Breeding Vietnamese piglets
The Vietnamese pig breed has gained wide popularity today. This is due to the fact that animals quickly gain weight and consume less feed than some other breeds. It is also worth noting that it is not difficult to take care of this breed of pigs. Let's consider what features Vietnamese piglets have and how to properly organize nutrition and care in order to get maximum weight gain.
Keeping Vietnamese piglets
Appearance
Before talking about the characteristics of the breed, you should give its description and characteristics. What do Vietnamese pigs look like? As for the exterior, Vietnamese pigs have a specific appearance, so it is not possible to confuse them with any other breed.
Large animals are usually painted black. The muzzle of Vietnamese pigs is short, and on the head there are erect ears that are medium-sized to match the muzzle. Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, due to its large body and short legs, looks stocky. The legs, despite their small size, are strong, the chest is wide. Lop-eared individuals are extremely rare.
As the pigs grow older, their belly begins to sag slightly. It is this feature of the structure of the animal that is reflected in the name of the breed. In boars, the stomach sags more than in pigs. Sometimes the folds of the skin almost touch the ground. At the same time, Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs feel comfortable and lead an active lifestyle. They are often more active than their non-saggy counterparts.
The appearance of Vietnamese piglets
Vietnamese pot bellies look very funny. Perhaps that is why some people buy them not for the purpose of obtaining meat and lard products, but for the purpose of decorating their yard. When making such a purchase, it should be understood that the Vietnamese breed of pigs is gaining weight quickly. In a few months, not a miniature pig, but a large Vietnamese pig will be running around the yard.
Occasionally there are marble and white colors. Some argue from their own experience that piglets from marbled sows are stronger. But zootechnicians do not confirm this fact, claiming that piglets from white, black and marble sows have the same health reserve.
Productivity
The Vietnamese pot-bellied pig breed is not large-sized. The average weight of an adult pig is 110 kg. The boar weighs about 130 kg. If we talk about the maximum indicators, then the weight of the female does not exceed 140 kg. The boar can weigh 150 kg. This is a meat-oriented breed.
With proper care and nutrition, the daily weight gain is from 350 to 500 g, and the pigs reach sexual maturity by 4 months. But experts recommend making the first mating at the age of 7-8 months.At birth, piglets of the Vietnamese breed weigh about 500 g.
By the time of puberty, the weight of Vietnamese pot bellies is 70-80 kg. With such indicators, animals can be slaughtered. The meat yield after slaughter exceeds 70%.
With regard to reproductive function, Vietnamese pigs give birth to an average of 12 piglets. Sometimes there are 18 pigs in one litter. Accordingly, raising Vietnamese pigs can be seen as a small but very profitable business. In one year, a sow gives birth to about 24 piglets. If you follow all the feeding standards of Vietnamese piglets, and ensure good living conditions, then the animals live up to 18 years.
Adult pigs are slaughtered at the age of 8 months. By this time, boars and pigs are gaining maximum weight. Not everyone can slaughter a pig. The technology of slaughter at home is significantly different from that of slaughter on the farm, being less humane. So that the animal does not suffer, it is better to invite a person who can slaughter him with one precise blow.
Advantages of the breed
Keeping Vietnamese pigs is beneficial for several reasons.
- Early maturity. Breeding aside, we can say that the average age at puberty for these animals is 7 months. When breeding Vietnamese pigs, mating can be done as early as 4 months. If we talk about feedback from breeders, then some pigs can be covered as early as 3 months.
- Breeding Vietnamese piglets at home is simplified by the fact that sows have a well-developed maternal instinct. Human intervention is extremely rare.
- Also, raising Vietnamese piglets is simplified by the fact that they have good immunity - there is no need to do most of the vaccinations. It is worth noting that pigs quickly adapt to various conditions, so they can be kept in almost every region of our country.
- Keeping Vietnamese piglets is profitable due to the fertility of the pigs and the rapid growth. Piglets grow in 7-8 months.
- You don't have to think long about what to feed the Vietnamese piglets at home. The diet is based on green feed, which reduces costs during animal breeding.
- Taking care of Vietnamese piglets is simplified by their cleanliness. Such piglets clearly separate the sleeping area from the toilet, which is not typical for other breeds.
If we consider the characteristics of Vietnamese pigs, then it is worth making a reservation about the taste of meat. It turns out to be juicy and delicate in taste. Many restaurants are willing to pay high prices for Vietnamese pig meat. Since the breed does not belong to greasy or universal, the layer of fat is small and is no more than 7 cm. Taste qualities are highly appreciated.
When organizing the feeding of Vietnamese pigs, it should be borne in mind that they eat little and often. We will talk in more detail about how to feed Vietnamese pigs later. It should be noted here that in order to get the maximum weight gain, the issue of catering must be approached responsibly.
It is worth noting that small Vietnamese piglets will show all the conditions described above only if you take a representative of a pure breed with good genetics, which is why it is so important to acquire healthy and thoroughbred young animals.
Content
Breeding and caring for Vietnamese pigs is simplified by the fact that the animal cannot boast of large size. Accordingly, there is no need to build a large pigsty. Animals get along well in one pen, but this should not be abused. Depending on the size of the machine, no more than 3-4 pigs are lodged there.
When breeding Vietnamese pigs, you need to properly equip the pigsty. From a hygiene point of view, floors should be made of concrete that is easy to clean. It is best to opt for a slotted floor structure.Ebbs for liquid droppings must be present. To make it as easy as possible to care for animals, the floor is made at a slight slope.
To prevent monthly piglets and adults from catching a cold, lying on a concrete floor, a wooden platform is equipped in each pen. Due to the cleanliness of the Vietnamese herbivorous pig, they will not shit on the platforms, so it will not be difficult to keep them clean. In the absence of wooden platforms, small Vietnamese pigs will have to lay a thick layer of straw on the floor. And in adults, it will not be superfluous to make a thick bedding in order to protect the livestock from colds. And this will complicate the care of Vietnamese pot bellies.
Ventilation and heating
When breeding Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs, one should take into account the fact that individuals are quite thermophilic. The air temperature should not fall below 15 ° C, even in winter. And in a pigsty where Vietnamese piglets are kept for up to 6 months, it is advisable to maintain the temperature at 20-22 ° C, therefore, in the winter, a heating system must work in the pen for the sow and young animals. These can be electric heaters, stoves like potbelly stoves or infrared lamps.
You also need to think over a ventilation system, during the operation of which there will be no drafts. It is necessary to ventilate the pigsty daily, according to existing standards.
Walking area
To simplify the organization of feeding of Vietnamese piglets, it is advisable to enclose a walking area. It has also been confirmed by practice that if you take time for walks when breeding and caring for a Vietnamese pig, the pet will have better health.
Despite the fact that the weight of the Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs is small, they need a spacious area for walking. A certain area should be under a canopy, where animals can hide from the weather or the scorching sun. The size of the shed depends on how many Vietnamese piglets will have to fit under them.
Based on the characteristics of not only Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs, but also other breeds, there should be a mud bath in the aviary. It is an ordinary shallow pit filled with water. There is no need to strengthen the walls of the pit or dig in a container, as is done for ducks. Pigs need a mud bath. In the absence of rain, the pit is filled with water on its own. It is advisable to equip it in the far corner of the aviary.
You can often see a photo of a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig rubbing against logs. This is one of the pigs' favorite activities, so several thick and strong logs are installed in the aviary. It is advisable to dig them into the ground.
Pigs should be allowed out for a short walk even in winter, if there is no severe frost outside.
Food
The diet of Vietnamese piglets should be balanced. Many farmers take the simplest path, feeding animals only with grass and hay. But, despite the fact that the breed is sometimes called herbivore, it will not work to achieve maximum weight gain with such fattening. When feeding pot-bellied Vietnamese piglets, grains, legumes and root vegetables should be added to the diet.
The basis of the diet is really grass. In winter, the animals are given hay instead of grass. In addition to green fodder, pigs are given wheat, barley and rye. Oats, which some farmers give along with other grain crops, should not be carried away. It promotes the accumulation of body fat. The same goes for corn.
Nutrition of Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs has specific features that are due to the original structure of the gastrointestinal tract. The pigs absorb roughage poorly. Also, food that is difficult for animals is one that contains a lot of fiber (fodder beets, for example). But the herb is absorbed very well. When harvesting hay for the winter, preference is given to alfalfa and clover.Such hay will not be heavy on the body. You can add potatoes to the diet, but not raw. Tubers are pre-boiled.
Regardless of the conditions in which the pigs live, they need mineral supplements. Even if they walk through the pasture all day, they will not be able to replenish the body with a supply of all minerals.
Use of compound feed
In addition to green fodder, special compound fodder can be purchased. But good food is quite expensive, so it is advisable to make it yourself. To prepare it, you will need barley, wheat, oats, peas and corn. The basis of the compound feed is made up of the first 2 components. They account for 70% of the total weight. The rest of the components are taken in equal amounts (10% each).
Before preparing compound feed, grain crops are crushed to the state of flour. It is advisable to give compound feed in the form of wet mash. This improves the palatability of the meat. Pour the compound feed with milk, after adding a small amount of salt to it.
Diet
In addition to what should be fed Vietnamese piglets, you need to know and how to properly organize the diet. We feed the livestock twice a day in the summer. It is advisable to give food in the morning and evening. In the afternoon, we release the animals to the pasture, where they will independently find something to eat. In winter, due to the lack of grazing opportunities, we add a third meal to lunch.
When keeping and feeding Vietnamese pigs, you need to follow the regime in everything. They give food at the same time. This will help you get the maximum daily weight gain.
Features of feeding pregnant pigs and piglets
Care and maintenance of Vietnamese pigs during pregnancy is somewhat complicated. Dairy products and eggs should be present in the diet during this period. Since a pregnant pig needs many nutrients, all feed must be fortified. Livestock experts recommend purchasing special vitamins. But before buying, it is better to consult a veterinarian. The choice of vitamin complexes is influenced by many factors. First of all, the choice depends on whether the animal is walking or sitting locked up.
Newborn Vietnamese piglets do not need to be fed: they feed exclusively on mother's milk. Only if for some reason the mother loses milk, the newborns are transferred to artificial feeding. It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question from how many days it is necessary to introduce complementary foods. It all depends on the weight gained by the piglet.
In general, the first complementary foods are introduced at the age of 10 days (if the weight of the piglet reaches 1 kilogram). Clean water, crushed chalk, charcoal and clay are introduced into the diet. At the age of 20 days, if the weight of the piglet exceeds 1.5 kg, the maturing livestock is fed with porridge and special compound feed. New types of feed are introduced into the diet gradually, so as not to cause indigestion in young animals.
To avoid health problems, complementary foods for piglets must be of high quality. The black piglet of this breed eats with great appetite. But it is not worth giving wet cereals more than the norm. It is best if females piggyback in winter or spring.
Breeding
First of all, it is worth answering the question of whether Vietnamese pigs are profitable on the farm. The meat productivity of this breed is lower than that of many existing hybrids. However, this breed is one of the earliest and very prolific. In addition, pigs consume food sparingly. The market price of Vietnamese pot bellies is on average US $ 70-100. All factors taken together make it possible to say that the breeding of the described pigs is indeed a profitable occupation.
Breeding and raising pigs of this breed is not difficult. In addition, piglets are relatively inexpensive. The main thing is to follow some rules.In numerous videos about the breeding of Vietnamese pigs, zootechnicians emphasize that the boar and the pig should not be relatives, otherwise viable and healthy offspring will not work. For mating, the pigs are carefully selected. Despite early puberty, individuals weighing less than 30 kg should not be covered. They will not be able to bear strong piglets. In addition, fertilization too early will negatively affect the health of the mumps itself.
It is possible to determine that the pig is ready for mating by a number of signs. During the sexual hunt, she behaves restlessly, discharge appears from the genitals, which turn red and swell. When pressing on the croup, the animal, ready for mating, freezes and does not try to escape. During the sexual hunt, the breeding boar and the mumps are placed in one cage or pen and kept there for 24 hours. The sexual hunt does not last long. In order for pregnancy to occur, it is important to timely plant a boar to the pig.
Pregnancy and childbirth
Giving birth to pregnant pigs 116 days after mating. This is the average duration of pregnancy. The pig carries the cubs well, complications are rare. The readiness of the pig for childbirth can be judged by the restless behavior of the woman in labor and the desire to build a nest. From the beginning of the arrangement of the nest, in which the pig carefully lays hay, until the onset of childbirth, it takes a little less than a week.
Also, the fact that childbirth will soon come can be judged by the sagging belly, swollen nipples and formed milk lobes. Immediately before farrowing, small amounts of colostrum are excreted from the teats. Also, the animal does not eat at this time. Childbirth lasts an average of 4 hours. The end of this process is the release of the placenta, which the sow should not eat. It is usually buried in the garden.
Feeding Vietnamese newborn piglets
Vietnamese newborn piglets in the photo look unusually cute. In the first hour of life, you need to have time to cut the umbilical cord and properly treat the wound, clean the black piglets from films (especially in the respiratory tract), wipe and feed, applying it to the sow's nipples. If newborns do not receive colostrum within the first hour, this will negatively affect the formation of immunity.
At first, the pig itself takes care of the offspring. Using tables of correspondence of height and weight, monitor how the piglets grow. At the age of 1 month, piglets are weaned from a sow. Weaning from the mother is done gradually: this will help prevent the appearance of mastitis in the pig. First, the young should be separated from the mother several times a day for several hours, then the young individuals are completely separated.
Prepare for childbirth in advance. Thoroughly clean the pen in which the pig will give birth, prepare a drinking bowl with water, which should always be near the woman in labor, prepare rags for wiping off newborns, in winter they think over a heating system in the pen where the sow with young animals will be.
Diseases
In general, growing pigs of this breed is simply due to their strong immunity. However, with poor care or nutrition, your animals can get sick. Consider what diseases are most common, how they differ from each other, and what treatment is best to use.
Erysipelas is one of the most common diseases. Symptoms of the disease are falling to the feet, the appearance of purple spots on the skin and trembling. If untreated, the animal dies within a few days. It is transmitted by airborne droplets, so sick individuals are placed in a separate enclosure.
Erysipelas is often confused with the plague because they have similar symptoms. But with plague, purple spots appear on the skin in addition to red ones.
Dysentery is another dangerous disease. Symptoms include bloody stools and fever.
Often after giving birth, the pig goes bald.This is due to a lack of iron in the body. In this case, you need to inject preparations containing this trace element.
Disease prevention
First of all, you should make all the necessary vaccinations in a timely manner and keep the pig room clean. It is also necessary to systematically observe the pigs. If it becomes noticeable that the growth of the pig has stopped, its skin is peeling, it itches or there are wounds that fester, sour eyes, you should consult a doctor. Any, even minor signs (the animal does not eat well, for example) indicate discomfort. We need to find out what caused it.
You also need to remember that pigs get worms from time to time, therefore, it is necessary to give drugs for worms systematically according to the instructions, which indicate the frequency of deworming with this medicine. It is advisable to pierce piglets with broad-spectrum antibiotics. But you can give only those drugs that are prescribed by a qualified doctor.
Buying young animals
When breeding pigs of this breed, you need to purchase piglets. Today you can make this purchase even over the Internet. But experts advise you to go to a farm where qualified livestock specialists work.
Any farm values its authority, so it will not sell young animals with poor genetics.
When buying, you should ask to show all individuals. It is better to stop the choice on the most active piglets with good appetite, without visible defects.
It will not be superfluous to look at the parents of the pigs. If there are deviations from the standards in their exterior, it is worth looking for other breeders. A specific feature of the representatives of this breed is a straight tail that does not twist like a donut and a short muzzle resembling that of a pug.
Vietnamese pigs
Before buying, it is advisable to show young animals to a veterinarian, although the health of pigs is carefully monitored on farms. As a rule, individuals already vaccinated against dangerous diseases are sold.
Before you go shopping, the pigsty is properly prepared. Young animals need a warm room without drafts and with a normal level of humidity. A wooden or brick building is best suited for this species. When purchasing young animals, they take into account the size of the pigsty: one adult should have 2.5-3 sq. m.
You also need to consider that the breed needs large amounts of green food and daily walks. In the absence of pasture for walking, a different breed should be looked for. According to the norms existing today, one adult pig needs at least 1 hundred square meters of land. It is advisable in the spring to sow the land with herbs, which improves the taste of meat. These are primarily alfalfa and clover. Young nettles also have a positive effect on the taste of meat.
Conclusion
We have covered everything related to the topic of Vietnamese pigs: breeding, care, nutrition, diseases and their prevention. Numerous videos about keeping Vietnamese piglets say that raising these animals at home will not be difficult. The main thing is to properly prepare the room for detention, to make all the necessary vaccinations in a timely manner, to properly organize food and care.
The breed has pluses and almost no minuses. Black pigs are clean and easy to care for, so even novice farmers can start breeding them. The animal grows quickly. An adult black pig can weigh up to 150 kg. An interesting fact is that when breeding various ornamental species, Vibrant pigs were used (to create a dwarf breed of mini-pigs, for example).