Pigs are mainly grown for a tasty and large amount of fat, but the meat obtained from a pig is no worse in taste than fat. Pork is cooked in all countries, in cafes and restaurants, at home. You can note the most meat breeds for breeding, which are described below.
What is the difference between meat breeds of pigs?
Such pigs are also called bacon. They can be determined by their appearance: the body is long, the sternum is not deep. The back of the animal is larger than the front because the ham is very massive. The main difference between meat pigs and greasy pigs is that these pigs intensively develop muscle tissue, and fat, on the contrary, is deposited more slowly.
Piglets quickly gain weight, if they are properly looked after and well fed, in six months the piglet can weigh 100 kilograms. From one carcass, the meat yield will be 67%, and the fat will be 25%.
Meat breed Duroc
The meatiest breed of pig is Duroc. An adult animal can reach 250 kilograms of live weight. The fat is only 3 centimeters thick.
This breed is distinguished by its large size. After all, a male individual can reach almost two meters (1.8). As for the female, they are slightly smaller in size. In general, meat breeds are distinguished by an elongated body, but in this case everything is different. The carcass of Duroc is wide and massive, the back is convex, and their head is small in size, where the sharp ears either stick up or are extended forward.
Another difference of this breed in its color, they have many shades: golden, dark brown, brown. Medium-length bristles to match skin color. Pigs are gaining weight rapidly, so the older the pig, the less active it is.
Duroc productivity
If it was decided to raise pigs, then you need to know how you can get a large yield of meat and lard at minimal cost. It was said above that with one carcass the meat yield is 80%, but this happens if the animal is well fed. To get such a good result, the animal must receive a lot of protein food.
A few months of good feeding are enough and pigs will be pleased with their weight of 100 kilograms. The mass is constantly recruited, even in adulthood, with the exception of calving.
Studies have shown that the quality and quantity of pork meat is influenced by the conditions in which the animal is kept. It is necessary to ventilate the visit, constantly clean it, the paddock should always be clean and dry. In winter it must be insulated, and also there should never be extraneous noise and irritants.
Advantages and disadvantages of the breed
The advantages of the Duroc breed include:
- rapid growth and the same weight gain;
- endurance and adaptability to any conditions of detention;
- getting a lot of tasty and juicy meat;
- almost no subcutaneous fat;
- calm nature: do not fight, do not bite, and are also careful about their piglets.
The Duroc breed is an excellent option for keeping and breeding meat breed pigs. But such an “ideal” breed has its drawbacks:
- at one time, a pig can bring no more than 10 piglets, but on the other hand it is good, because the fewer piglets are in the stomach, the greater the percentage of their survival;
- susceptibility to respiratory diseases;
- weight gain will directly depend on the amount of protein consumed.
Pig care
Fortunately, this breed is not whimsical in maintenance, they can be kept in open pens in the warm season, where there will be enough space. It is necessary to feed animals three times a day in the winter and twice a day in the summer. It is important to ensure that animals receive a sufficient amount of protein. It is impossible that the room remains unventilated, polluted, the presence of drafts is also unacceptable, since pigs are prone to diseases.
Breeding Duroc breed
As farmers say, it’s not profitable to keep Duroc pigs for offspring and to get meat, because the expense exceeds productivity. Indeed, a sow of another breed brings more than 30 piglets at a time, when Duroc can bring a maximum of 20 piglets.
Active sexual hunting in sows lasts two days, at which time it is better to leave it completely at ease. The next day it happens with a boar, and twice to get 100% of the result. The survival rate of newborn piglets is 93%.
Piglet Pig
Another meat breed Pietren. Pietren boars are capable of gaining 260 kilograms of live weight, sows are slightly smaller - 240 kilograms. The body of this pig is short, but wide enough, the muscles are well developed, although this cannot be said in appearance, because they have a thin and light skeleton. The hams are massive.
The head is straight, small and light, the ears are small erect, wide, not deep chest. The back is muscular, rather wide, rounded sides, which indicate that the pig does not have large fat deposits, but a large accumulation of meat. The color of pigs is white or motley.
Productivity
It is definitely impossible to answer whether it is beneficial to contain this breed for meat. It all depends on the owner, whether he can provide proper care for them and proper feeding. It is important to know that one pig can bring only 8 piglets at a time, and only six can fully feed it, the rest should be fed.
Their vitality is high, but gaining weight quite slowly. If piglets are fed meat products, then even then they will gain 100 kilograms only at 230 days of age.
With proper care and feeding, it is possible to achieve meat yield from one carcass 60%, while the fat indicators are only 26%. A leg of an adult boar weighs about 9 kilograms, not to mention the rest.
Advantages and disadvantages
Pietren pigs have both advantages and disadvantages. Let's talk about the advantages:
- slaughter meat yield is 70% from one carcass;
- disease resistance;
- not prone to obesity.
Now the disadvantages:
- poorly getting used to the new climate and temperature changes;
- poorly tolerate stress;
- poor quality meat;
- low weight gain;
- finicky in feeding.
Care and maintenance
The main emphasis of this breed is to care for pigs, because the animals are whimsical in keeping, and they very poorly tolerate both heat and frost. Pigs will not go far at one feed, they need a balanced and varied diet, where protein, carbohydrates, fats, trace elements, in general, all nutrients and nutrients should be present.
Pig breeding
Despite their good meat productivity, pigs are not highly fertile. Since Pietren sows have problems with milk production, they can tolerate and give birth to up to 8 piglets at a time.
Before you purchase this breed of pigs, you need to familiarize yourself with the care, maintenance and feeding, because the pigs will not be properly cared for, the young growth will either die or not be born at all. At the moment, these pigs are kept not only for productivity, but also for breeding with other breeds to obtain even greater qualities.
Landrace breeds
A good meat breed of pigs is Landras. The weight of the boar reaches 310 kilograms, and the length of the trunk is 180 centimeters, the chest circumference is 162 centimeters. As for females, their weight reaches 260 kilograms. The breed can be identified by appearance: a long torso, large ears hanging over the eyes, thin skin, and rare white bristles.
Landras Pig Productivity
Landras differs from other pigs in high productivity, because the meat yield from one carcass is 70%. The fat layer is small - about 20 millimeters. A pig can bring about 10 piglets at a time. These pigs are precocious, daily weight gain is 800 grams.
Advantages and disadvantages
This breed of pigs has its advantages and disadvantages, among the advantages it can be noted:
- mobility;
- fast growth;
- high development rates;
- endurance;
- high quality meat.
Now about the disadvantages:
- very shy, as a result of which violations may occur;
- wagging backwards;
- the sides are weak.
Care and maintenance
In order for pigs to give good productivity and farrowing, one should properly equip the pigsty, clean it in a timely manner, properly feed the animals and change the water as it becomes contaminated. This breed of pigs is clean, so if they violate sanitary standards, they can get sick.
Breeding
This breed was bred in the 20th century in Denmark. The selection was very cruel, the most precocious and fleshy animals were selected. As a result, the English breed of pigs and Danish were crossed, as a result of which the Landrace breed appeared.
Breeders argue that if you cross Landras with another bacon breed, you will get great offspring. Piglets are unique in that when fattening over 100 kilograms, meat productivity increased by 3%.
Breeding Landrace is not an easy task, as sows and young animals are fastidious. Even the smallest deviations in feeding or maintenance can affect fertility, fertilization and other indicators.
Vietnamese pigs
The Vietnamese breed of pig also belongs to the meat, but its quantity is not so big. This breed is precocious and highly fertile. Maturity occurs in 4 months, after 4 months the pig can bring its first offspring in an amount of up to 20 pieces. She can give birth to 18 years, in a year about 24 pigs come out.
Productivity
Slaughter for meat occurs at 8 months of age, it is then that there is still no cholesterol, and the meat is very tasty and is sold very quickly. High taste is due to the good absorption of plant foods.
Advantages and disadvantages
Any breed of pigs has its advantages and disadvantages, the advantages of the breed:
- fast ripening;
- high fecundity;
- high quality meat;
- unpretentiousness to food;
- resistance to disease;
- calm nature;
- quick payback.
Disadvantages:
- do not like drafts;
- any food is not suitable, it is necessary to choose exclusively for Vietnamese pigs;
- the sow feeds piglets for a long time, therefore it is depleted.
Care
Before you get a Vietnamese pig, you need to prepare a room in advance for it to be dry and clean. This breed is not whimsical for maintenance, and since they are small in size, the pigsty will become a whole farm for them. In summer, it is necessary to walk the pigs, for this an area of one hundred but one adult pig is allocated. At a walk, logs should be dug into the ground, about which they can rub their backs.
Vietnamese pigs are extremely clean, and on a walk they only need one corner. If at the moment it is impossible to go on a walk, then they will tolerate how much it will be needed. The room must be kept clean. Pigs should be kept clean at all times.
Feed pigs and piglets should be grass, and they eat any grass in large quantities. The daily menu should include: wheat, barley, oats, peas and corn, but not in pure form, but in the form of cereals. If it was decided to give dry grains, then they must first be crushed.
Breeding
The main rule for obtaining healthy and viable young animals is that the boar should not be a relative of the sow, this applies to those animals that they decided to reduce. In general, pigs of this breed are precocious, but you need to happen to a pig with a boar if the weight is less than 30 kilograms.
By the following signs, you can determine that the pig is ready for mating:
- the sow is worried;
- the genital loop becomes swollen;
- discharge appears;
- if you push the croup, the pig does not budge, but listens to sensations.
Hampshire breed
Another meat breed is the Hampshire pig. Hampshire pigs are most effective when crossed with other breeds to produce a new bacon breed. The main difference between this breed and others is its pure black color, but there must be a wide strip that surrounds the body, where the shoulder blades and front hooves are. The head is light, small in size, the snout is straight.
The ears are small, standing straight, the body is long, and the back is strong and at the same time wide. The legs are short but strong and strong, and the hooves are straight. The breed itself does not have a large amount of meat, however, there are main parameters:
- The size of the animal is average, although when compared with other meat breeds, this breed is at its best. A boar can reach 310 kilograms of live weight, and a pig - 250 kilograms.
- Young piglets are quite strong, but nevertheless, until 8 months they slowly gain weight, but after that they grow rapidly.
Productivity
The productivity of this breed is very low, large indicators can be achieved by crossing with other breeds. When creating hybrids, a different quality of meat is obtained. To date, Hampshire pigs are actively crossbreeding with other breeds, as a result of which their hybrids are constantly used as a commodity.
At one time, the sow can bring about 8 piglets, some had 10 and even 12 piglets. Since sows are caring mothers, there are practically no deaths for piglets and their weight gain is higher than that of other breeds.
Advantages and disadvantages
Any breed of pig has both advantages and disadvantages, among the advantages it can be noted:
- endurance;
- have strong immunity;
- not prone to disease;
- well developed maternal instinct;
- long meat with a thin fat layer;
- large daily gain.
Disadvantages:
- low fertility;
- increased irritability;
- low quality meat.
Breeding
To breed this breed is beneficial even in that it adapts well to any weather conditions, they are not afraid of either cold or hot days. If you feed and care for the pig properly, it will in any case show good results.
The plus is that they can be grazed all day in open or closed pastures. The pig carcass consists of almost one meat, the fat layer is very thin. When using high-quality and balanced feed, the daily gain can be as much as 900 grams.
The downside of pigs is that they are very shy, any fear can even lead to weight loss and inhibition in development. Therefore, calm is important for them, without irritants and extraneous harsh sounds.
Fertility of sows is small, at one time it can lead to 8 piglets, there are rare cases when the number grows to 10 or even 12 pieces. Despite this, they are good mothers, able to feed any number of piglets and grow all.
White pig
Today, the white pig is the most common throughout Russia. The animal adapts well to any climate. The white pig easily adapts to any climatic conditions, nor is it whimsical in keeping and feeding. Nevertheless, they do not tolerate severe frosts and very intense heat.
Pigs can be fed for both lard and meat, and can be made so that there is both meat and fat the same. They have a slim physique, strong skeleton and white color. The body of a boar is 190 centimeters long, and pigs are 165 centimeters. The head is large, the forehead is wide, the neck is thick and distant. The ears are thin, do not hang down, but with an inclination forward.
The chest is deep, rather wide, the back is long and wide, the butt is not sagging, the ham is round. The growth of white pigs is not large, their legs are strong with smooth and wide hooves. The skin is elastic and at the same time dense, there are no folds, and the bristles are thick but thin.
Productivity
This breed belongs to the meat-tallow category. The weight of an adult boar reaches 330 kilograms, and sows - 230 kilograms of live weight. The female can bring up to 12 piglets at a time, while the milk yield is 90 kilograms. Toddlers are rapidly gaining weight and in two months their weight reaches 20 kilograms. The meat yield is large - 80% from one carcass.
Advantages and disadvantages
It is beneficial to breed white pigs, because they have many advantages:
- endurance and adaptability to various weather conditions;
- precocity
- good fertility;
- tasty meat;
- a large yield of meat and fat;
- flexible structure.
But they are not so ideal, as they also have disadvantages:
- tendency to obesity;
- unpleasant look;
- drooping sacrum;
- the ham is poorly expressed.
Care and maintenance
Pigs are predisposed to obesity, so it is important to feed them correctly. In the spring-summer period, pigs should be grazed all day, where they will be very willing to pinch juicy grass, and vegetables will be suitable as complementary foods. In addition, if desired, you can add feed, fruits, cabbage. Pigs should have water all the time, and in winter you can give them snow.
The stall where pigs live should be free, dry and, most importantly, clean. Drafts are unacceptable, and in the summer it is important to establish ventilation.
Breeding
White sows have good fertility, because at one time they can bring 12 piglets, milk yield 60 kilograms. Two-month-old piglets weigh 5 kilograms, and at 190 days of age they reach 100 kilograms.
Barbecue breed
In the 21st century, experts bred a new breed of barbecue pigs with a distinctive feature - wool. Brazier breed is difficult to confuse with someone else, because their hair is thick with curls like lambs. Thick hair allows the animal to endure severe frosts without problems, and in the summer to escape from annoying insects. By the color of the brazier, you can divide into four types:
- the black;
- red;
- white;
- mixed.
There is almost no black type of barbecue.
Braziers are on the verge of extinction, there are very few of them left in the world, but the meat of these pigs can not be compared with anything, it is the most delicious, tender and juicy.
There are many types of meat pigs, each of them has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. Many breeds can be easily bred even at home without experience. The yield of meat from such breeds is about 80% from one carcass. If it was decided to deal with a certain breed of pigs, then you should first familiarize yourself with it, and then proceed to the maintenance and feeding.
Productivity
The live weight of the pig is up to 200 kilograms, and the boar is up to 300 kilograms, the largest record weight of the boar was as much as 500 kilograms. Marble meat has high quality and delicate taste, but they also have lard, the thickness of which is 5 centimeters, when the pig is 8 months old, and at 10 months of age, the layer of lard reaches as much as 10 centimeters.
Advantages and disadvantages
Brazier pigs have the following advantages:
- high meat productivity;
- unpretentiousness in feeding, they can use even the cheapest feed;
- simplicity in content;
- resistance to temperature extremes;
- precocity.
And now for the disadvantages:
- the breed is rare;
- to get it you need to have a lot of money.
Care and maintenance
To walk these pigs need freedom, and the place where they will graze must be fenced with a solid fence so that dogs and other predatory animals cannot get to them. It is important to determine that there are no poisonous plants on the territory, because they love grass and eat it indiscriminately. For the duration of the walk, sunlight should not constantly fall on them, so a canopy should be made.
In addition to grass, pigs can be given vegetables, fruits, and food waste. In the summer, they can pinch juicy grass, and in winter it should be replaced with high-quality hay. Piglets begin to feed newborns on the third day from birth.
Breeding
Breeding these pigs is quite difficult, since there are very few barbecues. Piglets of a pure breed are rather difficult to find, and non-purebred ones, when they grow up, do not have such good qualities in every sense. If you are lucky to purchase barbecues, then you can only happen when they reach a hundred kilogram weight. A sow can lead up to 16 piglets at a time.
Cornish breed
The breed was bred in the UK by crossing English long-eared pigs and black Chinese. The constitution is strong, the body with an elongated body, ears are large, drooping over the eyes. Pigs adapt well to any climatic conditions. They are unpretentious in the content and feeding.
Productivity
The meat is not very fatty and juicy, has a high taste. When feeding an animal for meat, the fat will not exceed two centimeters. The weight of the boar can reach 300 kilograms, while pigs - 250 kilograms of live weight. A sow can lead up to 11 babies in one farrow, milk production is good - 72 kilograms. In half a year young growth already weighs 100 kilograms. The yield of meat from one carcass is 60-65%.
Advantages and disadvantages
Each breed has both advantages and disadvantages; among the advantages, the following can be noted:
- strong constitution;
- multiple pregnancy;
- physique proportional.
As for the shortcomings, there are so few of them:
- many wrinkles on the skin;
- sagging butt;
- when keeping pigs without pasture, hooves are weakened.
Care and maintenance
Since pigs are large, then the place for walking should be spacious. The same applies to the pigsty, it should not hamper the movement of the animal, in addition, pigs should be constantly cleaned so that it is clean and dry. As for feeding, they mainly eat juicy grass; vegetables, fruits and compound feeds can be used as bait.
Breeding
This breed is often crossed with others to get a better breed. These pigs are precocious and can already be seen at the age of four months. The sow can bear and give birth to 11 piglets on their own.
Kemerovo breed
Invented this breed in Siberia, so it is well adapted to frost. The pigs have a strong constitution, the color is almost black, but spotted are also less common, bristles are thick, the body is long and wide.
Productivity
Kemerovo pigs belong to the meat-fat breed. The meat is lean, tasty and juicy, the fat layer is small, although feeding is for the sake of fat. A boar can reach 330 kilograms, and a pig - 250 kilograms of live weight. The weight of a monthly pig is 8 kilograms, and in half a year 100 kilograms of live weight. The yield of meat from one carcass is about 70%.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of Kemerovo pigs are as follows:
- adaptability to any climate;
- endurance;
- high survival rate;
- calm nature;
- good reproduction.
Disadvantages:
- exactingness to feeding and leaving;
- sensitive to an inadequate or improper diet.
Care and maintenance
Green grass should not become the main diet of pigs, it is important to add fruits, watermelon and vegetables. In winter, the grass is replaced with high-quality hay, vitamins and trace elements in capsules are also important.
It is necessary to keep them clean and dry, there should be no draft in the pigsty, frequent ventilation is necessary. In the summer, pigs should walk all day, in winter, naturally, this will not work, so the owner should worry about their care and feeding.
Breeding
The survival rate of piglets is 90%, which the sow can bring 11 pieces at a time. As for nutrition, they are whimsical, but the consumption is much less than other breeds. Mating occurs as early as 5 months of age, but on condition that the weight is not less than 85 kilograms.
Estonian meat breed
In Estonian pigs, meat is very tender, juicy and has a pleasant aroma. The weight of a wild boar can reach 350 kilograms, and pigs 240 kilograms of live weight, the body length reaches 180 centimeters. At the age of six months, the piglet already weighs 100 kilograms.
Productivity
The yield of meat from one carcass is 60%, the sow at one time can bring up to 12 piglets, and farrowing occurs independently without human help. The meat is marbled and has high palatability, it will especially interest people who like to eat tasty and satisfying.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages include the following:
- unpretentious to the choice of feed;
- easily live on one grazing land;
- strong constitution;
- healthy offspring;
- very low mortality rate;
- high quality meat.
Among the shortcomings can be noted:
- disease resistance;
- friability of grandmas;
- saggy back.
Care and maintenance
Pigs of this breed are not whimsical in the care and maintenance, they feel good even at the daily pasture maintenance. Naturally, on one grass the animal will not gain proper weight, it is important to add vegetables and fruits, but they get the main diet for themselves. In the stall, the pigs should always be dry, clean, and the room needs to be ventilated from time to time.
Breeding
This breed is often crossed with others to obtain better productivity, but it does not always turn out successful, often it ends with poor growth, poor-quality meat and so on. Pigs can happen one day after the pig begins sexual hunting. The Estonian sow is a good mother who can feed all babies without problems.
Poltava pigs
Purely Ukrainian breed of meat pigs. A wild boar can have 300 kilograms of weight, and a pig 240 kilograms of live weight. Their legs are strong, they look beautiful in appearance.
Productivity
At one time, a sow can bring 10 piglets, but there were cases when the number grew to 12 pieces. The survival rate of young animals is 95%. The yield of meat from one carcass is 62%, which has a delicate taste and pleasant aroma; during cooking, there is very little loss. Salo tastes good, it is nutritious.
Advantages and disadvantages
Poltava pigs have both positive and negative sides:
- strong physique;
- good meaty forms;
- not whimsical in nutrition;
- high fecundity;
- high immunity;
- meat and fat of high quality.
Disadvantages:
- they have a good gain only in Ukraine;
- if the climate is hot or cold, on the contrary, their productivity will deteriorate;
- increased cleanliness.
Care and maintenance
In the care and nutrition is unpretentious, there will be everything that is offered:
- roots;
- vegetables;
- grass
- fruits;
- cereals;
- food waste.
Pigs, accustomed only to the Ukrainian climate, in this country they will feel great even at constant grazing. Productivity is fully influenced by care and maintenance, if the owner takes proper care, the pig will delight in the taste of meat and fertility. The pigsty, like all pigs, should be clean, without a draft, and a prerequisite is constant ventilation.
Breeding
Poltava pigs are rarely crossed with other breeds, because they and purebreds have good indicators. The sow is ready for mating at 5 months, and the boars at 6 months. Mating is best done twice a day for a 100% result.
There are many meat breeds of pigs, each of them is different in appearance, fertility, whimsicality in feeding and keeping. Before you purchase a pig of a certain breed, you need to find out everything about it and then only make your choice. Some pigs are hard to keep at home, and some, on the contrary, are designed for home maintenance.