Vietnamese bellied pig characteristic. vietnamese bellied pig

Before buying Vietnamese bellied pigs, farmers think about how to raise an Asian animal in local climatic conditions and what to make up its diet from. Many myths about these representatives of the fauna are far from reality. Pigs of the Vietnamese breed do not require complex care. But before acquiring them, it is necessary to consider important principles of content.

Breeding Vietnamese bellied pigs began in Asian countries. The first individuals brought to Europe and Canada were bought in Vietnam. And so the name of the breed appeared.

In Russia, Vietnamese pigs appeared a little later than in Europe and America. Domestic farmers were attracted by the productivity of individuals and the quality of meat. These pigs quickly gained popularity in the territory and neighboring countries.

• Fertility

The number of individuals in one litter can reach 18. Usually, in 12 months, a pig brings offspring 2 times.

• Early breeding readiness

Females are ready for mating as early as 4 months. Males are recommended to occur at 6 months, but they can become sexually mature at 3 months.

• Strong immunity

Individuals rarely suffer from the ailments that pigs of other breeds are exposed to. Loose-bellied Vietnamese piglets do not need specific vaccines. The veterinarian should examine them only when necessary.

• Frost resistance

Despite their Asian origin, representatives of the breed are able to endure sub-zero temperatures without stress to the body.

• Undemanding to the conditions for existence

Vietnamese pigs can live in the same place as representatives of other breeds popular in Russia.

• Developed memory

This quality saves animals from eating toxins and other factors that negatively affect the body.

• Maternal qualities in females

Female individuals competently care for their offspring, taking care of him. Females feed piglets well, protect and do not harm them. The process of breeding Vietnamese pigs requires little attention from the farmer.

• Compliance with hygiene conditions

Individuals do not defecate in places where they sleep or eat food. This advantage simplifies the process of cleaning the pigsty.

• Delicious meat

It can hardly be called rough, as it has a delicate rich taste. The layer of fat is not thick. Meat is relatively low in calories.

Vietnamese pigs have almost no shortcomings. One of the important disadvantages is the developed maternal instinct of the female. She can feed offspring until the body is depleted, if the babies are not weaned in a timely manner.

Important! Pigs of the Vietnamese breed do not tolerate roughage.

Animal exterior and character

Dark skin color distinguishing feature representatives of the breed. The muzzle of Vietnamese pigs is not elongated, it has small erect ears.

The flattened muzzle and black color are a distinctive feature of the Vietnamese bellied pigs.

Sagging of the abdomen is manifested even in young animals. The chest and back area are wide. Legs are not long. Males have pronounced stubble.

The average weight of adult representatives of the breed is 80 kg. The maximum weight is 150 kg.

Important! At Vietnamese pigs have a calm disposition. They show signs of aggression only for the purpose of self-defense and protection of offspring.

Conditions of detention. Step-by-step instruction

The habitat for Vietnamese pigs does not require special equipment and complex structures. Create favorable conditions habitat for an animal can be done in several stages.

Step 1. Building the premises

Brick, wood, blocks are suitable materials for building a pigsty. With their help, you can build thick walls that protect from adverse weather conditions.

Step 2. Concreting the floor

Pigs can rip up the ground, so they need firm ground. A wooden layer will help prevent frostbite. It needs to be sprinkled with hay and sawdust.

Step 3. Dividing the pigsty into zones

This is necessary for the comfortable existence of the sow alone with the offspring. There should be wide passages between zones.

Passages between zones should be wide so that animals can go for a walk without problems

Step 4. Installing ventilation

Fresh air in the pigsty, coming from ventilation, has a beneficial effect on the immune system of pigs and prevents oxygen starvation.

Step 5. Installing heaters

Warmth is necessary during the winter farrowing of the female. An oven or heater will prevent the offspring and the sow from freezing.

Important! It is necessary to equip the area next to the pigsty, because the animals need walks in good weather. Fence off the area and install a canopy so that the sun's rays do not interfere with the pigs. In case of hot weather, dig a hole and fill it with water so that the animals escape from high temperatures and flying insects. Structures on which the pigs can rub their backs are also useful. If they are not there, the piglets will damage the fences.

Feeding

Vietnamese pigs are called herbivores for a reason. Vegetable fresh food is the most suitable food for them.

The basis of the diet in warm seasons is fresh herbs. Plants do not need to be sorted out. Thanks to genetic memory, Vietnamese pigs themselves filter poisonous plants.

Important! Solid large vegetable crops (beets, carrots, radishes) will not be digested well. And the whole grain will be passed out with the stool.

But do not feed pigs only with herbs, otherwise they will gain a little weight. Barley, oats, wheat and peas are the most suitable foods for them.

Apples, cucumbers, potatoes and other similar food are also suitable for feeding Vietnamese pigs. These products need to be crushed. But wet food helps Vietnamese pigs quickly gain weight without compromising health.

To strengthen the immunity of animals, you can mix a little salt, fish oil and special vitamin complexes into food. These supplements are especially useful for young, pregnant and lactating sows.

Attention!If the pig is expecting or nursing offspring, give her dairy products and eggs.

Video - Budgetary feeding of Vietnamese pigs

How to choose a pig?

Farmers who are unaware of the principles of pig selection often acquire sick piglets. Therefore, before buying, pay attention to the following points.

1. Buy ask from trusted sellers. He must have a good reputation.
2. Take a close look at all pigs. Sick piglets always stand out against the background of healthy young animals. Weak animals have apathy. And yes, they look different. Healthy piglets are dry under the tail and there are no lesions on the skin.
3. Inspection of the mother of the individual. Piglets are usually sold at the age of one month. In this case, his mother should have a noticeably sagging chest.
4. Selection of piglets for breeding from different litters. This measure will prevent cross-breeding of closely related pigs resulting in unhealthy offspring.

Attention! WITH It is worth asking the seller about the nutrition of the selected piglet. At first, you need to give the animal the usual food, and then gradually transfer to new foods.

Reproduction of Vietnamese pigs

Before leaving the female alone with the male, make sure she is ready to mate. The following signs indicate this:

• swelling in the genital area;
• animal mobility;
• secretions from the genitals.

Important! Leave a female with a boar not for a few hours, but for a day. Before mating, evaluate the weight of individuals. If their weight has not reached 30 kg, they are not recommended to happen.

The duration of gestation of piglets in the womb is 4 months. In a pregnant female, the abdominal area noticeably increases and falls, the nipples acquire a scarlet hue. On the day of birth, the animal is starving, and secretions flow from its mammary glands. A few days before giving birth, the behavior of the sow changes. She prepares the place and behaves restlessly.

Offspring appear within 2-5 hours. It is only necessary to help a pig during childbirth if it is very weak. Newborn piglets are cleaned of uterine fluids, the umbilical cord is cut and the wounds are disinfected with brilliant green or iodine. The afterbirth is recommended to be removed immediately so that the pig does not eat it.

Attention! IN during cold seasons, be sure to warm up the area in the pigsty where the sow is located, up to 30 degrees. So the young and the mother will not get sick.

Caring for newborn piglets and sows

Farmers need to monitor the nutrition of newborn piglets. If the young individual does not suck the mammary glands of the mother, you need to enclose it to them.

It is advisable for farmers to give injections to young animals with iron-containing preparations. Pigs should be accustomed to "adult" feed gradually so that they do not suffer from diseases of the digestive system. For their body, it is stressful. It is impossible to abruptly wean offspring from the breast. This will negatively affect the health of the mother. She may develop mastitis.

To correctly transfer the offspring to adult food, use the recommendations from the table.

Important! D On reaching the age of one month, piglets should not be kept in a cold room. It is highly undesirable to lower the temperature in the pigsty to 10 degrees.

Possible health problems

You can rid Vietnamese pigs of worms using the drugs indicated in the table.

Important! Clean the pigsty more often if its inhabitants are infected with worms. The meat of a sick pig should not be eaten until it is fully recovered.

Vietnamese pigs often suffer not only from worms, but also from digestive problems. To cure diarrhea, constipation and other ailments of the gastrointestinal tract, the first thing to do is to adjust the diet of animals. The more fresh grain cereals in it, the better.

You also need to pay attention to food hygiene. Farmers should wash their drinkers and feeders more often. Overfeeding often leads to digestive problems. It is necessary to reduce the amount of feed and give more clean water. Medicines are selected by a specialist, taking into account the description of the symptoms, the age of the pig and its weight.

Vietnamese pigs - affordable exotic

Vietnamese bellied pigs are not only an unusual detail in the household, but also a way to earn money. Relatively dietary meat of representatives is popular, and young animals are willingly bought. Also, Vietnamese pigs are suitable for novice farmers, because they do not require special care.

Vietnamese piglets attract the attention of livestock breeders due to their small size, precocity and unpretentiousness in growing. They have become an excellent alternative for those farmers who do not want to raise ordinary large white pigs on their farms, or for livestock breeders who want to provide their families with a supply of fat and meat without incurring high costs.

Story

Vietnamese bellied piglets were first bred in southeast Asia. Only in 1985 did they become widespread in other countries and on other continents. Pigs got their name due to the fact that they were imported to other continents from Vietnam. The animals found their fans very quickly, because in a short period of time they were already known not only in Europe, but also in distant America.

To date, the work of scientists to improve the breed continues. They set out to improve the productivity of piglets, increase their size, increase percentage muscle mass. The Vietnamese lop-bellied pig came to Russia relatively recently. Due to inexperience and lack of knowledge among farmers, rumors began to spread that several breeds of Asian animals were grown in our country. However, it turned out to be one variety. A little later, it became known about another dwarf breed, which began to be used as an ornamental animal and called a mini pig.

External distinguishing features

Characteristic external features make it possible not to confuse Vietnamese piglets with other breeds. They began to be called bellied due to the fact that already at the age of one month the tummy sags in the piggy. In adult gilts, the belly may touch the ground. Their colors can be varied, but most often spotted and pitch black individuals are found.

vietnamese piglets

Loose-bellied black piglets may differ in an unusual, slightly flattened shape of the muzzle. They have a very wide back and short legs, so adult pigs can grow large, but at the same time undersized. Boars have a dense coat of bristles. There are lop-eared black piglets, although most often their ears are small. Vietnamese pigs are famous for their ability to quickly gain weight, which averages up to 80 kg. However, if the owner decides to feed the pet longer and creates the right diet for him, then the weight of the animal can reach 150 kg.

How to feed Vietnamese piglets

The main mistake of inexperienced farmers is that they try to organize feeding and create a diet for Vietnamese pigs the same as for ordinary whites. However, marbled Vietnamese piglets eat not only other foods, but also with a different frequency of meals. They need to be constantly fed throughout the day, and not limited to two meals a day. Vietnamese pigs have a stomach much smaller than that of a normal white pig, so their food is digested faster.

Black piglets (Vietnamese fold-bellied breed) are a herbivore representative of the animal world, therefore the owner must plan their diet exclusively from plant products.

They are fed:

• corn;
• hay;
• pumpkin;
• apples;
• pears;
• zucchini;
• forbs.

Beets and straw should not be given to Vietnamese pigs. They prefer fresh hay. The new menu should be designed taking into account the time of year and the availability of food.

Attention! It is impossible to use only pasture for feeding Vietnamese pigs, their diet must include compound feed.

If ultimate goal keeping the animal is getting bacon, then it should not be overfed. The ideal weight for such piglets is about 100 kg, they gain it in about 9 months. For individuals grown primarily for meat, the content of barley and corn in the diet should not exceed 10%.

How to feed Vietnamese piglets

Breeding Vietnamese piglets

Fertilization and farrowing in Vietnamese piglets take place without much difficulty. Sexual maturity of females occurs 4 months after their birth. The beginning of their hunting becomes obvious by restless behavior, refusal to eat. Vietnamese piglets get sick very rarely, so such symptoms are a sign that it is time to let the pig to the boar. Also, in females, the genital loop swells, and characteristic discharge appears. However, these indications may turn out to be false. To check whether reproduction can be carried out, it is worth leaning lightly on the croup. If the pig stands calmly and motionless, then it is definitely on the hunt and ready for fertilization, otherwise it will take some more time.

Attention! Close relatives should not be allowed to mate.

During farrowing, it is advisable for the owner to monitor the process so that there are no undesirable complications. At the ready, you should keep iodine, threads, cotton wool and scissors, so that if necessary you can cut the umbilical cord. The first signs of an imminent farrowing of a Vietnamese pig are restless behavior, a lowered belly, and formed milk lobes. By the time of birth, the room should be cleaned, only hay and water are left in the pigsty. A newborn pig requires additional attention, they wipe their mouth and snout from the accumulated mucus, and also make sure that each of the cubs receives a portion of colostrum during the first hour of life.

Breeding Vietnamese piglets is easy, profitable and even exciting. From one farrowing, up to 10 babies are obtained, gradually this figure can increase, and at a time the pig already brings 12 pigs. One female per year is able to do 2 farrowing.

Vietnamese piglet care

Caring for Vietnamese piglets involves, first of all, arranging a pigsty. Since the animals grow small, even in a small room you can keep several adults. How many pigs fit in a particular area depends on their age and size.

The barn is built both brick and wooden. To simplify the cleaning process, the floor can be concreted by covering the pigsty in a separate part of it with boardwalk so that the pets do not freeze. It is advisable to divide a large room into pens, in each of which to place several pigs. It will also make it possible to place separately sows and their offspring.

Vietnamese piglet care

Between the partitions it is worth building a passage so that it is convenient to distribute food and carry out cleaning. The room is well ventilated to prevent oxygen deficiency. In the cold season, the optimum temperature must be maintained so that the piglets do not get cold. This is especially true if a recently farrowed pig lives in a pigsty, which is undesirable to lie on a cold floor or in a cold room.

There is a recommendation from experienced pig breeders to release Vietnamese pigs in the summer to give them the opportunity to graze. Also, this breed of piglets is very fond of taking mud baths, which also needs to be taken into account by the owners. In hot and dry weather, this is required both for cooling and for repelling blood-sucking insects. Such conditions for growing animals are often created in the conditions of the middle zone (Volgograd, Moscow, Kursk regions, Moscow and the region).

So that an adult domestic boar does not come hunting every month, it is recommended to castrate it. This is done only if the individual is grown for slaughter. This is a very important condition, since the castrated boar becomes less aggressive, the meat obtained from it is devoid of an unpleasant odor. Castration of animals is carried out at the age of 1.5 months.

Advantages and disadvantages of the breed

Like any other breed, Vietnamese piglets have their advantages and disadvantages.

The list of benefits is quite impressive:

• They quickly gain weight and become sexually mature. Boars are ready for mating at the age of 6 months, and domestic pigs - already at 4 months.
• Growing and propagating does not require much hassle. Females do an excellent job of caring for offspring, so the owner requires a minimum of effort.
• They have excellent immunity. Vietnamese piglets almost do not get sick and do not need numerous vaccinations and vaccinations, they easily adapt to various climatic conditions.
• From the Vietnamese breeds of piglets, very tasty and tender lard and meat are obtained, and the carcasses are cut quickly and easily.
• Female Vietnamese piglets have increased fecundity and give birth to up to 12 cubs at a time.
• The pig has genetic memory and does not eat poisonous plants.
• Vietnamese piglets feed exclusively on plant foods, which significantly reduces feed costs.
• Pigs are very clean and organize a sleeping place and a toilet in different parts of the barn.

The disadvantages of Vietnamese piglets are very subjective and are determined by the owners individually. Some are skeptical about the color of the animal, others are not satisfied with the small size or a thin layer of fat. However, in comparison with the advantages, these shortcomings are not so important. Many farmers happily turn a blind eye to them and continue to raise Vietnamese pigs on their farms.

With a responsible approach, pig farming will help not only provide your own family with lard and meat, but also organize a business, make a profit from the sale of surplus. In just a couple of years of keeping Vietnamese piglets, you can significantly increase the livestock. They do not require much attention to themselves, eat plant foods, and rarely get sick. Even a novice livestock breeder can cope with the cultivation of Vietnamese pigs.

Among all breeds, Vietnamese bellied pigs stand out, prone to rapid weight gain, making them the easiest. Breeding pigs provides the owner with a supply of meat.

The history of the breed

The name of the breed is the result of a historical error. Vietnamese pigs originated in Southeast Asia. But they came to Europe from Vietnam in 1985, so the breed began to be called Vietnamese. Vietnamese pigs were brought to Russia recently.

The work to improve the breed is not over. It is especially active in Ukraine, Hungary and Canada.

Complete correct name breeds - Asian herbivorous bellied pig.

Many confuse representatives of this species with Korean pigs, or believe that Vietnamese and Chinese are the same animals. In fact, Chinese pigs are popular decorative mini-pigs. Despite the huge external differences, they are really relatives of the Vietnamese folded belly.

Description and characteristics of Vietnamese pigs

Vietnamese pigs are large animals. In adulthood, an individual should weigh from 80 to 100 kilograms. Tribal representatives of the breed can weigh up to 150 kilograms. The pig gains mass during the first 5 years of life with high speed. But gradually this process slows down. In wild boars, fangs begin to grow at 6 months, and reach 10-15 centimeters.

Representatives of this breed do not differ in the variability of colors. They can be:

• black (mostly common colors);
• black and white.

Noticeable outward difference Vietnamese breed from others - drooping belly. It manifests itself from the first month of life.

According to the structure of the body, the animals are low, on short, even, strong legs, the shoulders and chest are wide, the head is large, with small erect ears, the muzzle is flattened, the patch is with folds.

Advantages and disadvantages of breeding Vietnamese pigs

The Vietnamese Fold is one of the most popular pig breeds for a reason. A number of advantages contributed to this:

• Rapid weight gain. Already in 7-8 months, representatives of this breed reach 80 kilograms.
• Early puberty. Females at 4 months are able to give birth, and in boars, the instinct for procreation wakes up at six months.
• Fertility. A female can give birth to 5 to 20 piglets, and produce offspring twice in a year.
• Ease of reproduction. Vietnamese Loose Belly sows are caring mothers who do not attack their piglets, unlike representatives of other breeds.
• Herbivore. This feature makes it easier for farmers to feed the animals.
• High immunity. Diseases inherent in pigs do not affect Vietnamese lop-bellies, so they do not need to be vaccinated.
• Memory for poisonous plants. The animal remembers what food harmed it and passes this knowledge through the genes to the next generations.
• Cleanliness. Pigs of this breed always relieve themselves in the same place, away from the sleeping and feeding area.
• Unpretentiousness to climatic changes. The breed easily tolerates extreme heat and cold.
• Peacefulness. Vietnamese pigs are non-aggressive, friendly, do not eat their piglets, do not bite, do not squeal, and are even capable of training.
• There is no unpleasant smell.
• Valuable meat. It is very gentle, with a low level of harmful cholesterol.

There are few downsides to the breed. These include:

• Susceptibility of animals to helminths.
• For Vietnamese pigs, drafts in the pigsty are of particular danger.

How to choose piglets?

There are a number of rules, adhering to which, you can acquire healthy and strong piglets with Vietnamese bellies:

• Get piglets at the age of 1 month, then they will quickly and easily get used to the new environment.
• Find out from the breeder the weight of the baby at birth and the dynamics of weight gain.
• Ask to show the parents of the pig, according to their appearance the quality of the offspring is determined. Pay special attention to the sow, she should be thinner and with sagging milk lobes. This is a sign that her piglets are about a month old.
• The cub itself should have strong legs, pronounced muscles and a sagging abdomen.
• For brood, do not purchase piglets from the same farrowing and from parents-relatives. Their offspring will be sickly and deviant.
• Pay attention to the mood of the little pigs. In good health, they will wag their tails and actively play.
• When buying, ask the owner what kind of feed he gave to the piglets. It will be possible to transfer young pigs to any other food, but gradually, in order to avoid stool disorder.

Vietnamese bellied pigs are unpretentious, but if you plan a long-term breeding of this breed, then it is better to carefully prepare. To start building a pigsty:

• It should be strong and without cracks. It is better to make windows higher than the height of the pigs so that the air circulates, but does not blow through the animals. The best material for a pigsty is brick.
• The floor should preferably be filled with concrete. This will make cleaning up after the pigs much easier.
• The pigsty is divided by wooden partitions into machines. “Vietnamese” are small in stature, so they need small departments.
• In departments wooden floorings for a dream are put.
• Heating is recommended. This breed tolerates frost, but will gain weight worse. For a farrowing female and offspring, low temperatures can be fatal.

Vietnamese pigs go out all year round. Therefore, they need an aviary. It should be fenced, with a canopy under which animals can hide from heat and bad weather. It is recommended to dig in some unhewn logs that they will itch against and make a mud pool. Thanks to him, the pigs will be able to cool off in the heat and drive away annoying insects. The pool water needs to be changed at least once a week.

Feeding, products

Many inexperienced farmers, having learned that Vietnamese bellied herbivores, feed them with one pasture. Pigs do survive with this method of feeding, but the desired weight gain will not be.

In addition to natural grazing, which guarantees fresh grass in the diet, it is worth providing the “flip flops” with:

• clover and alfalfa hay;
• fresh zucchini, pumpkin, carrots, apples;
• boiled potatoes;
• vitamin supplements.

Representatives of this breed are well fattened with a grain feed mixture consisting of barley and wheat ground into flour. You can add a little legumes, oats and corn to it, but not more than 10% of the total mass. Otherwise, they will cause excessive fat formation.

The taste of the meat is improved if the pigs are fed wet food. To prepare it, the grain mixture with the addition of 5-10 grams of salt is steamed with boiling water.

Sows should be given milk, eggs, whey, fish oil and vitamins. Additives are introduced into the cooled cereal porridge.

Vietnamese bellied pigs have a small stomach and intestinal diameter, so they are not suitable for food:

• coarse feed;
• straw;
• fodder beet;
• foods high in fiber;
• an abundance of corn, oats and peas in the feed.

When caring for this breed, it is necessary to regularly give helminth preparations.

reproduction

The most important thing in breeding lop-bellied pigs is not to let the boar cover your relative. The offspring will be sick, poorly gaining weight and possibly infertile. To prevent this, you need to know the signs of readiness for mating in the female:

• anxiety and nervousness;
• swelling of the genital loop;
• there is a discharge from the genitals;
• freezing in place with pressure on the croup.

Although females reach puberty at 4 months, and in some cases even earlier, they need to be knitted only when they have gained sufficient weight - 32-35 kilograms. Otherwise, the offspring will be frail, and the sow may not tolerate gestation and childbirth.

A pregnant female bears piglets for 114-118 days. In the first farrow she will give birth to about 5 babies. Further, on average, 10-12, but their number can reach 20 pieces.

5-6 days before giving birth, the female will begin to worry and make a nest of straw or hay. If the stomach sank, and colostrum appeared on the nipples, then farrowing will occur in the next 10-20 hours. You need to prepare for it:

• Clean the machine, put fresh hay.
• Fence off and insulate a place for piglets. In the first days, babies should be kept at a temperature of at least +20 degrees Celsius, and preferably at +30-32 degrees.
• Increase the overall heating of the pigsty.
• Make sure that the female always has clean water. She will not feed on the day of birth.

Many do not interfere in the birth process and do not touch the piglets for the first days. But this can result in the death of the cubs, especially during the first farrowing of the female. Babies are born very hungry, and if the sow does not have colostrum in advance or soon after farrowing, then they may die. Therefore, for the birth itself, you need to prepare in advance:

• backup option for feeding newborn piglets;
• diapers for wiping and wrapping;
• a clean flannel cloth to clear the eyes and airways of mucus;
• disinfectant (for example, chlorhexidine solution);
• scissors and thread to sew up the umbilical cord;
• iodine and cotton wool for cauterization of the wound.

The birth of a Vietnamese sow lasts from 3 to 5 hours. The end of the process is indicated by the exit of the placenta.

Raising offspring

Pigs are surrounded by mother's care, her milk gives them all the necessary substances for the first days of life. But strong babies can push weaker ones away from the nipples, this needs to be monitored, and everyone should be helped to access nutrition.

There is no iron in sow's milk. This often leads to anemia in piglets. Therefore, they are injected into the muscles of iron-containing preparations for animals, the dosage and number of injections are according to the instructions.

Additives are introduced into the diet for a week-old offspring:

• charcoal;
• calcium;
• phosphorus.

On the tenth day they are provided with a drinking bowl with clean water, by this time the weight of each baby should be at least 1 kilogram. On the twentieth day, porridge from feed with vitamins is introduced into the diet. A monthly pig is already being fed adult food. At this age, he weighs 3 kilograms and can be sold.

Weaning from breastfeeding should not be one day, but gradually, offering babies an alternative to milk. Otherwise, the piglets will have a food disorder, and the sow will have mastitis.

At the age of 40 days, anthelmintic procedures can be performed with piglets. For example, give the drug Brovadazole.

Breeding Vietnamese pigs as a business

The cost of a Vietnamese piglet pig is 3,000 rubles, and an adult is 8,000 rubles. For breeding, it is enough to buy 2 females and 1 wild boar.

Domestic livestock breeders are familiar with Vietnamese bellied pigs relatively recently, but over the past decades, these "Asians" have gained great popularity and become widespread in many regions of Russia and other post-Soviet countries.

The breed is not officially registered in the State Register of the Russian Federation, but experts consider it very promising and cost-effective, very suitable for keeping and breeding in personal gardens and farms. This opinion is based on the experience of growing Vietnamese bellied pigs and the combination of their main characteristics:

Parameter	Characteristic
Animal	Pig
Breed	Vietnamese (Asian) Belly
productive type	bacon
Live weight of adults	Pig on average 100-120 kg (up to 140), boar - 120-140 kg (up to a maximum of 200 kg)
Pig puberty age	4 months
multiple pregnancy	4-6 piglets in the 1st farrowing, with subsequent - 8-12 (up to 20)
Suit	Black (often with white spots on the head), sometimes white, red, marble
Set of live weight by the age of 7-8 months (optimal for slaughter)	75-80 kg
Average daily weight gain	250-500 g
Meat quality	High
Meat yield from the carcass	70-75%
The thickness of the layer of subcutaneous fat with a live weight of 100-110 kg (by 10 months of age)	Up to 35 mm (with meat-fat fattening technology)
Disease resistance	High immunity
Registration in the State Register of the Russian Federation	Breed not included

To learn more about the breed and work to improve it, we suggest watching the following video:

Origin and description of the breed

The breed was bred in Southeast Asia as one of the varieties of Asian bellied herbivorous pig. to Europe and North America representatives of this breed group began to be actively imported from the 80s of the last century, mainly from Vietnam. Livestock breeders quickly appreciated the potential of these pigs and began active breeding work in order to increase their acclimatization, increase in size and productivity, improve the taste of meat. Now bellied Vietnamese pigs are grown in almost all countries of the world, but more often we are talking not about purebred individuals, but about a variety of crossbred pigs obtained by crossing Asian and European breeds.

One of the most successful pigs obtained with the participation of Asians is the so-called karmal.

The main difference between Asian pigs is their herbivory., that is, the structural features of the digestive tract, which allow good absorption of plant foods. Outwardly, this is manifested in the presence of a heavy belly, sagging almost to the very ground - hence the name "loose-bellied". Animals have a powerful body with a wide sternum and a long back, short strong limbs with fleshy hams. The head is medium in size, slightly flattened, resembling a pug's face, with similar "accordion" leathery folds on the snout.

Sometimes lop-bellied pigs are mistakenly called lop-eared. In fact, their ears are small and erect.

Adult pigs are able to gain a live weight of 100-120 kg, and wild boars - 120-140 kg, but animals weighing from 50-60 to 80 kg at the age of 6-8 months are considered optimal for slaughter. They practically do not deposit a layer of subcutaneous fat, and the meat turns out to be “marbled” - lean and tender, with thin fatty layers. At the same time, its yield is about 70% from the carcass.

Purebred "Vietnamese", as a rule, are black in color with white spots on the head. Now, due to spontaneous selection, the color of the bellied piglets has become more diverse: white, spotted or red with dark stripes.

Breed productivity

The big advantages in breeding this breed are:

• precocity- pigs reach reproductive age by 4-4.5 months and can give birth;
• multiple pregnancy- in the first farrowing, Vietnamese pigs bring no more than 6 piglets, and during subsequent farrowing, the number of offspring increases to an average of 10-12 (up to a maximum of 20);
• fertility– a sow can farrow twice a year (pregnancy lasts less than 4 months), which allows you to get a total offspring of more than 20 piglets.

It is important that the processes of fertilization and childbirth occur safely in a natural way, without requiring human intervention, including professional veterinary care.

Pigs show a strongly pronounced maternal instinct, carefully feed and care for babies. Piglets are born small(from 450 to 600 g), but rather quickly gain weight (250-350 g per day). Females who have given birth usually have a lot of milk - enough even for a large offspring. Newborn boars, which are planned to be grown for slaughter, must be castrated immediately or before 1.5 months of age, otherwise their meat will have an unpleasant odor, and characteristic aggressiveness may appear in the behavior of sexually mature males. In general, representatives of this breed are distinguished by a calm and peaceful disposition, get along well with other pets and birds. According to many pig farmers, the main problem during slaughter is the emotional attachment to these cute creatures.

The specifics of keeping and fattening

Asian pigs are not huge, so they do not require large facilities for maintenance. They are very clean: do not defecate where they sleep or near feeders and drinkers, bathe with pleasure (in the presence of small reservoirs). In addition, animals resistant to most common diseases, which allows you to manage a minimum number of vaccinations. In a pigsty, it is important to ensure dryness, lack of drafts, seasonal heating and the possibility of ventilation.

In the warm season, pigs free roam must be provided on grassy areas where they can actively move and eat pasture - grass and young shoots of shrubs. Animals deprived of this opportunity develop worse, slow down the rate of muscle mass gain, and often suffer from beriberi.

Vietnamese pigs have the ability to distinguish edible plants from poisonous plants at the genetic level.

Herbivorous pigs eat little, but often. Almost 80% of their diet consists of green mass, vegetables (pumpkin and root crops), fallen fruits. The remaining 20% ​​is recommended to include grain products (bran, crushed grain), acorns, chestnuts. In winter, the share of grain feed is increased to 30%, and instead of fresh grass, pigs are given hay and straw, legumes (peas and corn), fodder beets, boiled potatoes, and kitchen food waste.

To obtain lean meat with a minimum amount of fat, when fattening young animals, grain mixtures consisting of barley, rye and wheat are used. For animals to build up more thick layer fat, feeding adults (after 7-8 months) is advised with foods high in protein: oats and legumes. At the same time, the average daily gain in pigs is up to 500 g, and in hogs up to 600 g. Regular alternation of diets from various grains and legumes makes it possible to achieve the formation of bacon, in which thin layers of fat are interspersed with meat.

The cost of meat products when fattening bellied pigs is lower than when growing other breeds, as it allows you to significantly save on animal feed.

Opinions about the taste of meat are rather contradictory: according to some reviews, it is inferior to ordinary domestic pigs in terms of taste saturation; others believe that the meat of herbivorous pigs is more healthy, delicate and more like a turkey than traditional pork.

Feedback from livestock breeders

Yuriy, 31 years old, Lviv region

Our people are not yet in a hurry to start Asian pigs, although they say that it is not just fashionable, but profitable. By the way, in neighboring Poland there are also very few of them, and in Hungary they are kept in almost every farmstead. The Vietnamese are really very clean, calm, obedient and friendly. Grass is eaten both fresh and dried. If there is a possibility of grazing, then they can give a good increase in pasture. And if you feed them with steamed compound feed, they will get fat right before your eyes.

Sergey, 46 years old, Usman

Raised my first Vietnamese, pricked today. At 8 months of net weight, it turned out to be 40 kg each, a little fat, somewhere around 2 cm. By this age, ordinary whites had already gained under 80 kg. He fed the same way, gave the Vietnamese more grass and some oat bran, sometimes he added waste from the kitchen. Pigs are very friendly, they wag their tails like dogs when you enter a pigsty. The main thing is that neither the floor nor the logs are gnawed, the locks on the door are not broken. When butchering, I did not like that the skin is drier and rougher than that of whites, and it is not very clean after singeing. But the meat and lard are more tender, I liked the taste. It makes sense to breed for yourself, but not for sale.

Oleg, 52 years old, Rechitsa

Duroc has the best meat in terms of taste, while Vietnamese has it so-so. Much depends on the diet. This breed of pigs is interesting primarily for breeders for its multiplicity. Mixes with white, for example, grow faster, and lard is present.

Anna, 45 years old, Omsk region

We wipe the Vietnamese piglets immediately after birth, castrate the piglets and bite off their upper and lower fangs with wire cutters. If you do not remove the fangs, then they then grow up to 15 cm in length. The umbilical cord is not immediately torn off, but sprayed with Kubatol. When it dries a little, tear it off at a distance of 7-10 cm and again sprinkle with Kubatol. So you don’t have to bother with the thread and stop the bleeding. After 2-3 days, it dries up and falls off by itself, but you need to look and, in some cases, process it again. At the same time, we give the piglets vitamins and iron.

Video

Experienced livestock breeders from the Saratov region (the first two videos) and from Transnistria (the last video) answer questions about keeping, feeding and breeding Vietnamese pigs in the following videos:

For several years she worked as an editor of a television program with leading ornamental plants in Ukraine. At the dacha, of all types of agricultural work, she prefers harvesting, but for this she is ready to regularly weed, chop, stepchild, water, tie up, thin out, etc. I am convinced that the most delicious vegetables and fruits are self-grown!

Convenient applications for Android have been developed to help gardeners and gardeners. First of all, these are sowing (lunar, flower, etc.) calendars, thematic magazines, collections useful tips. With their help, you can choose a day favorable for planting each type of plant, determine the timing of their maturation and harvest on time.

Compost - rotted organic residues of various origins. How to do? Everything is put in a pile, a pit or a large box: kitchen leftovers, tops of garden crops, weeds mowed before flowering, thin twigs. All this is interbedded with phosphorite flour, sometimes straw, earth or peat. (Some summer residents add special composting accelerators.) Cover with foil. In the process of overheating, the pile is periodically stirred or pierced to bring in fresh air. Usually compost "ripens" for 2 years, but with modern additives it can be ready in one summer season.

From varietal tomatoes, you can get "your" seeds for sowing on next year(if you really liked the variety). And it is useless to do this with hybrid ones: the seeds will turn out, but they will carry the hereditary material not of the plant from which they were taken, but of its numerous "ancestors".

Tomatoes have no natural protection against late blight. If late blight attacks, any tomatoes die (and potatoes too), no matter what is said in the description of the varieties (“late blight-resistant varieties” is just a marketing ploy).

Both humus and compost are rightfully the basis of organic farming. Their presence in the soil significantly increases the yield and improves the taste of vegetables and fruits. In terms of properties and appearance, they are very similar, but they should not be confused. Humus - rotted manure or bird droppings. Compost - rotted organic residues of various origins (spoiled food from the kitchen, tops, weeds, thin twigs). Humus is considered a better fertilizer, compost is more accessible.

Oklahoma farmer Carl Burns developed an unusual variety of colorful corn called Rainbow Corn. The grains on each cob are of different colors and shades: brown, pink, purple, blue, green, etc. This result was achieved through many years of selection of the most colored ordinary varieties and their crossing.

It is necessary to collect medicinal flowers and inflorescences at the very beginning of the flowering period, when the content of nutrients in them is as high as possible. The flowers are supposed to be torn by hand, breaking off the rough pedicels. Dry the collected flowers and herbs, scattering thin layer, in a cool room at natural temperature without direct sunlight.

Freezing is one of the most convenient methods for preparing a grown crop of vegetables, fruits and berries. Some believe that freezing leads to a loss of nutrients and useful properties vegetable products. As a result of the research, scientists found that the decrease in nutritional value Freezing is practically non-existent.

Recently, 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 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. There is sometimes a 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 wrong choice 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. external sign 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. About good mood The piglet is evidenced by waving its 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 internal device a pigsty between the machines, you need to leave a passage sufficient for the passage of a cart, 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 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 the use of coarse feed undesirable. 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 its life each piglet receives required amount 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.