Pigs are relatively unpretentious, productive and prolific animals. It is the breeding of piglets at the moment in Russia is the most profitable type of agricultural activity. Pigs grow quickly and are considered absolutely undemanding to the conditions of detention. In addition, these animals are also distinguished by a high degree of fertility.
The success of keeping piglets on the farm depends on several important factors. First of all, the farmer who decided to engage in pig breeding should try to choose the most suitable breed. Also for animals will need to develop the most balanced diet. Well, of course, for piglets will have to build a convenient pigsty.
Varieties of piglets
All currently existing breeds of pigs are classified into four main groups:
meat (bacon);
sebaceous;
meat and greasy;
decorative.
Bacon piglets are bred to obtain not very oily pork. The share of meat in commercial carcasses of animals of such breeds accounts for about 2/3 of the mass. The ham in piglets belonging to this productivity group is very massive, the trunk is quite long, and the front part is compact.
Pigs of the second variety are mainly used for lard. The features of the exterior of such animals are:
fleshy breasts;
thick cheeks;
powerful ham.
The muscle tissue in such pigs usually grows no more than six months. Then the piglets begin to gain fat. The share of fat in the carcass of a properly fattened pig of this productivity group accounts for about 50% of the mass. In addition, it has a very pleasant taste.
Both bacon and greasy pigs are very popular among farmers. Many farms are engaged in the breeding of such animals. However, in Russia traditionally most often farms contain meat and greasy piglets. A feature of such pigs is that they grow very quickly. At the same time, their meat is quite tasty. The maintenance and breeding at home of piglets from this group in most cases is very profitable.
Decorative piglets were bred only a few decades ago. Such pigs usually weigh no more than 15 kg. On farms, decorative piglets are not bred. These animals were bred for purely scientific purposes.
The best breeds of bacon pigs and their characteristics
Piglets are most often bred from this group by domestic farmers:
- early meat;
Duroc;
landrace;
Vietnamese Whiskers.
Early meat pigs were bred in the 90s of the last century by domestic breeders. To the advantages of these piglets, farmers include in the first place unpretentiousness in care and a large yield of meat (64%). Boars of this breed can reach a weight of up to 3 centners.
Duroc pigs originate from the United States. The main advantage of this breed is its resistance to cold and quick weight gain. Duroc meat yield can reach 50%. Eating 3-4 kg of feed, these pigs gain weight in 1 kg.
Landrace pigs were bred by Danish breeders. The average weight of adult animals of this breed is 300 kg. They can add up to 1 kg in weight per day.
The Vietnamese bellied pig was widely distributed mainly in East Asia. However, recently, such piglets have become increasingly popular among domestic farmers. The advantages of Vietnamese piglets, the content of which is a simple matter, include first of all unpretentiousness and omnivorous. The weight of such pigs usually does not reach too much - about 100 kg, in rare cases 150 kg. Moreover, their meat yield is 70-85%.
Greasy pigs: breeds and their productivity
This group of productivity includes, for example, such breeds as:
Mirgorod pigs were bred by Poltava scientists specifically for breeding in the forest-steppe zone. At the age of 200 days, the body weight of such animals can reach a centner.
Large black piglets were bred in the 19th century. in England. The weight of the boars of this breed can reach up to 350 kg. The meat and fat in the carcass of such pigs are distributed in proportions of 50 to 40. These piglets reach a weight of 1 centner at the age of about 7 months.
Popular meat and greasy breeds
Of this group of productivity, pigs are the most popular among domestic farmers:
Ukrainian steppe white;
large white.
Ukrainian steppe pig was bred in the USSR in the 30s of the last century. The advantages of piglets of this breed are primarily the fact that they digest food very well. Even when fed on poor nutrient feeds, such pigs can gain a lot of weight.
Large white pigs are a product of English breeding. The weight of the boars of this breed can reach 350 kg. In this case, a large white uterus is able to bear up to 10-12 cubs.
What breed to choose?
Thus, the choice of variety of piglets depends on what kind of product is supposed to be received on the farm in the first place. Bacon pigs are quite difficult to grow. But at the same time, their meat is the most expensive on the market. If the farmer has sufficient experience in growing piglets and has suitable markets for him, then he might want to consider choosing one of the bacon species for maintenance.
An exception in this case are bacon Vietnamese piglets. Keeping and breeding them at home is a simple procedure. Even a novice farmer can cope with this task. However, it is still difficult to buy such young animals in our country at the moment in some regions.
Greasy pigs are undemanding in their maintenance, but you can also get less profit from such piglets. It is believed that such animals are suitable for breeding on the farm inexperienced farmers who do not have too much money at the initial stage.
Meat and greasy pigs can be kept in any farms. Growing them is somewhat more difficult than greasy, but you can get more profit from their breeding. This is affordable for both experienced and novice farmers.
Where to build a pigsty
Piglets - animals are quite large. Consequently, the waste of their life can cause serious harm to the environment. Therefore, they build premises for keeping piglets usually away from settlements, highways, etc.
They also choose a place for a pigsty so that a convenient access to it will be ensured in the future. After all, in the future, you will have to deliver feed to the farm and take the animals from there to the slaughter point.
Features of the construction of a pigsty
In winter, most breeds of piglets are able to tolerate well. However, pigsties for these animals are supposed to be built thoroughly. In most cases, brick, foam blocks or adobe are used as materials for the construction of such structures.
Ceilings are usually made low. This subsequently saves on heating. When building a pigsty, they try to make sure that there are no drafts in the interior. Mandatory in such facilities equip a ventilation system.
Boilers are usually used to heat large farms that specialize in growing pigs. In small pigsties in winter, conventional electric heaters are often installed.
Near the farm, a well is usually set up, among other things. Pigs should be provided with water at all times.
Ways to keep piglets at home
On farms located far from towns and cities, as well as in villages, in the summer, pigs are usually released to look for pasture for themselves in the vicinity . This type of content is called walking. When using it, the farmer has the opportunity to save money on feed. In addition, pigs walking free gain weight faster and get less sick.
The content of piglets in a free-range way is considered the most economically viable. However, it is possible to use such technology, unfortunately, not always. In large pig farms, piglets usually live year-round indoors. This content is called free. Using this technology, farmers spend more on feed and veterinary services. However, it is much easier to take care of pigs in large complexes using this technique.
Feeding Methods
The development of a diet for piglets to a farmer who decides to breed these animals should be given maximum attention. There are several ways to feed pigs:
bacon;
meat;
to greasy conditions.
The first two technologies are used in large pig-breeding complexes and on farms. The content of piglets at home - in villages and cottages - usually involves the application of fattening techniques to greasy conditions.
The best pigs of meat breeds at the age of 2 months are selected for fattening for bacon. Food for pigs in this case uses the highest quality. The conditions of detention for Vietnamese pigs, duroc, etc., while also providing the best.
Additionally, animals using this technology of feeding are also given the reverse. Boars in this case are necessarily castrated. In the last 2 months of fattening from the diet of pigs exclude any products that can spoil the taste of meat - fish, bran, soy.
For fattening to fatty conditions or meat pigs are selected at the age of 3 months. In the second case, pigs use food of higher quality. When fattening to fatty conditions, piglets are given any feed that contributes to weight gain, including fish and food waste.
What should be the diet
Food for pigs on the farm, regardless of the chosen method of feeding, give 2-3 times a day. This is exactly what they do when keeping the white-bellied piglets, large black pigs, landrace and animals of any other breeds.
Moreover, the diet of pigs includes:
succulent feed;
rude;
concentrates.
From succulent feeds, pigs are usually given potatoes, carrots, peeling, freshly cut grass. The hay is rude. Concentrates for fattening pigs can be used both cereal and bean. The choice of a specific variety of such feed depends on the technology of growing piglets. With bacon fattening, for example, animals from cereals are given mainly only barley.
Feed additives
Duroc, Ukrainian steppe, Mirgorod, Vietnamese pigs, when kept at home, should receive, of course, the most diverse food. However, in a farm, unlike wildlife, all the vitamins and microelements necessary for their body, piglets still do not receive. Therefore, when growing such animals in their diet additionally include various kinds of additives. It can be, for example:
glutamate sodium, improves appetite;
Betazine, increasing the growth rate;
lake silt containing a huge amount of microelements;
citric acid, also a growth promoter.
In order for pigs to gain weight faster and keep them less sick when they are kept on a farm, antibiotics can also be added to food: streptomycin, grisin, penicillin and others.