Varieties of Vietnamese breed pigs what weight. Breeding Vietnamese piglets. What do Vietnamese pigs look like?

Pig farming is most popular view business, which is engaged in thousands of people in our country. But raising Vietnamese pigs has become popular not so long ago. Meanwhile, this breed has a lot of advantages compared to others: Vietnamese pigs grow quickly, are unpretentious in food and care. But for the successful breeding of these animals, you need to have certain knowledge.

This breed of pigs has many unique features that you should definitely pay attention to when breeding, caring for and feeding them:

Even novice breeders can breed these pigs. Some beginner pig farmers often face the problem of animal indigestion as a result of the introduction of inappropriate grass into the diet. Due to this oversight of the owner, the pig may even die if veterinary care was not provided in a timely manner.

Vietnamese pigs, unlike many other breeds, are able to independently distinguish between useful and harmful plants, and will never eat something that is bad for their health.

How to choose piglets Vietnamese pigs

The choice of a piglet is the most important moment in this pig business. The growth rate, weight gain, health and fertility of the animals will depend on the quality of the piglets, which ultimately determines the success of the entire event.

When choosing piglets for breeding, you should focus on the following points:

• If you plan to take piglets of different sexes for their subsequent mating, in no case should you buy babies of one sow. Relationships in the animal kingdom also bear bad fruit, just as they do in the human world. It is also not recommended to take piglets from a seller who has only one boar for many sows. In this case, the piglets will definitely be relatives.
• You need to ask the seller about the weight of piglets at birth and weight gain every 10 days.
• In order not to be deceived by the dried age of a piglet, it is recommended to look at its parents. It is best to take piglets from 1-2 months of age. At the age of one month, a Vietnamese pig piglet weighs about 3.5 kg, while the sow looks emaciated, and her nipples should be pronounced and saggy. If the pig is nimble and plump, and the mammary glands are barely visible, the seller is probably lying about the age of the piglets.
• It is advisable to examine several piglets from the litter from which the selected piglet is purchased. A pig will grow up healthy if the piglets have well-developed muscles, strong and strong legs, a wide head, curved nasal bones, an elastic body, clear eyes with a shine. If the piglet is inactive, does not eat well, there are bald spots on the coat, and caked remains of feces under the tail, it means that there are problems with his health and it is better not to take such a pig.
• It will not be superfluous to ask about the diet of feeding piglets. If they are accustomed to one food, it will be necessary to switch to another very carefully and gradually.

Vietnamese pigs are characterized by very fast growth rates. With proper maintenance and a properly composed diet, a piglet can be slaughtered already at the age of 4-5 months. But still, it is recommended to wait at least six months, since before this period they are most intensively gaining mass.

Content Rules

Before you go shopping for piglets, you need to select for their maintenance appropriate place. If you plan to breed Vietnamese pigs for a long time, it is recommended to carefully equip the premises for them. Since the representatives of this breed are not very large in size, a full-fledged farm can be built in a small area.

Bricks or cinder blocks are best for building a pigsty, but wood can also be used. The main requirements for a pigsty are dryness and warmth. The area of ​​the pigsty is calculated in advance, depending on the planned number of heads grown. Five square meters of space can accommodate two females or one sow with piglets. Three will be enough for a boar square meters.

The premises for keeping pigs must be divided into several machines with an area of ​​\u200b\u200babout 5 square meters. m. Metal or wooden partitions are installed between the machines. The height of the partitions should be such that an adult pig cannot jump over them. The passage between the machines should be of such a width that it is possible to move freely with a wheelbarrow for manure.

Pigs like to dig into the ground with their nickels and quickly ruin wooden floors. At the same time, they can tear off entire boards, and when walking, get stuck in them with their feet, getting injured. Therefore, the floor is recommended to be made of concrete. A cemented ball has another advantage - it will become much easier to clean up in machines.

Vietnamese pigs are distinguished by their exceptional cleanliness, so it is recommended to build a small wooden platform in each machine where they will sleep. In addition, wood retains heat better and pigs will not freeze in the cold season.

It is also important to take care of good ventilation. If fresh air is not supplied to the pigsty, the pigs will have to constantly breathe in the fumes emitted by manure and urine, which will have an adverse effect on their health. In winter, it is recommended to heat the pigsty, especially if one of the pigs has farrowed. Low temperatures can lead to the death of newborn piglets and the sow herself, whose body is weakened after childbirth. You can heat the room using a conventional stove, potbelly stove or by installing special heating devices.

In order for piglets to grow faster, they need to be walked during the warm months of the year. Fresh air, physical activity and sunlight contribute to the growth and health of pigs.

For each pig, it is necessary to allocate 10x10 meters of free space under the open sky. The walking area must be fenced with strong boards nailed to powerful logs.

What to feed Vietnamese pigs?

There are many conflicting rumors about feeding Vietnamese pigs. Some novice pig breeders believe that these animals are omnivores and the fundamental difference between different types there is no food for them. To some extent this is true, but for rapid growth and weight gain, you must adhere to strict feeding rules.

Video - the experience of breeding Vietnamese pigs

Vietnamese pigs are bacon breeds, so their diet should be dominated by feed that helps accumulate fat. These pigs are distinguished by a peculiar digestive system (small stomach and short intestines), which ensures the rapid passage of food through the esophagus.

Hard feeds containing dense fiber are poorly absorbed by the body of Vietnamese pigs. Leguminous herbs and greens are considered the best food option for these animals. It is better not to give food in liquid form to pigs, since they will immediately swallow such food, without chewing it in their mouths. Thick porridge is well suited, as well as the fruits of fruits and vegetables. It is allowed to feed pigs with food waste - potato peels, apple cores, banana peels and other food leftovers from the table. The more varied the diet, the better.

Small piglets should be fed with mother's milk up to 1-1.5 months, but it is advisable to introduce complementary foods from the second week after birth. At the age of one month, they can be taken away from their mother and settled in a separate machine. The diet of piglets up to 1 month should contain cereals in milk (barley, wheat, corn or oatmeal), from a month old you can give fresh hay. For small pigs, herbs such as nettle, clover, sainfoin, quinoa, and amaranth are best suited.

Adult pigs need to be fed according to the season. In the summer, it is enough to give food twice a day, while it is recommended to feed more greens and vegetables. In the winter months, tops and hay are suitable, while you need to give food 3 times a day. If compound feeds are used, they must be mixed with bran - in this form they will be absorbed much better.

Vietnamese pigs should not be fed any grain. For example, it is better not to give them corn and oats, since these products will provoke the accumulation of fat and will adversely affect the health of the pigs. In addition, excess body fat will adversely affect the quality of meat. Recommended grains for adults are barley, rye and wheat.

Table - the rate of need for pigs in basic nutrients

Pregnant sows can be fed the same diet as normal pigs, but it is recommended to enrich the feed with vitamins - for example, add 1 raw egg, 2 tablespoons of fish oil or whey per 10 kg of feed. If you plan to slaughter a pig, a month before slaughter, you should switch to a special diet. The following daily diet contribute to the maximum weight gain: (50%), oats (10%), wheat (20%), corn (10%) and peas (10%).

Mating and farrowing

Vietnamese pigs are ready for mating at the age of 4-5 months, but it is not recommended to breed a pig weighing less than 35 kg, as it will be difficult for her to bear offspring.

There are a number of signs that will help determine the readiness of the animal for mating: swelling of the genital loop, restless behavior, and sometimes discharge. For mating to be successful, it is necessary to plant a boar with a pig for one day.

Bearing offspring lasts about 120 days. A week before giving birth, the pig becomes restless, begins to build a nest, her nipples swell, her stomach drops. Before farrowing itself, the pig will not eat anything, and a clear liquid will be released from the mammary glands - colostrum. If such phenomena are observed, you need to carefully prepare - clean the machine, put fresh straw, renew the water in the drinker.

You can not interfere in the birth process - the sow herself knows what and how to do. In some cases, when a pig is farrowing for the first time, you can help a little by wiping the newborn piglets with a clean cloth and cutting off the umbilical cord. The duration of farrowing is usually about 4 hours and it ends with the release of the placenta, which must be removed from the pen.

At the age of 40 days, Vietnamese piglets are pierced with deworming drugs (for example, brovandazole). Additional vaccinations against various diseases may be needed, but this issue is already being resolved with the veterinarian.

Video - keeping and feeding Vietnamese pigs

Vietnamese piglets are quite popular among most breeders. Their breeding does not cause much trouble. Therefore, they are preferred to be bred by people who have their own business, or simply for personal purposes. In pursuit of fashion, many animal lovers keep pigs as pets. The innate love for the cleanliness of these pets allows you to keep them even in an apartment.

Breed features

Vietnamese piglets have a very memorable appearance. Lop-bellied and lop-eared pigs are very popular. One of the features of the lop-eared is long ears that hang down strongly, and the feature of the lop-bellied is a voluminous drooping tummy. This interesting feature appears in adolescence. Despite the belly sagging to the ground, the animal remains mobile and very active. However, the bellied breed has several more characteristic features:

• The animal looks stocky (short, typically pig legs, wide chest and very powerful back).
• Small short ears in a standing position.
• The structure of the muzzle differs from other representatives, the muzzle is shorter.
• The coloring of the beast is predominantly in black tones.

Exotic lovers are often seduced by the hilarious appearance of little pigs. Pigs are especially clean, but do not forget that they remain representatives of their species. And pretty quickly, cute little pigs grow into powerful boars. Having reached puberty, the boar will gain up to 35 kg of weight, and this will no longer resemble a miniature pig. A sow or a breeding boar can gain weight up to 150 kg. Vietnamese pigs are distinguished by interesting features:

• Sustained weight gain.
• Rapid puberty.
• Unpretentiousness in content.
• Pickiness in the choice of food.
• The absence of a specific smell, which is characteristic of ordinary pigs.

Tropical and subtropical climates are the standard living conditions for pigs. But they easily adapt to the harsh climatic conditions of central Russia. Males fully mature already at 6 months, in females this happens 2 months earlier. The females are quite fertile. They are distinguished by a calm disposition and are considered attentive and caring towards their children. For a year, pigs give two offspring, each of which can have an average of 12 piglets.

With proper care, Vietnamese pig breeds have excellent health. Their excellent immunity allows them to resist all common diseases that are inherent in pets. Therefore, the maintenance and breeding of Vietnamese piglets will not cause much trouble.

The quality of the meat of Vietnamese pigs is superior in many respects to other bacon breeds. For this, the breed is very much appreciated by producers.:

The meat of bellied pigs is classified as a delicacy. It is suitable for cooking almost all dishes. The meat can be used for smoking and brining, and it can also be boiled, baked or fried. It is suitable for grilling or barbecue.

Breed Benefits

The breed has many unique features. . Thanks to them, they are very comfortable in breeding:

When breeding piglets, they need to create comfortable conditions for keeping. For this, a cozy, warm and dry room with good ventilation is suitable. The floor covering must be stable, durable and even. A concrete floor is best suited for frequent cleaning. Above floor covering flooring is made from boards. They don't need a lot of space to house pigs. Each livestock breeder decides for himself how many heads to keep in his farm. In a pen with an area of ​​​​4 to 5 square meters, you can fit:

• One mature male.
• Two adult females.
• Sow with offspring.

In the warm season, animals need to be provided with daily walking. Walking areas should be protected from the wind and have reliable and durable canopies that allow you to hide from the rain. Canopies are made of boards, at the level of growth of pigs. This is done so that they can scratch their backs. And also in the yard should be installed containers with water and feeders for food. In the cold season, the pigsty needs to be heated. Keeping warm is important for the birth of little piglets. In addition to mother's milk, newborns need human care. The formation of immunity and protection from external stimuli will depend on this.

Often, due to the novelty of the breed, it is quite difficult to find correct information on the nutrition of the Vietnamese pig. Breeding, care and nutrition of animals are very closely related. It is often advised that the diet of piglets should consist only of greens. Features of the digestive system in fact allows you to absorb a lot of herbs. However, in this case, nothing good can be expected: the quality of the meat will suffer significantly and there will be no necessary weight gain. The effectiveness of such a diet is quite small. Greens force the animal to eat more, which produces more waste.

At home, Vietnamese women are often offered hay instead of the usual feed in the form of root crops and straw. If they are bred for meat, then their diet should consist of high-calorie feeds (grain mixtures), with the addition of greens. The grain mixture is based on wheat and barley. They are fairly well digested and help weight gain. These grains take up to 70% of the total diet. Corn, peas and oats are hard-to-digest crops and should make up no more than 10% of the total diet.

During feeding or during pregnancy, sows need to diversify their diet. You can add chopped boiled eggs and fermented milk products to the menu. The diet should also contain thick grain porridge, which is quite simple to prepare:

1. All types of grain crops, previously crushed, must be poured with boiling water in a ratio of one to two in order to obtain a nutritious wet mixture.
2. After 12 hours of steaming, the food will be ready.
3. In order to improve nutritional efficiency, fish oil, components that stimulate digestion, and various vitamins are added to cereal porridge.

Boiled potatoes are best suited in the winter season, this product can be up to 15% of the total diet.

And also in winter, animals need to add pre-stored carrots and pumpkin to the menu. From hay, they most of all prefer legumes - clover and alfalfa.

Breeding fold-bellied pigs is quite easy and simple, even in a small area. However, some rules must be followed. For mating, animals are selected that are not closely related. The weight of the animals must be over 30 kg. The male must be older than six months, and the female can be selected from 4-month-old individuals. They put the boar to the female when she shows signs of hunting:

• The appearance of characteristic secretions in the genital loop.
• Swelling of the genitals.
• Persistent anxiety.
• Refusal of food.

For mating, the boar is left with the pigs for a day. With successful fertilization, the pregnancy of a pig lasts from 114-117 days. The pig begins to warn about the approaching farrowing in a few days. This is manifested in restless behavior, nest building and the desire to prepare the flooring. . The approach of this event can also be understood by the appearance of the female:

• The belly will drop a lot.
• The nipples will noticeably swell and colostrum will appear.

A large part of the success in breeding Vietnamese piglets depends on proper care. Caring for them consists of several points:

• The temperature in the paddock should be between 30 and 32 degrees.
• Farrowing time fold-bellied breed is 3 to 5 hours.
• After the birth of the entire offspring, you need to wait until the afterbirth comes out.
• Babies are freed from mucus, the umbilical cord of piglets is processed and dried, after which they are placed next to the sow for feeding with colostrum.

All these steps should be done in as little time as possible. The healthy growth of the animal will depend on this.

How to care for offspring

Piglets receive mother's milk for up to a month. Since birth, this is the only product in the diet of young animals. On the 10th day, they begin to introduce the first top dressing - drinking water, chalk, clay and crushed charcoal. Mineral supplements have a beneficial effect on bone growth, improve the processes of the digestive system and enhance immunity.

You should not feed babies only on milk. Long-term milk feeding is bad for the health of the sow and the development of fast-growing young. Because of this, babies have a lack of nutrients and trace elements. On the 20th day, they need to start feeding them with thick cereals based on compound feed.

It is necessary to add a complex of vitamins to complementary foods. To prevent the occurrence of anemia, young animals are given special injections.

From the age of one month, babies need to be weaned from milk, gradually changing the feeding ration and transferring to an adult diet. Healthy piglets already weigh more than 2.5 kg by the month of birth. Already by 3-4 months the pigs are ready for slaughter. To get a large mass, you must wait up to six months, it is by this time that the peak of animal growth has passed. Breeding Vietnamese bellied pigs is quite a profitable business, you can supply meat to all your relatives without any problems.

IN Lately the bellied Vietnamese pig has ceased to be just an exotic animal. Entrepreneurs involved in farming, increasingly began to opt for breeding these cute little animals.

History of the breed

The breed of pigs "Vietnamese bellied" was brought from Vietnam to Canada and Eastern Europe back in 1985. Gradually, the fashion for breeding these animals spread to many countries: America, France, Hungary, Poland and others. The most active breeding work is currently being carried out in Hungary and Canada. In these countries, specialists are trying to make the breed even more attractive for breeding by increasing the size of the animal and the percentage of its muscle mass. In Russia, this breed has become widespread relatively recently, livestock breeders are just beginning to master the breeding of these good-natured pigs.

Breed features

Pigs of the Vietnamese breed are distinguished by certain features that must be considered when breeding them. Many of these are the benefits that make pigs such a fast-growing fashion.

One of the main features of the breed is the rapid maturation of animals. Already at 4 months, females become sexually mature, and boars are ready for breeding at 6 months. Moreover, caring for newborn piglets is quite simple, since the sow does not interfere with him and behaves quite friendly. She herself takes care of the offspring, having a developed maternal instinct.

Another feature of these pigs is good immunity, they perfectly tolerate both hot climates and cold winters. These animals are only afraid of drafts, which are especially detrimental to small piglets.

Appearance

The bellied Vietnamese pig got its name because of the large hanging belly, which is especially striking because of the short legs.

Pigs can be white or black. There are individuals of a marble color that combines both of these shades. Because of the short legs, the belly of the pigs practically touches the ground. Their back is slightly concave, on the head are small ears. The stigmas resemble an accordion due to the large number of folds. Outwardly, the piglet of these pigs is somewhat similar to the muzzle of a pug due to the large number of bends.

Pigs are able to grow and gain weight for the first five years, although this process gradually becomes progressively slower. The weight of Vietnamese pigs that have reached the year is about 80 kg. In the livestock market, individuals weighing about 100 kg are most often represented.

Benefits of breeding

The Vietnamese Loose Belly pig breed gained its popularity due to the following advantages:

1. Low cost of feeding.

2. Compact dimensions, allowing you to keep several individuals at once in one not too large machine.

3. Immunity resistant to diseases and temperature extremes.

4. The possibility of almost year-round (depending on the place of breeding) free-range, as the pigs perfectly tolerate low temperatures during the winter.

5. The animals are very clean, free from the specific smell inherent in almost all pigs of other breeds.

6. They have tender meat with little fat and no streaks. The low cholesterol content in the product makes it possible to eat it for people with vascular diseases.

7. Early sexual maturity makes it possible to get the first offspring from a pig that has reached only 7-9 months. At the same time, animals that live for about 30 years are capable of farrowing throughout their lives. In addition, Vietnamese breed pigs are incredibly prolific, they bring from 12 to 20 piglets at a time.

8. Calm and good-natured. They let the owner to the piglets, do not break the enclosures, they have the ability to train.

Features of choice

All the advantages of this breed will be real only when choosing healthy individuals capable of producing offspring in the future. Occasionally found Vietnamese bellied pig, reviews of which are not very good. As a rule, such animals weigh about 40-60 kg by the year, and the farm owner cannot even get offspring from a female for 10 months. This result is most often due to the wrong choice of piglets. To buy an animal suitable for breeding, you need to pay attention to the following points:

1. You can not buy piglets that have appeared from the same litter.

2. If the breeder has several sows and one boar on the farm, then it is better not to buy piglets in this place. Such animals will certainly be relatives from which it is impossible to obtain healthy offspring.

3. You need to find out the weight with which the piglet was born. It is better if the seller also tells the growth dynamics of the animal at intervals of 10 days from the moment of birth.

4. In order to make sure that the age of the piglet indicated by the seller and its real value, you can ask to see the sow that gave birth to the animal. If the piglet is only a month old, then the pig should have sagging milk lobes, it should look thinner. Otherwise, the piglet is older than the seller says, or there is another sow in front of the buyer.

5. You can also determine a healthy animal by appearance. Piglets should have well-developed muscles. Legs in healthy individuals are strong, widely spaced. An external sign of belonging to the breed is a kind of stigma, which has numerous bends of the nasal bones.

If a piglet has a long head, a spindle-shaped body and legs in the shape of the letter "X", then such an individual is sick. In addition, these signs may indicate degeneration resulting from the birth of a piglet from relative parents.

A healthy piglet is distinguished by a knocked down dense physique, even coat, shiny eyes. Such an animal is active, has a good appetite. The excellent mood of the piglet is evidenced by waving a thin tail from side to side.

Color doesn't matter. It is predominantly black, but even in one litter there can be piglets of both white and mixed color.

6. If the litter has more than 12 piglets, then such animals may be weak. The choice must be taken very carefully.

7. Having decided on the piglet, you need to ask about the food that the previous owner used. The transition to another diet should not be abrupt, otherwise the animal may get sick.

Keeping Vietnamese pigs does not require much trouble. Due to their relatively compact size, the animals do not require a very large pigsty. It is best to make it out of brick, and make the floor concrete. So that in the cold season the pigs do not freeze on the stone floor, about 2/3 of the pigsty should be covered with wooden scaffolding. This area will be a kind of sleeping place for animals. The rest of the space will serve as a place for feeding and a toilet. The bellied Vietnamese pig is a clean animal, so you don’t have to worry that manure will be scattered throughout the pigsty. In addition, the animals do not dig the floor, which also simplifies the life of their owner.

One pen with a size of about 4.5 m2 can accommodate two adult pigs, one sow with piglets or a boar. When planning the internal structure of the pigsty between the machines, it is necessary to leave a passage sufficient for the passage of a trolley, with which it will be possible to remove manure. The ventilation system must be well organized in the room. The lack of fresh air and the cluttering of the pigsty will adversely affect the health of the animals.

Despite the fact that the breeding of Vietnamese bellied pigs is possible even at low temperatures, which they calmly endure, you still need to worry about heating the pigsty for the winter. For the sow and newborn piglets, the cold can be devastating. In order for the offspring to be healthy, grow well and recover, it needs a temperature of at least 20 degrees Celsius. Heating of the room can be carried out by gas convectors, a Russian stove, and other heating methods.

paddock

Daily exposure to fresh air in warm weather provides pigs with strong immunity and a good mood. Less sick and well put on weight regularly walking Vietnamese bellied pigs. Keeping exclusively in captivity will result in breeding weak and sick animals.

On the site for walking, if there is no need to dig a few logs into the ground. Pigs love to rub against them. A light canopy that protects animals from rain and the scorching sun will not interfere on the site.

Pigs of this breed, who are very fond of swimming in the mud, will be given great pleasure, a kind of pool. Its role can be played by a small depression in the ground measuring 2 by 2 meters. The pit must be periodically filled with fresh water. In such a pool, pigs can get rid of annoying insects, as well as cool off in hot summer weather.

Feed selection

Proper diet is the key not only to the growth of a healthy animal and a good weight gain, but also to obtaining high-quality lean meat, which distinguishes Vietnamese bellied pigs. Feeding animals depends on the special structure of their digestive system. A small stomach and a small intestinal diameter, the rapid movement of food through the digestive tract make it undesirable to use coarse feed. The standard treat of ordinary pigs, such as straw, will not bring any benefit to the Vietnamese breed. Well digested in the gastrointestinal tract of these pigs is a young legume family - alfalfa, clover.

A good option is compound feed, cooked in the form of a thick, dense porridge. Such food lingers in the mouth for a long time; Vietnamese pigs chew it thoroughly. Feeding food of this consistency contributes to the release of a large amount of saliva, under the influence of which starch turns into sugar. This simplifies the process of digestion.

In order for food to be assimilated as best as possible, preference should be given to ground grain. Whole grain feeds mostly pass through the pig's digestive tract unchanged, without being digested.

The basis of compound feed is barley and wheat. Oats, peas and corn are also added to it. The latter should not be more than 10%, since this cereal causes obesity in pigs. If you add too much corn to the feed, then it will be almost impossible to get tender bacon meat.

Vitamin supplements have a good effect on the health of pigs. Piglets can be given fish oil, eggs, milk, and vitamins are added to the bucket of feed for sows. In its raw form, so that vitamins do not break down, you can give animals zucchini, carrots, pumpkins. If vegetables are still cooked, they should be cooked immediately before feeding.

Farrowing of Vietnamese lop-bellied pigs

The main condition for the appearance of healthy offspring is the absence of family ties between the sow and the boar. Otherwise, the appearance of piglets with deformities, weak and sick is possible. In the future, such animals gain weight very poorly, often they cannot have their own offspring.

The bellied Vietnamese pig reaches puberty by the age of 4 months, the boar - a little later. You can determine that you can start mating by the state of the pig. She becomes restless, the genital loop swells. When pressing on the croup, the animal freezes in one place. If all these signs are visible, the pig can be placed with a boar for one day. The first farrowing of Vietnamese pigs is about 5 piglets, then up to 20 animals are born, most often about 12.

The pregnancy of a pig lasts from 114 to 118 days. A few days before giving birth, the animal begins to worry, to equip the nest, carefully crushing the hay. If colostrum appeared from the nipples, then the appearance of piglets will occur within a day. For farrowing, you need to carefully prepare. In the machine you need to clean up well, leaving only hay and a bowl of clean water. Separately, you need to equip a corner for newborn piglets. It should be warm in this place, in the first hours of life the temperature will be about 30 degrees.

If necessary, the airways of piglets are cleared of mucus, then placed in a prepared place to dry. It is important to ensure that in the first hour of life each piglet receives the required amount of colostrum. It contains a large number of nutrients, which are very lacking in newborn offspring.

Piglets at first feed exclusively on milk, which meets their needs for almost all nutrients. The exception is iron. To prevent anemia in offspring, piglets can be given injections of special drugs.

On average, by 10 days of life, a piglet reaches a weight of 1 kg, by 20 days - 1.5-2 kg. By a month, a piglet with a birth weight of 400-450 g should weigh at least 2.5-3 kg.

For a good weight gain, week-old piglets can begin to introduce complementary foods. It can be chalk, charcoal, other substances containing calcium, phosphorus. 10 days after birth, animals are given clean water. Two-week-old piglets can begin to feed thick porridge. A month after giving birth, the amount of milk in the sow is reduced, by this time the babies should learn to chew food on their own. In the same period, it is necessary to begin the gradual weaning of piglets from the mother.

Breeding result

This breed is a promising investment. Vietnamese bellied pigs, whose adult price is about 8,000 rubles, are very unpretentious, do not require expensive feed and special care. The decisive factor for profitable breeding is right choice piglets, the cost of which is about 3000 rubles.

The meat of pigs of this breed is very tender and tasty. It appeared on the market recently, but has already earned the trust of consumers. The meat of medium-sized individuals weighing up to 40 kg has especially good taste, although carcasses weighing about 100 kg enter the market.

The meat of Vietnamese bellied pigs contains little cholesterol, retains most of the nutrients in any method of heat treatment.

In order for animals to grow well, gain weight and bring healthy offspring, you need to follow the recommendations for keeping and feeding animals. Then breeding pigs of this breed will become a really profitable business.

Such pigs have an exceptionally good-natured disposition and peaceful attitude towards humans. In addition, contrary to popular belief about such animals, they are very neat. These cute creatures have the so-called bacon physique.

They are distinguished by a squat body, a wide back and an impressive chest. Due to the indicated dimensions, they look voluminous even with slight growth, which is especially evident due to short legs.

vietnamese pig

How can you observe on the picture, Vietnamese pig it is easy to distinguish from other breeds of relatives by external signs. First of all, their coloring is most often black, sometimes brownish, but in some cases it can be supplemented with white spots.

The muzzle of these creatures is noticeably flattened. Their erect ears are not particularly large, and their heads are small. But their most characteristic feature is considered to be a pendulous belly. This detail of the external appearance is already clearly visible in monthly piglets, but with age it only becomes more and more evident.

And in adult pigs, the stomach is able to reach the ground, which causes the back to bend in an arcuate manner, and the appearance of these creatures turns out to be very comical. For the reason just indicated, an individual of this breed is usually called: vietnamese bellied pig. Their mature boars have fangs about 15 cm long, which greatly adds to their ferocity.

An impressive stubble grows on the back of animals, which tends to rise noticeably in highly emotional moments. At the same time, these creatures acquire a very formidable appearance. In all parts of the body, their hair is of considerable length, but in particular it grows on the nape and head.

Breeding this breed of pigs is considered a profitable business due to the unpretentiousness of such animals, their compactness and precocity. These creatures thrive in the hot regions of Asia, but they also adapt remarkably to the mild climate of European countries and the cold winters of Canada.

Vietnamese pig with piglets

At present, this breed has successfully spread in Romania, Hungary, and is well known in Ukraine. Belarusian and Russian breeders are very interested in such pigs.

Today, efforts to improve this breed are being made actively. It is planned to increase productivity, increase muscle mass in percentage terms, as well as the size of these animals.

IN this direction purposefully work breeders and breeders in Canada and many countries of Eastern Europe. Today it is believed that with proper care and maintenance, as well as compliance with all feeding standards, Vietnamese pig weight may well be about 150 kg.

Kinds

This breed was originally bred in the southeastern regions of Asia. It began to spread further around the world quite recently. From Vietnam, their homeland, such pigs were brought only in 1985 for further breeding to the east of Europe and across the ocean to Canada.

Vietnamese bellied pig

Very little time has passed since the appearance of this breed in Russia. And there is still little reliable information about it, so the information sometimes turns out to be contradictory. For example, many believe that Asian pigs of this type are divided into several species, because they have many names, although these are just different names for the same breed. The most popular two species are fold and fold-bellied.

Some people also confuse such pigs with those similar to them in a number of ways. In fact, there is no connection between them. From the described Vietnamese pig breed At present, another, new variety has been obtained.

mini pigs

These are decorative creatures, very small in size, which were named. The mass of such dwarf pets is only about 20 kg.

Breeding at home

The room should be planned taking into account the climatic features of the area where the maintenance is carried out. The floor in the pigsty is quite suitable concrete. By the way, it will be even easier to clean up.

But part of the floor in the room still needs to be covered with boards so that the pigs do not freeze during cold periods. If the pigsty turns out to be spacious, then it is better to divide it with partitions so that several convenient pens are formed.

Lop-eared Vietnamese pig

As it has already become clear from the description, the appearance of such pigs is quite exotic, and therefore it is difficult to confuse them with anyone. But when acquiring such animals for your own purposes, you should take into account the inalienable rule: if even a superficial examination shows all the signs of the breed, this does not mean that the individual is purebred.

For example, it is recommended to pay special attention to the muzzle. She, as already mentioned, should be flattened. Otherwise, that is, if the stigma is elongated, this specimen should most likely be considered the product of crossing with other varieties of pigs. And it may not be the bearer of the required properties.

The breed is very meaty and excellent for breeding.

Also, when making a deal, in order not to experience disappointments later, it is necessary to think in advance and understand for yourself the specific purpose of the purchase: whether the intended owner is most interested in breeding for sale or growing for meat production.

As meat animals, large specimens of piglets are most suitable, the mass of which is at least 60 kg. Everything else will add excellent fattening. Unfortunately, the features of this breed in wide circles have not yet had time to get used to. That is why not everyone is able to appreciate the high taste properties of the juicy and tender bacon of such animals. Many people find the meat too fatty.

Vietnamese pigs at home are not a big burden for the owners, they are really unpretentious. Representatives of this breed grow surprisingly fast, so much so that at four months the pigs can already be considered mature.

And boars are fully formed sexually two months later, that is, at the age of six months they are already capable of fertilization. And this turns out to be a great convenience for breeders, regardless of their plans for these creatures. After all, pigs grow quickly, gain weight and produce offspring.

Among other advantages of the breed, special mention should be made of:

• excellent immunity and enviable resistance to many types of diseases, which is a hereditary quality;
• high ability to adapt with all the originality of the climatic characteristics of the area where it is supposed to produce content;
• careful care of adults about their offspring, which removes some of the worries and responsibilities from the owners;
• when cutting the carcasses of these animals, special skills are not required and significant efforts also do not have to be applied;
• the size of the pigs makes it possible not to spend huge amounts of money on their fattening, but they gain weight quickly;
• piglets inherit from their parents, including genetic memory, for example, about poisonous plants that should not be eaten.

Nutrition

The diet of such animals has some differences from the menu of the usual white relatives, so feed Vietnamese pigs needed a little differently. There are also obvious physiological features that change the feeding plan.

These animals can boast of a portly belly, but their stomach is very small, and their digestion of food occurs at an accelerated pace. Why does the order of eating change. Two meals a day, as is the case with white pigs, are not enough for such creatures, therefore, their number per day must be increased.

Vietnamese pigs love watermelons

These animals are exclusively herbivorous, and therefore herbs are very welcome on their menu, but only fresh, and it is also allowed to include hay, but not straw, especially stale. Zucchini, pumpkin, apples, corn, pears can be added to this list, which is very useful for such pigs.

But it is necessary to abandon the beets, it is harmful to them. And another important point: it is not recommended to feed such animals exclusively with pasture, it is necessary to add compound feed.

Of course, any owner wants Vietnamese pig meat it turned out to be of excellent quality, especially if they were brought in to get bacon. It is important here that this product does not turn out to be too fatty, and therefore it is not worth overfeeding animals, and it is recommended to constantly monitor their body weight.

In this case, a weight of about 100 kg is considered ideal, it can be a little more or less, ten kilograms. At the same time, if the main goal is to obtain bacon, it is also considered superfluous to give barley and corn in volumes exceeding 10% of the total feed mass.

Reproduction and lifespan

An impressive fertility is considered a valuable quality of this breed. After all, one sow is able to please the owner, giving him up to 18 piglets at a time. True, this does not always happen, but the standard indicator is the offspring of 12 newborn individuals.

At breeding Vietnamese pigs any problems in terms of mating and further offspring are usually not expected. And given the early maturation of such pets, which has already been mentioned, the business in terms of profit turns out to be profitable.

Already at the age of four months, the body of the female is fully formed for mating with a boar. It is not at all difficult to see the readiness of the female by characteristic signs.

During such periods, the pig loses its appetite, and there is a clear anxiety in its behavior. Of course, it is important not to confuse such signs with malaise. However, these animals rarely get sick. And therefore, these signs most likely indicate the readiness of the pig for mating.

There are more specific signs: discharge from a swollen genital loop. And if you put your palm on the animal's croup, the pig will not express dissatisfaction, spin and try to leave, on the contrary, it will take a motionless pose. This means that her condition is understood by the owner correctly.

Piglet of the Vietnamese pig

Then everything happens naturally, but the owner is required to follow the process. It is extremely important here that crossing with a blood-related boar does not occur. This must be taken care of in advance: it is better not to take piglets of different sexes from the same breeder. And, of course, it is important to help the sow to pass her term normally and be resolved by offspring.

Farrowing of Vietnamese pigs, as with white relatives, requires some preparation on the part of the owner. Otherwise, unpleasant complications may result. The following signs speak of the approach of this day: swelling of the nipples of the pig and lowering of the abdomen. This means that you should prepare the room for the upcoming birth, clearing it of all unnecessary. It is also better to change the hay and leave only water in the paddock.

In order to easily and quickly cut the umbilical cord to piglets, the delivery person will need special scissors, and cotton wool and iodine will be needed to process the cut. After the birth of babies, their mouth and snout should be cleaned of mucus.

And within the first hour, they should already receive top dressing in the form of mother's colostrum. This also needs to be followed up. Healthy piglets are easy to distinguish from sick ones. They eat well and are active.

If the pig gives birth for the first time, then the number of piglets is usually not large, but later the number of babies increases. A good female is able to have offspring twice a year. And this process continues throughout her life, the term of which can be estimated at 30 years. At the same time, the owner of great skills for breeding such pigs is usually not required.