Pig feeding rules
Today, the quality of products sold in stores and on the market is difficult to determine without special research. More and more people are thinking about raising livestock on their own. The most promising and economical in terms of breeding and keeping are pigs. Their meat is by far the most demanded. Fattening pigs for meat to large sizes is not an easy task and requires some knowledge and skills from the farmer.
Feeding pigs at home
Factors affecting feeding
Feeding pigs at home begins with studying the structural features of their digestive system. This knowledge will make it possible to better understand the principles of nutrition of individuals. When organizing pig feeding, it is important to take into account the fact that these animals are omnivorous. The breakdown of food occurs already in the oral cavity under the influence of saliva. With age, the pig's stomach increases to 8 liters. Its inner surface is covered with a mucous membrane and is divided into 5 sections. In the stomach, food is further processed.
In the early stages of development in piglets, the digestive function of the stomach is insufficient. The stomachs secrete little or no hydrochloric acid. The period of absence of hydrochloric acid secretion by the glands in piglets is called achlorhidia. With age, the stomach enlarges, therefore, the glands, which secrete more and more secretions. By the age of 7 months, the pork stomach is able to digest a large amount of food.
Based on the above-described features of the development of the gastrointestinal tract in young animals, the fattening of piglets with coarser food begins at the age of 3 months.
Due to the intestinal type of digestion, animals can digest any type of food. The most rational is feeding, which does not require the mediation of microflora. In large industrial plants, concentrates are often used. In addition to concentrated feed, pigs are introduced into the diet:
- silage;
- roots;
- fresh herbs: nettles, legumes, alfalfa;
- food and dairy industry waste.
Feeding pigs for profit is considered the most economical. Compared to other members of the barnyard, pigs require much less feed. Many early ripening breeds gain up to 100 kg in a month, while 3 to 5 feed units are spent per 1 kg of weight gain, while cattle needs from 7 to 12 feed units with intensive feeding.
Pigs, like any other farm animals, according to production data, can belong to 3 types. Accordingly, the types of pig feeding are divided into:
- fattening meat;
- sebaceous;
- combined.
Feeding pigs for meat
Pig fattening is the most effective at this moment and is used by our compatriots most often. Bacon fattening of pigs begins with the correct selection of the animal breed. Meat breeds include Duroc, Pietrain, Hampshire, Tamworth.
Pig fattening begins at 3 months of age and continues until 7-9 months, until the pig gains weight of 100-130 kg. In representatives of meat breeds, the percentage of meat is 70%, the fat layer on the ridge is 4 cm.
At home, it is very easy to compose your own diet. There is a special table of norms for feeding pigs for meat, bacon feeding.
The basis of nutrition in the summer is made up of juicy green fodder. Free-range keeping can significantly reduce feed costs. In winter, feed is enriched with root crops, silage and hay. The diet of fattening pigs also includes yeast, all kinds of wet mash of bran, bakery products, fermented milk products.
As a rule, early-maturing piglets are chosen for bacon fattening. Feeding a piglet for bacon is perhaps the hardest part. For this, young animals of 2-3 months are chosen, which have already reached 25 kg. Most often, preference is given to breeds that have an elongated body, because the final product is obtained precisely from the middle part of the carcass. Feeding involves strict control of the amount of protein in the diet: 130 g per kg of body weight at the beginning of fattening, and 100 g at the end.
Pigs with a body weight of 90-100 kg are sent for slaughter. If you gain weight too quickly, when the pig already weighs 90 kg at 5 months, the bacon will be watery. Such a product will not be able to be stored for a long time, on the contrary, with a slow gain in mass up to 10 months, the bacon becomes tough, dry and stretches like rubber. During the fattening of the bacon pigs, careful selection is made. Unsuitable:
- boars castrated at the age of three months;
- non-castrated males;
- pregnant and lactating sows.
Feeding pigs for lard
The type of fattening pigs to fatty conditions involves the use of individuals culled for various reasons. With this method of fattening, breeders aim to improve the quality indicators of lard, meat and lard. The percentage of lard in the carcass is 50%, meat - not less than 40%. Most often, such representatives are sold for sausages. This is the fastest piglet feeding: it only takes 2-3 months.
Most of the diet should be high-carbohydrate, low-protein foods. In total, the regimen is 2-3 times a day feeding with wet mash. The average daily weight gain is 800-900 g.
Features of the diet
Pig fattening technology consists in the selection of high-quality feed. You cannot feed the pigs with something that falls off the table, otherwise you will not be able to achieve the desired result. It should be borne in mind that some products can spoil the quality of meat. This applies to fish waste. A month before slaughter, they are removed from the diet, otherwise the meat will have a specific taste and smell.
Pig fattening starts at 3 months of age. The same goes for greasy feeding. Upon reaching a mass of 25 kg, pigs are transferred to fattening: this technology assumes an effective set of muscle mass at the first stage due to protein nutrition. Pigs, rejected for various reasons, from any age, begin to feed on lard. When fattening Vietnamese piglets, almost the same scheme is used as for other representatives. It is important to remember that proteins should prevail in the diet of a meat breed pig, but for fattening, carbohydrate foods are mainly introduced into the diet, while the amount of proteins, on the contrary, is reduced.
From the age of 5 months, pigs begin to feed more high-calorie food and try to limit physical activity. In order for the pig to quickly gain weight, the diet must include combined feeds enriched with vitamins and minerals. It is best to introduce liquid vitamin supplements even in suckling age. When fed on fat, the pigs quickly gain weight, literally in 2-3 months.
Features of nutrition of young animals
The most effective method of feeding for meat involves several stages. Upon reaching 4 weeks of age, the piglets are weaned from their mother. Monthly weaners at home continue to be fed with cow's milk and little by little wet mash is introduced. Appropriate technology allows you to get juicy meat with uniform fat layers and excellent taste of meat products.
Many novice breeders are wondering how to choose piglets for fattening when switching to dry concentrated feed. As a rule, piglets are selected 3 months of age, reaching 25 kg. At this age, the young have already formed a stomach, individuals can feed on their own.
The keeping of fattening pigs involves 2 main phases:
- active set of muscle mass;
- the growth of body fat.
For fattening gilts for meat, you need to select suitable piglets and move them to a separate, bright room. Weaker individuals are also housed separately. Weaning requires special care. During this period, babies who have not yet weaned from their mother can experience stress, therefore, a deterioration in appetite is often observed. The fattening base mostly consists of wet mash and green grass.
Due to the fact that the stomach of piglets at 3 months is not yet fully formed, the feeding technology involves adherence to the diet. Piglets are fed up to 6 times a day, gradually reducing the number of feedings with age and introducing dry concentrated feed. Just at this time, an active set of muscle mass begins, so it is important to provide the piglets with sufficient walking.
Final part
Pig breeding is a profitable branch of agriculture. Among the representatives of the barnyard, pigs have the highest productivity. Raising pigs at home involves the use of several feeding technologies. The most effective and commonly used method of feeding meat. Special nutrition can significantly improve the quality of meat.
How much feed you need to give can be found in the table of feeding rates. Effective feeding allows for fast muscle gain and an even distribution of body fat. Keeping pigs on active feeding involves studying the characteristics of digestion and providing all the necessary conditions for a comfortable life. Feeding to fatty conditions can be started at any age. To improve the taste of lard, a lot of carbohydrate feeds with a low protein content are introduced into the diet.
How to quickly feed a pig, you can find out from the video, which contains all the necessary materials.
It is not easy to fatten your gilts correctly. The best technique today is considered to be feeding for meat. Raising pigs is the most economical farming activity. Unlike other livestock, pigs require much less feed to gain weight quickly. Even before and after photos, you can see stunning results.