How long does a pig grow before slaughter: factors influencing the speed when it can be cut

We will tell you in this article how long a pig grows before slaughter and how much product can be obtained from it. The question worries many novice livestock breeders, and for good reason. The piglet should not be overfed and slaughter should not be delayed. However, it is also not necessary to kill it too early, since then you do not use the full fattening potential of the animal. In addition, let's touch on the topic of suckling piglets: at what age should they be slaughtered, how to do it correctly so as not to spoil the delicacy.

What role does compound feed play?

The stomach of pigs has a single-chamber structure, and therefore, when breeding for meat, special feed is used. When consuming it, the animal must drink a sufficiently large amount of water.

Correct calculation of the daily amount of feed for pigs is very important. After all, knowing how much feed a pig needs per day, it will be possible to ensure the constant growth of the individual. If the calculation is incorrect, disturbances in the functioning of the stomach and intestines of animals may occur.

The composition of the special food is perfectly balanced. The animal will not need additional supplements during the growth process.

Which pig breed is the tastiest?

Mangalitsa: the most delicious pork in the world

The Mangalitsa is a descendant of the European wild boar and a relative of the black Iberian pig. ...
Since the breed is greasy, it produced aromatic lard and juicy meat with many greasy streaks. ...
In the 90s, people started talking about the Hungarian long-haired Mangalitsa pig again.

Interesting materials:

How long does it take to cook small vermicelli? How long does it take to cook horse meat? How long does it take to cook a small piece of beef? How long does it take to cook squash? How long does it take to cook dumplings in boiling water? How long does it take to cook quail eggs? How long does it take to cook pearl barley in bags? How long does it take to cook boletus and boletus mushrooms? How long does it take to cook chicken giblets? How long does it take to cook pork ribs?

Daily calculation of feed

The pig must be given a strictly dosed portion of feed per day. If you offer too much, you cannot avoid the problem of obesity, which will subsequently affect the quality of the meat. To determine how much feed a pig needs to eat for fattening, it is important to know the weight, age and gender of the animal. In order to determine how much the animals weigh, they must be weighed every month.

Daily food for pigs is compound feed that contains the necessary nutrients, vitamins and microelements.

Depending on the age, sex and weight of animals, three main stages of their development are distinguished. And each stage corresponds to the norms of daily feeding of pigs.

The milk stage includes piglets from birth to 2 months.

Piglet from birth to 2 weeks - 25 g per day;
For a one-month-old piglet - 350 g per day;
2-month-old individual - 850 g per day.

Weaning stage – this includes piglets 2-4 months old.

3-month-old pig - 1050 g per day;
For a 4-month-old pig - 1550 g per day.

Calculation of the amount of food per individual

Animal fattening stage. It includes individuals weighing up to 100 kg, pigs up to 8 months old:

Pig aged 5 months - 2250 g per day;
6-month-old pig - 2550 g per day;
7-month - 3200 g per day;
8-month-old - 3350 g per day.

The daily feed amount depends on the stage of growth of the pig and the body weight of the animal.

There are also certain feed standards that a pig eats in 1 year:

suckling piglets from birth to 2 months – 150 – 170 kg per year;
piglets from 2 to 4 months – 480 – 570 kg per year;
young individuals from 4 to 6 months - from 910 to 106 kg per year;
adult boars – from 1400 to 1650 kg per year;
sows - from 1480 to 18 kg per year.

Norm for issuing feed to piglets of different ages.

It is also important for the farmer to understand how much feed from different manufacturers can be consumed per pig per day. This issue can be considered using the example of the Provimi trademark.

Consumption rate of Soyuzpischeprom feed for fattening animals:

For sows from 2-3 months - 850 - 1550 g per day.
From 5-7 months – 2250 – 3200 g per day.
To obtain bacon from 3-7 months - 1250 - 3350 g per day.
To fatty positions from 3 - 9 months - 1800 - 3100 g per day.

Amount of feed for different age and sex groups of pigs

Consumption rate of compound feed of the Provimi brand for fattening animals: for a pig aged 4 to 6 months, 2910 g per day is required.

The slaughter weight of a pig is 100 kg. If the food eaten is equal to the specified standards, then it reaches slaughter weight in six or seven months. It is possible to achieve greater pig weight - up to 110 kg in 6 months. Experts have calculated the amount of feed that a pig eats during this time to achieve the specified weight. After eating 350 kg of dry food, a piglet acquires the weight of an adult boar in 6 months.

To determine how much feed is needed to fatten a pig to a body weight of 100 kg, you need to take into account that during the initial stage of fattening, an individual eats approximately 200 conventional units. It is estimated that during the stages from the beginning of fattening to the slaughter of an individual, it eats approximately 400 units. This means that during these two main periods the specific volume of food eaten by a pig is 600 units. Before slaughter, the pig reaches a weight of 100 kg. Slaughtering a pig of this mass yields about 75 kg of meat.

Small piglets eat three times a day; adults need two meals a day.

It is recommended to feed piglets of the dairy stage and the fattening period 3 times a day. Adults receive compound feed and additional complementary foods most often 2 times a day. It is also possible for adults to have 3 meals a day, then this feed is divided not into 2 meals, but into 3.

When sows and boars are slaughtered

On an industrial scale, suckling piglets are rarely sent to slaughter. They are supplied in limited quantities or to order. As a rule, this is a surplus of offspring or culling.

Boars are also rarely slaughtered, for the simple reason that there are not so many of them on the farm. More often this fate befalls hogs (castrated wild boars). Producers are sent to slaughter after several years of work, without significantly delaying the aging process (maximum 5-6 years), otherwise their meat will become unfit for food even after castration.

This operation must be performed no later than two months before slaughter. Otherwise, it is impossible to eat boar meat. The unpleasant smell and taste cannot be removed by any means - neither long-term heat treatment nor soaking in vinegar will help.

As for breeding females, it’s easier with them. However, with age, their meat also loses softness and tenderness, so owners, as a rule, after 8-12 farrows, prefer to slaughter the pig while the products obtained from it can still be sold.

Additional feeding

Compound feed is a balanced diet for animals, but sometimes when fattening pigs need additional food.

There are some features of feeding pigs.

Before feeding grain to an animal, it is important to grind it well. This way the grain will be better absorbed in the stomach. And it will be more convenient for the pig to feast on it in this form: in its uncrushed form, the grains will fall out of its mouth.
Before feeding potatoes, they are thoroughly washed to remove any adhering soil and boiled. Boiled potatoes promote better digestibility.
Vegetables such as carrots, beets, radishes, turnips, which are a source of vitamins for the animal, can be given raw. And if root vegetables are supposed to be the main food for a pig, then they need to be boiled.

In addition to feed, it is recommended to feed pigs potatoes and other vegetables.

How much meat can you get from one boar?

It is most rational to keep it only in the warm season, slaughtering it in November - early December. Then you can get an average of 60 - 100 kg of meat (depending on the breed and intensity of fattening).

For home use, almost the entire carcass is used, with the exception of the contents of the intestines. The bones are used for soups, heads and hooves, and shanks for jellies.

By-products can become delicacies (brains, tongue, ears, snout, tail) or turn into sausages, black pudding, kupaty, saltison or brawn in the pig’s own stomach, small and large intestines.

Lard, even the thinnest one, can be salted, frozen, melted, or rolled into jars. Internal lard in the form of a net is an excellent folk remedy for treating diseases. Pig is a virtually waste-free production.

Vietnamese pig diet

The Vietnamese breed of pigs has recently become very interesting for breeding. Vietnamese pigs are usually fattened for bacon.

This breed is considered quite unpretentious in food. They are sometimes called vegetarians, which is no coincidence, because the main food of this breed is vegetables and herbs, as well as grain. In order to protect adult pigs from obesity, it is recommended to feed them a maximum of twice a day.

Vietnamese pigs can be fed specially prepared porridges. Add an egg and a tablespoon of fish oil to a 10-liter bucket of porridge. This volume is enough for one feeding of three adults. Summer gives the pig the opportunity to eat pasture.

The Vietnamese breed of pigs is unpretentious in food; the animals willingly eat specially prepared porridge.

Milk stage - feeding features

The milk stage of feeding piglets has its own characteristics.

For the first 5 days of life, babies feed on mother's milk. Then, from the 5th day, the piglet begins to be given complementary foods.
Feeding for piglets consists of crushed and roasted grains: peas and barley, corn. Grains help the development of tooth buds. Thanks to them, the salivary glands begin their work.
Special curdled milk has a beneficial effect on the development of the functioning of the stomach and intestines.
Starting from 2 weeks of age, small piglets will require feed necessary for their development and growth.
To strengthen the bones, piglets are given grated chalk. The daily dose of chalk for a suckling pig is approximately 2 g per day.
To support the development of the gastrointestinal tract, grated charcoal is given.
When the piglet reaches approximately 45 days of age, it is separated from its mother and begins to be accustomed to the type of feeding that will be determined in the future for this individual: wet feeding or dry food.
After about 10 days, the piglets are completely switched to feed.

When breeding pigs, it is imperative to pay due attention to their fattening, because the development and growth of each individual pig is determined by the diet and the amount of feed consumed.

Basic nutrition of animals intended for meat

When engaged in pig breeding, targeted fattening of piglets should begin at 2.5-3 months. Then the animals will be able to gain maximum weight faster.

Feed consumption up to 6 months will be approximately 4 kg per piglet per day. The main part is compound feed, but it is worth including boiled vegetables - cabbage, carrots - in the diet.

In households, piglets are often given boiled potatoes as a base, but it is still better to use mixed feed. The pig will gain weight faster on it. In addition, you will need less of it than potatoes: 350 kg per year versus 1200 kg. In addition, it must be boiled, which requires additional time.

You need to constantly monitor the weight of the animal. As soon as he reaches 70 kg, intensive fattening begins. During this period, the piglet should gain up to 800 g per day. He should eat 8-9 kg of feed per day.

Pig feed quantity

To effectively gain muscle mass in pig farming, special feed is used. In most cases, they are represented by concentrates of grain crops, vegetables, and herbaceous plants. However, to fully absorb all nutrients, the animal must drink enough water.

To ensure the constant growth of each individual in the herd, a correct calculation of the daily amount of food is required. Without knowing how much feed you need to raise a pig, you may not achieve the desired result (if there is a lack of nutrition) or provoke the development of stomach and intestinal problems in the pig (if there is an excess of feed).

Factors influencing how much feed a pig needs for fattening:

initial weight – to effectively control the indicator, you need to weigh the animal once a month;
age;
floor.

The daily amount of feed for a pig directly depends on its age. So, during the milk period the following rules apply:

animal up to 14 days - 25 g per day;
piglet 30 days old - 350 g per day;
two-month pig - 850 g per day.

At the growing stage for fattening, the pig needs to eat the following amount of feed per day:

3 months - 1 kg and 50 g;
4 months - one and a half kilograms.

Next comes the stage of fattening the animals. This is the period of the most active weight gain, the goal of which is to achieve slaughter weight for the animal (100 kg). When using high-quality feed, this indicator can be achieved in 6-8 months. From such an individual, the pig farmer receives 70-75 kg of clean meat.

Standards for how much feed a pig needs for fattening during this period (per 1 day):

5-month-old individual - 2 kg 250 g;
six-month-old individual - 2 kg 550 g;
animal at 7 months - 3 kg 200 g;
pig at eight months - 3 kg 350 g.

For pig farmers, information indicating the feed standards that one individual eats in 12 months is also important:

individuals under 2 months of age - from 145 to 175 kg;
piglets up to 120 days – 490 – 580 kg;
six-month-old animals - from 900 to 1100 kg;
adult pigs – from 1450 to 1700 kg;
sows - from 1500 to 1800 kg.

The composition of AgroVitEx feed is optimally balanced and can be used at any period of a piglet’s life. The mixture contains proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and microelements. Animals in the process of gaining weight will practically not need additional complementary foods.

The younger the animal, the more tender the meat

Suckling pig meat is considered dietary and delicacy. It is not as popular as regular pork, but there are fans who prefer it.

A suckling pig is a baby no more than 8 weeks old that has consumed only pig's milk.

The meat of such piglets is juicy, tender, lacks fat, but contains a lot of vitamins and beneficial microelements. As a rule, these animals are not butchered; the piglet is cooked whole. Only the insides are taken out. At the same time, by-products are often used for stuffing, chopping them and mixing them with spices.

Dairy piglets are slaughtered according to the same principles as adult animals. Read more in the article “Technologies and methods of slaughtering pigs.” There is one difference: usually this is done on a special stool. From one piglet, which weighed up to 20 kg before slaughter, the slaughter yield will be 75%, that is, approximately 15 kg.

Some people believe that slaughtering young animals under 4 months is not profitable. They continue rearing for longer than 8 weeks, but call piglets of this age dairy. It is not right. A real suckling pig should be between 1 and 2 months old. At 4 weeks he weighs 6-9 kg, by eight weeks the weight can reach 20 kg. From a culinary point of view, a minimum weight is considered ideal, otherwise the meat will be tougher than it should be.

Additional feeding

Compound feed "AgroVitEx" is the optimal solution for fattening pigs. However, in some cases, animals need additional feeding to achieve results. It is important to remember some rules:

Any grain products must be crushed before being placed in the animal trough. In this form they are easier to digest. In addition, the individual eats more food, since whole grains can spill out of the mouth.
The potatoes must first be washed and boiled.
Vegetables can be given raw. However, when the percentage of root vegetables in the diet increases, they must first be boiled.

Peas, potatoes, barley, and clover improve the quality of the muscles of piglets and the taste of meat after slaughter. Therefore, whenever possible, these products should be included in the animal’s diet.

Feeding mode

Depending on the age of the individual, the frequency of meals can be three times a day (for the dairy period) or two times a day (for young and mature individuals). To gain weight as quickly as possible, it is recommended for animals to feed them with mixed feed that is balanced in nutritional composition. It is also possible to use food waste, but in this case it will not be possible to quickly fatten the piglet.

Conventionally, there are 2 modes of feeding animals:

Wet (regular, traditional). In this case, mash is mainly used - a mixture of vegetables, food waste, grain crops, trauma and hay.
Dry. The emphasis is on mixed feed, various mixtures of grain crops. With this type of feeding, one important condition applies - you need to give the animals enough water. Otherwise, constipation develops and the rate of weight gain decreases.

Today, in 80-85% of cases, pig farmers choose the second feeding mode. It does not require constant cooking of mash. The main thing is to first calculate the amount of feed required (according to the information given above), mix it with additional components and pour it into the trough.

In addition, dry feeding minimizes odor from the animal and speeds up the conversion of manure into fertilizer. This diet ensures rapid weight gain for pigs, which makes it more popular among pig farmers.

Types of pig fattening

The amount of feed when fattening a pig, the frequency of food consumption and other factors affect the final result. Depending on the goal set by the pig breeder, it is recommended to use the following types of fattening:

Meat. The goal is to increase the animal's muscle mass.
Bacon. The goal is to get meat with an even layer of fat.
Fattening for lard. The goal is to increase the fat mass of the animal.

Good options for quick weight gain (meat type) are feed containing potatoes, peas, and corn. They are well absorbed in the animal's body. To gain weight quickly, you also need to provide the appropriate amount of microelements and minerals. A pig eats up to 30 g of crushed chalk (calcium), about 25 g of salt and another 10-20 g of phosphorus per day.

When preparing an animal for bacon, food is used that increases the mass and quality of the meat. Pet food should not contain more than 4% fat due to the deterioration of bacon. Large amounts of cake and oats should be avoided. At the second stage, preference should be given to feed containing barley and millet concentrates. Juicy food options include beets and potatoes. Dairy products are also good.

For fattening pigs in order to obtain a large amount of fat, a feeding option with and without a preliminary preparatory stage is used. Preparation involves increasing the diet of young piglets with succulent and roughage feed, as well as green grass, which is available in the summer. The emphasis is on waste from grain crops, mill dust and others.

The second stage begins after the pig has gained 100-120 kg. The amount of concentrated feed in the diet increases. It is worth remembering that during this period, animals often lose their appetite. It is important to try to achieve 100% of your daily food intake. To do this, food is flavored with flavoring and aromatic additives, the feeding order is changed, and the like.

How much does a kilogram of pork cost in a store?

The average price for pork with bone is approximately 270 rubles. per kg. In Moscow you can buy meat for 332 rubles, in St. Petersburg – for 226 rubles. In winter, the cost has dropped significantly.

In the Urals, a kg of pulp will cost 300 rubles, in Kuban - from 300 to 550 rubles, in Siberia - 500 - 650 rubles. per kg. The price level depends not only on the region, but also on the type of meat.

Another thing is that selling is associated with certain difficulties. For delivery to stores, a certificate of conformity for meat obtained from a veterinarian is required.

This is a mandatory condition, since meat products, according to Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 982, are subject to mandatory certification.

So it is better to sell pig meat to friends who will not require supporting documents.

Diet for the milk period

The diet of a fattening pig during the dairy period determines the rate at which the individual gains muscle mass. Nutritional features at this stage:

The piglet receives complementary feeding only on the 5th day. Until then, he remains on mother's milk.
Peas, barley and corn are used first in complementary feeding. These products help accelerate tooth growth and improve the functioning of the salivary glands.
To normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, special yogurt is used.
From the 14th day, compound feed is added, which helps accelerate the growth of the individual.
Grated chalk is a part of the diet that improves the condition of the animal’s bones. The daily norm is 2 g.
To normalize intestinal function and minimize the risk of developing gastrointestinal diseases, charcoal is added to the diet of piglets.
At the age of 40-50 days, the piglet is separated from its mother and gradually accustomed to the appropriate type of food (wet or dry). The transition period takes on average 10 days.

The amount of feed for raising a pig during the dairy period is calculated according to the rules indicated above.

Types of feed and additives to it

Combined mixtures are produced in complete and concentrated forms. The first type is complete nutrition and does not require the addition of any other ingredients. Concentrate is an additive to the main feed for pigs. It contains a large amount of proteins, minerals, vitamins and other components. Concentrates stimulate growth, litter uniformity and productivity of pigs. They are produced taking into account the amount of proteins and other nutrients already available in the main feed.

Each type of feed must be used only for a specific group of pigs (piglets, suckling sows, boars, young animals).

Based on their form, combined mixtures are divided into the following types:

granular;
cereals;
placer;
chit.

In addition to concentrates for fast and complete growth, it contains premixes. This homogeneous mixture can contain from 2 to 40 components, depending on its purpose. Premixes contain various salts, vitamins, antibiotics, prophylactic drugs and much more. Thanks to their use, the consumption of basic feed is reduced by 30%.

Feed for pigs can contain up to 12 ingredients. The main volume (about 50%) is made up of 2 grain crops. This could be wheat and oats or barley and corn. Also includes feed yeast, salt, chalk, fat components, meal (cake), bone (fish) and alfalfa meal, premix. The amount of ingredients in the combined mixture varies depending on the age of the animal and its purpose (sow or fattening for slaughter).

Norms and rules of feeding

To determine how much feed a pig will eat per day, you need to take into account its breed, age, sex and weight. Suckling piglets are given 100-200 grams per head, and 1.5-month-old piglets are given 1.5 kg. A pregnant pig eats up to 3.5 kg, and a nursing pig eats up to 6 kg. The average norm for an adult is from 2 to 4 kg. Piglets that have just been weaned from the pig are given food with a granule size of up to 8 mm. Small piglets are fed up to 5 times a day, and adults - 2 times.

It is better to give the pig as much food as it can eat at once.

If compound feed for piglets and pigs is made with your own hands, then grain and other large ingredients must be ground in a crusher. Then add all the other additives and mix everything thoroughly.

The consistency of the mixture can be of the following types:

liquid – 1 part water to 3 parts combined feed;
thick – 1 to 2.5;
liquid porridge – 1 to 2;
thick porridge – 1 to 1.5;
wet scattering - liquid and feed in equal parts;
dry powder – 0.5 to 1.

The grain should not be cooked, as it then loses most of its nutrients.

Small piglets are given a wet crumble or thick porridge, as in this form it is better absorbed. The temperature of feed for pigs should be at least +30°C. You can mix potatoes, carrots, beets, bread or peas into it. It is necessary to dilute with liquid only before feeding, and in such a volume that it is eaten at one time. Otherwise, it will spoil, and this can cause stomach upset in the animal. The mixture in the form of liquid porridge is fed to adults. Unlike piglets, their grain is crushed to a medium or large size, and a premix is added. For 1 kg of dry feed, add up to 100 grams of premix.

For lactating sows, it is recommended to purchase special combined mixtures. Because they contain more minerals and vitamins. This is extremely important, since only born piglets receive everything they need from milk.

It is recommended to dilute dry feed with whey or water, as this promotes better absorption of feed.

If the combination formula is fed dry, the pigs must have constant access to clean water. Supplements containing antibiotics are stopped one week before slaughter.

How many products can you get?

The weight of the carcass that can be used for food in relation to the weight of the living pig is called slaughter yield. It includes not only meat and lard, but also skin and head. In this case, the weight of the carcass is calculated without blood, bristles, legs and entrails (only the kidneys with kidney fat are left). However, most organs - liver, heart, lungs and even intestines - can be sold.

The percentage of slaughter yield for pigs weighing 100 kg is on average 75%. In this case, the amount of meat, lard and other components is as follows:

from 63 kg to 72 kg – meat;
from 14 kg to 25 kg – lard;
from 500 to 600 g – cartilage, tendons;
from 12 kg to 13.5 kg – bones.

By-products have two categories of value. The first, more valuable, includes the heart, kidneys, tongue, liver, and diaphragm. The second includes the lungs, stomach, esophagus, legs, larynx, head without tongue and brain, ears, tail, trachea.

The main offal from a pig weighing 100 kg can be obtained approximately as follows: lungs - 800 g, liver - 1.5 kg, heart - 300 g.

Note that the highest slaughter yield is shown by such breeds as Duroc (85-86%), Vietnamese pot-bellied pig (from 85% to 95%), Berkshire and Mirgorod (up to 85%). But other species are not far behind. Pigs generally compare favorably with other farm animals with good slaughter characteristics.

What to feed pigs?

In order for pigs to grow up quickly and without disease, they need to be fed only those foods that are safe for the animal.

What can you feed a pig:

vegetables, both raw and boiled;
specialized food that accelerates development;
compound feed is the best choice;
milk and dairy products;
legumes;
grass, hay;
fruits;
cereals, minerals and vitamins.

Ideally, a complex of all these substances is needed, but not all farmers can provide such nutrition, so you should opt for mixed feed.

But there are a number of foods that you should never give to your pets; they can cause many diseases or even death. What not to add to your diet:

castor bean;
cotton;
spurge, buttercup, nightshade;
sprouted potatoes;
food with mold, fungus;
missing or poisonous food;
nut leaves.

Walnut leaves are prohibited

It is also necessary to periodically give animals special medications that improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Typically, feed does not require additional grinding, but if you think that it is too large, then it is worth grinding it, especially when it comes to piglets. This food is sold dry in bags, but it is strictly forbidden to give it to pigs this way. Before consumption, the feed should be filled with warm, clean water and the resulting mass should be mixed thoroughly. Animals can choke on dry food, so soaking is necessary. After this, you can give it to pigs for use.

Feed consumption rate

As already said, a pig can grow only with good nutrition. These animals need to be fed constantly and in large quantities. An already mature individual requires at least 4 kilograms of food. You need to feed as often as possible, the optimal amount is 3-4 times a day.

Reference. Compound feed is the most common food, as it contains a large amount of essential substances for pigs. In addition, an animal that eats such food grows very quickly.

Per day per pig

How much does a pig eat per day? The most optimal number of feedings is 3-4 times, that is, every 7-9 hours. You need to understand that the nutrition of a pregnant pig will be different from all others.

Nutrition of a pregnant pig

The pig needs to be fed at least 3 times a day, at best 5 times a day for faster fattening. Moreover, each feeding should contain at least 4 kilograms of food. This means that a typical pig needs about 12 kilograms every day. It is not necessary to give all 12 of them exactly as mixed feed; they can be diluted with other healthy products. It itself should contain from 500 grams to 1 kilogram. Also, the diet must contain the required amount of water.

A pregnant pig's diet should not contain too much protein food, and the amount of food should not be too large. The volume of feed given is best kept within 500 grams, and other products should be reduced by 1-2 kilograms. The main thing is to provide the animal with plenty of water.

In year

Calculating feeding calculations for an annual period of time is not so difficult. On average, one pig per year consumes from 182.5 to 365 kilograms. It’s up to you to decide how to feed the pig, but you need to remember that the better the animal’s diet, the faster it grows and the more meat and lard the pig contains.

Is it profitable to keep pigs?

Pig farming is a rather expensive branch of agriculture. When deciding to breed pigs, you need to know:

what direction to choose in pig farming;
How long does a pig grow before slaughter?
how much does a pig eat?
which pigs are better for fattening;
how to breed piglets, etc.

An important point is the living conditions of the piglets. Therefore, before buying a pig, you need to decide on the place where it will be kept.

Reduces the cost of raising pigs:

The opportunity to keep a purebred sow that will bear offspring on the farm and the issue of purchasing piglets for fattening will be resolved on its own;
Availability of feed stock with calculation of feed consumption per pig;
Sanitary conditions for keeping pigs, preventing their diseases and deaths.

Features of feeding suckling piglets

The difference between the diet of young animals and adults is obvious. They require more carbohydrates, proteins, fats, but at the same time, less food per day. The diet of the young changes every month. Let's figure out when and how to feed suckling piglets.

Sosunov

During this period, most of their diet consists of mother's milk. But you can also introduce other supplements that are approved for use from the 5th day of life. To begin with, you should treat the piglets with lightly roasted peas or grains and pour in sour milk. This will help improve the functioning of the stomach and develop teeth.

Feeding suckers

After 2-3 weeks, you can add feed in small quantities to the baby’s food. It should be diluted with warm milk, this will help the nutrition to be better absorbed in the body. All these supplements should be given carefully, observing the condition of the piglet.

From 1st month

When the piglet is already 1 month old, it can be safely separated from its mother. It is at this time that you should begin to introduce food without milk, but you cannot completely exclude the dairy product; it should be given in approximately half a liter. You can also dilute with cow's milk - from 100 to 300 milliliters. It is allowed to add fruits and vegetables, grains, but only in small quantities - up to 50 grams.

From 2 months

During this time period it is time to start weaning the piglet off milk; its amount should be up to 100 milliliters. Other nutritional components should be introduced on an ongoing basis: feed, grain, fruits, vegetables, hay, and so on. The total amount of food varies from 300 to 500 grams per use, although the number of feedings should not be less than 5-7 times. In total, a two-month-old pig should receive approximately 2-3 kilograms of feed daily.

How to breed piglets

Let's consider two main directions in breeding a herd of pigs for slaughter:

get a sow and inseminate her in order to have offspring on a farm;
buy piglets at the market.

How to choose the right sow

Breeding farms offer adult sows of meat and meat-fat breeds: Landrace, Large White, Estonian, Mirgorod , etc. To obtain a good offspring, pay attention to the fertility and milk production of the uterus of the selected breed. How to choose a good healthy piglet? Externally, the pig intended for brood looks playful and cheerful, and also has:

strong, stable legs with shiny hooves;
wide chest;
back with a straight line;
correct jaw bite;
at least 8 well-developed nipples.

How long does a pig grow before mating?

Firstly, there is a starting weight - 100 kg. Only the Vietnamese pot-bellied, karmal, and Korean herbivorous breeds may have a slightly lower weight of an adult pig.
Secondly, purebred sows are ready for mating at 8-9 months;
Thirdly, they purchase 2-3 month old pigs in the spring, so that they can mate at the end of the year and produce offspring by the spring of next year.

How to choose the right pig when buying

When going to the market to buy piglets, decide how many piglets you can keep on your farm: one, two or dozens of piglets. Pigs love to live in company, so for fattening pigs it is better to purchase at least 2 pigs. They quickly wean themselves off the sow and begin to eat and develop independently.

They will tell you how to choose a pig at the fair. But it’s better to know for yourself that healthy piglets:

agile and playful;
with a damp, cool patch;
have clear skin with smooth stubble;
a dry tail, wrapped in a “donut” in many breeds.

At 2-3 months, purebred piglets weigh at least 20 kg. Therefore, do not believe if they try to sell you an 8-10 kilogram pig as an adult.

You need to ask how much the piglet eats per day, what feed it prefers. As he is removed from the sow, his digestive system becomes accustomed to the new diet. You must know how to choose a pig for fattening in order to get results within six months.

Piglets that lived with a sow take a long time to get used to living independently. They are under stress, so they hide in the new barn, refuse food, and scream. If the purchased piglets do not eat, try to choose a suitable diet for them:

cook vegetables;
add chopped juicy root vegetables to boiled food;
use the addition of dairy products (low-fat) to the food;
make sure the food is warm;
sprinkle some dry feed, perhaps the piglets are used to eating dry feed.

Salt and chalk are added to the piglets' food. The drinking bowls must contain clean water. If piglets eat dry food, the body requires fluid. After 3-5 days, the babies will come out of stress and begin to get used to the new conditions and food that was offered to them.

The role of feed in the life of pigs

Fattening pigs at home requires knowledge from the farmer who breeds these animals to produce meat and meat products. Since the main goal of feeding piglets is to accelerate their growth, it is accordingly important to understand what food and feed products allow this to be done effectively.

This process requires a lot of effort, as well as the right approach to caring for the animal.

The farmer must be aware of the nutrients contained in the food so that he can provide them at the appropriate time. During each period of animal growth, as well as based on the goals of feeding the piglet, the appropriate standards must be observed.

Pigs have a single-chamber stomach, therefore, when breeding animals for meat, concentrated feed is mainly used, and succulent products are given less often, and the amount of green mass consumed is also reduced. It is quite difficult to balance nutrition when using several types of food when creating a diet for a specific month or a longer period.

To solve the problem, people began to produce special feed, which allowed them to expand their diet. This product is the most effective. When using compound feed, animals should be fattened with the simultaneous consumption of large amounts of water for better absorption of substances. It is necessary to correctly calculate the amount of feed per day. With the proper dosage, the growth of piglets will be stable. If you violate the requirements for feeding animals with this product, they will begin to show symptoms of gastrointestinal dysfunction.

A distinctive feature of the feed is its composition. When using such a diet, the piglet does not need to introduce other food additives to accelerate weight gain. The food has a balanced content of nutrients, essential microelements and vitamins. This type of food product is also preferable for feeding because it does not contain any harmful bacteria. It is clean and disinfected, which has a good effect on the condition of the pigs. They get sick much less often with this diet.

Compound feeds may have improved taste and smell that attract piglets. As a result, they eat with great appetite, leaving almost nothing left of their daily norm. Fattening pigs in this way allows you to get good meat and lard.

With proper feeding, the weight of animals gains quite quickly, which is a very important indicator for a farmer in production.

The use of compound feed allows you to introduce into the piglet’s diet all the components necessary for growth - proteins, fats and carbohydrates. They are crushed during production, mixed and pressed into small granules. It is convenient for packing and feeding, and also takes up less space.

Depending on the age period, breed and other indicators, the farmer must choose the right product. Certain types of combined feed are used for different purposes set by the farm owner.

Mixtures can be produced specifically for piglets aged 1 to 2 months, for growing animals during a certain period, and separately for adults.

Depending on the purposes, the products can be designed for fattening pigs for meat in order to improve its characteristics, for reproduction, for feeding a pregnant sow, for continuing the livestock, and also before slaughtering the animal.

Compound feed can belong to a specific product group - concentrated, premix, balancing additives and mixtures of various feeds.

How to sell piglets on the market

If a private farm contains one or more purebred sows, there is a need to sell piglets on the market. Receiving indirect income from the sale of young animals is quite justified. The farm only has the required number of heads for fattening.

How to sell piglets quickly?

Find out in advance how much a live piglet costs for 1 month at market prices; up to a month, piglets are still weak and require maternal feeding;
Take piglets to fairs after making sure they are healthy; It is advisable that the piglets already eat on their own;
Use the services of online stores to sell more heads at a good price; Online sales involve buyers coming to your farm or delivering live goods to the customer with an additional payment as agreed.

The income of a pig farm from the sale of piglets can be invested in the purchase of feed for raising pigs for slaughter.

How much food does one individual consume?

It is important for the farmer to know how much feed one individual eats per day at different age periods. Depending on the breed, age, and gender, the owner must determine the amount of feed in order to comply with the norms. Only in this case, the growth of piglets will be stable and intensive.

For example, if a farmer wants to feed one pig over the course of a year from a weight of 16-17 kilograms to 140, then he needs to take into account that almost all the time it will need to be fed with compound feed. If you give this product to an animal every day, following the normal diet, for 12 months, then it will need about 9 centners. It is not at all necessary to feed the pig exclusively. You can switch to another available food product at a certain period, if possible. Suitable fodder vegetables: sugar beets, corn, molasses, potatoes, grain crops and others.

The technology for fattening pigs must be followed as closely as possible so as not to disrupt stability during the growth process.

If the diet of an individual consists of grain crops, then to raise one sow up to 140 kilograms with her offspring, more than 120 centners will be needed. On average, about 40 centners of grain can be harvested from one hectare of field.