Among all the breeds, the Vietnamese double-bellied pigs, predisposed to rapid weight gain, stand out especially, which makes it easiest to fatten them for slaughter. Breeding pigs provides the owner with a supply of meat.
The history of the breed
The name of the breed is the result of a historical error. Vietnamese pigs were bred in Southeast Asia. But they came to Europe from Vietnam in 1985, because the breed began to be called Vietnamese. Vietnamese pigs have been imported to Russia recently.
Work to improve the breed is not over. It is especially active in Ukraine, Hungary and Canada.
The full correct name of the breed is the Asian herbivorous viscous-bellied pig.
Many people confuse this species with Korean pigs, or believe that Vietnamese and Chinese are the same animals. In fact, Chinese pigs are popular decorative mini-pigs. Despite the enormous external differences, they are really relatives of the Vietnamese Whiskers.
Description and characteristics of Vietnamese pigs
Vietnamese pigs are large animals. In adulthood, an individual should weigh from 80 to 100 kilograms. Breeding representatives of the breed can weigh up to 150 kilograms. The pig gains weight for the first 5 years of life at high speed. But gradually this process slows down. In wild boars, fangs begin to grow at 6 months old, and reach 10-15 centimeters.
Representatives of this breed are not distinguished by variability of colors. They may be:
- black (mostly common colors);
- black and white.
A noticeable external difference between the Vietnamese breed and the others is the hanging belly. It manifests itself from the first month of life.
The body structure of the animals is not high, with short, flat strong legs, shoulders and chest wide, a large head, with small erect ears, a flattened muzzle, and a patch with folds.
Advantages and disadvantages of breeding Vietnamese pigs
No wonder the Vietnamese fold is one of the most popular breeds of pigs. This was facilitated by a number of advantages:
- Fast weight gain. Already in 7-8 months, representatives of this breed reach 80 kilograms.
- Early puberty. Females at 4 months are able to give offspring, and in wild boars the instinct of procreation wakes up in six months.
- Fertility. A female can give birth from 5 to 20 piglets, and produce offspring twice a year.
- Ease of reproduction. Sows of the Vietnamese Whiskers are caring mothers who do not attack their piglets, unlike representatives of other breeds.
- Herbivore. This feature makes it easier for farmers to feed animals.
- High immunity. Pig-specific illnesses do not affect Vietnamese viscera, so they do not need to be vaccinated.
- Memory for poisonous plants. The animal remembers what food has harmed him, and passes this knowledge through genes to future generations.
- Cleanliness. Pigs of this breed always cope with the need for the same place, located away from the zone of sleep and feeding.
- Unpretentiousness to climatic differences. The breed easily tolerates strong heat and cold.
- Peacefulness. Vietnamese pigs are non-aggressive, friendly, do not eat their piglets, do not bite, do not scream, and are even capable of training.
- There is no unpleasant odor.
- Valuable meat. It is very tender, with a low level of harmful cholesterol.
The breed has a few disadvantages. These include:
- Exposure to animal helminths.
- For Vietnamese pigs, drafts in the pigsty are especially dangerous.
How to choose piglets?
There are a number of rules, adhering to which, you can get healthy and strong piglets of the Vietnamese vis-bellied:
- Get piglets at the age of 1 month, then they will quickly and easily get used to the new environment.
- Ask the breeder for the baby’s birth weight and weight gain.
- Ask to show the parents of the pig, according to their appearance, the qualities of the offspring are determined. Pay special attention to the sow, it should be thinner and with sagging milk shares. This is a sign that her piglets are about a month old.
- The cub itself must have strong legs, pronounced muscles and a sagging abdomen.
- For brood, do not get piglets from one farrow and from relatives-parents. Their offspring will be painful and with abnormalities.
- Pay attention to the mood of the little pigs. With good health, they will wag with tails and play actively.
- When buying, ask the owner what feed he gave the pigs. It will be possible to transfer young pigs to any other food, but gradually to avoid stool disorder.
Content conditions, pigsty
Vietnamese whiskers are unpretentious, but if you plan a long-term divorce of this breed, it is better to carefully prepare. To start, build a pigsty:
- It should be strong and without gaps. Windows are best done above the growth of pigs, so that the air circulates, but does not purge the animals. The optimal material for the pigsty is brick.
- It is advisable to fill the floor with concrete. This will greatly facilitate the cleaning of pigs.
- The pigsty is divided into wooden partitions by machine tools. “Flip Flops” are small in growth, therefore departments are also needed for them.
- The departments put wooden flooring for sleeping.
- Heating is recommended. This breed tolerates frosts, but weight will gain worse. For farrowing females and offspring, low temperatures can be fatal.
Vietnamese pigs go for a walk all year round. Therefore, they need an aviary. It should be fenced, with a canopy under which animals can hide from the heat and bad weather. It is recommended to dig a few uncouth logs, which they will scratch, and make a mud pool. Thanks to him, pigs can cool in the heat and drive away annoying insects. Pool water needs to be changed from once a week.
Feeding products
Many inexperienced farmers, having learned that Vietnamese whiskers are herbivores, feed them with one pasture. Pigs really survive with this method of feeding, but there will be no desired weight gain.
In addition to natural grazing, guaranteeing fresh grass in the diet, it is worth providing “Vietnamese”:
- hay of clover and alfalfa;
- fresh zucchini, pumpkin, carrots, apples;
- boiled potatoes;
- vitamin supplements.
Representatives of this breed are well fed with a grain feed mixture, consisting of barley and wheat, ground into flour. You can add a little bean, oats and corn to it, but not more than 10% of the total mass. Otherwise, they will cause excessive fat formation.
Meat tastes better if pigs feed on wet food. To prepare it, the grain mixture with the addition of 5-10 grams of salt is steamed with boiling water.
Sows should be given milk, eggs, whey, fish oil and vitamins. Additives are introduced into the cooled cereal porridge.
Vietnamese islabel pigs have a small stomach and intestinal diameter, therefore they are not suitable for food:
- coarse feed;
- straw;
- fodder beets;
- high fiber foods;
- the abundance of corn, oats and peas in the feed.
Caring for this breed, it is necessary to regularly give preparations for helminths.
In addition, we recommend that you read how to independently make a feeder for pigs.
Breeding
The most important thing in breeding whiskers is to prevent your relative from covering the boar. The offspring will be sick, poorly gaining weight and possibly infertile. To prevent this, you need to know the signs of readiness for mating in the female:
- anxiety and nervousness;
- swelling of the genital loop;
- genital discharge appears;
- fading in place with pressure on the croup.
Although the females reach puberty at 4 months, and in some cases even earlier, they need to be knitted only when they gain sufficient weight - 32-35 kilograms. Otherwise, the offspring will be frail, and the sow may not tolerate gestation and childbirth.
A pregnant female carries piglets for 114-118 days. In the first farrow, she will give birth to about 5 babies. Further on average 10-12, but their number can reach 20 pieces.
5-6 days before giving birth, the female will begin to worry and make a nest of straw or hay. If the abdomen lowered, and colostrum appeared on the nipples, then farrowing will occur in the next 10-20 hours. You need to prepare for it:
- To clean the machine, put fresh hay.
- To fence off and warm the place for piglets. In the early days, babies should be kept at a temperature of at least +20 degrees Celsius, and preferably at + 30-32 degrees.
- Increase the overall heating of the pigsty.
- Make sure that the female always has clean water. She will not feed on the day of birth.
Many do not interfere in the process of childbirth and do not touch the piglets in the first days. But this may result in the death of the cubs, especially at the first farrowing of the female. Babies are born very hungry, and if the sow does not appear in advance or in the near future after farrowing colostrum, then they can die. Therefore, for the birth itself, you need to prepare in advance:
- a backup option for feeding newborn piglets;
- diapers for wiping and wrapping;
- a flannel clean cloth to clean the eyes and respiratory tract of mucus;
- a disinfectant (e.g. chlorhexidine solution);
- scissors and threads to sew up the umbilical cord;
- iodine and cotton wool for cauterizing wounds.
Childbirth in a Vietnamese sow lasts from 3 to 5 hours. The end of the process is indicated by the exit of the placenta.
Offspring
Piglets are surrounded by mother's care, her milk gives them all the necessary substances for the first days of life. But strong babies can repel weaker ones from the nipples, you need to follow this, and help everyone get access to nutrition.
There is no iron in sow's milk. This often leads to anemia in piglets. Therefore, they are injected into the muscles of iron-containing preparations for animals, the dosage and number of injections - according to the instructions.
Supplements are introduced into the weekly litter:
- a piece of chalk;
- charcoal;
- calcium;
- phosphorus.
On the tenth day they are given a drinker with clean water, by this time the weight of each baby should be at least 1 kilogram. On the twentieth day, porridge from compound feed with vitamins is introduced into the diet. The monthly piglet is already fed with adult food. At this age, it weighs 3 kilograms and can be sold.
Weaning should be weaned not one day, but gradually, offering babies an alternative to milk. Otherwise, the pigs will have a food disorder, and the sows will have mastitis.
At the age of 40 days, anthelmintic procedures can be carried out with piglets. For example, give the drug Brovadazole.
Raising Vietnamese pigs as a business
The cost of a pig of a Vietnamese vis-bellied pig is 3,000 rubles, and an adult is 8,000 rubles. For breeding, it is enough to buy 2 females and 1 wild boar.
The conditions of detention and feeding of this breed does not require large investments. As a result, all costs will pay off within one year.
The nutritional properties and the low content of bad cholesterol, which is rare for pork meat, make Vietnamese loose-bellied pigs unique, which increases their value. They are very popular in farmers and food markets.
In meat markets, the meat of young teenage piglets is especially appreciated. But more often adult animals weighing 80-100 kg are sent for slaughter.
At the moment, the Vietnamese lop-sided pig is the most profitable for domestic breeding. It grows rapidly, gives a large offspring, has a high immunity, and an easygoing character. Her meat differs from meat of other breeds of pigs in more useful characteristics. The cost of keeping animals is minimal, and fully covered by the sale of the first farrow.
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