PIG HEALTH
EVALUATION
SAPPO TRAINING COURSE
How to see if a pig is healthy
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Whether a pig is for
sale or a member of the
herd, it is important to
know how to examine it
to see whether it is
healthy – a healthy pig
is lively when awake,
peaceful when asleep,
and has no outward
signs of anything wrong
Questions to ask a seller
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How old is the pig?
Has it ever been ill?
Has it been vaccinated, and if so, for which
diseases?
Has it been treated for parasites?
If it is an adult: Has it ever bred?
Why are you selling this pig?
Examining a pig that is lying down
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Does the pig look comfortable and relaxed?
Examining a pig that is lying down
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Is it breathing quietly and regularly?
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No sounds like wheezing or gasping
Only the chest should rise and fall
If the belly contracts when the pig breathes, the
pig is having difficulty in breathing
Observing how the pig reacts
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If you clap your hands,
shout or whistle loudly,
a healthy pig will react
by looking in the
direction of the sound
Examining the standing pig
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Is the pig too fat or too thin?
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If you can see the hip, shoulder, ribs or backbone
under the skin, the pig is too thin
Pigs that are too fat may not breed well, and may
develop leg and foot problems; rolls of fat around
the neck indicate that a pig is too fat
Is the pig too fat or too thin?
Examining the standing pig
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Is the back straight? The pig on the right dips in
the middle
Examining the standing pig
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Does the coat look shiny?
Examining the standing pig
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Does the skin look clean and healthy?
Examining the standing pig
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Are there any swellings on the head, body or limbs?
Examining the standing pig
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Are the legs strong and straight?
Examining the moving pig
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Does the pig walk normally?
Other signs to observe
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Coughing or sneezing
Rubbing against objects for prolonged
periods to relieve itching
Dung that is excessively soft, pasty or watery
(diarrhoea) or small hard dry droppings
(constipation)
Dribbling or frothing saliva (normal in boars
near a sow on heat or at first sight of food)
Any questions?