Characteristics of the Mangal pig breed
The Mangal pig breed is distinguished by high productivity, as well as an interesting appearance: curly pigs look quite attractive. The breed is undemanding to maintenance and perfectly adapts to any climate. Pig Mangal has been selected for the purpose of obtaining meat with a minimum amount of fat.
Pig breed Brazier
general information
Pigs of the Mangal breed appeared in 1833 as a result of crossing wild representatives with the Carpathian Mangalitsa.
The Mangal pig has a number of advantages. So, unlike its relatives, a Mangal pig is rapidly gaining weight, an adult boar can weigh about 300 kg. These pigs are classified as elite herbivores.
Breeding pigs of the Mangal breed is a rather painstaking process, therefore, in most cases, this is done by large pig farms or experienced breeders who have been working with artiodactyls for more than one year. Piglets of the Mangal breed are extremely in demand, and their cost is relatively high.
Mangalsky pigs are divided into 4 subspecies, depending on the color of the coat. Mostly pigs of the Mangal breed are white, this color is typical for 80% of the representatives. The remaining 20% falls on individuals of the Mangal pig breed of red (look at the photo), mixed and black colors. Unfortunately, all of these representatives, except for whites, are now on the verge of extinction.
After birth, piglets have striped hair. In the first month of life, it gradually disappears. Even newborn piglets have good immunity and resistance to cold, so in winter they can safely stay in a wooden room without additional heating.
Description of external characteristics:
- ears of medium size;
- curly thick hair;
- maximum weight - 300 kg;
- the body is strong;
- good muscle mass with a minimum of fat;
- strong thin limbs.
Growing features
To improve the quality of meat, males are castrated. During puberty, a powerful release of estrogens and endogens occurs, as a result of which the characteristic unpleasant odor appears in the meat. It is recommended to carry out resection of the gonads at the age of one month. This procedure also promotes accelerated growth, so sometimes females are sterilized.
Mangala pigs reach sexual maturity at six months. The sow carries offspring for 120 days. If farrowing is not the first, then in one pregnancy the mumps can bear more than 12 babies. After 5 days, the piglet is able to eat liquid talkers. At the age of one month, roots and greens can already be introduced into the diet.
In order for the pigs to feel normal in the cold season, it is necessary to provide them with a sufficient balanced diet. The diet should include the following foods:
- root crops and hay - 70%;
- chestnuts, acorns - 30%;
- liquid vitamins and minerals.
It is very important that the pigs receive a sufficient amount of compound feed, but in no case should they overfeed.An excess of food, as well as a lack, is harmful to the health of animals: they may even die from overeating. Piglets are weaned from their mother at 4 weeks of age. To increase productivity, mating is carried out on the 5-7th day after absence.
Piglets of the Mangal breed have good immunity, so they can not be vaccinated. Mangals are friendly to other inhabitants of the barnyard, as well as to people.
Where to contain
Pigs of the Mangal breed are large in size, respectively, they need a lot of space for keeping and walking. Brazier pigs are kept in a fenced area. Walking is organized in places with dense vegetation so that the pigs can feast on greens whenever they please.
On the walking area, it is necessary to install a separate canopy so that the pigs can hide from the rain and heat. For winter maintenance, it is necessary to build a barn. A bed of straw or hay is placed on the floor of the barn. Additional heating is not required.
A pig shed is best built out of wood. The pigsty must be equipped with a ventilation system. An important point in keeping pigs is maintaining an optimal microclimate in the room, it is also important to avoid unsanitary conditions. The litter should be changed regularly.
Feeding features
Mangals are omnivorous animals. Contrary to stereotypes, these representatives do not need a lot of food at all. The basis of a pig carcass is muscle mass. Under good conditions, Mangalians gain 600 g per day.
If it is not possible to walk the pigs, you need to prepare food for them yourself. The pigs need enough greenery, so you will have to mow the grass for them. Also, the diet should have a sufficient amount of vegetables:
- pumpkin;
- zucchini;
- beet;
- carrot;
- potatoes.
Braziers can consume almost all vegetation, including not only vegetables, but also fruits. The only prohibition is apricots: their seeds cause poisoning in pets. All vegetables and fruits must be grated and only then given to pigs. In order for the piglets to grow faster, cereals are introduced into the diet.
When a pet reaches a weight of 150 kg, you need to diversify the diet and monitor its balance: with a lack of nutrients, growth can stop completely. In order for pigs to learn how to get pasture for themselves, they need to be taught to do this at an early age. Ideal for piglets to walk with their mother.
Pros and cons of the breed
Reviews of those who keep Mangal pigs are mostly positive. Breeders are pleased with the simplicity of keeping and caring for these pigs. The main advantages are good adaptability of representatives of this breed to any climatic conditions and economy in terms of feeding.
Breeders note that Mangals' meat is much more tender than other pigs, and has practically no fat. The disadvantages include the high price of purebred individuals. They are also very difficult to get hold of. Such a pig can cost more than 12,000 rubles. It all depends on the pedigree.
Nevertheless, even with a relatively high price, representatives of the Mangal variety are quite in demand. If you fork out once and purchase several individuals, then in the future they can be bred without any problems on your own. Another disadvantage is the requirements for the area for keeping: large pigs need large areas for walking.
Pigsty requirements
To keep pigs of the Mangal breed, a large room will be required. The area will depend on the number of livestock. For a comfortable stay of one individual, you need 5 sq. m. Many say that Mangalov can be kept outdoors, even in winter, but the animals still need to hide from frost, especially if they are small pigs.
Particular attention should be paid to laying the floor. For a small number of pigs, an earthen mound can be made and placed on top of the board. For large livestock, the best option is a concrete slatted coating. It is not recommended to choose a porous material for flooring: it will absorb animal waste products, which will aggravate the smell. When laying the floor, you need to build gutters for the gadfly of feces and urine.
It is very important to organize good ventilation of the room. Supply and exhaust structures are mainly used. Illumination also plays an important role: in overly lit rooms, pigs become restless. The number of windows will directly depend on the floor area.
You need to organize a water supply to the pigsty. This is necessary to ensure hygienic standards and will greatly simplify cleaning, especially if the floor is made with a slight slope. The air temperature in winter should not fall below zero. Braziers are distinguished by good immunity, so the installation of heating equipment is not required.
Conclusion
You can find out more information from the video - brazier pig breed.
Such pigs have huge advantages over other species. Their breeding does not require special expenses, because even with large dimensions of feed, they consume much less in comparison with other varieties. Pigs of the Mangalsk breed are characterized by rapid weight gain. An adult boar reaches 300 kg.
When breeding Mangal pigs for meat, it is imperative to carry out a resection of the gonads. This procedure significantly accelerates weight gain and improves the quality of the meat. Large animals need large walking areas.
It is quite problematic to buy a purebred pig of the Mangalsky breed. Unfortunately, individuals of red, mixed and black colors are on the verge of extinction. Most of them are grown on large pig farms. The piglets of this variety are very expensive.