Breeding Vietnamese pigs at home in the Russian Federation has become increasingly popular in recent years. This trend is due to the fact that this breed of animals does not differ in particular whimsical care, but gives good productivity. In our article, we will try to highlight the issue of keeping and breeding Vietnamese pigs at home in more detail, and also talk about recommendations from professional breeders.
Why is the breed so in demand?
Before moving on to tips on breeding Vietnamese piglets for beginners, it would be nice to familiarize yourself with the main advantages of this breed in order to better understand why it is so popular.
- Firstly, Vietnamese piglets are characterized by a stable weight gain. Ordinary pigs, as a rule, grow intensively only during the year, after which their weight gain significantly slows down. Vietnamese mammals grow much longer, but more evenly.
- Secondly, the breed is very fast puberty. Males are ready to fertilize sows as early as 9 months after birth, and a pig can become pregnant by the eighth month. This reproductive rate is very important for large farms.
- Thirdly, animals do not differ in particular whimsical care and will eat the food that they will be given. Of course, this does not mean that you can not look after them at all, but if you forget to clean the barn or get vaccinated on time, nothing bad will happen.
In addition, Vietnamese pigs are distinguished by the absence of a specific smell, which in most cases is a determining factor when buying this breed. It is because of this feature that representatives of this breed can often be found in the role of pets that live under the same roof with their owners.
Vietnamese breed characteristics
Have you decided to start breeding Vietnamese piglets as a business? Then you should familiarize yourself with the main characteristics of this breed in order to draw up a competent business plan, as well as be able to correctly answer customer questions if he asks them to you. The characteristics of Vietnamese pigs are approximately as follows:
- the color of animals is black (mainly);
- adaptation to a new climate is good;
- decorative qualities are excellent;
- mass gain rate - medium;
- reproduction is high.
Good immunity of animals also deserves special attention. Historically, Vietnamese pigs have always lived in humid and hot conditions - an ideal place for the development of pathogenic bacteria. Over time, their body adapted to even the most dangerous viruses, so the climate and living conditions in Russia for mammals seem paradise.
As for the number of offspring, on average it is 12 piglets per year. However, some sows can bring up to 18 cubs - and this is not so rare. Mothers carefully take care of their offspring, but calmly let a person come to him if necessary.
Taste quality of meat
Of course, some people are involved in breeding Vietnamese water-bellied piglets as pets, but the vast majority do this in order to get meat. If you believe the online reviews, this product is in many ways superior to meat from pigs of bacon breeds. In addition, professional breeders note the following features of meat obtained from a Vietnamese pig:
- low cholesterol, unlike most other breeds;
- meat has a very delicate and juicy taste, which is especially pleasing to gourmets;
- the layers of fat are in thickness (in general) not more than 3.5 centimeters;
- a 100-kilogram piglet contains approximately 65% meat and 35% fat.
If one of the buyers asks you about the quality of this product, then you can safely call it delicious. As a rule, Vietnamese pig meat is used to prepare especially delicious dishes for serving on a special occasion. However, it is also ideal for salting and smoking, so you don’t have to worry about not being able to cook the meat properly.
Piglet Conditions
Now that we have figured out all the advantages and characteristics of the breed, it's time to talk about the rules for the care and breeding of Vietnamese piglets in the household. This category includes proper feeding, creating comfortable living conditions, vaccination against various diseases and so on.
First you need to talk about the conditions of the newly acquired young. An ideal option would be a cozy and warm room with good ventilation. The flooring must be necessarily stable and durable. If you use a barn with concrete for breeding, be sure to lay straw on the floor so that the animals feel more comfortable.
A novice breeder should also understand that for growing sows with children, you should use a separate room or aviary, which males cannot penetrate. If you plan to accommodate all individuals by family, then proceed from the following calculation: two adult females per one mature male. The remaining individuals can be safely sent for slaughter or sold to other farms.
Features of care in the summer
Judging by the reviews, the breeding of Vietnamese pigs in Russia does not represent a particular difficulty for the breeder. However, if it comes to growing in a region with a hot climate (Krasnodar Territory or Crimea), care should be taken to create a place for walking pigs on hot days. Otherwise, the animals will feel severe exhaustion and lose part of their productivity.
Walking areas should be organized where there are no strong drafts, but there is shelter from rainfall. Try to stay away from the corners of the building, because that is where in most cases the movement of cold air occurs. The most preferred option will be an open area with a small canopy of logs and slate, under which animals can hide in case of a thunderstorm. Typically, such awnings do not exceed one meter in height - why spend a lot of building materials if the growth of pigs is still small?
Also do not forget that the place for walking should be equipped with special containers for clean water and feed. If we are talking about walking more than one dozen goals, then there should be several drinkers and feeders. It is best to place them under the awnings so that slush after the rain is not bred near them, and the feed always remains clean and nutritious.
Winter Pig Care
Judging by online reviews, the care and breeding of Vietnamese piglets in the winter should be carried out according to certain rules. For example, you should regularly change the dirty litter to a new one, so that pigs do not feel discomfort from lying on frozen feces. If we are talking about the northern regions of Russia, then you can also take care of additional sources of heating. An ordinary stove-potbelly stove, which should be enough to heat the barn, in which 10-15 heads live, is ideal.
Ventilation deserves special attention, because in the winter an unpleasant odor can develop in the room, which must be constantly weathered. To do this, even at the stage of construction of the shed, it is necessary to make a special pipe through which streams of warm air will go outside. And in the door you should make a small hole with the possibility of closing at night. This creates a draft effect that wears out most unpleasant odors. However, keep ventilation away from animals (especially young and lactating sows) so that they do not get sick.
What does a diet consist of?
As mentioned earlier, Vietnamese pigs are extremely picky about food, but this does not mean that they can be fed anything. The digestive system of this breed is designed in such a way that it perfectly digests green feeds, so they should dominate the diet. However, in this case, the quality of the meat can significantly suffer, so grass and vegetables must be diluted with compound feed or other dry feed.
As for feeding piglets, everything is extremely simple here. For several weeks, newborn pigs are fed only breast milk. As soon as individuals grow a little and begin to climb on the heels in feeders, they should be planted in a separate aviary and begin to feed with special balanced feeds that ensure the rapid growth and development of young organisms. Cereals must necessarily be combined with fresh herbs, otherwise the animals will feel a sense of discomfort.
Nutritional Supplements and Vaccinations
If the piglets feed only on mother’s milk, they will eventually begin to experience iron deficiency, which will lead to a negative effect on the body. The same goes for other nutrients that are not found in breast milk. In addition, with prolonged feeding of piglets, the sow may lose some of its strength, so it is so important to switch to an “adult” diet in time, which involves the use of special additives that increase the growth rate of the young organism.
As for vaccinations, they are not particularly necessary. As mentioned earlier, Vietnamese pigs have quite good immunity, however, some breeders still vaccinate their economy from the plague, so as not to lose the livestock. Any veterinarian can tell you more about vaccinating Vietnamese piglets. However, be prepared for the fact that his services are not very cheap.
Vietnamese pig breeding
Judging by online reviews, anyone who is willing to give animals several hours of free time per day can take care of and breed Vietnamese pigs. It is especially important to monitor pigs during the mating season so that the male can fertilize the female in time. For mating, any six-month-old individual that has gained a mass of 50 kilograms is suitable. As for males, the main factor is the lack of closely related relations with the sow. The boar sits down to the female when the first signs of hunting appear:
- discharge in the genital area;
- general anxiety and nervousness;
- genital edema.
Pregnancy of Vietnamese pigs lasts from 114 to 118 days after mating. A few days before the farrowing, the female will begin to feel a sense of anxiety, will die out the litter in the barn and build a nest. In this case, the breeder is obliged to monitor the farm every hour so as not to miss the moment of delivery. In most cases, they pass without complications, however, the mother can crush several piglets as a result of negligence.
A special role in the breeding of Vietnamese pigs is played by the care of young piglets immediately after birth. For example, it is important to ensure the temperature in the pen from 30 to 32 degrees Celsius. It is also necessary to rinse each piglet from mucus, dry and process the umbilical cord. The sooner after this the sow feeds its offspring with colostrum, the more likely it is that the piglets will grow up healthy and strong.
Further care for the pigs is not particularly difficult. Until about 10 days, young individuals are fed breast milk, after which special feeds begin to be added to their diet. It’s best to start with green crops, as they can cause bloating and discomfort from cereals at an early age. Various mineral supplements (bone meal, chopped charcoal) are designed to improve the digestion process and will favorably affect the growth and development of bones in piglets.
Video and conclusion
A very good help for a novice breeder will be a short video, which tells about the features of breeding pigs of the Vietnamese breed. We advise you to see this material to the end, since even an experienced farmer can get a lot of useful information from there. Do not forget to thank the owner of the channel for the work done with a positive rating for the video or a pleasant comment.
As you can see, raising Vietnamese pigs is not difficult and even a novice breeder will be able to cope with this task. This breed is unpretentious in care and eats almost any food. However, if you plan to get maximum productivity from pigs, be sure to follow all the recommendations described in our article. This is especially true for those people who decided to breed piglets for business and invested a lot of money in their purchase.