1. Name two breeds of pig used in commercial pig production in Ireland - Leaving Cert Agricultural Science - Question Question 1 - 2013

Landrace: One notable feature of the Landrace is its good conformation, characterized by a long body and large ham structure, which is beneficial for meat quality.

Large White: The Large White breed is known for its good maternal traits, specifically its ability to produce a high number of piglets per litter.

Teeth clipping: This practice helps to prevent injuries during feeding.

Identification: Ear tagging or ear notching is performed to identify individual piglets.

Dry Sow House: In this environment, sows are fed a controlled diet to ensure optimal health. Environmental conditions, such as temperature, are closely monitored (ideally maintained at 20°C) to ensure comfort and efficiency in feed consumption.

Fattening House: This facility is designed to concentrate on feeding pigs for optimal growth. Pigs are grouped by size to minimize competition for feed, ensuring efficient growth and good hygiene practices are followed to maintain health.

Food Conversion Ratio (FCR): This ratio measures the efficiency with which pigs convert feed into weight gain, calculated as the amount of feed eaten to produce 1 kg of live weight gain.

Gilt: A gilt is a young female pig that has not yet given birth; they are typically bred for the first time around 6 months of age.

Farrowing Crate: This is a housing system used for sows during the farrowing period; it helps prevent injury to piglets and allows the sow to stay in a controlled environment.

Delousing: This term refers to the process of treating pigs to eliminate lice or external parasites, critical for maintaining herd health and productivity.