Among all the artiodactyls raised to get good meat, Pietrain pigs stand out. Animals are characterized by the production of particularly juicy bacon. This species is popular in the west, but it is also gaining great popularity in domestic farming. Features of divorce, feeding, maintenance and other issues will be discussed in this article.

How did the breed appear

This breed appeared in Belgium by crossing large white, Yorkshire and Berkshire breeds. The pigs got this name because of the area where the selection was carried out. Pigs are good genetic material, from them you can get other hybrids with great meatiness.

Characteristic

Appearance is quite interesting in physiological structure; too demanding in terms of care, nutrition, reproduction, growth. The peculiarity of these animals is that they do not accumulate fat (respectively, each increase in mass indicates an increase in meat). It is worth understanding the pig's physique, in the positive and negative features of the content.

External parameters

These animals look very interesting. They are large, with a short massive body. Their developed muscles are impressive. This is especially noticeable in the fillet area. Large hams and a wide sacrum make the animal special.

Dimensions	200–250 kg
Color	White with black spots
Head	Small
Neck	Fat
Ears	Small
Torso	Large width cylinder shape
Chest	Wide and deep
Stomach	Volume
Back	Muscular
Legs	Developed
Bristle Length (cm)	from 3 to 10 cm

Productive qualities

The pig takes a leading place among other individuals in its distinctive forms. Demand because of the excellent meat yield is high: about 60–70% of meat and only 10–30% of fat are obtained from one pig.

But they are not bred for lard, but in order to take dietary meat from each individual, which does not contain fat, has a delicate and sweet finish. It is valued by foodies around the world.

Females bring small offspring and give some milk. Not all kids have enough of it, and they die. Healthy ones gain weight regularly; in a day they can become heavier by half a kilogram. In 8 months they will gain 90 kg. The cost of feed is only 2-3 kilograms per day.

Advantages and disadvantages

The reasons for the purchase of such pigs by farmers may be their productivity. The fact that these animals are moody in this matter is known throughout the world. Therefore, it is worthwhile to understand what are the advantages of this breed and highlight its possible disadvantages.

• Advantages:
• a large yield of meat, which reaches up to 70% of the total mass of carcasses;
• resistance to circovirus disease and other viruses;
• lack of tendency to obesity;
• great appetite;
• rapid weight gain with proper nutrition.

Important! Circovirus is a viral disease transmitted by airborne droplets. It is incurable and capable of killing a large number of artiodactyls.

• Disadvantages:
• low adaptation to climate change;
• difficult tolerance of temperature differences;
• intolerance to stressful situations;
• low-quality meat, which quickly loses moisture and oxidizes;
• fastidiousness in food;
• small daily gains.

Despite the large number of shortcomings, pietrain can often be found in farming. The main reason for their popularity is their extraordinary appearance and a fair curiosity on the part of the butcher.

Buying Tips

As soon as a decision has been made to acquire piglets, it is necessary to initially take care of the conditions of their maintenance. This species does not tolerate cold, drafts and extreme humidity. Once the conditions are ready, you can start buying a pig.

First of all, pay attention to:

1. Age . Do not take too small, he still does not know how to eat. The piglet should be able to eat ordinary food, and not just drink mother’s milk, otherwise the baby will have to be fed cow’s milk (they can begin to vomit). Immediately ask the seller how and what to feed the piglets. It is best to ask to demonstrate the feeding process. They themselves must take food with their whole mouth, and not suck it like the nipple of their mother.
2. Bite . The ability to chew and digest food depends on it. If the jaw closes and there is no gap between them, then everything is in order. But if on the contrary, a gap is visible, then the animal will not be able to chew food completely, but will swallow it in whole pieces, which will negatively affect the stomach.
3. A healthy pig should be agile and playful . Her nickel is always wet. The tail area is dry and clean, without rashes. The tail of the animal has a twisted appearance, its end slightly sticking up. Small ears stand upright. Even the smallest piglet already has the inherent color of this species. The individuals are distinguished by fair skin with small dark spots.

Did you know? Landrace and Estonian bacon pigs are very popular among meat breeds.

Experienced pig farmers recommend buying a couple of animals, because they have a herd instinct, and one by one their growth will decrease significantly, or, conversely, the pig will swim with fat. Both options should not be allowed. Buying two pigs will improve the adaptation process, it will be much faster.

Animals will fight for food and compete, so their weight will increase rapidly.

Features of cultivation and care

Before buying pigs, you need to think about their content. They must live in comfortable and warm conditions, since this breed is completely not adapted to sudden changes in temperature. These animals feel uncomfortable, so even a slight cooling affects the behavior of the animal.

The body of the pig does not retain heat due to poorly developed fiber, and in the summer the pig can quickly receive a sunstroke.

Also learn about the features of the content of such popular breeds of pigs as the large white and whiskered Vietnamese.

Conditions for keeping

For living, a barn is suitable, in which it will be warm and cozy. The temperature in the room can vary around + 17– + 30 ° С. If it gets cold, pigs can catch a cold, or the accumulated fat will go to warm their body. If it is too hot - expect heat stroke.

So animals are best kept during this period in huts or under a canopy.

The floor of the pigsty should be made of wood, as this material retains heat best.

As for air humidity, 60–70% will be the norm. In this case, a special temperature should be maintained during the birth of young animals, which are placed in a room at a temperature of + 28 ° C, and on the following days it is lowered to + 22 ° C.

The heater will be an electric lamp with a capacity of 100 watts. She is hung at a height of 60 cm from the floor. The lighting in the room is regulated depending on the needs, but at the very initial stage of their life, light must be constantly present.

The presence of ventilation is mandatory, otherwise the fungus may divorce and there will be a smell of dampness. If you do not follow all the rules of keeping, you can raise weak and painful pigs.

To maintain a stable temperature in the barn, you need to make insulation both outside and inside using foam blocks. The floor should also be warm, made of straw or hay flooring. Animals should have space for walking, because they are quite mobile and simply can not tolerate small rooms.

It is necessary to make an aviary for a cloven-hoofed walk, fenced with a metal mesh.

Feeding

It is the diet that is able to give this breed the necessary substances, due to which the volume of meat will increase, its taste will change. Small body fat suggests that the Pietrain pig has an accelerated metabolism, so these animals are very picky about food. The diet for them is based on the age of the artiodactyl.

Did you know? The largest male was raised in the United States. Its weight was 1153 kg. This boar was a hybrid of Chinese and Polish breeds.

Since pigs are animals with a single-chamber stomach, they cannot cope with solid food, so food from feed and succulent greens should make up a small percentage of total nutrition. Therefore, farmers often feed their pigs with concentrated feed.

They are much faster and easier to absorb by the body and are good for weight gain.

There are two types of feeding:

1. Traditional . Using mash mats, which includes food waste, vegetables, grass.
2. Dry feeding . It consists of grain mixtures, which must be finely ground with a crusher. You can add oilcake and vitamins. You need to drink the piglet well, otherwise it will constipate, and the mass gain will stop abruptly.

It is strictly forbidden to feed pigs with food on which there is mold and fungus. Contaminated feed must be disposed of immediately. Do not give too much greenery, because some plants can contribute to poisoning.

It is necessary to exclude such herbs:

• cycutu;
• spurge;
• horse dill;
• buttercup.

Check out the most effective pig fattening at home.

Potatoes should be without sprouts (if they are present - remove them immediately). Do not give water in which vegetables were cooked.

Summer is rich in herbs, which is mandatory in the diet, which is impossible to say about the winter period. The main food will be a mess. As a rule, this is food waste, to which dust, hay flour is added.

Hay must be harvested from the summer, it must be gentle and shallow. Feeding pigs in the winter requires the right selection of products.

Be sure to have a bowl of clean water in sufficient quantity. Water temperature - + 20– + 25 ° C.

The diet of the animal should be filled with the maximum amount of mineral additives (chalk, ash, dry nettle are suitable). It is worth remembering that there is a division into the feeding of adults and young animals.

Adults

Adults are given high-calorie foods that increase weight:

• sugar beets;
• corn;
• beans;
• soy;
• peas;
• compound feed;
• leftover food from the table.

The menu should contain proteins: reverse, meat and fish waste. But do not get carried away with crops, this will lead to a deterioration in mass gain. Pietrain just does not overeat, but obesity can occur. Pay attention to how much the pig eats, the excess is worth cleaning.

Vitamins and minerals that are purchased in the store are added to the diet.

The structure of the diet is as follows:

• concentrates - about 2 kg;
• succulent feed - up to 10 kg;
• roughage - 2 kg.

Young animals

Feeding babies is a special process, because the piglet was only torn from the mother, who could not give the necessary amount of milk due to her physiology. Immediately on day 2 after birth, the pig is watered with clean water and mineral supplements are given.

Only early feeding will increase the survival rate of piglets. On day 3 give cow's milk. After a week they are fed porridge from oats. Then give some hay. Two weeks later, fresh carrots are introduced into the diet. Until 20 days, beets are used only boiled and grated.

And then you can eat juicy grass, boiled potatoes. Gradually transfer to full-fledged adult nutrition from the 25th day.

Pig breeding

Before you start breeding young animals, you should make sure that the sow is ready, in good health. Pay special attention to the pigsty, which should be ready for the adoption of kids. The boar comes to maturity at 8 months, and at 10 at the female.

The case is carried out in two approaches, but first the pair meets each other. As soon as the female is fertilized, the best conditions are created for her with an excellent diet filled with protein. The future mother is taken for a walk to the corral, otherwise her hooves will atrophy.

Did you know? Representatives of the Pietrain breed first entered the territory of the Soviet Union in 1964. However, this species has not received wide distribution, because it did not tolerate the weather conditions of this country.

Pregnancy lasts about 118-120 days. Duration depends on the conditions of detention, the time of year, the number of previous births and babies born. This species is not fertile, the maximum number of cubs is 8 individuals.

Most often, labor begins at night, but this is not always the case.

To farrow at home was fast, everything must be done according to the rules:

1. If the uterus begins to contract in the sow, then it lies on its side, so the farmer must monitor the behavior of the animal.
2. The birth process lasts about 3–7 hours, depending on the number of pigs.
3. During the process, the farmer should be near the pig and take the cubs.
4. The fetus must be rid of the membranes, if this did not happen during childbirth. Then the baby is wiped with a clean cloth from mucus.
5. The umbilical cord is bandaged 3 cm from the abdomen, it is cut with scissors and treated with iodine.
6. The piglet is transferred to a box with warm litter and a lamp is placed above it, which will heat it.
7. The same movements should be done with the rest of the pigs.

The interval between the appearance of each fetus is 30 minutes. Therefore, you can carefully process the cub that was born and expect the next. It is necessary to wait until the placenta is released, then we can assume that the birth is over.

If the cubs were born weak, they are taken to a separate room and nursed, enriching the body with vitamins. Healthy babies are left with a sow.

These signs will tell the farmer that in a couple of days the animal will start hunting:

• males begin to grunt constantly, their urination equals half an hour;
• animals behave very violently, they want to crush and break everything in its path;
• the male very often rubs near the walls of the barn;
• the boar climbs on the females and begins to imitate mating;
• in females the genitals blush and swell, there is a discharge;
• the pig refuses to eat and does not sleep;
• when you press the pig’s backside with your hand, it will stand still until you remove your hand.

Diseases and their prevention

Finding a sick pig is pretty simple. As a rule, they clog into a corner and no longer have an appetite, as before White spots appear, the skin begins to peel off. But do not panic right away, to begin with, monitor the behavior of a sick animal.

Possible diseases of pietrain:

1. Bronchitis The most common disease, which is very easy to determine: white discharge comes from the patch, the body temperature rises, appetite sharply disappears, and fatigue is observed. The cause of this ailment is a draft or a temperature drop. It is treated with antibiotics, streptocide and soda. Before starting treatment, the sick animal is isolated, transferred to a warm place.
2. Gastroenteritis Most often manifested in piglets, transferred to adult feeding. The symptoms are: vomiting, fever, breakdown, white mucous membranes. Treatment begins with the fact that the animal is put on a sparing diet, give disinfectant medications, including laxatives. if the disease has taken a serious form, immediately switch to antibiotics.
3. An ulcer . The individual becomes ill due to the use of roughage. If you saw undigested food in feces of a pig, the piglet often vomits, and he has lost his appetite - you need to use the most stringent diet with laxative pills.

Animals are practically incurable from diseases such as plague, dysentery and foot and mouth disease.

Disease Prevention:

• properly conduct the feeding process and follow sanitary rules that will reduce the risk of infection;
• clean pigs with hexachloran;
• five days before farrowing, the animal must be treated with insecticides (this drug will reduce the risk of infection);
• It is worth giving 1% spray "Malathion" to prevent infection.

It is necessary to provide thorough care and a balanced diet, and then you will avoid all the troubles associated with diseases.

Important! Only experienced farmers can treat pigs on their own. Beginners are required to first show the animal to the veterinarian, and then proceed to treatment according to his recommendations.

Crossbreeding with other breeds

This breed is just the perfect genetic kit for crossbreeding with other breeds.

A good brood can be obtained by crossing with:

• Landrace representatives - these little pigs will quickly increase mass gain. Their meat has a low fat content;
• duroc - meat of this species becomes incredibly juicy and of high quality; It has a marble texture, which is very much appreciated in the world of culinary.

Such crosses are carried out exclusively to produce tasty meat. Hybrids are much easier to deal with acclimatization. Remember that each combination of species will only create good bacon.

Pietrens are not popular enough in our country, because they are difficult to remove because of the temperature drops, which pigs can hardly tolerate. They are too demanding on air, humidity, nutrition. Females of this species give small offspring, which they cannot always feed, since they have insufficient milk reserves for this.

Due to its physiology, the animal is not able to accumulate fat. The meat is obtained without a single fat layer. That is why Pietrens are often crossed with other breeds in order to gain growth without accumulating fat.