Pipes

Pigs: breeding at home as a business. Walking area and growing room

Fragrant, juicy and tasty pork, without which it is difficult to imagine a family feast, becomes more expensive every year, and the quality raises many questions. Breeding pigs at home is quite a profitable business. Even with minimal volumes, pig breeding fully pays for itself. If you take your wards seriously, they will delight you with their rapid growth and large offspring.

Depending on the breed, an average of 8-16 piglets can be obtained from one pig. Perhaps two farrowings per year. This is the main indicator of the profitability of pig production.

Having made the initial investment in the mother herd, you need to put on stream the cultivation of your piglets at home, and then the question of whether breeding pigs is profitable will disappear by itself.

One pig can become the backbone of a family business. For example, a Large White piglet can be slaughtered as early as six months of age, when it weighs 100 kg. Twice a year, a pig produces about 12 piglets. This means that in a year it is quite realistic to get up to 2400 kg of live weight, and then high-quality pork.

Breeding pigs is beneficial because of the demand for meat. Live piglets, which are taken by novice farmers, are also in demand. They already know how to raise, but have not yet tried to breed piglets on their own at home.

Reproduction features

Breeding piglets at home requires knowledge of the physiology of the pig and the characteristics of the breeding process.

The ability to reproduce appears in a pig no earlier than 5 months. Some varieties have 8 months. Considering that at this age the pigs have not yet reached the standard weight, it is necessary to wait until the piglets are fully formed.

In boars, the optimal weight is about 180–200 kg (usually observed in one-year-olds). In a pig - 130-150 kg (8-9 months). The ability to reproduce is observed up to 6-8 years.

Sexual hunting occurs several times a year, so pigs are called polyestrus. Estrus itself in queens lasts about 18–21 days. Consists of several stages:

Excitation. Restless period lasting up to 2 days. Pigs do not find a place for themselves, refuse to feed, squeal.
Estrus. Approximately 3 days, when mucus is released from the edematous and reddened genitals of the pig.
Sexual hunting. The behavior is comparable to a phase of excitation intermittent with complete immobility. The pig freezes as if to urinate. Lasts 2 days.
Ovulation - within the next 2 days.
Balancing. During the crescent, behavior becomes stable. The pig starts eating. Flows into pregnancy or, if fertilization has not occurred, lasts until a new estrus.

Pregnancy lasts no more than 118 days. Sexual rest does not exceed 2 months, while lactation continues.

Farrowing occurs fairly quickly. Usually within 2-6 hours. The appearance of more than 8 piglets is considered the norm. Weight, depending on the quantity, is up to 1.5 kg. The genital organs of the pig are restored within 10 days.

Primary immunity in piglets appears with colostrum. The udder of the pig is thoroughly washed. By pressing, a certain amount is lowered, and then piglets are applied. Within a week, the composition of colostrum changes to regular milk.

In a month, piglets can be transferred to self-feeding, with mandatory feeding with antibiotics. At two months, young animals for fattening are recommended to be castrated.

Breeding methods

In breeding farms, various breeding methods are used to ensure maximum productivity of the resulting offspring. Raising pigs at home is usually somewhat simplified. Nevertheless, it is necessary to have an idea about the existing breeding methods:

Purebred crossbreeding. Pigs of the same breed are allowed for breeding in order to preserve and further improve the characteristics of piglets.
Crossing. Interbreed / interspecies. Absorption crossbreeding is used massively to improve the productivity of a particular breed of pigs. For this, the blood of highly productive producers is poured into it consistently, several generations in a row. Reproductive is carried out in order to combine the most valuable characteristics of different breeds in piglets. The introductory one is distinguished by the improvement of individual shortcomings of pigs with normal productivity, crossing is carried out once.
Hybridization. It is based on the concept of heterosis or an increase in productivity during interbreeding or interlinear alternate crossing. As a rule, it is used for industrial purposes to obtain fattening young animals of meat or meat-fat direction.

Purposefully, these methods for breeding piglets at home are not used.

Detection of sexual desire

It is quite easy to identify hunting in a pig by the following signs:

swollen nipples and genitals;
mucous discharge from the genital loop;
restlessness, refusal to eat, alertness.

You can check the correctness of the observations by pressing your hand on the back: the pig freezes in one position, does not move, rests. As soon as the signs become apparent, it can happen. The male is allowed in twice: when the hunt is detected and after 12–18 hours.

Control observation begins after half a month and is carried out up to 23 days from the date of coverage. If the pig does not begin a new cycle of estrus, it is considered pregnant. Otherwise they let another boar in.

Choice of gilts for brood

For breeding piglets, it is necessary to select a healthy, mobile, harmoniously developed pig without signs of obesity and a purebred sire. Doesn't have to be the same breed.

To select a pig for breeding, you must carefully read its characteristics. It is desirable that it be:

early spring or winter offspring (over the summer you can fatten a young pig to condition on cheap feed, happen in the fall and get piglets to grow by next spring);
purebred;
acclimatized;
potentially highly productive. There are more chances if her mother has such qualities as: multiple pregnancies, high milk production, developed maternal instinct.

Carefully evaluate the exterior. The pig should have a strong constitution, a wide chest, adjacent shoulder blades, a flat or slightly arched back, as well as clean, shiny hooves, a maximum number of teats (depending on the breed 5–8 pairs), and a normal bite.

Choosing the timing of insemination

Terms depend on natural factors:

By the time of ovulation, sperm should already be in the pig's genital tract. Otherwise, within 5-10 hours, she will lose the ability to fertilize.
After mating, at least 5 hours pass until the sperm in the internal environment of the genital organs of the pig undergo capacitation, and get the opportunity to fertilize the egg. Therefore, mating should occur no earlier than 5 hours before ovulation.
Sperm remain viable for up to 48 hours. With artificial insemination, this period is reduced to 12 hours. Therefore, the maximum interval between mating and ovulation should not exceed 12 hours.

Usually, estrus lasts about 12 hours (deviations are possible within 8–20 hours). If a pig shows signs of excitement in the morning, then it is inseminated in the evening and, conversely, if it occurs in the evening, mating is carried out in the morning. At home, it is recommended to carry it out twice. Repeatedly - after 12 hours. If the hunt does not stop, mating continues with the same frequency until the signs disappear.

natural insemination

At home, natural insemination is the best option for breeding piglets. Especially for beginners and inexperienced pig breeders. As a rule, for the rearing of piglets, a pig or several and a boar-producer are bred, allowing for mating before ovulation. The pig is placed in the machine for this time. The male is kept separately and allowed only for mating.

If you have only pigs on your farm, you can bring a producer for breeding from outside - from a neighboring farm or farm.

There are up to 25 females per sire. Maximum productivity is observed in two-year-old boars. They are able to cover pigs daily for a week. Then they need a couple of days of rest.

With natural fertilization at home, it is necessary to keep statistics of offspring: if piglets have high mortality, developmental disorders appear, the male is changed.

The optimal ambient temperature for the production of high-quality sperm is + 20 ... + 22 ° С. It must be maintained at least 40 days before the expected season of active cages. When growing a boar, you need to properly care for it: fully feed it, provide exercise, avoiding obesity.

Natural fertilization at home is recommended to be carried out, observing simple rules:

Identify pigs in heat.
Carry out an inspection. In the presence of external defects, the pig is not allowed to breed.
Drive a female and a male into a special pen, which had a rest for about 24 hours before. The pig must clearly show characteristic immobility.
After the male has made a cage, and the pig has reacted normally to the movements, it is necessary to wait until his penis stretches out, and, having made a tunnel in front of the vulva with his hands (in gloves), direct it to the cervix.
The process takes up to 10 minutes. In this case, the penis should be fixed in the neck, and the male should stop the characteristic tremors.

During mounting, you need to monitor the condition of the pulsating urethra of the pig, and also check that sperm does not leak out. The breeding results are recorded in the diary. After a couple of hours, the pig is provided with complete rest.

artificial insemination

At home, artificial insemination of pigs is rarely practiced. More often in industrial pig breeding. It is important that the sperm is of high quality and fresh. Age no more than 12 hours from the moment of defrosting or selection from the manufacturer. When inseminating:

With paper towels, first clean the pig's vulva, then the vaginal mucosa.
Prepare everything you need at home: connect the catheter to the semen bag.
With a non-working hand, pull back the vulva. Working - insert a catheter. This is done slowly, carefully, along the upper wall of the vagina, at an angle of 45 °, from top to bottom. The cervix should fix the head of the catheter. This is checked by pulling back.
You can't push the package. The sperm passes through the catheter on its own. It is important that it does not leak out. If this happens, the introduction is stopped for 30-40 seconds. When the neck relaxes, the process is resumed.
During fertilization, massage the pig's sides in the area of the sacrum, the clitoris to stimulate the natural contractions of the uterus.
The catheter is left inside for 2-3 minutes. It is necessary to bend the end and fix it so that there is no outflow of sperm.

Preparing for farrowing

Preparation for the appearance of piglets at home begins in the fourth month. Increase the protein components of the pig's diet: add legumes, fishmeal, meat or dairy waste. They give more succulent feed: root crops, vegetables, fruits. Provide vitamin and mineral supplements.

The pig must have a range, with the possibility of sunbathing.

Approximately 4 days before the appearance of piglets, the daily amount of feed is halved, and the pig is given complete rest, and walking is limited.

In a couple of days, when colostrum is released from the nipples when pressed, and the genital loop becomes red, you need to prepare:

Machine: the walls and inventory are whitewashed.
New bedding where the pig will make a nest.
Troughs for water in the machine at the pig and in a special compartment for feeding piglets. Toddlers are additionally prepared containers for mineral supplements.
Flashlight.

Keep a separate survey kit:

a bedding box in which you will receive piglets;
threads;
clean burlap, rags or old towels for piglets;
scissors.

Farrow

The process takes 2-6 hours. Piglets are carefully wiped from mucus, removing it, including from the nose and mouth of the piglet. If babies appear in the amniotic sac, it is first torn open. The umbilical cord is torn by hand at a distance of about 6 cm from the belly of the piglet. Disinfected with iodine. Cutting with scissors, tie the end with threads so that the piglet does not bleed, then treat with iodine.

The treated piglet is immediately applied to the pre-washed and wiped nipple, while it sucks, the rest are accepted.

If the pig shows excessive anxiety and there is a danger that she will crush the piglets, it is better to deposit them for 2-3 hours and only then apply to the udder.

With difficult farrowing at home, you need to enlist the support of a veterinarian.

All waste (umbilical cords, placenta, bedding) is immediately burned. Make sure that the pig does not crush the piglets. To do this, install special safety barriers along the walls of the machine.

Nursing sow care

Particular attention after farrowing is paid to the nutrition and watering of the pig. It is important to ensure:

Clean and fresh water available at all times to make up for the natural losses that occurred during childbirth. The temperature is not lower than +10°С.
After about 8 hours, give a mash of bran and oatmeal to prevent constipation.
The average daily feed rate is restored after a week. This prevents mastitis.

The udder of the pig is unevenly developed. For normal growth, it is recommended to attach the front teats to the smallest piglets. And apply larger ones to the inguinal ones. At home, it is better to make a mark on the back of each, from which side he sucks the udder: “P” - right, “L” - left. Up to the point that dots mark which nipple is assigned to each. One - the first, two - the second, etc.

A suckling pig, a week after the survey, increases the feeding rate by 70–80% to cover energy costs for lactation. If there are more than 10 piglets, then an additional 0.4 feed units are given for each in addition to this number, or the same amount is taken away, if less. In winter, at least 50% concentrates are fed, 30% succulent feed and 10% hay flour.

It is important to ensure cleanliness in the machine, timely feeding of piglets. To do this, the pig after feeding (2-3 times a day) is sent for walking. At first, a quarter of an hour is enough, and after five days this time is increased.

During suction, the pig must be looked after especially carefully. Clean, and in the summer it is better to wash. Do an udder massage. You can not scream and use physical force.

Raising piglets

Little piglets need to be looked after no worse than a pig. From the first days they are given mineral supplements (chalk, coal or red clay) and clean water.

An important aspect that will ensure the successful rearing of piglets is hygiene. Water is changed up to 6 times a day. Dishes are thoroughly washed and disinfected. Produce a complete change of litter in pigs and piglets.

If a 10–15-day-old piglet shows lethargy, pallor, whitish diarrhea, these are manifestations of anemia. At home, it is prevented with solutions of iron or copper sulfate. They are used to wet the udder of a pig or add red clay as a mineral supplement to piglets. Sod is often recommended for this purpose. A layer of 1–1.5 kg is enough for a day.

In addition to minerals from 3 days of age, you can gradually introduce roasted cereals and legumes. And from 10 days - crushed boiled potatoes with milk, grated fodder beets or carrots. Piglets are gradually introduced grass meal, hay, germinated grain and fish oil.

For three weeks, take care of the temperature: it should be warm at the floor level (at least + 12 ° C). Then it is reduced and by the time of weaning the piglets from the pig is brought to +8°C. It is important that there are no drafts and the possibility of walking (already from 5 days).

At 1.5–2 months, castration of wild boars is carried out. At about two months old, piglets must be weaned from the pig and reared separately. In feeding use concentrates, succulent feed, reverse. The choice of what to feed the piglets is determined by growing conditions, fattening technology and the actual food supply.

Of course, caring for pigs requires some experience and knowledge. It will be difficult for beginners to cope with a large livestock at home for beginners. But, getting involved in the process, you will not notice how your household will gradually grow.

Today, in almost all parts of our country, many households and farms are engaged in pig breeding. It is very simple to explain such popularity of these animals. Short fattening allows you to regularly get fresh meat and fat in large quantities. Pigs are great for recycling leftover food. And grazing in the summer will significantly reduce the cost of food. However, pig breeding also has a whole range of features that need to be taken into account.

Is it profitable to keep pigs?

Pig farming at home can bring tangible benefits. A zealous owner can take up this original small business directly on his land without investing significant funds at the start.

With proper planning, you can both establish meat production and keep several sows for the subsequent sale of young animals. The effectiveness of breeding these animals is best confirmed by the numbers:

the commodity mass is growing very rapidly, a one-year-old individual is on average 140 times larger than a newborn piglet;
the weight of the processed carcass is 85% of the live weight (for comparison, in cattle this figure does not exceed 60%);
one farrowing of a sow gives up to 14 offspring;
pigs have good rates of feed absorption, it reaches 30% (the maximum for other livestock does not exceed 20%).

Hybridization in pig breeding today allows breeding pig breeds that retain all the useful properties of the crossed breeds. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the choice of pigs. This will definitely affect the income that the livestock will bring in the future.

In order to provide your family with meat and lard, in early spring it is enough to purchase two piglets and equip a small paddock for them. In summer, pigs grow especially fast. The diet of animals may include any residues of plant origin. To avoid unwanted infections, all such feed must be heat treated.

Closer to winter, two months before slaughter, pigs should increase the amount of protein food. This will allow you to quickly build up a few extra pounds. Thus, breeding pigs at home for novice farmers will be a fairly inexpensive way to prepare meat for the whole year. Unless of course you do not take into account the work associated with caring for animals.

How to choose the best breeds of pigs?

The word "best" when choosing a pig breed is a conditional category. The selection of each of the subspecies of these animals was carried out for their subsequent breeding in certain climatic conditions. In addition, before the first purchase of piglets, you should understand for what purposes you decided to start pig breeding, what product you want to get in the end.

Conventionally, in accordance with the productivity and economically useful qualities of all pigs, they can be divided into three main groups:

Meat. Large white breed and all other varieties that were bred from it: Ukrainian white steppe, Lithuanian white, Siberian northern and others. These pigs are distinguished by white wool, rather large, muscle mass prevails over fat.
Bacon. This includes such breeds: Landars, Vietnamese, Estonian bacon and others. These pigs are also dominated by white color, they have a long body and ears. The ham and sirloin are especially developed. These breeds give the maximum amount of meat. The sebaceous layer is quite thin.
Salo-meat. Among the breeds belonging to this group: Mirgorodskaya, North Caucasian, Black-and-White Belarusian and others. The coat is black or black-and-white. A distinctive feature of these pigs is their precocity and rapid fat gain.

Today, in all regions of our country, the cultivation of large white breeds prevails. The unpretentiousness of these pigs allows you to adjust the diet towards bacon or meat fattening. Sows usually give the largest offspring, and young animals reach 100 kg in 6-7 months, provided proper care is taken.

Construction of a pigsty

In order for pig farming to start making a profit, animals should be provided with comfortable living conditions. Therefore, the construction of a spacious pigsty will be an obligatory point in planning your future farm.

The area of the building is quite simple to calculate. One individual grown for meat will require 4 square meters. m. area, but for the sow will need 6 square meters. m. Indoors, individual (for sows and boars) and group (for fattening stock) pens are usually equipped. Typically, pens are set up in 2 or 4 rows with 1 or 2 wide aisles.

Pigs love to dig, so the barn floor must be solid. Otherwise, the animal can easily dig. Do not forget about the quality of the walls, pigs are quite capable of chewing through unreliable upholstery.

Your pigsty is of high quality if:

the possibility of roof leakage is reduced to zero;
good artificial lighting is provided, and the windows are located at a height of at least 1.5 meters (this excludes direct sunlight and the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation on animals);
the walls are strong enough and not subject to freezing during the cold season (the temperature in the pigsty should not fall below 5 degrees, and the comfortable temperature for animals is 18-22 degrees, for sows this mark should always be 26-28 degrees);
the floor is warm, covered with boards and bedding, equipped with gutters that ensure the high-quality removal of animal waste products;
the room is regularly ventilated or an artificial ventilation system is installed in it (draughts, which are the main cause of colds in pigs, should be prevented).

It is necessary to equip the area for walking. This is where the animals will spend most of their time during the summer. Walking in the fresh air promotes muscle growth, strengthens the immunity of livestock, and reduces its susceptibility to pathogens of infectious diseases.

The weight gain and stable growth of a piglet is primarily influenced by the conditions in which it is kept, as well as the quality of care. The owner will only need to follow a few simple rules:

timely vaccination against erysipelas, plague and other deadly diseases, as well as a diet with a balanced content of essential trace elements and vitamins, will provide your piglets with good immunity;
the temperature of the content should not fall below 15 degrees, while its optimal indicator is in the range from 18 to 22 degrees;
the barn should be regularly ventilated with an exhaust hood or fans;
the floor in the corral should be made of wood and have a slope so that urine and residual water fall into the sewer;
additional comfort will be provided by bedding made of sawdust or straw;
disinfection of the premises is achieved through regular whitewashing of the walls;
keep the pen clean, removing the litter should be done twice a day;
piglets should receive food regularly, at least twice a day: in the morning and in the evening;
young animals need fresh air; for this, separate wooden cages with a canopy should be equipped on the territory for walking;
piglets will need a plentiful drink, it is regularly changed, 2-3 times during the day, in the summer, young animals are poured with cool water.

Feed

The main advantage of keeping pigs is that most of the food that can be included in the daily diet of animals is likely to grow in your garden. Pigs will receive the required amount of vitamins and trace elements from the following plants:

fodder and sugar beets;
carrot;
peas and beans;
alfalfa;
potato.

You should also take care of harvesting nettles. Among the wild-growing feed, this grass is the most beneficial for pigs.

The diet of young animals is somewhat different from the food that is usually given to adults. Little piglets should be fed three times a day. The bulk is made up of boiled root crops. Also among the mandatory ingredients are crushed wheat, tops of legumes and nettles scalded with boiling water. The resulting mass must be filled with whey.

Every day, one piglet should consume up to 3 kilograms of food. Also, 10 g of salt should be included in the diet of animals.

Young pigs consume quite a lot of water - 4 liters every day. This even exceeds the norm of an adult pig. Water should be changed at least twice during the day. This will significantly reduce the risk of contamination and the possible development of infectious diseases.

If animals are divided according to belonging to a certain age group, then the composition of the diet will have the following differences:

Three months. Fattening begins at this age. To ensure the active formation and development of muscles, boiled beans, cabbage leaves, boiled, grated carrots are used as food. During the day, the animal begins to receive up to 4 kg of food.
Seven months. There are changes in the proportions of muscle and fat. Significantly slows down the growth of the animal. One pig already needs up to 6 kg of feed per day. Boiled sugar or fodder beets are added to the diet. The daily salt intake is now 30 g.
Eight months. The age at which a full-fledged fat-feeding begins. The diet changes towards the predominance of boiled corn, peas, zucchini, fatty boiled waste and pumpkin. Also, in order to obtain tender low-fat fat, animals begin to be given fruits in fresh and boiled form. Every day a pig consumes 7 kg of feed and 40 g of salt.
One year. At this age, the ratio of meat and fat should be in the proportion of 60:40, and the weight should reach 250 kg. A one-year-old pig should consume at least 8 kg of food per day.

Reference. Sometimes, while observing the norms of feeding, muscle mass is gained slowly. The reason may be the lack of mobility of the pigs. Perhaps you should take care of increasing the area of \u200b\u200bthe aviary.

Care rules

Summing up everything that was said above, we can single out a list of rules that are mandatory for caring for pigs:

the optimum temperature should be maintained in the barn (young animals - from 18 to 22 degrees, adults - from 12 to 16 degrees);
monitor the humidity of the air, this figure should not exceed 85%, and the mark of 70% will be the most comfortable;
dampness and drafts are the main causes of colds and subsequent weakening of the immune system;
twice a day, the pigsty must be cleaned of manure and other debris, this will reduce the chances of the spread of infectious diseases and infection of animals with helminths;
to gain weight and improve health, pigs need fresh air, be sure to equip an aviary of the optimal area, without walking, young animals grow slowly and often suffer from rickets;
ensure plenty of fluids and regular water changes;
after each meal, the feeders must be cleaned of food debris, weekly lye treatment is also useful;
a mandatory monthly procedure - disinsection and disinfection of the entire barn;
do not forget about the timely vaccination of your pigs.

Conclusion

Pigs whose content meets all the necessary standards get sick less, give more offspring, gain body weight better, are generally more active and provide their owner with a stable income. It doesn't matter if you are raising pigs for your own use or planning to breed a whole herd. To protect yourself from the loss of livestock and other troubles, try to provide the animals with the most comfortable existence.

Pig breeding is a profitable business

At the present time, breeding pigs at home is becoming increasingly popular. You can buy meat, but it is not cheap and there is a possibility of purchasing low-quality goods. Breeding pigs is a profitable business due to the quick offspring and the variety of feeding.

The care and breeding methods of the pigs are taken into account, the purpose of which is to increase the fertility of the sow, reduce feed costs and improve meat properties. There are ways of keeping pigs, which are divided into walking and non-walking methods.

Benefits of raising pigs

Features of modern breeds of pigs are that they have a high offspring. About 14 piglets can be bred from just one farrowing. A pig gives birth twice a year. The breeding of pigs has some requirements that must be met in the process of feeding and caring. This is what will bring significant profits.

At home, raising pigs is more profitable than other animals. The secret lies in the precocity of piglets. When born, a piglet weighs only 1-1.3 kg. But after seven days it is twice as heavy, in a year the body weight increases 140 times. In two hundred days, piglets gain one hundred kilograms in weight. If you count, only one sow gives up to three tons of meat. This is three times more than a sheep or a cow.

Pork meat is in good demand

Growing piglets is also beneficial from the rational use of feed. Chickens and geese digest only a fifth of the feed, and piglets a third. A pig spends 30% less feed per kilogram of weight gain than cattle.

Pork meat is in good demand among buyers. It is softer, more tender than beef. Delicious smoked pork meats that do not lose their taste during storage. Pork canned meat is also more appetizing than any other.

Pork meat is in great demand among buyers. It is softer, more tender than beef. Delicious smoked pork meats that do not lose their taste during storage. Pork canned meat is also more appetizing than any other.

It is important that pork meat is not only tasty, but also healthy, because it contains vitamins, amino acids (proteins, iron, B vitamins) that are 100% absorbed by the body.

Carcass breeds

In the vastness of our country, raising piglets is a fairly popular business, on average, about 30 types of pigs are bred. How to make the right choice of breed of piglets for growing at home? It is impossible to give an unambiguous answer, since the keeping of pigs depends on the climatic conditions of the area. According to meat qualities, pigs are divided into three types:

meat-sebaceous;
bacon;
lard-meat.

Pig breed Siberian North

Such directions help determine the choice of breed. Meat-greasy - a large white breed and breeds derived from it (Siberian northern pig, Ukrainian white, Lithuanian white, etc.). Pigs are white in color, where muscle tissue dominates development than adipose tissue. Breeding white pigs is the most common method.

Landrace is grown for bacon breed. This breed is also white, but with an elongated body shape, formed by the back and loin. The end result is a large amount of meat and a small amount of fat.

Why more often buy a pig of a white breed? Since this species is universal and suitable for both meat and bacon fattening. They give great offspring. At the end of growth, boars reach a weight of 370 kg or more, and sows up to 280 kg. Feeding and care carried out, taking into account special requirements, will allow young animals to gain 100 kg in weight already in 6-7 months.

Greasy-meat piglets are usually black or mottled black in color. Very precocious, characterized by rapid growth of fat, weight is less than that of previous breeds. These include: Mirgorodskaya, North Caucasian, Belarusian, etc.

Tallow-meat Mirgorodskaya breed

Pregnancy and care

The maturity of the pig occurs 8-9 months after birth. During this period, mating can begin. Given that the duration of gestation takes 112-116 days, the first offspring is expected at 12-13 months. For normal mating, a pig is chosen from one hundred kilograms, which has 12 shaped nipples.

Before mating for a larger and healthier offspring, the pig should be prepared with special feeding. Her diet is improved with mixed fodder, skimmed water, food waste, be sure to enrich the feeding with greens. In winter, greens are replaced with hay, legumes. Fulfilling the requirements of fattening, during the day the individual will have 500-600 grams of weight gain.

Pigs are grazed in the summer, adding 4 kg of green mass (finely chopped) mixed with concentrates to the feed. Before mating, the volume of concentrates is increased to 2.5 kg and 2-3 liters of dairy products, 5-6 kg, are added to the feed. succulent feed, 2 kg of legume hay. 1.5-2 teaspoons of salt are added to food daily. Another add 0.5 teaspoon of chalk or replace with tricalcium phosphate. Don't forget to drink fresh water.

Insemination

What to expect in the behavior of the carcass if estrus has begun? She is anxious, tries to jump out of the cage, sniffs, often listens, does not want to eat, grunts in a special way, if pushed from behind, stands motionless. But, humbly lets the boar close to him.

The pig is anxious and sniffing

Twelve hours later, after such signs, the sow is crossed with a boar or inseminated artificially. Be sure to fulfill the following requirement: repeat the crossing again after 12 hours. Over the next seventeen days, the behavior of the pig is monitored, if no strange features are observed in the behavior of the animal, then the sow is fertilized.

pregnant pigs

concentrate-2.5 kg;
alfalfa or clover - 7 kg .;
food and dairy waste - 0.5 kg;
salt - 30-40 gr. and mineral additives - 20-25 gr.

Care after childbirth

In a difficult postpartum period, the sow requires increased attention and care. After farrowing, you need to give the pig a liter of water to drink, or half a liter of milk mixed with half a liter of water.

After six hours give water in sufficient quantities.
Feeding during this period is different from usual.
On the first day, a liquid mixture is given with oatmeal or wheat bran in the amount of one kilogram.
Already in the second week, milk-producing root crops are included in the feeding.
The sow is fed three times a day at regular intervals. Drink in the quantity required by the animal.

The sow should be professionally assisted during childbirth. Newborn piglets must be wiped, scrupulously clean the patch, ears, mouth from mucus, cut off the umbilical cords and be sure to cauterize with iodine. An important point: small piglets are brought to the nipples within 45 minutes.

The main requirement in the first minutes after the birth of piglets is feeding with colostrum (natural food), which is completely absorbed in the body of piglets. In newborns, the vitality increases and piglets sucking colostrum significantly relieve the pain of the female and accelerate the end of the birth process.

Raising pigs in winter

Keeping pigs in winter has its own characteristics. So that the pigs do not freeze and do not get sick, you should think about heating or insulating the room. It is safer, during this period, to drink carcasses with warm water. Raising pigs in winter differs in the way they are fed. In the season, when there is no greenery, more food waste is added to the diet, mixed with mixed fodder, bran, and do not forget to add salt.

It is noticed that in winter pigs love finely chopped dry nettles harvested in summer. Nettle is quite useful in raising pigs. Proper preparation will make it easier to keep pigs in the winter.

Pigsty

Raising pigs requires physical and material costs. To get a high profit from labor, you should take care of the conditions for keeping animals. The best option would be a spacious barn or barn, divided into three zones: a place with machines for keeping carcasses, an area for walking, preferably with a cover, a formed pit with water for swimming.

How to build a pigsty

Each breed of pig has its own characteristics in physique, and this is taken into account before starting the construction of a pigsty. Partitions are constructed of durable material, otherwise they will be damaged. What should be considered when equipping a pigsty:

roof without leaks, warm;
walls are sealed;
floor of hard materials with drainage ditches;
lighting;
heating appliances, especially when there are small piglets.

When constructing a pigsty, heat-retaining materials are used. It can be: cinder blocks, brick, adobe. Inside carry out plastering work, whitewashing. When preparing a pigsty, the methods of keeping pigs and, accordingly, the fulfillment of these requirements are taken into account.

If you foresee and take into account all the requirements for the care, rearing and maintenance of pigs, this process will not bring difficulties and the result will be desired.

Pig breeding or keeping pigs at home is a very profitable occupation and not particularly difficult. Pigs can be bred for both breeding and fattening.

Most farmers prefer to raise and breed pigs for sale, which is quite profitable and absolutely affordable even for beginner pig breeders.

Is it profitable to keep pigs for sale: pig breeding as a business

Compared to other farm animals, pigs have a large number of benefits that make pig farming at home relatively simple and profitable:

the animal is omnivorous, and almost any feed of animal and vegetable origin is used for food, including food waste;
excellent indicators of increasing the volume of meat and productivity in a short time. The mass of a newborn piglet usually does not exceed 1 kg, and after 6 months - about 120 kg;
about a third of the substances contained in the feed are completely absorbed by the animals, this has a positive effect on the timing of fattening;
pigs are distinguished by high fertility rates and excellent reproduction rate, and proper maintenance makes it possible to produce offspring several times a year, approximately 12-14 piglets.

At the beginning necessary determine the main objective of this business. Pigs can be kept and bred for sale, as well as raised only for meat.

Breed selection

Correct the choice of pig breed is another important issue of domestic pig breeding:

universal or meat-fat breeds;
bacon or meat breeds.

A feature of all "greasy" pigs is the maintenance for a large yield of high-quality fat. The carcass of a pig contains approximately 42-47% fat. The breed is characterized by a heavy front part and a rough and wide body. The best sebaceous breeds: "Large Black", "Berkshire" and "Ukrainian Steppe". A feature of all pigs of tallow breeds is the maintenance to obtain a large yield of high-quality fat.

Meat pigs are characterized by rapid growth and have high activity in the development of muscle mass, therefore, proper intensive fattening makes it possible to obtain a high slaughter weight already in pigs at 8 months.

Most often, the total volume of meat in the carcass is approximately 65-70% or more. The body of this breed of pigs, with a well-developed, rear massive part and the presence of a shallow chest. by the most popular breeds today are: "Estonian bacon", "English large white", "Vietnamese bellied", "Temworth", "Landrace" and "Duroc".

Meat breeds are considered universal, this is due to the production of high-quality tender fat and meat. Even with the condition of fattening with ordinary food waste, it is noted fast weight gain with 33-37% fat and 57-68% meat.

For pig breeding at home, almost any breed of pig can be adapted quite easily.

Breeding pigs at home for beginners

During home breeding, you need to follow some rules aimed at maintaining the health of farm animals and, as a result, the final production of the maximum amount of high-quality products.

Piglets must be selected according to weight criteria.

Requirements for keeping piglets

Newly purchased piglets are required to be placed in a special quarantine room for a week, which makes it possible to identify a sick animal as soon as possible.

During the rearing of young animals, in the barn, the air temperature must be in the region of 19-24C with a humidity of no more than 77-82%. For newborn piglets contraindicated location in a pigsty with dampness, cold and drafts.

It is necessary to observe in the pigsty purity, and for proper growth and development, animals need to be provided with regular walks in the fresh air. The water should be changed as often as possible, and the feeders should be cleaned after each feeding.

Produced once a month disinsection and disinfection pigsty. Piglets under the age of 3 months are required to receive food 5 times a day, and older piglets are fed 4 times a day. Adult pigs are fed three times a day.

Basic rules for feeding pigs

The choice of diet is an important point, therefore, it is necessary to take into account such factors:

age features;
breed features;
expected condition and fattening period;
food availability.

Often for the fastest growing are used growth stimulants, which are represented by tissue preparations, microelements and vitamins, antibiotics.

All feeds are classified as follows:

feeds that greatly reduce the quality of pork, including bagasse and soybeans;
grain bran;
cereals, including peas, rye, millet and barley, as well as green and succulent forages.

Fattening for meat should be started at 3 months and completed by the ninth month, when the carcass weight reaches 110-140 kg.

Lighting and ventilation

Animals require sufficient natural light that positively affects the biological processes in the body of pigs. With the condition of a short daylight hours in winter, artificial lighting is used:

fattening pigs are required to receive artificial light 12 hours a day at a level of 5-6 lux;
piglets and suckling sow receive lighting 18 hours a day at a level of 15 lux.

Organized Right the pigsty must have a high-quality ventilation system. Air exchange makes it possible to remove all polluted and used harmful gases from the premises.

Ventilation can be installed homemade or industrial. It must be remembered that this type of equipment can provoke the appearance of drafts, which are dangerous for both young animals and piglets. The supply and exhaust ventilation system performed quite well.

Walking area and growing room

For the construction of walls, it is necessary to use non-moisture-intensive and heat-insulating materials that effectively allow you to keep warm in winter. As a rule, brick, wood, gas-porous or cinder blocks, as well as rubble stone are used. Finishing inside can be done with plastered wood with further whitewashing.

In the pigsty microclimatic the conditions will depend on the correct construction of the floors. The attic must be insulated. For the arrangement of floors, boards or concrete are used. It is best to install slatted floors that make cleaning easier. It is necessary to equip internal partitions from durable and durable materials. To make an animal free access to walking areas, it is necessary to equip manholes 60 cm wide and 80 cm high.

Care rules

Proper care consists not only in compiling balanced diet and hygiene, but also the implementation of the following rules:

in order to reduce the cost of feed, cereals and root crops, it is necessary to crush them before distribution;
nutrition must be represented by 10% succulent feed, 65-70% green crops, 8% animal feed and 5% grass meal;
pig breeding technology includes activities such as the distribution and preparation of feed, cleaning the premises, carrying out preventive measures and examining animals;
breeding pigs according to Canadian technology means keeping them on a deep bedding layer.

When pigs are bred for the purpose of selling piglets, methods should be used that focus on the fertility characteristics of the sow.

Pig breeding technology

Often, novice pig farmers make mistakes, which are wrong choosing a boar or sow, as well as inept timing of insemination.

Most favorable the time for breeding pigs is the middle of winter. Gestation time can vary between 100-120 days, and subsequent mating can be done after about six months. The age of the sow must be more than 8 months, and the weight must not be less than 120 kg.

During the hunt, which lasts for several weeks, the animal becomes restless, starts jumping on other pigs, and also loses its appetite. Cleaning the room in which the sow is located should be done several times a week.

Preference necessary give to the calmest and largest individuals, who later become good mothers. It is very important to provide the sow with high-quality feed with a high content of vitamin and mineral diet.

Care after childbirth

After the birth of piglets, they need special care However, the nursing sow also needs attention and care. Immediately after farrowing, it is necessary to give the pig a liter of water or water that is half diluted with potassium permanganate.

Changes are reflected in the diet, on the first day it is best to feed with a liquid mixture (for example, oatmeal or wheat bran). A week after farrowing, it is necessary to add root crops, which accelerate the flow and formation of milk. The sow needs to be fed three times a day at the same time intervals.

After farrowing, hygiene procedures are performed with each piglet: cleaning the mouth, ears, patch, cutting and burning the umbilical cord with iodine.

Disease prevention

main ways diagnosing and definitions of diseases of farm animals are several, and each of them must be used during the rearing of pigs:

compliance with the diet;
regular monitoring of changes in the behavior of pigs;
analysis of feces and cleaning in the pigsty;
regular measurement of body temperature in the rectum;
visual inspection of the state of the head, limbs and torso of the animal.

The greatest danger is a disease such as plague, the causative agent of this disease can be transmitted with water, feed, meat, bedding and manure. The main symptoms are cough, fever, convulsions, and diarrhea or constipation. The disease is incurable.

The main activities for prevention, which are aimed at reducing the risk of infection of farm animals, are the exclusion of such negative factors:

overfeeding pigs;
the use of poor quality and spoiled feed;
too high or low temperature in the pigsty;
insufficient balance and nutritional value of the diet.

Need to minimize the risk of any damage to the pigs, as well as the ingestion of helminth eggs, pathogenic viruses and pathogenic bacteria with feed or water.

Fattening and breeding pigs with strict adherence to the technology of catering and maintenance makes it possible to obtain not only excellent, but also quick results of a high growth of farm animals. The result of proper cultivation is both healthy meat products and high-quality raw materials.

Raising pigs at home is not difficult and profitable. Animals can be raised both for meat and for reproduction. Even a small pig farm quickly pays off only if you approach your wards with full responsibility. Thanks to high technology, a piglet can be fattened up to 130 kg by the age of 9 months. On average, each carcass yields 70 kg of fragrant meat and high-quality lard, which can be sold on the market or in a wholesale and retail trade network.

What are the benefits of pig farming?

Pigs, unlike other farm animals, have a number of advantages for breeding:

1. High productivity and fast build-up of meat. The weight of a newborn piglet is 10 kg, and with proper feeding, it gains up to 100 kg by six months.
2. The animal is omnivorous, can eat plant, animal food, leftovers from the table and food waste.
3. Pigs are very prolific, with the right maintenance per year, you can get two offspring of 12-14 piglets.

Due to the structure of the digestive tract, the pig absorbs more than ⅔ of the nutrients, due to which there is a rapid growth and rapid weight gain. The yield of pure meat and fat is 85%, while that of cattle is only 55%.

The right choice of breed

Business needs to start with the choice of breed. Breeds of pigs are divided into three areas:

meat or bacon;
sebaceous;
universal.

Tallow breeds are bred to obtain high-quality lard. The yield from the carcass is 45-50%. Tallow pigs have a rough body with a heavy front. The most common: Ukrainian steppe, Berkshire, Large black.

Breed	Description
Ukrainian steppe	Unpretentiousness to weather conditions, high precocity and rapid weight gain (boar weight is 350 kg, sows - 210 kg), immunity to many diseases, high productivity with minimal investment
Berkshire	The weight of an adult pig is 220 kg, hogs can reach up to 2.5 centners. The slaughter yield is 88% per individual. Fat can be obtained from both an adult pig and a young one. The mass of the ham exceeds 10 kg, the thickness of the bacon is 3.5 cm
Large black	Pigs reach 300 kg, hogs up to 400 kg. From one individual you can get 50% meat and 40% fat. The breed is prolific, the sow brings 12-14 piglets every six months. Pigs are well adapted to grazing, tolerate extreme heat well.

Meat breeds are grown exclusively for tasty and aromatic meat. They grow quickly and gain muscle mass. With proper fattening, by the age of 9 months, the young are ready for slaughter. From one individual, 65% of meat and 30% of fat are obtained. Best breeds: Estonian Bacon, Vietnamese Belly and Landrace. Meat breeds have a massive back, a shallow chest and an elongated torso.

Breed	Description
Estonian bacon	The weight of an adult female is - 220 kg, a boar - 350 kg. The breed is prolific, for one farrowing the female brings up to 13 piglets. With proper feeding, the weight of six-month-old piglets is 120 kg of excellent quality meat. The average daily gain of one individual is 750 grams. The slaughter yield of meat is 60%
vietnamese bellied	This breed in appearance and character is very different from its counterparts. She is calm and smart, clean and docile. Pigs also have a high survival rate due to innate immunity. Sows are very fruitful, for one farrowing they can bring from 12 to 20 piglets. Meat yield is up to 80% of carcass weight. With a weight of 100 kg, you can get up to 70 kg of dietary meat. Unlike other breeds, it contains a minimum amount of cholesterol, it is more juicy and tender. Ideal for people suffering from cardiovascular diseases
Landrace	The breed is precocious, by the age of 2 months the piglets are able to gain up to 20 kg. With combined nutrition, young animals gain about 700 grams per day. The maximum weight of a female is 200 kg, a boar is 300 kg. The yield of pure meat from one carcass is 60%, and there is very little subcutaneous fat. The breed is prolific, for one farrowing the female brings up to 12 piglets. The sow is distinguished by good maternal qualities and increased milk production.

Universal breeds are rapidly gaining body weight even with standard fattening. They are grown for meat and tallow products. Popular breeds: North Caucasian, Breitovskaya, Muromskaya.

Breed	Description
North Caucasian	A large universal breed, the weight of an adult female is 230 kg, a boar - 350 kg. The yield of meat from one carcass is 55%, the fat thickness is 30 cm. Pigs are not picky about feed, very hardy, suitable for grazing
Breitovskaya	The breed is large-sized, the maximum weight of a boar is 330 kg. Young animals quickly gain weight, by the age of 7 months their weight is about 100 kg. Pig meat is tender and juicy, it can not be classified as either fatty or lean. Salo has a dense structure and has good taste. The breed is very popular, as it has high productivity and unpretentious care.
Muromskaya	Hybrid breed of universal direction. Meat productivity is low, up to 280 kg in boars. Meat yield after slaughter is 60%, bacon thickness is 25-10 cm. Pigs are omnivorous and easy to keep. Due to the high immunity, the breed rarely gets sick

Almost any breed can be grown at home, the main thing is to follow the rules of feeding and keeping. It is not recommended to keep pigs of different breeds, since when crossing, the breed is reborn, and the quality of meat and fat is reduced.

Construction of a pigsty

Any room can be used as a pigsty, as long as it is located away from residential buildings. This will protect against smell and noise. The pigsty should be well ventilated, with air humidity not exceeding 75%.

A comfortable temperature for the growth and development of piglets is + 15-20 degrees. Therefore, in regions with severe winters, a heating system is installed indoors. The room should be spacious, 2.5 square meters are allocated for one young individual. meters, for an adult pig - at least 5 square meters. meters.

The pigsty must be clean and bright. Light is the main condition for raising pigs, as its absence disrupts the natural life cycle, leading to delayed body weight gain. In conditions of short daylight hours, it is necessary to install artificial lighting.

Feeders and drinkers are located in the pigsty. The water should be clean, and the feeders should be washed after each feeding. Once a month, a general cleaning is carried out in the room with the use of disinfectants.

For proper development, animals need to be walked. For this, a corral is being built, but if there is not enough space, piglets can be bred in a stall - in a walking way. This method not only saves space, but also causes serious damage to health. Since piglets move little, immunity decreases and various diseases join.

As a walking area, a free meadow or a large area fenced with a fence is suitable. The more the animal is on the street, the healthier, the taste of meat improves, there is a rapid weight gain, and piglets are born strong and with good immunity.

The right choice of piglets

It is better to buy piglets from trusted farmers at the age of 2.5 months, after they are weaned from their mother and tamed for adult feeding. Piglets must be strong, mobile and vaccinated.

When breeding a pig for meat, piglets need to be bought from the same owner, since the kids who grew up in the same family are friendly, do not fight and do not injure each other.

For breeding for the sake of offspring, heterosexual individuals are bought from various owners. To avoid mixing of blood. With incest, babies are born weak and defective, and the survival rate decreases.

Before purchasing, you need to look at the parents in order to understand what will grow from the piglets.

Feeding rules are important factors

Raising a full-fledged pig from suckling age is painstaking work and requires a lot of time and effort. From the first days of life, sucklings are fed with vitamins and microadditives so that in the future there will be no problems with growth and development. At the age of one month, babies are weaned from their mother and transferred to adult food. The diet of young animals should include fruits and vegetables, feed and ground grain. From the third month they begin to fatten for slaughter.

To choose the right menu, you need to decide on the direction of cultivation. If animals are bred for meat, then all boars must be castrated, leaving 2 individuals for breeding. This is necessary for rapid weight gain, and castration also affects the taste of meat. When puberty is reached, the body releases hormones that give the meat product a specific smell.

For the selection of the diet, several factors are taken into account:

breed;
age;
season;
financial opportunity.

To quickly gain weight, farmers use growth stimulants. They are divided into hormonal, non-hormonal and biostimulants. It is better to give preference to biostimulants, since they do not accumulate in the internal organs, are quickly excreted from the body and can be used until the very slaughter.

Intensive feeding diet

From 2 months, suckers can be prepared for slaughter, the mass of young animals should reach 100-120 kg. On average, it takes a little over a year and 400 kg of food with vitamins and microadditives.

Up to 3 months of age, babies are fed 5 times a day, the daily rate should be 3 kg. For the next 2 months, piglets are transferred to four meals a day, the daily need for feed is 6 kg, over 5 months - 3 times 7 kg per day. For one-year-old pigs and older, the daily feed intake should not be less than 8 kg. Subject to the rules of feeding, by the age of 8 months, pigs gain up to 120 kg.

Pigs are omnivores, but the quality of the feed directly affects the taste of the meat. The diet should contain fruits, vegetables, root crops, grains and protein feed.

Young animals are fed with boiled vegetables, chopped wheat, nettles and legumes. As additives, table salt is used at the rate of 10 grams per individual, copper sulfate prepared according to the instructions - 1 teaspoon.

From 8 months of age, beans, zucchini and fatty waste are added to food to increase body fat. Salt is increased to 40 grams per day.

When feeding soybeans and cake, the taste of meat is greatly reduced.

After each feeding, food debris is removed and the feeders are thoroughly washed.

reproduction

When raising pigs, breeding is important. Many novice pig farmers often make mistakes when selecting a sow and boar, as well as choosing the time for mating.

In females, puberty occurs at the age of 8 months, when the weight reaches 100 kg. The most prosperous period for reproduction is the middle of winter. Mating occurs naturally, and human assistance is not required for this. The gestation period lasts up to 120 days, and re-mating can be done only after 6 months.

For mating, strong and healthy individuals are selected from different litters. After the first signs of pregnancy appear, the sow is transferred to enhanced nutrition with a high content of the vitamin-mineral complex.

Pregnant sows are kept in a common pen, but during the farrowing period they are transferred to a specially designated place. The place is equipped with a red lamp, which will raise the air temperature to +32 degrees.

Growing and fattening pigs in compliance with nutrition and maintenance technologies will not only provide a high-quality meat and lard product, but will also bring a good additional income to the farmer from raising piglets for sale. Pig farming is not suitable for those who want to make a quick profit with minimal effort and time, this is a business for hardworking and patient people.