Guinea Pig LocationGuinea PigGuinea Pig Classification and EvolutionThe Guinea Pig is a small species of rodent that is found inhabiting the Central Andes Mountains in South America. Named after Guyana where they are found in the wild and “Pig” resembling their short and stout bodies, Guinea Pigs have been domesticated by people for over 3,000 years as they were originally kept and farmed as a source of food throughout much of their natural range in South America. Today their are five species of Guinea Pig found in the wild and fourteen different breeds of domestic Guinea Pig bred all around the world. Guinea Pig Anatomy and AppearanceGuinea Pigs have a very distinctive appearance with small, stout bodies with no tail and a large head with large and alert eyes. Guinea Pig Distribution and HabitatGuinea Pigs are found in a variety of habitats throughout the Central Andes Mountain Range in South America, from Colombia in the North to Southern Argentina with the exception of the more tropical regions of the Amazon Basin. Guinea Pig Behaviour and LifestyleGuinea Pigs are diurnal animals that are most active during dawn and dusk. Guinea Pig Reproduction and Life CyclesGuinea Pigs are able to breed when they are around three months old. Domestic Guinea Pigs are known to live a great deal longer than their wild counterparts, normally reaching the age of 6 although some have been known to live for even longer with the oldest recorded Guinea Pig being 15 years old. Guinea Pig Diet and PreyGuinea Pigs are herbivorous animals which means that they only eat plant material in order to gain all of the nutrients that they need to survive. The natural diet of Guinea Pigs is very high in vitamin C so it is essential that domesticated pet Guinea Pigs are provided with a diet that contains plenty of it. Guinea Pig Predators and ThreatsDue to their small size and natural instincts to freeze before attempting to quickly escape back to their burrows, Guinea Pigs are preyed upon by a number of other animal species throughout their mountain habitats. Although some populations are heavily affected by habitat degradation, Guinea Pigs are fairly adaptable animals that are able to inhabit areas that other species may not thrive. Guinea Pig Interesting Facts and FeaturesGuinea Pigs are known to exhibit a behaviour known as “Popcorning” when they become excited. Guinea Pig Relationship with HumansDue to their small size and ease of keeping, Guinea Pigs have been farmed by local people for food for thousands of years. Guinea Pig Conservation Status and Life TodayToday, four of the five Guinea Pig species found throughout South America are listed by the IUCN as animals that are of Least Concern of becoming extinct in the wild in the near future.
THE MINERAL-DEFICIENCY DISEASES OF SWINE CALCIUM AND PHOSPHORUS DEFICIENCY AND THE INTERRELATIONSHIP OF VITAMIN D Calcium deficiency is more likely to occur in swine than a deficiency of phosphorus because swine are often fed rations made up largely of grains or grain byproducts, together with some protein-rich concentrates, and these feeds are usually good sources of phosphorus but low in calcium. Vitamin D is closely related to the metaoolism of calcium and phosphorus and is therefore considered with the deficiency diseases involving these two minerals. Rickets Rickets, a disease of young animals, occurring before the bones cease growing in length, is most often seen in winter and early spring when pigs are kept housed because of inclement weather, but it may occur at any time of the year if the animals are improperly fed and not allowed free access to direct sunlight. The pasterns in some pigs become abnormally straight and thickened, while in others they sag until the pigs almost walk on their dewclaws. The quantitative requirement for vitamin D is lowest when the ratio of calcium to phosphorus lies within the range of 1:1 or 2:1. Too much calcium in the ration interferes with the utilization of phosphorus. Alfalfa of good quality may be fed either free choice in racks or chopped or ground and added to the grain ration at the rate of 5 to 10 percent for fattening pigs and 10 to 15 percent for sows and boars. Insuring an adequate calcium and phosphorus intake is as important as supplying vitamin D. Many feeds, including buttermilk, skim milk, tankage, fish meal, and meat scraps, are rich in both calcium and phosphorus. Some suggested mineral mixtures that can be very economically mixed on the farm according to the individual needs of pigs are given in table 1. Defluorinated rock phosphate prepared for animal feeding may also be used as a source of calcium and phosphorus. In a study of the effects of calcium deficiency on the general appearance and reproductive performance of sows and gilts, Evans describes this condition as follows : * * * the main manifestations of calcium deficiency-as typified by all the pigs in the group-were: Rough scaly skins, dirty in appearance. Phosphorus Deficiency As already noted, phosphorus is less likely to be deficient in ordinary swine rations than calcium. Nutritional Diseases of Swine 815 Under the conditions of the experiment, the phosphorus intake was adequate when the ration contained at least 0.27 to 0.3 percent of phosphorus. Too much calcium in the ration will adversely affect the utilization of phosphorus. NUTRITIONAL ANEMIA OF SUCKLING PIGS Nutritional Tinemia is one of the principal causes of unthriftiness and death among young swine.