Pig pregnancy
A pig is an animal that is highly valued by people for its delicious meat. The pet was domesticated a long time ago, which is why all its habits have been well studied, the rules for caring for it have been developed. Recently, it has become very common to raise pigs for sale at home. Such breeding requires a lot of effort, time and skill. In addition, in order to breed these animals, you need to know how much a pregnant pig walks.
How long does a pregnant pig walk
Even just raising these animals for yourself saves a lot of money and keeps you from low-quality meat and many diseases. Farmers need to know how many piglets a pig is carrying, how to feed a pregnant pig, how to prepare a pigsty for offspring. All these are important questions for those who decide to seriously engage in animal breeding.
Pig pregnancy
How long does a pig's pregnancy last? On average, about 110-120 days, that is, 4 months, but there are variations. It is almost impossible to name the exact period during which a pig bears offspring, since it depends on the animal's organism. This period can either decrease to 101 days or increase to 126. How long a piggy pig bears offspring depends on many factors. For example, stress can cause premature birth. So you need to be ready from the 110th day of pregnancy.
It is imperative to start a pregnancy calendar in pigs and mark important dates in it. Such a table is very convenient and allows you to immediately find the desired answer, and not calculate the values.
There are times when pregnancy lasts less than the due date. The mortality rate for such births is very high. In order for a healthy pig to be born, the female must also be healthy. For reproduction, a pig is chosen at the age of about 5 years, but not more, and weighing 100 kg. In pigs weighing more than 100 kg, childbirth is very difficult and the likelihood of death increases.
Under normal conditions, a pig can give birth within 5-6 months from the moment of birth, but the offspring is unlikely to be viable, since the physical maturity of the sow is not yet complete. But by the age of 9-10 months, the pig is physically ready already completely.
In order for the future sow to have time to conceive offspring, you need to bring her a good boar during the hunting period, which lasts from 2 to 4 days. Fertilization is best in the first days of hunting, since it is then that the pig is most active. If you do not make it in the allotted time, then there will be no sense from this.
Pregnancy in pigs in days and the gestation period varies from different criteria:
- season;
- living conditions created for animals;
- age category of the animal;
- the number of deliveries and the number of pups per litter.
For example, pregnancy in pigs is faster if the female is young.Also, gestation depends on the number of piglets carried by the sow. In summer, pregnant females usually walk a little longer than in winter. The timing may also depend on the breed of livestock. For example, the Vietnamese pot bellies can carry offspring for 114-118 days. But large white breeds, if you count in days, give birth on the 114th, and sometimes even on the 126th day. Average statistics show that 90% of individuals give birth on the 118th day of pregnancy.
Determination of pig pregnancy at home
How to determine the pregnancy of a pig at home for a novice farmer? This will not be difficult to do. Already on the 5th day there are signs of pregnancy. The main ones are:
- indifference to the outside world;
- lack of appetite even in the first days of pregnancy;
- discharge from the vagina of a curd consistency;
- nipples are getting ready for feeding, turn red;
- rapid weight gain;
- apathy during the hunting period.
In the first days after fertilization, a pregnant female has a high risk of miscarriage. At this time, you need to be especially careful. It is necessary to monitor the nutrition of the pigs, as an unsuitable product can also lead to fetal loss. If a miscarriage nevertheless occurs, this is not a problem, since immediately in the next critical period, the pig begins a second hunt.
How to determine if a pig is pregnant? In addition to the signs listed above, there are a number of methods that allow you to determine pregnancy with varying accuracy, even in the early days.
Method one
This method is based on the reaction of females. The farmer presses on special so-called processes in the lumbar region and withers. If the female is not pregnant, then after alternate pressure she will bend at the withers and lower back, while the pregnant female will stand evenly and calmly. If it did not work out right away or the reaction is ambiguous, then this method can be repeated again. The guarantee is quite large - 84%.
Method two
The female is calmed down and placed on a flat area. Further, they simply begin to stroke it in the direction from the shoulder blades to the sacrum. If the pig is not pregnant, then it will calmly bend, but the fertilized one will stand upright. This method provides a good guarantee that pregnancy has occurred.
Method three
This method is used only at a later date to find out about pregnancy. If pregnancy is calculated in days, then this method is not suitable, in this case, you can find out the duration of pregnancy only by ultrasound. Method number 3 is based on finding the offspring by hand by touching the pig's uterus. To do this, she must lie quietly on her side.
Method four
To determine pregnancy during critical days, a boar is sent to the female. If she is not pregnant, she will be very active. The pregnant uterus, on the contrary, will be very calm and most likely simply will not pay any attention to the boar. Of course, this method is relevant for farms with a large herd, in which there is a permanent boar. 3 weeks after the critical days, the female is shown to a specialist to confirm conception. The doctor will perform a rectal examination and make a conclusion.
Diagnostic methods for determining pregnancy
Laboratory diagnostics is the most reliable way to determine pregnancy today. Home remedies are good, but they don't provide a 100% guarantee of pregnancy confirmation. Laboratory diagnostics and tests are reliable, but they are much more expensive than home tests. They also require more time.
Method number 1
This method is called "Burkina test" and gives a 98% guarantee that the mumps is pregnant. This test is usually taken 2 weeks after conception. To determine pregnancy, urine should be taken for analysis. After it is filtered off and some chemicals are added, including hydrochloric acid and other drugs. Then all this solution is boiled and cooled. Next, the urine reaction is checked.During pregnancy, the urine will turn brown-red.
Method number 2
You can contact him after 22 days after the hunt. A serological pregnancy test can be done. This test is similar to a regular human blood test. Blood is taken from the female for analysis and the presence or absence of pregnancy hormones is isolated. It is not worth carrying out the procedure the other day after fertilization, you need to wait, since only in this case the test will show a true result. This procedure is rarely used, as it is expensive and also takes time in terms of time, although the result is almost 100%.
Method number 3
Applied on the 26th day of pregnancy. It is called Doppler ultrasound. The essence of this method is to listen to the fetal heartbeat. This device is able to detect changes in blood flow that occur due to pregnancy. In addition, with the help of the Doppler instrument, the fetal heartbeat and the movement of the placenta of the piglets can be heard. This method is also used to control the course of pregnancy at a later date. The method gives a 90% guarantee that the pig is pregnant. Of course, there is also a false result associated with infection in the uterus and resorption of the embryo.
Method number 4
Ultrasound examination with a scanner. An excellent device that gives a 100% guarantee, which is used in an industrial version or on large pig farms. The behavior on ultrasound in animals is always calm, many individuals treat such a procedure with understanding.
Method number 5
This method is based on histological examination. For this, a biopsy of the uterus is done. This method also has high accuracy, but it is dangerous, since an inexperienced specialist can damage the fetus and lead to its resorption.
Method number 6
This method is based on the introduction of hormones that activate the pig to hunt if it is not pregnant, otherwise there will be no reaction to the introduction of the drug at all. Nice and harmless way.
Preparing for childbirth
As soon as it became known that the pig will bring offspring, you need to prepare for childbirth. First of all, it is necessary to revise the diet of the sow, since it must contain a sufficient amount of vitamins and nutrients for bearing future piglets. It is strictly forbidden to either underfeed or overfeed the animal.
If the pig is malnourished, then the fetus may simply dissolve, and if it overeats, it will be difficult for her to give birth. An improper diet can also affect the health of future piglets, their presentation and the quality of meat. To avoid infections, you need to vaccinate and properly disinfect the entire pigsty. You also need to remember about antihelminthic therapy about 1 month before childbirth.
Problems arise with the fact that during pregnancy the pig walks little on its own initiative. That is why she needs to organize a walk. It is extremely important to gently move the animal.
It is important to have a first aid kit on hand during childbirth. If this is the first experience, it is recommended to call a veterinarian for consultation and delivery.
A sow definitely needs vitamins, minerals and quality nutrition, even if she has not yet acquired offspring. If you feed a pig with low-quality food, problems may arise during farrowing, sick offspring will be born, or a miscarriage will occur. In order for the piglets to be born healthy and strong, the female needs to be well taken care of, to choose the right balanced diet and walking regimen. It should also be remembered that at least once during the entire period of pregnancy, you need to show the animal to the veterinarian, then the piglets will be healthy and will soon bring a good income.
Useful Tips
It is best for novice breeders to invite a specialist for consultation. Only an experienced veterinarian will be able to accurately determine the gestational age and make good recommendations.Inviting a doctor at home is especially beneficial for those who keep a large livestock: he will visit the farm and conduct a preventive examination of the entire herd.
For breeding individuals, you should use not the largest and not the thinnest females. Individuals of average build are suitable for fertilization.
Before copulating, it is necessary to improve the diet of both the female and the male.
Among other things, the farmer should take into account that all individuals can give birth at different times, depending on the presence of diseases and conditions of detention. Treating illnesses is best done early. The farmer is required to reduce all risks that depend on him. How long a pig bears depends on many factors, and the farmer should know all of them.
Conclusion
Breeding pigs is an important process for all those who are going to expand their farm or build a business on meat. In this regard, in order not to miss the gestation period of pigs, it is extremely important to acquire a special plate. Using the pig pregnancy table, you can track how many months are left before the offspring, the duration in days.