Video Lesson: Swine Ear Notching

Recommended Ages: 9+

Suggested Grade Band: Grades 4+

Learning Level: Beginner–Intermediate

Format: Video Lesson (approximately 12 minutes)

Note: This product is designed to be used with (but can be used independently of) our Animal Science: Animal Identification and Health Practices Guide.

Learn how to read and understand the ear notching system used to identify pigs with this short mini-lesson video.

Swine ear notching is a permanent identification method used in the swine industry to identify individual pigs and connect them to their litter of origin. In this lesson, learners will explore the purpose of ear notching, how the system works, and how notches are used to represent numbers and identify pigs.

In this video lesson, learners will:

• Explore the purpose and history of swine ear notching.

• Understand how ear notching identifies individual pigs and their litter of origin.

• Learn how the ear is divided into quadrants, with each section representing a numerical value.

• See how ear notches are used to read and interpret a pig’s identification number.

• Build foundational knowledge of swine identification practices used in livestock production.

This video lesson is a great addition to animal science studies, 4-H swine projects, homeschool learning, and agricultural education. It helps learners connect a practical livestock management technique with the science and recordkeeping behind animal identification.