Vietnamese pot-bellied pig content. Vietnamese fold pig - advantages of the breed and characteristics of cultivation. Adaptation to climatic conditions

It's no secret that pigs are bred not for their beautiful faces, but for their meat. It’s stupid to turn a blind eye to this; such is our cruel, imperfect world. Every year, humanity consumes about 3 billion tons of pork.

As they say, demand creates supply, and many pig breeders have long wondered about breeding a breed that would have high productivity, high quality meat and be easy to care for. Today, it is gaining popularity among livestock farmers in many countries in Europe and America. Vietnamese pig breed, and for good reason.

Features and description of the Vietnamese pig

Southeast Asia is considered the homeland of these artiodactyls, but they came to European countries and Canada from Vietnam, hence the name - Vietnamese pot-bellied pig. This happened relatively recently - in 1985, but thanks to their many advantages, these pigs quickly won the hearts of many farmers around the world.

On photo of Vietnamese pigs cannot be confused with any other breed: they have slightly flattened muzzles with small erect ears, short squat limbs, a wide chest and a belly that sag almost to the floor. When you see these animals, it immediately becomes clear why they are called pot-bellied.

The color of pigs is predominantly black, some specimens have light spots. Vietnamese white pig pure blood (not mestizo) is very rare. Boars have characteristic bristles on their bodies. The length of the stubble on the scruff of the neck can reach 20 cm, and by its position one can determine the mood of the animal: from fear and from joy, this peculiar mohawk stands on end.

Dairy piglets are even cheaper (1000-2000 rubles). Their fate is not enviable: they are bought for the sake of tender dietary meat. This product is considered a delicacy because it has excellent taste, contains little cholesterol and has no fatty layers.

Owners of livestock farms for breeding Vietnamese pigs agree on one thing - keeping them is not difficult. However, without proper care and sufficient attention to your charges, it is unlikely that anything good will come of it.

ABOUT Vietnamese pigs, buy which are not difficult in our country, the reviews are mostly positive. They have established themselves as good-natured and docile animals. Young animals are not at all afraid of humans: piglets can play for a long time, like puppies.

Many owners also note the attachment of this type of pig to its owner. If you teach a piglet to be handled from infancy, he will ask to be scratched.

Adult wild boars often follow their owner with their “tail,” like many. Vietnamese pigs are very smart animals. According to scientific research, their intelligence is comparable to that of a 3-year-old child.

Vietnamese piglets attract the attention of livestock breeders due to their small size, early maturity and unpretentiousness in rearing. They have become an excellent alternative for those farmers who do not want to raise conventional large white pigs on their farms, or for domestic livestock farmers who want to provide their family with a supply of lard and meat without incurring high costs.

Story

Vietnamese pot-bellied piglets were first bred in southeastern Asia. Only in 1985 did they become widespread in other countries and on other continents. Pigs got their name because 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.

Today, scientists continue to work on improving the breed. They set out to improve the productivity of piglets, increase their size, and increase the percentage of muscle mass. The Vietnamese pot-bellied pig came to Russia relatively recently. Due to inexperience and lack of knowledge, rumors began to spread among farmers that several breeds of Asian animals were being raised 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 distinctive features

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

Vietnamese piglets

Pot-bellied black piglets may have an unusual, slightly flattened muzzle shape. They have a very wide back and short legs, so adult pigs can grow large in size, but at the same time short. Boars have a thick 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 fatten the pet longer and creates the right diet for it, then the animal’s weight 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 white pigs. However, marbled Vietnamese piglets eat not only different foods, but also with a different frequency of meals. They need to be constantly fed throughout the day, and not limited to two meals per day. Vietnamese pigs have a much smaller stomach than the average white pig, so they digest food faster.

Black piglets (Vietnamese pot-bellied breed) are herbivorous representatives of the animal world, therefore the owner must plan their diet exclusively from products of plant origin.

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 compiled taking into account the time of year and the availability of feed.

Attention! You cannot use exclusively pasture to feed Vietnamese pigs; their diet must include mixed feed.

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

How to feed Vietnamese piglets

Breeding Vietnamese piglets

Vietnamese piglets undergo fertilization and farrowing without any particular difficulties. Sexual maturity of females occurs 4 months after their birth. The onset of hunting becomes obvious in their restless behavior and refusal to eat. Vietnamese piglets very rarely get sick, so such symptoms are a sign that it’s time to let the pig near the boar. Also in females, the genital loop swells and characteristic discharge appears. However, such signs may turn out to be false. To check whether reproduction can occur, you should lean lightly on the croup. If the pig stands calmly and motionless, then she is definitely in heat and ready for fertilization, otherwise it will take some more time.

Attention! Close relatives should not be allowed to participate in mating.

During farrowing, it is advisable for the owner to monitor the process so that unwanted complications do not arise. You should have iodine, thread, cotton wool and scissors ready so that you can cut the umbilical cord if necessary. The first signs of early farrowing in a Vietnamese pig are restless behavior, drooping belly, and formed milk lobes. By the time of birth, the room must be cleaned; only hay and water are left in the pigsty. A newborn pig requires additional attention: they wipe their mouth and snout from accumulated mucus, and also make sure that each of the cubs receives a portion of colostrum within the first hour of life.

Raising Vietnamese piglets is easy, profitable and even fun. One farrow produces up to 10 babies, gradually this figure can increase, and at one time the pig brings 12 pigs. One female is capable of having 2 farrows per year.

Caring for Vietnamese piglets

Caring for Vietnamese piglets involves, first of all, setting up a pigsty. Since animals grow small, even in a small room you can keep several adult animals. How many pigs can fit in a given 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, covering a separate part of the pigsty with boardwalk so that the pets do not freeze. It is advisable to divide a large room into pens, each of which houses several pigs. This will also make it possible to house sows and their offspring separately.

Caring for Vietnamese piglets

It is worth building a passage between the partitions to make it convenient to distribute food and carry out cleaning. Provide good ventilation in the room to prevent oxygen deficiency. During the cold season, the optimal temperature must be maintained so that the piglets do not become hypothermic. This is especially true if a recently farrowed pig lives in the pigsty, and it is undesirable for her to lie on a cold floor or in a cold room.

There is a recommendation from experienced pig breeders to let Vietnamese pigs out for a walk in the summer to give them the opportunity to graze. Also, this breed of piglets loves to take mud baths, which is also something that owners need to take into account. In hot and dry weather, this is required both for cooling and to repel blood-sucking insects. Such conditions for raising animals are often created in the middle zone (Volgograd, Moscow, Kursk regions, Moscow and the region).

To prevent an adult domestic boar from coming into heat every month, it is recommended to castrate it. This is done only if the individual is raised for slaughter. This is a very important condition, since a castrated boar becomes less aggressive, and the meat obtained from it has no unpleasant odor. Animals are castrated 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 advantages 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 propagation does not require much trouble. Females do an excellent job of caring for their offspring, so a minimum of effort is required from the owner.
They have excellent immunity. Vietnamese piglets hardly get sick and do not need numerous vaccinations and vaccinations; they easily adapt to different climatic conditions.
Vietnamese breeds of piglets produce very tasty and tender lard and meat, and carcasses are cut quickly and easily.
Female Vietnamese piglets have increased fertility and give birth to up to 12 babies at a time.
The pig has genetic memory and does not eat poisonous plants.
Vietnamese piglets eat exclusively plant foods, which significantly reduces feed costs.
Pigs are very clean and organize their sleeping area and toilet in different parts of the barn.

The disadvantages of Vietnamese piglets are very subjective and are determined individually by the owners. Some are skeptical about the color of the animal, others are not satisfied with the small size or thin layer of fat. However, in comparison with the advantages, these disadvantages 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 lard and meat for your own family, but also organize a business and make a profit from the sale of surplus. In just a couple of years of keeping Vietnamese piglets, you can significantly increase the number of piglets. They do not require much attention, eat plant foods, and get sick extremely rarely. Even a novice breeder can cope with raising Vietnamese pigs.

Those farmers who do not want to keep large white pigs can always find an alternative. One option could be Vietnamese pigs. Small in size, but at the same time early ripening, and also unpretentious in maintenance. All these qualities attract many farmers.

This breed was first bred in Asia in the southeast. These wonderful animals arrived on other continents and other countries only in 1985. The name Vietnamese pot-bellied piglets appeared due to the fact that they were brought to other countries from Vietnam. Quite quickly, these pigs found their adherents among farmers and became quite common both in America and Europe.

Vietnamese pig breed

Oddly enough, scientists are striving to improve this breed even more. They set themselves several goals:

Improve productivity;
Increase sizes;
Achieve an increase in muscle percentage.

Experiments to improve the breed continue to this day.

Vietnamese piglets appeared in Russia relatively recently. Rumors began to circulate that there were several breeds of Asian pigs, but these were names of the same variety. From the Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs, another breed appeared, these are decorative pigs called mini-pigs (from the English mini - small, pig - pig).

Advantages and disadvantages of the breed

The Vietnamese breed of pigs, like other varieties, has its advantages and disadvantages. They have some features that are worth considering if you decide to breed this breed.

Positive sides:

They ripen quickly. Oddly enough, but at the age of 4 months, pot-bellied pigs reach puberty and are ready to bear and give birth to offspring. The boars mature somewhat later and are ready for mating only six months after birth.
Easy to maintain. Sows take good care of their offspring, so you often don’t have to “run around” with them and look after them like piglets of other breeds.
They have good immunity, which protects them from all sorts of diseases to which other breeds are susceptible. They do not require specific vaccinations; the only thing that is required is to poison the helminths. Vietnamese pigs were bred in hot countries, but they adapt quite quickly to different climatic conditions, which explains their prevalence throughout the world.
The meat and lard produced by the lop-eared pig are very tender and juicy. Cutting a carcass usually does not take much time and does not require much effort.
Sows are very fertile; if the familiar breed of pigs gives from 6 to 12 piglets at a time, then the Vietnamese breed of pigs allows you to get a standard 12 piglets, and in some cases the figure reaches 18.
An interesting feature is that lop-eared piglets have good genetic memory, so they do not eat poisonous plants.
The small size of the animal makes it necessary to eat it quite often, even if only a little; the bulk of the food consumed is greens, which is another plus.
They challenge the idea of these animals as slobs. In their premises, these animals have a toilet in a separate corner, and a sleeping place in another. This approach reduces the time spent on cleaning the premises.

Concerning shortcomings, then this concept is rather subjective, the negative aspects are different for each owner. Some are not satisfied with the size of the animals, while other owners consider this an advantage. Some people don’t like the color or the hairiness; there are farmers who complain about the thin layer of lard. But it cannot be said that all these indicators can be equated with reasons why one should refuse content.

Appearance

The appearance features allow you to buy this particular breed and not confuse it with others. First of all, it is worth noting that the name Vietnamese pot-bellied pig breed appeared for a reason. Little piglets that are not yet a month old already have sagging bellies. As for fattened adults, their bellies often reach the ground. The colors vary, usually they are black piglets, but white spots may also appear on their body.

Vietnamese pigs are mostly black in color, but can also be black and white.

The muzzle is not as long as that of ordinary pigs. It seems that they lightly pressed on the snout and left it there. The back is wide and the legs are short, so they are quite large in volume and very low in height. The ears are small. Boars are distinguished by the presence of thick bristles. In a short time, a pot-bellied piglet reaches a weight of 70-80 kg, but if the animal is kept longer and specially fed, the weight of some individuals reaches 150 kg.

Diet

Most novice farmers make a mistake in terms of feeding from the first days of keeping the breed; they try to stick to the same diet that white pigs had. Feeding Vietnamese pigs differs not only in products, but also in the frequency of meals. Two meals a day are not enough for these animals; they need constant feeding. Vietnamese piglets have a small stomach and digest food faster.

Vietnamese breed pigs need to be fed more often

These are herbivores, so their diet consists of plant products. But here the question arises, what to feed Vietnamese pigs? They can eat pumpkin, hay, corn, pears, apples, zucchini, and various herbs. It is worth refusing to feed beets and straw; it is better to offer them young hay.

Another serious mistake is when owners feed animals exclusively pasture. Despite the characteristics of the breed and knowledge of what to feed Vietnamese piglets, these animals need to be given compound feed.

Try not to overfeed the animal if you decide to keep it for bacon. The best weight for these pigs is 90-110 kg. They grow to this size and gain the required weight within 9 months. If you focus on meat, then corn and barley should not exceed 10% in your diet.

Breeding: mating, farrowing

Rarely does the owner of this breed have problems with mating or farrowing. Rapid sexual maturity allows you to get a female ready for mating after 4 months. Hunting among representatives of this breed is noticeable in the behavior of the animal. The female is constantly worried about something and may refuse to feed. Considering the fact that they get sick extremely rarely, this is a concrete indicator that she is ready for fertilization.

There are other signs: if you look closely, the genital loop in such females swells, and characteristic discharge appears. If you detect such signs, lean lightly on the female’s croup; if she is in heat, she will stand motionless; when the symptoms turn out to be false, the pig quickly leaves. During mating, make sure that relatives do not mate.

Vietnamese breed sow

You can often hear that a pig can farrow normally on its own, saying there is nothing to disturb it. This assumption is incorrect, since it is imperative to monitor this process so that there are no complications. Prepare threads, iodine, scissors and cotton wool to cut the umbilical cord. Not only the sow, but also the owner prepares for childbirth. When the female's milk lobes begin to form, her stomach drops, and she behaves restlessly, this means that she will soon start pigging. The owner must clean the room, leaving only water and hay. After birth, you need to wipe the baby's snout and mouth from mucus, make sure that all piglets receive colostrum in the first hour of life.

Breeding Vietnamese piglets does not require any special skills. After the first farrowing, from 5 to 10 piglets are obtained, then this figure increases and exceeds 12 at a time. Breeding pot-bellied pigs is a fast process; each female can farrow twice a year.

Keeping Vietnamese pigs should begin with arranging their home. The small size of the animal allows you to keep many individuals in a small barn. You can build a brick or wooden pigsty for pigs. Many owners concrete the floor, because it will be easier to clean. Part of the pigsty needs to be covered with boards so that the pigs do not feel cold. A large room needs to be divided into smaller pens by nets. So that there are several piglets in a pen or a sow with offspring.

Immediately think about a normal passage between the partitions so that you can clean the pigsty and distribute feed without any problems. Raising Vietnamese pigs at home should be thought out to the smallest detail; ensure good ventilation of the room so that the animals have enough oxygen. In winter, the room must be at a normal temperature so that the animals do not freeze. Freezing temperatures can have a serious impact on a newly farrowed sow.

In the summer, it is advisable to provide walking space for animals so that they can graze. Vietnamese pigs love mud baths, so you need to take care of that too. They do this to cool down on particularly hot days and to get rid of blood-sucking insects.

Caring for Vietnamese piglets is somewhat different; animals begin to be fed at the age of 20 days, since the sow is not able to feed 12 or more fast-growing organisms.

For Vietnamese piglets, complementary feeding must be introduced at the age of 20 days

For those who are planning to keep wild boars for meat, they will need to be castrated. Castration is done so that the animal does not come into heat every month. Castration is also carried out so that the animal does not accidentally cover one of the females when this is not required. Castration prevents the animal from becoming excessively aggressive when it begins to break equipment or attack fellow animals. And, probably, the most important reason is that castration eliminates the unpleasant smell of meat. Often the smell is so persistent that it is no longer possible to eat it. Small boars are castrated at about 1.5 months.

Take a pig and a boar from different parents. If all sows are covered by one boar, you should not take a pair from one owner. The piglet's characteristics should correspond to the appearance of the breed; it will be strong, with well-developed muscles, and its head will be upturned. A healthy baby is usually active and has a good appetite. Find out how the animal was switched to other foods and how its weight has changed since birth.

Video: Vietnamese herbivorous pigs. Personal experience

Pig farming can become a profitable business if you approach the issue of keeping, feeding and breeding animals responsibly. You should not compare Vietnamese pigs with white pigs and try to make the former fit the established biorhythm and behavior. Compliance with the rules for keeping animals will allow you to significantly increase the number of animals in a couple of years.

Domestic livestock breeders are familiar with Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs relatively recently, but over the past decades, these “Asians” have gained great popularity and are 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 existing experience in raising Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs and the combination of their main characteristics:

Parameter	Characteristic
Animal	Pig
Breed	Vietnamese (Asian) potbellied
Productive type	Bacon
Live weight of adults	Pig averages 100-120 kg (up to 140), boar – 120-140 kg (maximum up to 200 kg)
Age of puberty in pigs	4 months
Multiple pregnancy	4-6 piglets in the first farrowing, in subsequent farrows – 8-12 (up to 20)
Suit	Black (often with white spots on the head), sometimes white, red, marbled
Gaining 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 carcass	70-75%
The thickness of the subcutaneous fat layer at a live weight of 100-110 kg (by 10 months of age)	Up to 35 mm (with meat and 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 the work to improve it, we suggest watching the following video:

Origin and description of the breed

The breed was developed in Southeast Asia as one of the varieties of Asian pot-bellied herbivorous pig. Representatives of this breed group began to be actively imported to Europe and North America in the 80s of the last century, mainly from Vietnam. Livestock breeders quickly recognized the potential of these pigs and began active breeding work in order to increase their acclimatization, increase their size and productivity, and improve the taste of meat. Now pot-bellied Vietnamese pigs are raised in almost all countries of the world, but more often we are not talking 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 Asian pigs is considered to be the so-called karmals.

The main difference between Asian pigs is their herbivory, that is, the structural features of the digestive tract that allow plant foods to be well absorbed. Outwardly, this is manifested in the presence of a heavy belly, sagging almost to the ground - hence the name “pot-bellied”. The animals have a powerful body with a wide sternum and a long back, short strong limbs with fleshy hams. The head is medium-sized, slightly flattened, reminiscent of a pug's muzzle, with similar "accordion" leathery folds on the snout.

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

Adult pigs are capable of gaining 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 “marbled” - lean and tender, with thin layers of fat. Moreover, its yield is about 70% from the carcass.

Purebred "Vietnamese" are usually black with white spots on the head. Now, due to spontaneous selection, the colors of pot-bellied piglets have become more diverse: white, spotted or red with dark stripes.

Breed productivity

The great advantages of breeding this breed are:

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

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

Pigs exhibit a strong maternal instinct, carefully feeding and caring for their babies. Piglets are born small(from 450 to 600 g), but they gain weight quite quickly (250-350 g per day). Females who have given birth usually have a lot of milk - enough even for a large litter. Newborn wild boars that are planned to be raised for slaughter must be castrated immediately or before 1.5 months of age, otherwise their meat will have an unpleasant odor, and the behavior of mature males may exhibit characteristic aggressiveness. In general, representatives of this breed are distinguished by a calm and peaceful disposition and 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.

Specifics of keeping and fattening

Asian pigs are not very large, so they do not require large housing. They are very clean: do not defecate where they sleep or near feeders and drinking bowls, and are happy to bathe (in the presence of small bodies of water). In addition, animals resistant to most common diseases, which allows you to get by with a minimum number of vaccinations. It is important to ensure dryness, absence of drafts, seasonal heating and ventilation in the pigsty.

In the warm season, pigs must be given free range in grassy areas, where they can actively move and feed on pasture - grass and young shoots of bushes. Animals deprived of this opportunity develop worse, reduce the rate of muscle mass gain, and often suffer from vitamin deficiency.

At the genetic level, Vietnamese pigs have the ability to distinguish edible plants from poisonous ones.

Herbivorous pigs eat little but often. Their diet consists of almost 80% green matter, vegetables (pumpkin and root vegetables), and fallen fruits. The remaining 20% is recommended to include grain products (bran, crushed grain), acorns, and 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. In order for animals to build up a thicker layer of fat, it is recommended to feed adult animals (after 7-8 months) with foods high in protein: oats and legumes. At the same time, the average daily weight gain for pigs is up to 500 g, and for 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 pot-bellied pigs is lower than when raising other breeds, as it allows significant savings on feed.

Opinions about the taste of meat are quite contradictory: according to some reviews, it is inferior to ordinary domestic pigs in terms of richness of taste; others believe that grass-fed pig meat is healthier, more delicate, and more similar to turkey than traditional pork.

Feedback from livestock farmers

Yuri, 31 years old, Lviv region

Our people are not yet in a hurry to have 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 household. The Vietnamese are really very clean, calm, obedient and friendly. The grass is eaten both fresh and dry. If grazing is possible, they can produce good growth on pasture. And if you feed them with steamed feed, they will get fat right before your eyes.

Sergey, 46 years old, Usman

I raised my first Vietnamese dogs, they injected them today. At 8 months, the net weight was 40 kg, there was a little fat, about 2 cm. By this age, my plain white ones were already gaining about 80 kg. He fed them the same, gave the Vietnamese more grass and some oat bran, and sometimes added scraps from the kitchen. The pigs are very friendly, they wag their tail like dogs when you enter a pigsty. The main thing is that neither the floor nor the logs are chewed, and the locks on the doors are not broken. When cutting, I didn’t like that the skin was drier and rougher than white skin, and it wasn’t very easy to clean after scorching. 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 meat has the best taste, while Vietnamese meat is so-so. Depends largely on the diet. This breed of pig is of interest primarily to breeders for its multiple births. Crosses with white ones, for example, grow faster and have fat.

Anna, 45 years old, Omsk region

We dry Vietnamese piglets immediately after birth, castrate the boars and bite off their upper and lower fangs with wire cutters. If the fangs are not removed, they then grow up to 15 cm in length. We do not immediately tear off the umbilical cord, but spray it with Kubatol. When it dries a little, tear it off at a distance of 7-10 cm and again spray with Kubatol. This way you don’t have to bother with thread and stop the bleeding. After 2-3 days it dries out and falls off on its own, but you need to look at it and, in some cases, treat it again. At the same time, the piglets are given 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:

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

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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. They are very similar in properties and appearance, but they should not be confused. Humus is rotted manure or bird droppings. Compost is rotted organic remains of various origins (spoiled food from the kitchen, tops, weeds, thin twigs). Humus is considered a higher quality fertilizer; compost is more accessible.

Oklahoma farmer Carl Burns developed an unusual variety of multi-colored 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 selecting the most colored ordinary varieties and crossing them.

You need to collect medicinal flowers and inflorescences at the very beginning of the flowering period, when the content of nutrients in them is highest. Flowers are supposed to be picked by hand, tearing off the rough stalks. Dry the collected flowers and herbs, scattered in a thin layer, in a cool room at natural temperature without access to direct sunlight.

One of the most convenient methods for preparing a harvest of vegetables, fruits and berries is freezing. Some believe that freezing causes the nutritional and health benefits of plant foods to be lost. As a result of the research, scientists have found that there is practically no decrease in nutritional value when frozen.

Before purchasing Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs, farmers think about how to raise the Asian animal in local climatic conditions and what to include in its diet. Many myths about these representatives of the fauna are far from reality. Vietnamese pigs do not require complex care. But before purchasing them, there are important content principles to consider.

Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs began to be bred in Asian countries. The first individuals brought to Europe and Canada were purchased in Vietnam. This is how the name of the breed appeared.

Vietnamese pigs appeared in Russia 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 produces offspring 2 times.

Early readiness for reproduction

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

Strong immunity

Individuals rarely suffer from ailments to which pigs of other breeds are exposed. Pot-bellied Vietnamese piglets do not require specific vaccines. They should only be examined by a veterinarian when necessary.

Frost resistance

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

Undemanding conditions for existence

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

Developed memory

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

Maternal qualities in females

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

Maintaining hygienic conditions

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

Delicious meat

It can hardly be called coarse, as it has a delicate rich taste. The layer of lard is not thick. Meat has a relatively small amount of calories.

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

Important! Vietnamese pigs do not tolerate roughage well.

Animal exterior and character

The dark color of the skin is a distinctive feature of the breed. The muzzle of Vietnamese pigs is not elongated and has small erect ears.

The flattened muzzle and black color are a distinctive feature of Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs

Abdominal sagging occurs even in young animals. The chest and back area are wide. The legs are short. Males have pronounced stubble.

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

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

Conditions of detention. Step-by-step instruction

Housing for Vietnamese breed pigs does not require special equipment or complex structures. You can create favorable living conditions for an animal in several stages.

Step 1. Building a room

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 dig up the ground, so they require solid soil. 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 sow’s comfortable existence alone with her offspring. There should be wide passages between zones.

The passages between zones should be wide so that animals can go for a walk without problems.

Step 4. Installation of ventilation

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

Step 5. Installation of heating devices

Warmth is necessary when the female farrows in winter. A stove or heater will prevent the offspring and sow from freezing.

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

Feeding

Vietnamese pigs are not called herbivores for nothing. Fresh plant food is the most suitable food for them.

The basis of the diet in warm seasons is fresh herbs. There is no need to sort out the plants. Thanks to genetic memory, Vietnamese pigs themselves filter out poisonous plants.

Important! Hard large vegetables (beets, carrots, radishes) are poorly digested. And whole grains will be passed out along with the stool.

But you should not feed pigs only herbs, otherwise they will gain 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 their health.

To strengthen the immune system of animals, you can add a little salt, fish oil and special vitamin complexes to their food. These supplements are especially useful for young animals, pregnant and lactating sows.

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

Video - Budget feeding of Vietnamese pigs

How to choose a pig?

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

Buy from trusted sellers. He must have a good reputation.
Look carefully at all the pigs. Sick piglets always stand out against the background of healthy young animals. Weak animals have apathy. Yes, and they look different. Healthy piglets have a dry tail and no damage to the skin.
Examination of the individual's mother. Usually piglets are sold at the age of one month. In this case, his mother should have noticeably sagging breasts.
Selection of piglets for breeding from different litters. This measure will prevent closely related pigs from interbreeding, which would result in unhealthy offspring.

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

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;
discharge from the genitals.

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

The duration of gestation of piglets in the womb is 4 months. In a pregnant female, the abdominal area noticeably increases and decreases, and the nipples acquire a scarlet tint. On the day of birth, the animal fasts, and discharge flows from its mammary glands. A few days before giving birth, the sow's behavior changes. She prepares the place and acts restless.

The offspring appear within 2-5 hours. A pig should only be helped during birth 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. It is recommended to remove the afterbirth immediately to prevent the pig from eating it.

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

Caring for newborn piglets and sow

Farmers need to monitor the nutrition of newborn piglets. If a young individual does not suckle on the mother's mammary glands, you need to place it next to them.

It is advisable for farmers to give injections to young animals with iron-containing preparations. Piglets should be introduced to “adult” feed gradually so that they do not suffer from diseases of the digestive system. This is stress for their body. It is impossible to abruptly wean offspring from the breast. This will negatively affect the mother's health. She may develop mastitis.

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

Important! D When piglets reach one month of age, they 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 listed 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 has 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, you should first adjust the animal’s diet. The more fresh grain porridge it contains, the better.

You also need to take care of food hygiene. Farmers should wash drinking bowls and feeders more often. Overfeeding often leads to digestive problems. It is necessary to reduce the amount of feed and provide 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 pot-bellied pigs are not only an unusual part of the household, but also a way to earn money. The relatively dietary meat of representatives is popular, and young animals are readily purchased. Vietnamese pigs are also suitable for beginning farmers because they do not require special care.