Tell all about breeding meat pigs. Breeding pigs at home: tips for beginner pig breeders. You will definitely need

Breeding pigs is a fairly popular area of agricultural business. With the correct preparation of a business plan and compliance with the basic rules for keeping these animals, their owner will be able to fully recoup their costs in two to three years. And after this period, profits will begin to appear. These animals can also be kept for the household as a source of tasty and nutritious meat and fat.

Like any other type of business, beef cattle breeding requires careful preparation and miscalculations. If a farmer plans to make a profit from his occupation in the first year after his start, then he will be disappointed. The pig business is an enterprise that requires not only financial, but also time costs, and therefore it will begin to pay off no earlier than in two years. Like other types of farming, raising pigs has not only advantages, but also certain disadvantages. For some start-up entrepreneurs, such shortcomings can be critical. Therefore, it is recommended to carefully weigh all the pros and cons before starting a pig farm.

Benefits of breeding pigs

Domestic pigs are unique animals of their kind that have a number of qualities that are not inherent in other types of agricultural animals. These include the following properties:

Fertility. With proper care of sows, each of them will be able to sow twice a year. One offspring can bring up to 14 or even 15 suckling pigs!
Fast growth. Dairy piglets gain 3 kg of live weight per week, and a month after birth, their body weight can reach 17-25 kg. With the right content of young pigs, by the age of eight months they are gaining weight in excess of a hundred kilograms. This rapid growth results in large volumes of pork production.
Stable high demand for pork. Pig meat has a pleasant taste and contains many useful substances and trace elements. Because of this, the farmer will be able to profitably sell his products. Good pig fat, which is distinguished by its nutritional properties, is in no less demand.
Omnivorous. Unlike other pets that are used in agriculture Pigs eat just about anything. They can be fed not only with vegetable and animal feed, but even with leftovers from the dining table.
These are the main benefits of keeping and breeding such farm animals for private business.

With proper care of sows, each of them will be able to sow twice a year

Dairy piglets gain 3 kg of live weight per week, and a month after birth, their body weight can reach 17-25 kg

The farmer will be able to profitably sell his products

Unlike other domestic animals that are used in agriculture, pigs eat just about anything.

The right approach to farming and compliance with the basic rules for keeping pigs will lead to a multiple payback on the initial costs of the enterprise.

Disadvantages of the pig business

With all their obvious benefits raising pigs as a business has a number of certain disadvantages. It is also recommended that you carefully read them before deciding to open a farm.

The disadvantages of pig farming include factors such as:

The need to provide complex care for dairy piglets and sows that are about to farrow or have already bred. But with the right construction of the case, the correct maintenance of such individuals can be arranged with the help of hired personnel specially trained for such work.
Complicated and time-consuming cleaning of the pigsty, which must be carried out at least once every few days.
The need to provide living creatures with a spacious and comfortable room for keeping, as well as the presence of a separate pigsty for piglets and sows.
High initial costs for the improvement of the economy. Financial expenses are associated not only with the purchase of livestock, but also with the construction of pigsties, as well as with the hiring of personnel. A single farmer will only be able to raise a few head of livestock for himself. If you want to build profitable business, will have to invest in hiring employees.
Production risks. Pigs are more prone to infectious diseases than other farm animals, which can halve the number of livestock in a few days. Compliance with sanitary standards and timely vaccination of animals will help to avoid this.

The need to provide complex care for dairy piglets and sows

Complicated and time-consuming cleaning of the pigsty, which must be carried out at least once every few days

The need to provide living creatures with a spacious and comfortable room for keeping

Pigs are more susceptible to infectious diseases than other farm animals.

A properly drawn up and carefully thought out pig breeding business plan will help a novice entrepreneur to eliminate all the above disadvantages of such an enterprise with minimal losses.

How to choose a breed for breeding

All pigs that are suitable for industrial breeding are divided into three main groups, depending on their characteristics:

Salo-meat. This is a group of animals that give only 20% of meat and about 50-60% of fat when slaughtered. Such pigs are distinguished by their massive size and the fastest possible weight gain. Already five months after birth, the weight of a piglet of the fat-meat group can exceed 100 kg.
Meat-greasy. This is the most popular group of domestic pigs, which produces 70% meat and about 20% fat.
Bacon. This is a universal group in which there are breeds of pigs that produce approximately the same amount of fat and meat.

1. Tallow meat

2. Meat-greasy

3. Bacon

In order to choose the right breed for home breeding or for business, you will need to take into account the characteristics of each species and clearly define what specific pigs you want to have on your farm.

Fat-meat breeds of pigs

Of the representatives of this group, among domestic farmers engaged in breeding lard-meat pigs, breeds such as:

North Caucasian. This large breed pigs, which was bred in the middle of the last century in the Caucasus. Differs in rapid weight gain, resistance to infections and fertility. North Caucasian animals are resistant to climatic changes, but at the same time very vulnerable to excessive moisture.
Mirgorodskaya. This is a relatively young breed, which is distinguished by a highly developed adipose tissue, which allows it to gain a large amount of fat.
Belarusian black-and-white. A classic pig breed that has been bred by our farmers for decades. It is distinguished by excellent productivity, good immunity and large size.

1.North Caucasian

2. Mirgorodskaya

3.Belarusian black-and-white

All of the above breeds of animals have a pronounced black-and-white color. With proper care and maintenance, the maximum weight of these representatives of the fat-meat group can exceed 270 kg.

All pigs from the meat-fat group are characterized by poorly developed adipose tissue and strong muscles. The most popular breeds in our country are:

Lithuanian;
Siberian northern;
Ukrainian steppe white.

1. Lithuanian

2.Siberian northern

3.Ukrainian steppe white

All three breeds are characterized by such signs as:

white suit;
large sizes;
fertility: one sow brings from ten piglets at a time;
large body weight - adult boars can weigh over 300 kg

All three breeds are characterized by such features as: white color, large size

These pigs are very profitable to breed, both for business and for home use. Their versatility lies in the fact that they can be fattened for both meat and bacon.

bacon pigs

Of this group, two breeds are most common: Estonian Bacon and Landrace. They are characterized by the following external features and productive properties:

high yield of meat and low productivity of fat;
white suit;
elongated rounded body;
large hams and loin.

Of this group, two breeds are most common: Estonian bacon

And Landrace

Vietnamese pigs

In addition to the listed breeds, Vietnamese pigs have been very popular lately, the breeding of which is very beneficial for both business and private households. These animals are distinguished by their compact size, unpretentiousness and high productivity. The main disadvantage, for which some farmers prefer other breeds to the Vietnamese, is their weak immunity. Because of this, living creatures are more often than others prone to dangerous infectious diseases. Timely vaccination of livestock will help to solve this problem.

Recently, Vietnamese pigs have been very popular, the breeding of which is very profitable.

Pigs of the Vietnamese folded belly

In order for the farmer's livestock to grow regularly and eventually become profitable, it is necessary to create suitable conditions for keeping the animals. Regardless of their breed and species, all pigs require such components comfortable life, how:

Well-maintained pigsties. The premises must be built of durable material and insulated in the area of the roof and floor. Particular attention should be paid to the absence of drafts, as these farm animals are prone to colds.
A varied and balanced diet. In order for the breeding of pigs at home to be successful, it is necessary that all important substances and trace elements be present in their diet. To do this, it is necessary to feed animals not only with plant and animal food, but also with special compound feeds, which are purchased from manufacturers.
Qualified personnel. For quality livestock care, the farmer will have to hire a veterinarian, livestock specialist, agronomist and several other specialists.

1. Well-maintained pigsties

2. Diverse and balanced diet

3.Qualified staff

Each pen for one pig must have an area of at least four square meters. In spacious rooms, animals feel as comfortable and free as possible. If the corral is less than the required norms, then this will affect the productivity and fertility of livestock.

All pigsties must be cleaned several times a week to avoid the appearance of dangerous infections and germs that can harm animals. Sows, boars and suckling pigs should not be given large amounts of food with a high percentage of fiber content, as their stomachs have difficulty digesting it. For the normal functioning of the intestines of pigs, it is necessary to provide them with constant free access to clean drinking water.

For the normal functioning of the intestines of pigs, it is necessary to provide them with constant free access to clean drinking water.

Pig breeding

Most breeds of these farm animals are characterized by precocity, which means that sows and boars are ready to mate in the first six months of life.

But at the very first signs of “hunting”, a young sow should not be allowed to approach a boar: her body has not really formed yet and may simply not be ready to bear offspring. The optimal age at which the first birth of a pig is possible is 11-12 months.

Most breeds of these farm animals are characterized by precocity.

Sows and boars are ready to mate already in the first six months of life

If you neglect these rules and allow the mating of a sow not ready for childbearing, then this can lead to such unpleasant consequences as:

Complicated childbirth. This, in turn, may result in the death of part of the offspring or the mother.
The occurrence of serious health problems in the sow and piglets.
Tendency to obesity or, conversely, to less weight gain in offspring.

1.Complicated childbirth

2. The occurrence of serious health problems in the sow and piglets

3. Tendency to obesity or, conversely, to less weight gain in offspring

Before breeding pigs, the sow must be properly prepared. To do this, a few days before mating, she is transferred to enhanced nutrition, in which succulent feed and concentrates should prevail. An ideal contender for mating is a pig with indicators such as:

age at least 10 months;
large sizes;
a good appetite;
daily weight gain of at least 500 grams.

In order for the mating to be successful, it is recommended to wait twelve hours after the sow has shown the first signs of "hunting" and only then run her to the boar. For more reliable fertilization, it is desirable that the male covers the sow at least twice. The main sign of the onset of pregnancy of the female is the absence of signs of "hunting" within a month after mating.

Before farrowing, be sure to perform such preparatory work as:

pigsty disinfection;
preparation of important tools and devices that can help the pig farrow in difficult births;
calling a qualified veterinarian to control the birth process.

In most cases, sows successfully produce offspring on their own, but sometimes they may need help. In order to avoid harm to the piglets and the mother, it is recommended that births be supervised by professionals experienced in this kind of work.

If you follow all the simple rules for the care and breeding of these large farm animals, you can count on the fact that in a few years the enterprise will begin to make a profit. It is very important that qualified workers are always present on the farm, able to provide the livestock with the necessary assistance in their specialty.

There is nothing complicated in this innovative method at all. The emphasis in it is not on the huge increase in the mass of the animal and special kind nutrition, namely to reduce costs in pig production. Due to this, the profitability increases by almost 2 times. No need to heat the hangar even at an outside air temperature of -25 degrees, the ability to get away from hot water in winter - this and much more increases the efficiency of your business by almost 3 times and makes it much more profitable or geese.

All you need is a hangar with a transparent roof and a few large rolls of straw. Some farmers use a substitute for it - sawdust, which helps to achieve the best result. Thanks to such a system, the farmer receives a large number of benefits. Let's consider them in more detail.

The cost of space heating is reduced in severe frosts and is completely absent at -25 "overboard". The straw is heated by itself with a thick layer and with the help of the moisture that is present in it. Due to this, the temperature at a height of 80 centimeters from the straw will never fall below -5 degrees, even if it is -45C outside. And the material itself will maintain +10-15 0 C, if necessary, pigs will burrow into it. It is recommended to make a layer of straw at least 100 centimeters so that it keeps heat better, animals can burrow into it if necessary. With the right bedding material, you can save up to 95% on heating costs, even in a closed roof. The main thing is to change the bedding material more often.
Increases the immunity of animals. Raising pigs at home on straw is very beneficial in terms of the health of your "pets". Due to the fact that there are no fences in the barn, the pigs move a lot and are constantly active. Immunity in such animals is much higher. Diseases almost never affect them, and with the timely replacement of straw, the animals will always be healthy and clean. . Important: it is necessary to observe dryness in the room, since wet straw is a place of accumulation of pathogenic and fungal diseases. If you are not going to care for the pigs often and change the straw often, then you better not use the Canadian method - you will only make it worse.
Low construction costs. You do not need to build complex metal structures, concrete fences, install multi-tiered gratings (scrapers) on the bottom. All you need to do is prepare the right mixture of straw and sawdust and sprinkle it directly on the floor, no matter what the flooring is. The mixture lies perfectly on concrete, earth, boards - there is no difference, because even if the pig gets to the cold concrete, its temperature will not be below +10 degrees under the straw. At the same time, it is worth considering that the animal will constantly rake up more bedding under itself, so there is nothing to worry about.
Fast erection. In just a few hours, you can fully equip a room in the country. It will be enough to take 1 shed, preferably completely sealed, put a certain amount of straw into it and you're done - you can use the room for breeding piglets.

Important: the sow must be separated from the young, as small pigs will be lost in the straw in the literal sense of the word. They can be crushed by larger brothers. It is advisable to keep all animals according to age categories, that is, do not mix large boars or pigs with two-month-old "fry" in one room. If everything is done correctly, then raising piglets at home will not only be simple and enjoyable, but also extremely profitable!

We make the right bedding

Before you raise a pig for meat, you need to provide him with comfortable conditions for gaining weight. If you want the profitability of growing "piglets" to be as high as possible, and the animals never get sick and do not freeze even in the most severe winters, then you need to make high-quality bedding for them. Consider step by step instructions for its manufacture.

Step 1 We lay the base on concrete.

Clay, peat, sand, finely ground sawdust are suitable as the basis. Peat is best, as it insulates the cold from the ground or concrete and at the same time heats the material laid on top. It normally absorbs moisture. This base is enough for 12-14 days of use, then you will need to lay a new layer. The only drawback is the relative high cost of such material, therefore it is beneficial to use it only with a high density of individuals, at least 15 pieces per 25 m 2 in winter.

Step 2 We make a heater.

The easiest option is to lay barley straw and forget about the problem. But, since we are not looking for easy ways and want to kill two birds with one stone (to insulate and speed up weight gain in pigs), we will need to start making the right insulation. We take 4 parts of barley straw, add 2 parts of pea cut, 1 part of herbs (best of all - lupine or Sudanese). Pigs will not only bask in this warm carpet, but also eat it. Thanks to pea stalks, they quickly gain weight, improve appetite, and herbs increase the animal's immunity and the release of enzymes.

Step 3 We lay the "carpet".

It is best to put herbs at the very bottom, as the stems will perform a drainage function. Next, we pour in the pea cut, which the pigs will eat after they get to it. The last layer is barley straw. It is not recommended to use straw from other cereal plants, including wheat - the effect will be much worse. After a few days, the pigs will mix everything upside down, so the sequence of layers will be effective for the first 2-3 days. The height of the litter should be about 80 centimeters so that the animal can make a large den for itself and hide.

Raising piglets for meat will be even more efficient if you heat the floor a little in the coldest time. The fact is that they can simply be in the room even at a negative temperature, but they spend a lot of energy on heating. Consequently, all the digested food goes to the release of energy, and is not converted into muscle mass and fat. During the winter, you will receive a weight gain of no more than with the above layer of forbs, peat and straw, you will need a warm floor with a consumption of 0.2 kW per 20 square meters. All the heat will linger in the litter, and the pigs will burrow into it when it's cold.

"Change of linen" and how to rationally use the old bedding

The litter should be changed every 12-18 days, depending on the stocking density of the pigs. To determine when it is necessary to change bed linen, you can appearance.If it "sat down" and became about 20-30 centimeters thick, then it's time to prepare a new portion of the material. Moisture is another sign that a new layer needs to be laid. If the barley straw becomes wet, start taking it out of the pig farm.

Fragrant, juicy and tasty pork, without which it is difficult to imagine a family feast, becomes more expensive every year, and the quality raises many questions. Breeding pigs at home is quite a profitable business. Even with minimal volumes, pig breeding fully pays for itself. If you take your wards seriously, they will delight you with their rapid growth and large offspring.

Depending on the breed, an average of 8-16 piglets can be obtained from one pig. Perhaps two farrowings per year. This is the main indicator of the profitability of pig production.

Having made the initial investment in the mother herd, you need to put on stream the cultivation of your piglets at home, and then the question of whether breeding pigs is profitable will disappear by itself.

One pig can become the backbone of a family business. For example, a Large White piglet can be slaughtered as early as six months of age, when it weighs 100 kg. Twice a year, a pig produces about 12 piglets. This means that in a year it is quite realistic to get up to 2400 kg of live weight, and then high-quality pork.

Breeding pigs is beneficial because of the demand for meat. Live piglets, which are taken by novice farmers, are also in demand. They already know how to raise, but have not yet tried to breed piglets on their own at home.

Reproduction features

Breeding piglets at home requires knowledge of the physiology of the pig and the characteristics of the breeding process.

The ability to reproduce appears in a pig no earlier than 5 months. Some varieties have 8 months. Considering that at this age the pigs have not yet reached the standard weight, it is necessary to wait until the piglets are fully formed.

In boars, the optimal weight is about 180–200 kg (usually observed in one-year-olds). In a pig - 130-150 kg (8-9 months). The ability to reproduce is observed up to 6-8 years.

Sexual hunting occurs several times a year, so pigs are called polyestrus. Estrus itself in queens lasts about 18–21 days. Consists of several stages:

Excitation. Restless period lasting up to 2 days. Pigs do not find a place for themselves, refuse to feed, squeal.
Estrus. Approximately 3 days, when mucus is released from the edematous and reddened genitals of the pig.
Sexual hunting. The behavior is comparable to a phase of excitation intermittent with complete immobility. The pig freezes as if to urinate. Lasts 2 days.
Ovulation - within the next 2 days.
Balancing. During the crescent, behavior becomes stable. The pig starts eating. Flows into pregnancy or, if fertilization has not occurred, lasts until a new estrus.

Pregnancy lasts no more than 118 days. Sexual rest does not exceed 2 months, while lactation continues.

Farrowing occurs fairly quickly. Usually within 2-6 hours. The appearance of more than 8 piglets is considered the norm. Weight, depending on the quantity, is up to 1.5 kg. The genital organs of the pig are restored within 10 days.

Primary immunity in piglets appears with colostrum. The udder of the pig is thoroughly washed. By pressing, a certain amount is lowered, and then piglets are applied. Within a week, the composition of colostrum changes to regular milk.

In a month, piglets can be transferred to self-feeding, with mandatory feeding with antibiotics. At two months, young animals for fattening are recommended to be castrated.

Breeding methods

IN breeding farms are used various methods breeding, ensuring maximum productivity of the resulting offspring. Raising pigs at home is usually somewhat simplified. Nevertheless, it is necessary to have an idea about the existing breeding methods:

Purebred crossbreeding. Pigs of the same breed are allowed for breeding in order to preserve and further improve the characteristics of piglets.
Crossing. Interbreed / interspecies. Absorption crossbreeding is used massively to improve the productivity of a particular breed of pigs. For this, the blood of highly productive producers is poured into it consistently, several generations in a row. Reproductive is carried out in order to combine the most valuable characteristics of different breeds in piglets. The introduction is improved individual shortcomings pigs with normal productivity, crossing is carried out once.
Hybridization. It is based on the concept of heterosis or an increase in productivity during interbreeding or interlinear alternate crossing. As a rule, it is used for industrial purposes to obtain fattening young animals of meat or meat-fat direction.

Purposefully, these methods for breeding piglets at home are not used.

Detection of sexual desire

It is quite easy to identify hunting in a pig by the following signs:

swollen nipples and genitals;
mucous discharge from the genital loop;
restlessness, refusal to eat, alertness.

You can check the correctness of the observations by pressing your hand on the back: the pig freezes in one position, does not move, rests. As soon as the signs become apparent, it can happen. The male is allowed in twice: when the hunt is detected and after 12–18 hours.

Control observation begins after half a month and is carried out up to 23 days from the date of coverage. If the pig does not begin a new cycle of estrus, it is considered pregnant. Otherwise they let another boar in.

Choice of gilts for brood

For breeding piglets, it is necessary to select a healthy, mobile, harmoniously developed pig without signs of obesity and a purebred sire. Doesn't have to be the same breed.

To select a pig for breeding, you must carefully read its characteristics. It is desirable that it be:

early spring or winter offspring (during the summer you can fatten a young pig to condition on cheap feed, happen in the fall and get piglets to grow by next spring);
purebred;
acclimatized;
potentially highly productive. There are more chances if her mother has such qualities as: multiple pregnancies, high milk production, developed maternal instinct.

Carefully evaluate the exterior. The pig should have a strong constitution, a wide chest, adjacent shoulder blades, a flat or slightly arched back, as well as clean, shiny hooves, a maximum number of teats (depending on the breed 5–8 pairs), and a normal bite.

Choosing the timing of insemination

Terms depend on natural factors:

By the time of ovulation, sperm should already be in the pig's genital tract. Otherwise, within 5-10 hours, she will lose the ability to fertilize.
After mating, at least 5 hours pass until the sperm internal environment the genital organs of the pig undergo capacitation, and get the opportunity to fertilize the egg. Therefore, mating should occur no earlier than 5 hours before ovulation.
Sperm remain viable for up to 48 hours. With artificial insemination, this period is reduced to 12 hours. Therefore, the maximum interval between mating and ovulation should not exceed 12 hours.

Usually, estrus lasts about 12 hours (deviations are possible within 8–20 hours). If a pig shows signs of excitement in the morning, then it is inseminated in the evening and, conversely, if it occurs in the evening, mating is carried out in the morning. At home, it is recommended to carry it out twice. Repeatedly - after 12 hours. If the hunt does not stop, mating continues with the same frequency until the signs disappear.

natural insemination

At home, natural insemination is the best option for breeding piglets. Especially for beginners and inexperienced pig breeders. As a rule, for the rearing of piglets, a pig or several and a boar-producer are bred, allowing for mating before ovulation. The pig is placed in the machine for this time. The male is kept separately and allowed only for mating.

If you have only pigs on your farm, you can bring a producer for breeding from outside - from a neighboring farm or farm.

There are up to 25 females per sire. Maximum productivity is observed in two-year-old boars. They are able to cover pigs daily for a week. Then they need a couple of days of rest.

With natural fertilization at home, it is necessary to keep statistics of offspring: if piglets have high mortality, developmental disorders appear, the male is changed.

Optimum temperature environment for the production of high-quality sperm is + 20 ... + 22 ° С. It must be maintained at least 40 days before the expected season of active cages. When growing a boar, you need to properly care for it: fully feed it, provide exercise, avoiding obesity.

Natural fertilization at home is recommended to be carried out, observing simple rules:

Identify pigs in heat.
Carry out an inspection. In the presence of external defects, the pig is not allowed to breed.
Drive a female and a male into a special pen, which had a rest for about 24 hours before. The pig must clearly show characteristic immobility.
After the male has made a cage, and the pig reacted normally to the movements, it is necessary to wait until his penis stretches out, and, having made a tunnel in front of the vulva with his hands (in gloves), direct it to the cervix.
The process takes up to 10 minutes. In this case, the penis should be fixed in the neck, and the male should stop the characteristic tremors.

During mounting, you need to monitor the condition of the pulsating urethra of the pig, and also check that sperm does not leak out. The breeding results are recorded in the diary. After a couple of hours, the pig is provided with complete rest.

artificial insemination

At home, artificial insemination of pigs is rarely practiced. More often in industrial pig breeding. It is important that the sperm is of high quality and fresh. Age no more than 12 hours from the moment of defrosting or selection from the manufacturer. When inseminating:

With paper towels, first clean the pig's vulva, then the vaginal mucosa.
Prepare everything you need at home: connect the catheter to the semen bag.
With a non-working hand, pull back the vulva. Working - insert a catheter. This is done slowly, carefully, along the upper wall of the vagina, at an angle of 45 °, from top to bottom. The cervix should fix the head of the catheter. This is checked by pulling back.
You can't push the package. The sperm passes through the catheter on its own. It is important that it does not leak out. If this happens, the introduction is stopped for 30-40 seconds. When the neck relaxes, the process is resumed.
During fertilization, massage the pig's sides in the area of the sacrum, the clitoris to stimulate the natural contractions of the uterus.
The catheter is left inside for 2-3 minutes. It is necessary to bend the end and fix it so that there is no outflow of sperm.

Preparing for farrowing

Preparation for the appearance of piglets at home begins in the fourth month. Increase the protein components of the pig's diet: add legumes, fishmeal, meat or dairy waste. They give more succulent feed: root crops, vegetables, fruits. Provide vitamin and mineral supplements.

The pig must have a range, with the possibility of sunbathing.

Approximately 4 days before the appearance of piglets, the daily amount of feed is halved, and the pig is given complete rest, and walking is limited.

In a couple of days, when colostrum is released from the nipples when pressed, and the genital loop becomes red, you need to prepare:

Machine: the walls and inventory are whitewashed.
New bedding where the pig will make a nest.
Troughs for water in the machine at the pig and in a special compartment for feeding piglets. Toddlers are additionally prepared containers for mineral supplements.
Flashlight.

Keep a separate survey kit:

a bedding box in which you will receive piglets;
threads;
clean burlap, rags or old towels for piglets;
scissors.

Farrow

The process takes 2-6 hours. Piglets are carefully wiped from mucus, removing it, including from the nose and mouth of the piglet. If babies appear in the amniotic sac, it is first torn open. The umbilical cord is torn by hand at a distance of about 6 cm from the belly of the piglet. Disinfected with iodine. Cutting with scissors, tie the end with threads so that the piglet does not bleed, then treat with iodine.

The treated piglet is immediately applied to the pre-washed and wiped nipple, while it sucks, the rest are accepted.

If the pig shows excessive anxiety and there is a danger that she will crush the piglets, it is better to deposit them for 2-3 hours and only then apply to the udder.

With difficult farrowing at home, you need to enlist the support of a veterinarian.

All waste (umbilical cords, placenta, bedding) is immediately burned. Make sure that the pig does not crush the piglets. To do this, install special safety barriers along the walls of the machine.

Nursing sow care

Particular attention after farrowing is paid to the nutrition and watering of the pig. It is important to ensure:

Clean and fresh water available at all times to make up for the natural losses that occurred during childbirth. The temperature is not lower than +10°С.
After about 8 hours, give a mash of bran and oatmeal to prevent constipation.
The average daily feed rate is restored after a week. This prevents mastitis.

The udder of the pig is unevenly developed. For normal growth, it is recommended to attach the front teats to the smallest piglets. And apply larger ones to the inguinal ones. At home, it is better to make a mark on the back of each, from which side he sucks the udder: “P” - right, “L” - left. Up to the point that dots mark which nipple is assigned to each. One - the first, two - the second, etc.

A suckling pig, a week after the survey, increases the feeding rate by 70–80% to cover energy costs for lactation. If there are more than 10 piglets, then an additional 0.4 feed units are given for each in addition to this number, or the same amount is taken away, if less. In winter, at least 50% concentrates are fed, 30% succulent feed and 10% hay flour.

It is important to ensure cleanliness in the machine, timely feeding of piglets. To do this, the pig after feeding (2-3 times a day) is sent for walking. At first, a quarter of an hour is enough, and after five days this time is increased.

During suction, the pig must be looked after especially carefully. Clean, and in the summer it is better to wash. Do an udder massage. You can not scream and use physical force.

Raising piglets

Little piglets need to be looked after no worse than a pig. From the first days they are given mineral supplements (chalk, coal or red clay) and clean water.

An important aspect that will ensure the successful rearing of piglets is hygiene. Water is changed up to 6 times a day. Dishes are thoroughly washed and disinfected. Produce a complete change of litter in pigs and piglets.

If a 10–15-day-old piglet shows lethargy, pallor, whitish diarrhea, these are manifestations of anemia. At home, it is prevented by solutions of iron or blue vitriol. They are used to wet the udder of a pig or add red clay as a mineral supplement to piglets. Sod is often recommended for this purpose. A layer of 1–1.5 kg is enough for a day.

In addition to minerals from 3 days of age, you can gradually introduce roasted cereals and legumes. And from 10 days - crushed boiled potatoes with milk, grated fodder beets or carrots. Piglets are gradually introduced grass meal, hay, germinated grain and fish oil.

For three weeks, take care of the temperature: it should be warm at the floor level (at least + 12 ° C). Then it is reduced and by the time of weaning the piglets from the pig is brought to +8°C. It is important that there are no drafts and the possibility of walking (already from 5 days).

At 1.5–2 months, castration of wild boars is carried out. At about two months old, piglets must be weaned from the pig and reared separately. In feeding use concentrates, succulent feed, reverse. The choice of what to feed piglets is determined by growing conditions, fattening technology and the actual feed base.

Of course, caring for pigs requires some experience and knowledge. It will be difficult for beginners to cope with a large livestock at home for beginners. But, getting involved in the process, you will not notice how your household will gradually grow.

Breeding pets has always been a very profitable business, especially if it is carried out by professionals. One of the most profitable business in the agricultural business is the breeding of pigs, since a pair of piglets can get $ 50-200. Breeding pigs at home is a rather complicated, but also profitable business. You will learn how to breed pigs at home below.

Farmers mainly breed domestic breeds of pigs, but foreign ones are also very popular. Recall that pig breeds are divided into the following categories: lard-meat (when slaughtered, about 60 percent of lard and 20 percent of meat come out of the carcass; meat-greasy (70 percent of meat and 10-15 percent of lard); bacon (in the carcass there is approximately an equal amount of meat and lard).The choice of breed for breeding is entirely up to you, however, when choosing, you should take into account all the criteria and whims of representatives of various breeds.

The most popular among the tallow-meat breeds are the North Caucasian, Mirgorod and Belarusian black-and-white. Pigs of the above breeds in most cases have a black-and-white color. The weight of such pigs can reach the mark of 270-300 kilograms. It is worth noting that in a short period of time they gain a mass of more than 100 kilograms (150-170 days).

The Landrace and Estonian bacon pig breeds are the most popular representatives of the bacon pig category. Pigs are white long ears, elongated torso and well-fed hams and sirloin. The yield of fat from these breeds is low, and meat is high.

The list of the most popular meat-greasy breeds includes: Lithuanian, Northern Siberian and Ukrainian steppe white. The color of these animals, respectively, is white, the sizes are large. Representatives of the above breeds have poorly developed adipose tissue, which allows muscle tissue to gain a greater percentage of weight in the carcass. Divorce of pigs of such breeds is especially common in household, because they are suitable for meat and bacon fattening. A sow can produce 10 to 15 piglets per farrow. In six months of life, piglets gain a mass of 100 kilograms, and the weight of an adult boar is more than 350 kilograms.

In recent years, the breeding of bellied pigs of the Korean and Vietnamese breeds has gained great popularity. It is very profitable to breed them. The cost of piglets of this breed can range from 80-120 dollars per pair, however, a sow can bring from 14 to 20 piglets per farrowing, which fully covers all the costs of food and the purchase of piglets for breeding. Pigs of these breeds belong to the bacon category, they are small and compact, and their exactingness in nutrition and housing conditions is low. The only disadvantage of Korean and Vietnamese pigs is weak immunity, so they need to be vaccinated.

Today, many are interested in the question: "Is it profitable to breed pigs?". The answer is, of course. In just 2-3 years of maintenance, you can get more than 1000 percent of the profit.

Prerequisites for pigs

Before you get hung up on the idea of breeding pigs, you need to decide on the technology of breeding pigs. It should be noted that some breeds of pigs are very demanding on the climate, feeding conditions and therefore it is necessary to create for them special conditions. Otherwise, their content will only go at a loss.

To get pigs of any breed, it is worth, first of all, to build a pigsty and a paddock. In this case, it must be taken into account that in the corral each pig must have at least 4 square meters free space. If the pigs are kept in small closed sheds, then productivity will be very difficult to achieve. At the same time, it is better to put the pigsty a little away from the house, since a not very pleasant smell can be heard from there. After the pigsty and pen are built, you need to buy or make your own feeders and drinkers. It is best to cover the floor with boards and lay a layer of dry straw on top so that in bad weather the pigs do not freeze and do not catch colds. It is better to breed pigs in insulated rooms.

Feeding and care

Pigs have a single-chamber stomach, which is why it is difficult for them to digest foods that contain fiber. Because of this, their diet should consist of 80 percent of foods that have a large capacity of minerals and carbohydrates, while coarse and juicy green foods should be smaller.

Pigs can also be fed traditional wet food, which includes food scraps, boiled potatoes, grains and grass. You can also feed them dry food - crushed grain mixtures with the addition of pea flour and various additives. If the second option suits you better, then you should make sure that the pigs always have water. The disadvantage of this method of feeding may be constipation and a decrease in the level of weight gain.

The dry type of feeding requires little effort, since you do not have to cook vegetables for the pigs twice a day and carry buckets with a mash. So that the pigs are not hungry, it is enough just to crush the grain in advance, add the remaining components and give the pigs a norm.

The younger generation grows better on dry feed, so if pigs are regarded as a profitable investment, and not as a destroyer of waste from the kitchen, then it is better to buy dry feed.

It is worth feeding grains to representatives of different pig breeds in a ground form, since this is how they are much better digested and absorbed. Feeding whole grains to pigs is uneconomical. Yes, pigs will eat them, but this will be of little use, since 50-60 percent of the grain will come out undigested along with feces.

As vitamin supplements, a small amount of root crops is fed to pigs raw, and as the main feed - boiled and in large enough quantities.

Pigs should not be overfed. At one meal, they should eat a little less than their stomach can accommodate, so that there is a slight feeling of hunger.

When it comes to feeding pigs of meat breeds, then care must be taken to ensure that their feed contains a large amount of protein that makes up muscle tissue. With a sufficient amount of protein in the diet of pigs, they will quickly gain live weight. Therefore, it is best to give leguminous crops, fishmeal, fodder yeast, cake, reverse, skimmed milk or meat and bone meal.

How to breed

Breeding of bellied and other breeds of pigs - difficult process and therefore must be treated responsibly. According to preliminary data, the first signs of hunting in pigs may appear as early as 6-7 months of age. Hunting can be determined by the red genitals and mucous membranes. At the same time, it is worth remembering that it is better not to allow young sows to the boar at such a “young” age. It is best to carry out fertilization at the age of 10-12 months, since the sow is then already fully ready for fruiting. If the sow happens at this age, then this can lead to health problems for both the mother and offspring, as well as the tendency of the latter to gain weight.

You need to prepare for mating in advance and for a week before mating, it is better to feed the sow with juicy feed and concentrates. It is better to choose a sow from healthy, large pigs with a good appetite, since it is such an individual that will be able to bear healthy offspring. A sow that is suitable for fertilization must add at least 500 grams of live weight per day. If the mating takes place in the summer, then the pig must be released into the fresh air so that it eats grass and is nourished with useful substances.

It is better to let the uterus to the boar 12 hours after the first signs of hunting were noticed in the sow. To make sure that the mating is successful, it is necessary that the boar covers the uterus 2 times. If, a month after the mating, no signs of hunting were noticed for the sow, then we can assume that the mating was a success.

Pregnancy in representatives of various pig breeds can last from 115 to 119 days. In order to accurately know the date of farrowing, it is necessary to keep a calendar, crossing out every day that has passed since the moment of mating.

Feeding the uterus at the beginning of pregnancy is practically the same as the daily diet, however, after the first month of pregnancy, the pig must be given a balanced diet that contains a large amount of the nutrients needed by the nascent generation. Particular attention should be paid to ensure that all components of the sow's diet are fresh, since eating rotten or spoiled foods by the uterus can lead to the fact that the embryo can die right in the sow's body.

It is also worth preparing for farrowing in advance. Pigs are very aware of the approach of farrowing and begin to behave restlessly. If a pig behaves restlessly, cannot find a place for itself and drags a litter in its teeth, building something like a nest in the bottom corner of the barn, then know that a new generation will be born over the next week.

It is necessary to clean and disinfect the pigsty in advance, as well as prepare all the necessary devices that may be required during difficult births. Often, farrowing takes place at night and it is better to be watched by a qualified wind worker, but if there is none, then you can take birth yourself, having slightest notion in this case.

Instruction

First you need to build a warm barn, make it fit. If you will not only grow for production, but also breed them, then the room should be spacious, bright and without drafts. Mandatory with exhaust ventilation.

It is equally important to acquire good breed pigs. If you choose a bad breed, no matter how you feed them, no matter how correct it is, you will not wait for profit.

Choosing a breed, piglets need to be properly fed. Piglets are fed 4-5 times a day. Portions at one time should not be large, always with the content of milk and skimmed milk, the litter is changed very often. Piglets must be clean and dry. It is better to pick them up at 2-2.5. The young that have been under the mother for a long time are stronger and more viable. All boars intended for meat production must be baited immediately. Piglets are also vaccinated against infectious diseases. To do this, you need to invite a veterinarian.

Special additives must be added to the feed: vitamin, mineral, meat and bone meal, fishmeal, fish oil.

As soon as dry weather with positive temperatures sets in, the piglets need to be walked. To do this, build a fenced walking area. Walking is carried out separately from adults. Grown up piglets are gradually transferred to three times.

The feed should consist of concentrates, the amount of milk in the diet is reduced, a large amount of skim milk is added. In summer, be sure to give fresh grass, and hay. Add root vegetables and kitchen waste to your diet. Continue adding fish oil and meat and bone meal to the mash.

With good feeding and maintenance, young animals reach 100-120 kilograms in 6=7 months. Further maintenance is not advisable, as it increases the cost of obtaining products. All pigs go to slaughter. Only the highest quality individuals are left for the production of offspring.

The productive age in a pig begins at 8-9 months, in a boar at 12-14 months. For offspring should be at least 90-100 kilograms, but not fat. A covered pig is fed with high-quality food and taken out for a walk. Walks are canceled only in severe frosts. In the pen where a pregnant pig is kept, it should always be clean and dry.

With proper feeding and maintenance, breeding pigs is a very profitable business. Before you buy piglets for growing and breeding, you need to build a large, strong, warm cage for summer maintenance and enclose a spacious paddock on the street. You also need to build the right feeders and drinkers for pigs.

Instruction

When buying piglets, choose the breed that suits your needs. There are meat breeds, meat-fat, tallow and bacon. Good performance in cultivation is given by the breeds of Landrace, Russian and their crosses. They produce up to 14-16 piglets per litter and are ready to breed at 8 months of age. These breeds reach an industrial weight of 100-120 kg by 6-7 months of age. The Russian White Thoroughbred reaches even more significant.

Keep the boar for reproduction in a separate pen. Walking for him should be fenced separately.

All pregnant gilts should also be kept separately. Before farrowing, separate a place in the pen for piglets. You need to block it with holes so that only piglets pass and the pig cannot crawl with its head. The litter of a pregnant pig needs to be changed twice a day so that everything is clean and dry in case of farrowing. After the pig has farrowed, its diet is increased by milk, skim milk and root crops. Piglets at the age of 2-3 weeks start with well-cooked porridge and milk. They put the feeder in a pen separated for them. After two months, the piglets are weaned from the mumps and begin to feed in the usual way.