- an incredibly profitable and popular activity for many farmers. But every novice pig breeder should know exactly how long a pregnant pig walks and how to choose a good sow wisely. Such a sow can give birth to a healthy litter up to two times a year, and in one farrow, from 9 to 14 babies are born. At the same time, keeping adult pigs and small piglets does not require large financial costs.
First, we need to figure out when a pig reaches puberty and how to determine if it is pregnant. Sexual heat in a young pig first occurs at the age of 5-6 months. However, it is not worth covering it so early, as this can lead to failure to carry or the birth of weak and non-viable offspring. You can take a pig to a boar only when it reaches the age of 9-10 months and weighs 100 kg.
Signs of sexual heat include:
- anxiety and aggression;
- loss of appetite;
- redness and swelling of the external genitalia;
- mucous discharge.
The duration of this period is only 2-4 days and it is very important not to miss it. After mating, the question often arises: how to determine whether a pig is pregnant? We can speak more confidently about the onset of pregnancy when.
If the coating was successful, then after 5 days the following signs will be observed:
- apathy and lethargy;
- cessation of estrus;
- rapid weight gain;
- loss of sexual desire;
- curdled discharge;
- poor appetite.
In the early stages of pregnancy, only a veterinarian can determine pregnancy. All these symptoms last throughout the entire pregnancy, with the exception of false pregnancy. In this case, after 2-3 weeks the signs disappear.
Attention! To reliably determine the presence of pregnancy, testing, ultrasound or biopsy can be performed. But all these procedures are very expensive and not everyone can afford them. The best option There will be a veterinarian examination, which will be carried out 3 weeks after mating.
The average duration of pregnancy is about 4 months (from 101 to 126 days). Numerous factors can influence this. So, in winter period The pig's pregnancy will be shorter than in summer. If the pregnancy is multiple, then it will last significantly less than a small pregnancy. Young pigs have a longer gestation period than adults.
What determines the duration and timing of different breeds?
Before farrowing, the pig is placed in a pen. Experienced pig farmers claim that according to folk signs, a pig's pregnancy should last 114 days, i.e. 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days. But these numbers may also vary depending on the breed of the sow. Often, the timing of gestation of piglets depends on the conditions of detention, diet, climatic conditions and the number of previous farrows.
So, how many days does a pregnant pig walk? Basically, you start expecting farrowing from the 110th to 118th day of pregnancy. The sow quickly manages to feed her offspring and is ready to mate again. But you shouldn’t do this more than 2 times a year: the animal becomes weaker and exhausted. 1-1.5 weeks before birth, the pig is moved to a separate pen and provided with food. We must not forget about the need to deworm before farrowing.
Vietnamese pot belly pig carries piglets for 114-118 days. A couple of days before giving birth, her stomach drops, her nipples become red and swollen, she experiences fussiness and anxiety. Immediately on the day of birth, the sow begins to prepare the nest and stops eating.
Landrace queens are monitored long before expected farrowing. Landrace pigs They are distinguished by record multiple births, which is why their gestation period is short, about 102-110 days. Often this is the danger, because in such a short period of time, piglets do not always have time to fully develop for independent existence.
Hungarian Mangalica- a low-fertility breed of pigs. In one farrowing they do not produce more than 5-6 piglets. In this regard, the duration of their pregnancy can reach 118-126 days.
Important! Piglets should taste mother's milk for the first time no later than 40-60 minutes after birth.
It is advisable to time the mating so that the sow farrows in February-March. This period is considered the most profitable and successful, because the price of piglets is high, and the cost of feed is declining. For this, many farmers recommend creating a special farrowing calendar. It will help you more accurately determine the time of birth. In it, in the leftmost column, the date of mating is indicated, and in the top line - the month. The place where they intersect will be considered the date of farrowing.
The sow must be helped during farrowing by accepting the piglets. It is very important to be able to properly deliver a pig, especially for the first time. The sow is not able to cope with this task on her own. First, the farrowing area must be prepared and thoroughly cleaned. The pig itself must be washed and wiped, the sides and legs with a 1% creolin solution, and the nipples treated with potassium permanganate. Each baby born is wiped with a clean towel, the mouth and nose are cleared of mucus, the umbilical cord is cut and placed in a warm place.
Rules for choosing a good sow
Choosing a good and fertile sow is not as difficult as it seems. You just need to know a few secrets:
- The pig should have a strong build, a long body, a wide rump and a non-sagging belly.
- An animal weighing less than 110 kg is not worth purchasing.
- The pig must be active, healthy, and have a good appetite. A sow that is too young will not be able to produce a healthy litter. It is better to pay attention to a 2-3 year old animal of a zoned breed.
Proper care of the sow is the basis for a successful birth and healthy piglets. If an early maturing breed is chosen, then the first mating should take place at the age of 9-10 months. Late-maturing sows are covered only after a year.
But even if a good sow is chosen, this does not mean that she does not need competent care. It is necessary to strictly follow the rules of keeping and feeding the animal, and include special vitamin supplements in the diet.
The video shows the behavior of a Vietnamese pig before farrowing:
The Vietnamese breed appeared in Russia and neighboring countries relatively recently, but was able to quickly win the love of many breeders. Their popularity is growing for several reasons that are important for farmers: for example, they reach puberty already at 3 months of age, and by 6-7 months a full-fledged pig with balanced diet can weigh about 100 kg. The breed is classified as a dietary bacon breed, which is why its pork meat is highly valued among livestock companies. Plus, each animal farrows from 5 to 15 piglets, which is approximately 30-35 new piglets per year. To make a profit you need to create comfortable conditions
for pregnant individuals and follow several rules, which are described below.
How to tell if a Vietnamese pig is pregnant
Despite early sexual maturity, the older the pig, the easier the birth. Also, the percentage of healthy offspring obtained increases with age.
Signs of pregnancy and pot-bellied pigs
- Gynecological signs by which the breeder understands that fertilization was successful:
- The sow calms down, is more passive and good-natured.
- The animal constantly carries straw in one place, as if building a nest.
- The nipples swell and turn red. If you gently press on them, a clear liquid appears - colostrum.
- After intercourse, an ordinary pig will notice a re-inclination within 2-3 weeks. The absence of this is another sign of pregnancy.
- White, porous discharge can sometimes be seen on the genitals.
A rapid increase in muscle mass helps determine that the female is preparing for childbirth and feeding her offspring. All of the above signs signal the owners that the pig is ready to farrow.
How many months does a pregnant woman carry her offspring?
In terms of the duration and course of pregnancy, Vietnamese pigs are not much different from ordinary pigs. The simplest way to call time in obstetrics is 3 triplets: 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days. In more precise terms, from 114 to 120 days. The period varies depending on the number of cubs being carried, the weight of the pig, the type of pregnancy and other gynecological factors.
The rapid birth process is preceded by prolapse of the abdomen, clear separation of cotyledons, and the restless nature of the animal.
Number of piglets
It is difficult to predict how many offspring a sow will give birth to. As a rule, during the first pregnancy there are about 5 piglets, then the numbers vary from 9 to 14 per farrowing.
Conditions for the sow
Healthy offspring are born when the most comfortable conditions are observed during the sow’s pregnancy. Particular attention must be paid to nutrition: it must be complete and balanced. Read how to raise pigs at home.
- The animal is allocated the driest, cleanest and softest, warmest pen in the barn. The place is prepared especially carefully in winter.
- Try not to give to other pigs enter her personal territory.
- Avoid stress because despite the calm temperament during pregnancy, at the same time the animal is very timid and cautious.
- Providing complete, balanced nutrition. This is an important point, since after a pig sheds a lot of weight, it is very difficult for her to recover, since piglets require nutrients and vitamins found in their milk.
Preparation rules
At the end of pregnancy, the pig can be compared to a long ball, as the belly becomes simply huge. After the abdomen subsides and other signs of imminent delivery appear, they begin to prepare a place for her.
2-3 days before the birth of piglets, the pig is allocated a separate, separate stall, in which half is separated for future offspring.
A few days before the start, food and drink are limited and kept to a minimum; the floor is covered with thick straw. The pig itself is washed, especially carefully going over the belly and udder; the skin is treated with an antiseptic.
Also, before giving birth, prepare all the necessary things for this:
- Burlap, clean old towels. They wipe the pig from mucus.
- The umbilical cord section is treated with iodine
- 2-3 buckets of warm, room temperature or warmer water are useful for washing the pig and babies after farrowing.
- Crates for newborns and an incandescent lamp are needed to warm the newly born piglets. It’s a good idea to wrap them additionally in burlap.
- Oxytocin stimulates the process and speeds up labor.
Oxytocin is injected to stimulate labor.
Oxytocin is sold in regular, non-veterinary pharmacies in ampoules. Injected into the skin under the ear twice if the birth is expected to be difficult.
Signs of imminent farrowing: refusal to eat, milk dripping
To understand the early signs of farrowing in Vietnamese pigs, you should carefully monitor the animal:
The first thing that will catch your eye is that the calm and good-natured sow begins to rush around, get nervous and try to be closer to people.
- a week before giving birth, the stomach drops, the nipples become very swollen;
- One of the sure signs that farrowing will begin in a few hours: milk begins to drip from the mammary glands instead of colostrum;
- the sow stops eating and drinking, or the amount is significantly reduced.
Disinfectants should be selected without odor or any fragrances.
Care
After giving birth, especially the first, it is worth paying attention to the pig and helping it adapt after birth, and the piglets to a new life.
Behind the sow
One of the basic rules for speedy recovery and increasing the volume of milk - high-calorie, vitamin-rich foods and in large volumes.
But the first dish after childbirth is a thin mash of milk and oatmeal.
Make the pig stand up and walk around the pen; if she doesn’t want to and lies down all the time, call the vet. After 5 days, take her outside to ease her postpartum condition.
For the piglets
Weak newborns are force-fed from a bottle and try to keep the room temperature constant above 30°C.
Weak piglets must be bottle-fed additionally.
Not always everything goes perfectly during childbirth and the course of pregnancy; sometimes a malfunction occurs, and piglets are born dead, without limbs or generally of an incomprehensible shape. The birth of defective piglets indicates possible hidden diseases of the female. This happens often and for a number of reasons.
- Too early mating.
- Hidden diseases of the genital organs, including infectious ones.
- Scarce hog sperm.
- Insufficient oxygen during pregnancy.
- Hormonal imbalances of an unknown nature.
How to give birth at home: how to help
As a rule, animals intuitively know what to do during childbirth, but a person should always be nearby to control the process . Contractions last from 3 to 12 hours, and each attempt produces one piglet. In this case, the temperature in the barn rises to 30-35°C and is maintained for several days and after birth.
During farrowing, the pig lies on its side, and the piglets come out in film and water. As soon as the newborn appears, remove the film, dry it with a towel and wrap it in burlap. And the umbilical cord is cut and treated with iodine. 
You need to immediately clean the nose, otherwise the piglet will suffocate in the amniotic fluid.
Piglets are placed with the sow for feeding even if labor has not yet ended, since for full development they must receive colostrum in the first hours of life.
Before this, the pig’s udder is washed and massaged to avoid milk stagnation. And after a week you can give it to the piglets.
If the first farrow
Castration: why is it necessary, determine the period
Castration or emasculation is used to eliminate reproduction by force. This includes not only surgical removal of the genital organs, but also types of castration such as hormonal, chemical and radioactive. But the latter are not popular among farmers.
Necessity
- There are several objective aspects due to which castration is necessary; sex hormones affect not only the behavior of animals, but also weight gain, the presence of diseases and much more.
- Monthly sexual heat negatively affects the mood of animals; all individuals become restless, eat poorly and gain little weight. Castration significantly reduces aggression in boars.
- An uncastrated hog is unsuitable for food, as its meat has a specific, unpleasant odor.
Surgical operation solves problems with a number of animal diseases, for example, hernia, inflammation of the genital organs, neoplasms and others.
Castrated hogs are more resilient and grow faster.
At what age should and can a boar be castrated (trimmed)
Many farmers believe that it is necessary to castrate boars as early as possible, from the 10th day to the 45th day of life. Thus, significant blood loss is avoided, babies become more good-natured and calm, pig milk contains antibodies that promote healing.
Also, with early castration, an early restructuring of the body occurs, which significantly affects growth, blood quality and weight gain.
About artificial insemination with your own hands
Artificial insemination of pigs is now popular, as it helps to avoid a number of problems that may occur during sexual intercourse.
- Sexual diseases are excluded, affecting the continuation of the breed, if any, it is worth refusing the procedure and making a decision after treatment.
- A boar requires care and maintenance costs, feed costs, increasing barn area. With the help of breeding bull semen, these economic problems can be easily solved.
With such insemination on a farm, it is advisable to have animals of the same age, with ovulation occurring at the same time.
How insemination occurs: hunting, when to happen
- using hog pheromone, the readiness of females is determined;
- the finished pigs are marked with paint and placed in another barn;
- the sperm is heated to a maximum of 39°C;
- They perform fertilization with their own hands.
The insemination process is carried out in two ways:
- Factional. In this case, the sperm is injected in several stages: 35-40 ml, then 70-80 ml of a solution consisting of 30 g of glucose, 4.5 g of salt and 1 liter of clean water.
- Non-factional. 100 ml of diluted sperm is immediately introduced into the uterus (the pure component of the working substance is 80 ml). Artificial insemination of pigs reduces costs for farmers.
Insemination is carried out using the UKP-1, UZK-5 and POS-5 devices.
A positive result from artificial insemination is visible on the 20th day after the procedure. A fertilized pig does not experience sexual desire again. But there is a possibility of repeated heat on the 35-40th day, which is why sows are monitored very carefully until this day.
Video
The video shows the behavior of a pig before farrowing.
conclusions
As can be seen from the article, farrowing of Vietnamese pigs is practically no different from farrowing of other breeds of pigs.
- The ideal start of mating/breeding (coating a regular or pot-bellied pig) is no earlier than 5 months of age; if this is done earlier than normal, there may be complications.
- For a successful birth, animals need human help. as well as a clean, warm, separate place, adequate pre- and postnatal care and feeding (quality food). How to properly feed a pregnant sow can be read in.
- To save money on keeping and breeding pigs, artificial insemination was invented in 1926, which made the work of farmers much easier.
- There is no need to exclude possible deviations in childbirth (when piglets begin to grow according to the calendar) or in newborns. This is taken into account when calculating profit for animals.
Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs are becoming quite popular in Russia. Despite the fact that they appeared in our country recently, they have already become popular among livestock farmers.
Origin of the breed
Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs were bred in South-East Asia. They first appeared in Eastern Europe and Canada in the mid-80s of the 20th century and were brought from Vietnam. Breeding improvement of the breed is actively carried out in Canada, Hungary, and Ukraine. Often this breed is called "Mangal", implying that it is related to the Mangalitsa breed, but this is not the case. Also, Korean and Vietnamese pigs are the same breed. IN European countries And in American farms, the breed is popular among livestock breeders. Work is underway to improve the breed's qualities, namely productivity and increase muscle mass.
Features of this breed
When choosing animals for your farm, you should familiarize yourself with its breeding and maintenance characteristics, with the advantages inherent in this breed. It is they who give pigs such popularity and wide distribution.
1. Pot-bellied pigs begin to walk at the age of 4 months. Earlier maturation of females allows them to begin hunting at this age. Males reach puberty by six months, sometimes even earlier at 4-5 months they can begin to cover females;
2. Newborn piglets are completely under the care of the female, who has a pronounced maternal instinct and is able to independently care for her offspring. In this case, outside intervention is not necessary;
3. Strong the immune system allows individuals of this breed to adapt well to different climatic conditions from hot to cold, they can feel comfortable everywhere;
4. The meat has excellent taste, the thickness of the fat layer is 5-7 cm;
5. An excellent advantage of this breed is their resistance to diseases common in pig farming; veterinary measures include deworming;
6. The sow is capable of producing large offspring, from 12-18 piglets per farrow;
7. Feed consumption is small, but pigs eat often, a large volume consists of succulent feed, but, like all other breeds of pigs, they need a balanced diet;
8. Pigs do not defecate where they sleep, this makes caring for them much easier.
Productivity and manifestations of breed qualities depend on how suitable the maintenance of the breed is.
Exterior qualities
The breed has a typical bacon body type. Wide body stretching towards the ground. Quite wide chest. Gilts and sows have a sagging belly. The head is small, pug-shaped; in adulthood, wild boars grow tusks up to 15 cm in length. Small protruding ears. Males have bristles and can reach 20 centimeters. This bristle shows the emotional mood of the animal, rising, showing its condition. The coat color is mostly black, sometimes with light patches on the head; there are also colors that go dark red with stripes, but this color manifestation is not typical for this breed.
How to choose pot-bellied pigs for your farm
Farmers buy this breed to engage in either purebred breeding or fattening; it is also common to raise Vietnamese pigs as pets. In any case, you must carefully select the piglets suitable for your type of rearing.
First of all, you should find trusted sellers, or a farm that has proven itself in the market. If animals are needed for further breeding and breeding, then it is better to buy from different sellers to prevent closely related relationships. When purchasing, you need to find out the weight of the piglet after farrowing and its weight gain every 10 days; this information will help track the growth dynamics and the correspondence of body weight to age.
It is important to look at the boar and the uterus; if month-old piglets are purchased, the sow will have well-defined milk signs. It is also necessary to pay attention to all the young animals presented. In this way, you can evaluate the overall picture of the health and breed of a given seller.
Normally, Vietnamese pot-bellied piglets have a developed muscular skeleton, strong, well-spaced limbs, a pug-shaped nose, uniform skin hair growth, everything should be clean under the tail, the piglet is active, and has a good appetite. It is necessary to clarify the composition of the feed that was given to the piglet, this is necessary in order to adjust the diet and select the feed composition that is optimal for the piglets.
Piglets can be used for meat at the age of 3-4 months; the optimal age and advisability of using piglets for slaughter is 6-7 months. Live weight is 50-60 kg, sometimes it can reach 100 kg. The average weight gain per day is 250-300 grams
Method of keeping
First of all, you need to take care of the premises where the piglets will be raised. Despite the fact that this breed is not demanding of special conditions, but the necessary minimum need too. Another advantage is the small size of these animals, which will allow you to grow larger quantities in a smaller area.
If there is no ready-made room for arranging a pigsty, it can be built from bricks or ready-made blocks. A concrete floor will make the room easy to clean, but most of the floor is covered with wooden boards; this place is necessary for relaxation. The boards are ideal for the cold season; they will retain heat. And the remaining concrete part will not allow digging indoors. The entire space is divided into machines (4-5 m2) one machine. This pen can accommodate 2 queens, either a queen with piglets or one boar. It is necessary to leave a wide passage between the machines; this is necessary for the convenience of cleaning the room.
The room should be provided with air ventilation without drafts. Pot-bellied pigs are known to tolerate cold weather well, but the best solution will make heating in the pigsty so that winter time provide comfortable conditions for animals. It is especially important not to allow the uterus and newborn piglets to become hypothermic. You can heat it with a stove, special radiators and any other available method.
There should be a paddock next to the premises where the pig will be kept; it will be set up wooden blocks so that the pigs can rub against them. One adult pig requires 1 hectare of land. Since the walking yard is only used when standing warm weather, then it is necessary to have a canopy to protect the pigs from the sun and rainy weather. A mud pool is also organized for them.
What to feed Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs
Many people believe that Vietnamese dogs should be fed only green food. But on such a diet it will not be possible to achieve good weight gain. In order for the gain of live weight to be intensive, you should choose the optimal balanced diet, taking into account all the needs for enhanced growth. To figure out how to raise Vietnamese pigs at home, you should take into account several aspects. Firstly, the material component, the composition of the diet depends on it; if possible, you can use more expensive components, but basically everyone wants to create a diet in the budget segment. And the second point is what we want to get from raising animals. If you need to engage in fattening for meat, then it is better to create a diet yourself.
Concentrated feed (grain) can be grown either independently or purchased ready-made. Organizing a balanced diet will allow you to obtain high-quality products with at the lowest cost. In summer, the main share is taken up by green food. In Vietnamese pigs, the structure of the gastrointestinal tract is slightly different from ordinary pigs: the stomach is smaller, the intestines are also smaller in diameter, and food passes through the gastrointestinal tract faster. Therefore, animals eat less, but often.
They are not suitable for roughage containing high fiber content. They digest green grass, alfalfa, and clover hay best. Concentrates are also included. It could be wheat, barley, rye. Oats and corn are not entirely suitable for pot-bellied pigs as the main food, as they make the animals fatten. The feed mixture is made up in the following proportions: barley 45%, wheat – 30%, oats – 15%, corn – 10%.
The grain is crushed in a mill and mixed in the required proportions. Whole grains are not digested and simply pass out of the body in the stool. Steamed mash also has a good effect on meat quality. For this ready mixture pour boiling water at the rate of 1⁄2 and add a little salt. This mash is steamed for 10 hours. After the mixture has cooled, you can add vitamins, fish fat, premixes.
For 1 sow, 2.5-3 kg of feed is required at one time (total 2 meals per day). For pregnant women, dairy products, eggs, and vitamins are added to the feed. Piglets are given 1.3-1.5 kg of mixture per head per feeding, 2 times a day. Pot-bellied piglets can also prepare thick porridge from mixed feed.
Animals will chew food longer, and therefore digestion of food will be much better. Vietnamese pigs are also given root vegetables and tubers. They are easy to store and can provide animals with the necessary vitamins during the winter season. This could be carrots, pumpkin, zucchini, legume hay. Vegetables do not need to be cooked, otherwise they will lose their quality, so they are given raw. Boiled potatoes are added to make the feed more nutritious, up to 15% of the total feed.
How to breed Vietnamese pigs
An important rule for breeding Vietnamese pigs is the fact that there should be no closely related relationships when mating. Despite the fact that the animals mature, you should not crossbreed a pig if its weight does not exceed 30-35 kg. An animal with such a small weight will not be able to bear full-fledged offspring, and there is also a risk that the female will suffer.
How to determine readiness for mating in Vietnamese pigs
1. the pig’s behavior becomes very restless;
2. The genitals become swollen and mucus may be released;
3. When you press the croup, the pig freezes.
To carry out mating, the boar is placed in a pen with the queens for 1 day. After fertilization, the gestation period lasts from 114 to 118 days. 3-5 days before farrowing, you can notice how the pig is fussing and building a nest for itself, its mammary glands swell, its nipples begin to turn red, and its belly drops noticeably. On the day of farrowing, the animal does not take food; the nipples secrete drops of colostrum.
How farrowing occurs in Vietnamese pigs
Before farrowing begins, it is necessary to hygienically clean the room where the sow is kept, lay down fresh bedding, and place dishes with clean, cold water. Although piglets in general can manage without human intervention and the queen can easily cope on her own, as a caring farmer you can still control this process and make it easier for the sow to care for newborns. Before the birth of piglets, it is necessary to prepare the essentials, namely diapers for wiping, scissors, iodine solution and cotton wool.
In the first hours after birth, piglets must be given access to colostrum, it must also be wiped, examined, to see if the airways are clogged, the umbilical cord must be cut, bandaged and treated with iodine. The duration of farrowing can vary from 3 to 5 hours; after the placenta has come out (usually there are 2), farrowing can be considered complete. The afterbirth is removed because the sow may eat it.
How to care for little Vietnamese piglets
1. Constant availability of milk every half hour, so that each newborn receives its portion;
2. Anemia is a very common disease in piglets, due to a lack of iron in the body. To prevent the occurrence of this disease, piglets are administered iron preparations intramuscularly, such as ursoferran, ferran. Piglets with for preventive purposes The drug Ferran is administered on days 3-5 of life - 1-1.5 ml intramuscularly in the hip or neck area. For therapeutic purposes, the dosage is 2-3 ml for animals older than 2 weeks of age.
3. To monitor the weight gain and condition of the animal, you can keep tables of indicators.
10 days – weight not less than 1 kg
20 days – 1.5-2 kg
30 days – 2.5-3 kg
A month after farrowing, the piglets are gradually weaned from the uterus and transferred to a more mature diet. Weaning occurs within a few days, this will help prevent the development of mastitis in the uterus, and the piglets will not experience stress due to a sudden change in feed. By the middle of the second month, piglets can be treated for worms with drugs such as Alben, Alvet at the rate of 0.5 ml per 10 kg of weight once. Fattening is very profitable, but such an activity requires time, effort, and finances. Even though these animals are not whimsical.
Meat qualities are especially noted in pigs weighing up to 40 kg; it contains the optimal amount of fat. Pigs up to 20-30 kg gain weight due to muscle mass, the remaining kilograms come from fat. Vietnamese pig meat is a delicacy. appearance It is distinguished by marbling, it is juicy, tender and tasty. And the main thing is that at the age of 3 months, pigs are ready for slaughter, which means you can provide yourself with an uninterrupted supply of fresh and tasty meat.
After publishing articles in which I talked about my experience in breeding and raising Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs, many letters came. The vast majority of questions asked by readers are about obtaining offspring and raising young animals.
This time I want to talk about a very important and responsible moment - childbirth and further care for the suckling sow and her offspring.
As you remember, Vietnamese pigs have increased early maturity. A young pig is allowed to mate at the age of 5-6 months when it reaches a weight of 30-32 kg. The upcoming pregnancy is not an easy test for the sow, so she needs to create all the conditions so that she brings strong, healthy offspring. You need to treat her kindly, evenly and calmly. Pregnancy in Vietnamese pigs, like regular pigs, lasts 114-118 days (three months, three weeks, three days). The most intensive growth of fruits is observed in the last month of pregnancy. The sow should be fed well and of high quality, adding vitamins “Kalfostonik” to food or “Chiktonik” to drink. The water should never be cold.
About a couple of days before farrowing, the sow begins to worry, and her belly drops, milk lobes form, and her nipples swell. If colostrum is released when you press on the nipple, then birth can be expected within the next 24 hours. On the day of farrowing, the sow prepares the nest very carefully and responsibly; she crumples the bedding and chews the hay to make it softer. Frequently lies down, gets up, cleanses the intestines and bladder. The sow's refusal to eat is a sure sign of the imminent onset of labor, which must be met fully prepared. The pen needs to be cleaned of sawdust and anything foreign, leaving only hay and a drinking bowl with clean water, since the pig is very thirsty during and after farrowing.
An infrared lamp is hung in the corner of the baby compartment to maintain the optimal temperature.
By the way, about the corner. Ordinary nest boxes, boards, boxes, boxes are not suitable for gentle and caring mothers, such as Vietnamese pigs. Without close contact with the offspring, pigs become nervous and anxious. In my opinion, the most optimal solution a metal grate, with a distance between the rods of 10-15 cm, is installed diagonally in the corner.
For childbirth, we prepare clean towels, scissors, thread, cotton wool, and a 10% iodine solution. Some breeders of Vietnamese pigs claim that sows do not need assistance during childbirth, I strongly disagree with this for many reasons. The sow, under the supervision of the owner, will feel calmer, childbirth will proceed easier and faster, and the number of weak piglets will decrease.
Newborn piglets should receive a portion of colostrum within the first half hour of life. The fact is that piglets are born with a small supply of nutrients, and if they do not receive mother's milk on time, they may die. In addition, when piglets suck, labor is stimulated.
I quickly remove mucus from each piglet’s nose, mouth, ears, wipe it dry, lightly massaging it. At a distance of 2-3 fingers from the tummy, I tie the umbilical cord with threads and cut it off. I treat the wound with iodine solution, weigh the pig and put it under a lamp to dry. The temperature in the first days of life should be maintained at 30°-32°C. At lower temperatures, piglets' thermoregulation is disrupted, they develop worse and get sick. On the first day of life, piglets nurse their mother every 25-40 minutes, so it is very important to monitor the quantity and quality of feeding of each baby so that there is no developmental delay in the future. Childbirth usually lasts 3-5 hours, in rare cases up to 12, and ends with the release of the placenta. The traces must be collected and removed. 10-12 hours after farrowing, I bring food to the sow.
At birth, piglets have two pairs of baby teeth in each jaw, for a total of eight. The teeth are arranged in such a way that when sucking they cover the nipple from all sides and help the piglets in the feeding process by holding the tongue. Therefore, I strongly recommend not removing baby teeth. Teeth are removed only if they are placed incorrectly in the mouth. But I have never had such examples.
The sow's udder, being in a tense state, is more often subject to injury and inflammation. Cream-emulsion "DEK" gives a good effect both for the treatment and prevention of mastitis, cracks and sores of the nipples.
Sow milk lacks important nutrients such as iron and copper. From the first days of life, the level of iron in the blood of piglets sharply decreases, which can lead to the development of anemia. The piglets begin to feel cold, lag behind in development, the skin turns pale and, ultimately, may die. To avoid anemia, I vaccinate piglets on the 3rd and 10th days of life with iron preparations Ursoferran-100 - 1.0 ml, or Ferroselenite - 1.0 ml, intramuscularly into the inner thigh. I refused to use the drug "Suifferovit" due to frequent complications and side effects. Perhaps complications arise because Suifferovit is prepared from the blood serum of ordinary pigs.
From the age of one week, piglets begin to erupt their primary teeth, and they begin to need to chew something. To prevent animals from gnawing on contaminated objects, I introduce chalk, red clay, and coal as fertilizer - substances containing calcium, phosphorus, and iron. From the age of ten days I add roasted barley, a starter feed for sucklings. I put drinking bowls with clean water. I charge the water with silver ions, I believe that this gives a certain effect. After reaching two weeks, I feed the piglets with thick porridge, as for adults, with the addition of “Prelac” or other premixes, or I add cow’s milk diluted in half with water. Also instead of cow's milk, you can use goat's. Goat's milk is preferable to cow's milk, it is more healthy, so if there is such an opportunity, take advantage of it.
Towards the end of the first month of life, the sow's milk production decreases, so the piglets must learn to feed themselves. Gradually I begin to separate the piglets from the sow. I do this in stages, over six days, according to a certain scheme. On the first day there are six feedings, followed by a reduction to one. I do not recommend abruptly weaning piglets; it is harmful for both the piglets and the sow. The mother may develop mastitis, and the children may experience indigestion and stress. At the age of forty days, I give the piglets prophylaxis against helminths using the drugs “Invermectin” or “Ecomectin”, according to the instructions. After weaning, around the fifth day, the sow shows signs of heat and is ready to start again.
In order not to be mistaken in this matter, I advise you to keep a farrowing calendar for the sow, and preferably for each one separately. Systematization of such information is the key to successful agricultural activities. Duration of pregnancy itself various breeds, as a rule, is almost the same in its time frame.
The most common “formula”: pig pregnancy lasts for 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days. If we translate into days, it turns out to be 114 days. This period is considered the average duration of pregnancy for all sows. But in practice, pregnancy lasts in these animals from 101 to 126 days.
If we analyze statistical data based on information received from specialists, it turns out that only 25% of pregnant mothers give birth on the 114th day, in 30% this generally occurs earlier than the specified period, and the remaining 45% of pigs give birth later. So the prediction of the time of birth in pigs can be carried out based on this indicator of gestational age, but this is not entirely correct solution. The compiled table of this indicator will help you prepare for the birth of babies.
Statistics show that approximately 95.2% of all pigs bring their offspring into the world from 110 to 118 days. That is, it happens on one of these 9 days.
From this it follows that in the pregnancy calendar it is worth indicating exactly the number that coincides with the 110th day of pregnancy. This is logical, since the majority of sows will give birth within the next 9 days. If the animals are organized in the form of group housing, I strongly advise that the sow be transferred to separate machine
a few days before the originally calculated due date. It is determined according to the pregnancy calendar. There are special standard tables. In the place where the line of the date of insemination and the month of insemination intersect, the date is placed when it is necessary to transfer the pig’s uterus to a separate pen.
Let's say insemination occurred on March 7, then we find this number in the table, look for 03 at the month mark, look for their intersections and see the date - 06/25. Then you need to transfer the sow to a special pen. Remember that farrowing earlier than the calendar date occurs only in one in a hundred cases.
