Breeding farm animals can bring sufficient profit, only if all the rules and norms of their keeping and breeding are observed. As for the reproduction of livestock, high-quality offspring are produced only by females specially selected for this purpose. This article will help you navigate this issue.
Classification of individuals
In the classic livestock of pigs, adults are distinguished and piglets are identified on several grounds. So piglets are divided into suckers and weaners. The former are fed naturally by the sow, while the latter are already fed on their own.
Adults are divided into:
- boars;
- sows;
- fattening individuals;
- repair pigs.
Feeding individuals are grown for meat, and repair ones - to replace the existing reproducing offspring. The boar is usually kept alone, but there can be several sows. The case of pigs occurs only between mature individuals. Boars can be used for this longer than sows, whose breeding qualities noticeably worsen after five years of gestation and feeding piglets.
Boar selection
In order for the mating of pigs to be as productive as possible, you should approach the selection of individuals very carefully. As for the boars, the main indicator of their breeding qualities is the male’s sexual activity and the quality of his sperm. The latter, as a rule, is determined by the usual ratio of fertilized females to the number of coated.
Sow selection
The choice of mother for future offspring must be approached more seriously. The main quality indicator for a sow is its fertility. But you won’t be able to verify this the first time.
It is expressed in:
- the number of live piglets in the litter;
- middle weight piglets;
- the amount of milk during feeding;
- the number of surviving piglets by the 30th day of life.
Indirect indicators of fertility include the time interval between farrowing and the next sexual hunt. The faster the time comes for mating pigs after farrowing, the sow is considered more fertile.
The choice of the best individual for breeding offspring is also affected by:
- the number of single stitches;
- number of nipples;
- the quality of the nipples.
Since it has already been proven that growth conditions, rather than heredity, have a greater influence on the fecundity of pigs, the selection of potential sows begins as early as two months old. At this moment, a good piglet should weigh at least 18 kg and, starting at four months of age, gain half a kilogram daily.
The number of pig’s nipples directly affects its ability to feed healthy offspring, therefore 14 is the optimal amount. This is due to the fact that the number of people asked in the litter is often 12-16 individuals, and this number of nipples is enough to feed and receive from the mother what is needed later immunity.
Achieving puberty
Under favorable conditions, the age of mating of pigs is reached by time. For boars, this moment ranges from 5 to 8 months with a weight of 80-120 kg. Pigs that eat poorly or poorly reach puberty much later. The sow for breeding offspring should have a wide back, weight within 120 kg and age 10 months. It is important to know that puberty and hunting occur in females much earlier, but it is not worth it to happen before 10 months of age, as this will negatively affect the offspring. Delaying the first knit will also have a negative effect, so do not delay it. The main thing is that the pig can independently grow piglets, for this you need to choose calm individuals.
It is also important to understand that the first mating of pigs is not able to reveal their full reproductive potential, therefore, it is not worth drawing conclusions about fertility from the first litter.
Animal mating time
The case of Vietnamese pigs is no different from other breeds. To obtain high-quality offspring, a sexually mature pair of individuals with decent fertility qualities should be purchased. If you wish, you can independently grow a good female and, when she reaches ten months of age, find a prolific boar in other farms or artificially inseminate a pig. In any case, it is important to correctly determine the moment of the onset of sexual hunting in the female, since in other periods it can cripple the boar at a meeting.
To accurately determine the onset of hunting, you need to daily monitor the behavior of the pig, which will change at some point. Usually, the female becomes more active, her loop swells and secretes mucus. If the pig’s behavior does not change, you can determine its readiness for reproduction by pressing both hands on the croup. At this point, the pig should freeze.
Mating preparation
This process consists in digging a so-called nest for a pig, but if the boar is experienced, then just leave a couple for a day together, and nature herself will do everything necessary.
The case of pigs also depends on the appropriate size of the pair. If the boar is too large, then the female simply can not stand it, and if it is too small, then nothing will work.
Idle
If the female does not express a desire to mate for a long period of time, you should pay attention to the following factors. First of all, this is the physical state of the sow itself. Unwillingness to mate may be due to age, hormone deficiency, genetic predisposition or health problems. Important factors are also the living conditions and nutrition of the individual. The case of pigs occurs with a marked increase in the death rate of piglets with an increase in air temperature of more than 28 degrees, that is, in the summer. That is why the fertility of females sometimes drops in the hot season.
Also, the reasons can be determined by the date of the next hunt after mating. If the pig begins to express a desire for mating after three weeks, then fertilization has not occurred, and the reasons for the failure are insufficient indicators of the fertility of the boar or sow. In the event of a hunt after the time that the mating of the pigs after farrowing would be carried out, the death of the embryos was most likely to lead to idleness. This may be due to various infectious diseases or hormonal disorders. Also, moderate fatness affects the quality of bearing the offspring and its conception. The sow should not be exhausted or overfed. It is also important to maintain a sufficient period after a difficult birth and to provide pigs with enough space in the pigsty. It is best for a nursing pig and piglet to allocate a separate place.
Definition of the result
In the case of mating of pigs, the result can be determined by the following signs. First of all, it is the lethargic behavior of the female, which lies and eats more. A few days after the favorable mating, the pigs have curdled discharge from the loop. Some advise using a conventional pharmacy pregnancy test to accurately determine the result, but only ultrasound can determine as accurately as possible.
Feeding piglets
The favorable case of bison-bellied pigs is not yet marked with complete success, as for other breeds. Newborn piglets still need to be fed, and some sows do not produce enough milk to feed the young. Insufficient lactation of the sow depends on the quality of its nutrition. Food should be complete and nutritious, and drinking water for a nursing pig should be clean. It is advisable to change the water every 3-4 hours.
It is important to provide the sow with more than just clean water, it must be freely available in sufficient quantities. Usually, for full lactation, the female needs to consume 2-3 buckets of clean water per day. If all this is normal, it is advisable to seek the help of a veterinarian who will examine the sow. This is necessary to eliminate possible problems with inflammation of the mammary glands - mastitis, metritis and so on.
There are times when the female simply does not allow the piglets to be fed for feeding, which is also an occasion to contact the veterinarian and examine the piglets. Sometimes they are born with jagged teeth and can bite their nipples during feeding, which severely injures the sow.
In any case, further feeding of the offspring falls on the breeder's shoulders. You can use infant formula or cow's milk for this. If possible, piglets should be placed in another nursing sow, because there is nothing better than natural feeding.