structure and Soundness - Knees
Evaluating Structure and Soundness - Rump
Evaluating Structure and Soundness - Shoulders
Evaluating Underline Quality
A good underline will consist of the following:
Both rows of teats easily accessible
Six to seven teats per side
Teats evenly spaced
Pencil eraser sized teats
Free from pin, blind, and inverted nipples
Example Market Hog Class I
Example Market Hog Class I
Official Placing:
3 - 1 - 2 - 4
Cuts: 4 - 5 - 5
Example Market Hog Class II
Example Market Hog Class II
Official Placing:
2 - 1 - 3 - 4
Cuts: 2 - 4 - 6