Features of the breed of pigs. Meat breeds of pigs: features of cultivation. Early maturing meat breed of pigs

For breeding in a household plot, it is necessary to breed thoroughbred pigs adapted to living in a certain climatic zone. There are more than 30 species of these animals in our country.

This article provides a detailed classification of pig breeds in the direction of productivity. Using information about each species, as well as photos of animals, you can independently choose the best breed of pigs for home breeding.

Pig breeds with photos and names

Conventionally, all types of these animals are usually divided into three groups:

• Universal (meat): they gain weight well, produce numerous offspring and are distinguished by high meat qualities.
• Meat and bacon: representatives of this group have the most fleshy carcasses, although the ability to reproduce and quickly fattening also remains at a stable level.
• sebaceous- the third group with good fattening qualities, but fat prevails in carcasses, and the ability to reproduce is lower than that of animals of the first two groups.

To get many healthy piglets, it is better to choose representatives of the universal direction of productivity. If animals are bred in the homestead for lean meat, preference should be given to the second group of breeds and their crosses.

To get fat, you need to start representatives of the third group. Regardless of the direction of productivity, when choosing an individual, one should take into account the adaptive qualities of the animal and its ability to live in certain climatic conditions, since in some cases the sebaceous ones are more productive than the animals of the first and second groups.

Universal are the most common in our country due to their high reproductive qualities and rapid weight gain. The most common universal types include:

• Large white

It was bred by English breeders in the 19th century. Later it was improved by domestic breeders and is now the most common due to its ability to adapt to different climates.

The exterior of the animals is shown in the photo:

1. Animals harmoniously built, not rough physique;
2. The suit is white;
3. Good health, perfectly tolerate any climatic conditions and feeding regimes;
4. The head is small, the ears are thin, elastic, with a slight inclination forward;
5. The body is wide and long with a strong back;
6. The legs are low, the hams are round;
7. The skin is dense, elastic with fine and smooth bristles.

Figure 1. Representatives of the Large White breed

Animals gain weight well when eating succulent feed and feeding on pastures. With an intensive feeding ration at the age of six months, the weight of a piglet exceeds one hundred kilograms.

• Ukrainian steppe white

They were bred by crossing large white males and local females. They are distinguished by a strong constitution and are perfectly adapted to living and gaining weight in a dry southern climate (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Ukrainian steppe pigs

• Latvian White

It was also obtained by crossing local animals with large whites. Growth, development, productivity and meat content are the same as those of the Large White breed.

• Lithuanian white

Animals are distinguished by their white color, large weight and excellent fertility. For one farrowing, the uterus brings up to 11 piglets. The weight of a boar exceeds 300 kg, and that of a sow 200 kg (Figure 3).

• Breitovskaya

Initially, it was a regional species, bred in the Yaroslavl region by crossing local individuals with Danish landraces, large and medium whites, and Polissya breeds. Such individuals are considered quite common, due to their high weight and good adaptation. Particularly popular are the estates of Breit's animals with Swedish landrace.

Figure 3. Animals of universal species: 1 - Lithuanian white, 2 - Breitovskaya, 3 - Murom

Other less common generic types include(picture 4):

• Muromskaya they have an excellent ability to use bulky foods, although they are similar in general characteristics and conformation to the large white.
• North Caucasian have a black-and-white color and a particularly strong physique.
• Livenskaya was created by crossing local animals of the Oryol region with a large white, Berkshire and Polish-Chinese. Distinctive feature is a variety of colors: white, black, black-and-white and red-and-white.
• Belarusian black-and-white: have a black-and-white color, a deep and wide body and back, short legs and moderately developed hams.
• Siberian northern differs in vitality, endurance, and animals tolerate cold and other adverse climatic conditions very well. Adults have long, thick bristles and an undercoat.
• Kemerovo: individuals have a black suit, and there are white spots on the body, legs and tail. The animals are strongly built, they have a deep chest and an elongated torso.

Figure 4 Favorable views pigs: 1 - North Caucasian, 2 - Belarusian black-and-white, 3 - Kemerovo, 4 - Siberian northern

The Semirechenskaya breed is also common, which is most often found in Kazakhstan. It was obtained by crossing Kemerovo and large white with wild boars. A distinctive feature is the excellent adaptation to the local climate in the presence of high productivity and reproductive qualities.

Meat houses are also popular (Figure 5):

• Mirgorodskaya was bred by crossing individuals of different directions of productivity. The color is black and motley, a strong physique with a wide chest and a wide body. They are highly adaptable to various weather conditions, and gain weight well when pasture fed.
• Ukrainian steppe spotted has a variegated color (black, black and white and black and red), strong physique and excellent adaptation to hot climates.
• Large black first appeared in England. She was able to breed by crossing local white pigs with black Chinese. Animals are medium in size, black in color and loose constitution. Quite often used for breeding work.

Figure 5. Meat-bearing individuals: 1 - Mirgorodskaya, 2 - Ukrainian steppe speckled, 3 - large black

The best meat breeds of pigs

What are the breeds of pigs for obtaining quality meat? Bacon and meat are bred for such purposes.

Meat breeds are(picture 6):

• Landrace: bred in Denmark, crossing local animals with a large white. Features of the breed include: white color, long hanging ears and a narrow body. This is a highly specialized species that requires special conditions maintenance and feeding, but due to high productivity, animals are quite common.
• Estonian bacon in appearance it is similar to landraces, but the adaptability to living in the Baltic climate is higher. It is often used to breed crossbreeds, but even when breeding a pure breed, homeowners get a lot of high-quality meat products.
• Urzhumskaya taken out in the Kirov region. They are distinguished by high vitality, productivity and adaptability to local feed.

Figure 6. Meat types of pigs: 1 - Landrace, 2 - Estonian bacon, 3 - Urzhum

As a rule, representatives this direction productivity require a special feeding regime to obtain quality meat and bacon. It is worth noting that purebred large black animals are quite rare. When breeding, they are often crossed with white species. This allows you to get young animals with high productivity, and some individuals have black spots on the skin. The video provides an overview of one of the popular breeds - Liven.

What breeds of pigs are bred in our region?

To get high-quality meat and lard, you need to decide which breeds are bred in our country. This will help you choose the most productive and enduring.

The best breeds of pigs with photos and names can be found in our article.(picture 7):

1. Large white is popular in all regions, as it quickly adapts to new conditions of feeding and keeping. In addition, they quickly gain weight, and meat and lard are distinguished by high palatability.
2. Duroc it was originally greasy, but thanks to selection work, it began to be bred for meat. Animals are characterized by high precocity and resistance to climate change.
3. Ukrainian steppe valued for rapid weight gain. The mass of an adult individual can reach 300 kg, and females are highly fecund.
4. Kemerovo excellent for breeding in the climate of Siberia. The color of the animals is black, they are distinguished by high precocity and fertility.

Figure 7. The most productive species: 1 - large white, 2 - Duroc, 3 - Ukrainian steppe, 4 - Kemerovo

These are not all types of animals that can be bred in our area. Most modern breeds were bred by breeders, so they can be grown in any climatic regions.

What breed is the most profitable

Determining which breed is the most profitable to breed is not easy. Having learned what types of animals are, you need to decide not only on the direction of productivity, but also on the characteristics of keeping animals.

Note: Universal species (Ukrainian steppe, large white) are considered beneficial because of the rapid weight gain. But at the same time, animals consume a lot of feed, if the owner does not have his own food supply, and almost all products for breeding livestock have to be bought, it will not be economically profitable to breed animals.

Figure 8. Vietnamese pigs

But there is a separate breed that can be grown even in a small area. We are talking about Vietnamese pigs (Figure 8). Adult individuals do not differ in large sizes, consume relatively little food, but at the same time they are distinguished by high fecundity and endurance. Despite the small size of the animals, one individual can get enough meat to feed the family.

A pig is an animal from the mammal class, artiodactyl order, non-ruminant suborder, pig family (Suidae). Most likely, the pig got its name for its exceptional fertility. According to authoritative scientists, the basis of the Latin name goes back to the ancient word sunus - “son”, acquiring the meaning of “birth”, “fruiting”.

Pig - description, characteristics and photos

The strong, slightly elongated body of a pig can reach a length of more than one and a half meters. The skin of a pig is covered with a sparse, coarse, bristly hairline. The elongated muzzle of a pig with a movable nose-proboscis ends with a cartilaginous disc “patch”, which allows the animal to dig food out of the ground. The pig has 44 teeth, 4 of which are well-developed fangs. The upper fangs are distinguished by a curved shape.

The weight of a pig, depending on the species, ranges from 45 to 400 kg. The legs are shortened, four-fingered, with well-developed lateral toes. The tail is curved in a corkscrew. The pig's ears are big, but the eyes are small. From their wild ancestor, the boar, pigs inherited poor eyesight, but a very keen sense of smell and excellent hearing.

Impressive dimensions and short legs do not prevent the pig from being a fairly agile animal. The speed of a running pig reaches 17 km/h. When necessary, these seemingly clumsy animals are excellent swimmers.

Contrary to popular belief, most often pigs are not pink, but gray in color. Less common are individuals of white, brown, spotted and completely black colors.

Under decent conditions in captivity, the life expectancy of a pig is 10-15 years. Among large breeds, there are long-lived individuals: a healthy animal with quality care can live up to 35 years.

AT wild nature a pig lives an average of 7-8 years. Females are more vulnerable due to numerous offspring and the need to constantly be near the offspring. Warlike boars often live up to 12-15 years.

Types of pigs. Where do pigs live?

There are more than 20 species of wild pigs in the world, from which more than 100 breeds have been bred by breeders. Moreover, pigs live everywhere except Antarctica.

From the point of view of scientists, the following are considered the most interesting and studied species:

• babirussa ( Babyrousa babynissa)

a rare species of pig, listed in the Red Book. Single pigs with an atypical appearance for the family: long, thin legs, arched back and almost naked body, only sometimes covered with a sparse pile. A specific difference is powerful growths on the muzzle in the form of numerous fangs. They live in Indonesia, on the island of Sulawesi, forming 4 subspecies;

• large forest pig ( Hylochoerus meinertzhageni)

the largest species with a body reaching 2 meters in length. Individuals are distinguished by a long dark hairline and large, pronounced warts covering the snout. Habitat - tropical forests of equatorial Africa;

• African warthog ( Phacochoerus africanus)

A distinctive feature is the huge skin growths on the muzzle. The neck is covered with a mane, the tail ends with a tassel. The warthog population includes 7 subspecies inhabiting the African savannah;

• boar (Sus scrofa) , boar, wild pig

common species, forming more than 25 subspecies. The ancestor of the domestic pig, but with rather long legs and developed fangs. They live in the forests of mainland Europe, the Mediterranean, in North and Central America, in the mountains of Central Asia, in the Far East;

• bearded pig ( Sus barbatus)

slightly smaller than a wild boar, but with fairly long legs. The snout is covered with light, long hair. A feature of the species is a forked brush at the tip of the tail. It has 6 subspecies living in Southeast Asia;

• pygmy pig ( Sus salvanius, Porcula salvania Hodgson)

a small, endangered species protected by Greenpeace. The height of an adult is not more than 35 cm, on the muzzle there are distinctive patches of white wool. They live in Nepal, at the foot and on the slopes of the Himalayan massif;

• bush pig ( Potamochoerus porcus)

the most gaudily colored species. Black muzzle with white circles around the eyes, reddish-brown body and a white stripe along the spine. This type of pig is distinguished by long whiskers and characteristic black and white hair on the ears.

What to feed the pigs? Pig diet

The pig is an omnivore, it eats absolutely everything. In the wild, the main food is what can be dug up in the ground: plant roots, worms, insect larvae, as well as tree bark, young shoots of plants, grass. Acorns, nuts and mushrooms are considered a special delicacy. Food of animal origin, in addition to worms and larvae, can be fish, molluscs, birds, rodents, and carrion.

At home, pigs need high quality food:

• a combination of useful herbs, for example, or alfalfa;
• vegetables (sugar beet, pumpkin,);
• cereals and cereals (peas, barley, millet);
• dairy products and meat waste;
• feed concentrates;
• nutritional supplements containing vitamins and minerals.

What breeds of pigs do you know? Most likely, first of all, they come to mind: Landrace, large white and black, Mirgorod, Estonian bacon ... Someone will also remember exotic Vietnamese pigs or other, less popular breeds. In fact, there are over a hundred breeds of pigs in the world! Now it is already hard to believe that the ancestor of so many different breeds is an Asian or European wild pig - modern purebred breeding pigs are too different from their wild ancestor.

Universal breeds

All known breeds of pigs are usually divided into three main groups in accordance with production type: universal (meat) type, meat (bacon) type and greasy (lard-meat) type. Most Russian pig breeders prefer to grow universal breeds that can be fattened for both meat and lard. Moreover, both breeds bred abroad and domestic ones, more adapted to the climatic conditions of our region and to local feed, are popular.

At a young age, meat-fat-type pigs are dominated by muscle tissue

At a young age, meat-fat-type pigs are dominated by muscle tissue, so young animals go well for meat. And with age, pigs begin intensive fat deposition - the fat content in the carcass can reach 35%. The main share of breeds of meat-fat type is the large white breed of pigs.

Video about breeding brazier pigs

Large white

Initially, this popular breed was bred by English breeders. And those large white pigs that are now found everywhere in Russia, thanks to breeding work, are significantly superior to the English breed in many respects. Large white pigs are suitable for breeding in various climatic conditions, they are characterized by precocity and good fertility.

The animals are characterized by a strong constitution, boars on average reach 350 kg, sows - 250 kg, young animals by six months with intensive fattening are able to gain 100 kg. Pigs are fattened to bacon, meat and fatty conditions.

Pig breed "Large white"

Mirgorodskaya

The breed, bred in Ukraine, is characterized by multiple pregnancies, undemanding to feed, fast rates of average daily growth in fattening and adaptability to grazing. The constitution of pigs is strong with well-developed large hams, adult boars weigh about 310 kg, sows - about 210 kg. Color black and white.

Ukrainian steppe white

In appearance, Ukrainian steppe pigs differ slightly from large white ones: their bristles are thicker, their bones are stronger, and they are more roughly built. Boars, sows and young animals gain approximately the same weight as pigs large breed. The advantages of the steppe breed include precocity, fertility and unpretentiousness to the conditions of detention. Well suited for breeding in the steppe arid regions.

Pigs of breed "Ukrainian steppe white"

Mangalitskaya

The curly-haired representatives of this breed of pigs (the photo is attached to the article), although they are not widely used in the world, nevertheless, some domestic farmers breed braziers in order to obtain valuable fat and elite dietary meat (without cholesterol) with unusual taste qualities.

Mangal pigs with good fattening can gain weight over 300 kg. Moreover, they are not picky in the choice of food: they can eat food waste, various plant and animal food, and technical residues. You can keep them both in the pigsty and on the run. all year round. When kept indoors, barbecues are similar in appearance to ordinary pigs, but when kept outdoors, these animals are covered with thick curly hair, which protects them from severe frosts.

In addition, brazier pigs do not need to be vaccinated due to their strong immune system, they are stress-resistant and have a calm disposition.

Pigs of the Mangalitskaya breed

meat breeds

According to the constitution, breeds of pigs of the meat direction differ from others by an elongated body with a light front part and a well-fed sirloin part with large hams. Their muscle tissue grows intensively, on the contrary, fat is deposited slowly. With a carcass weight of 100 kg, up to 60% is meat, and about 30% is fat. Meat breeds of pigs that meet special requirements belong to the bacon group.

Popular meat and bacon breeds of pigs in Russia: Landrace, Duroc, Estonian bacon, Hampshire, Urzhum, as well as Chinese pigs (or Vietnamese lop-eared).

Landrace

Due to the excellent meat qualities, the Landrace pig breed is classified as bacon. Piglets reach a weight of 100 kg in 190 days, boars gain weight of about 300 kg, and queens weigh up to 220 kg. Feed consumption for fattening pigs is quite low. Sows are characterized by multiple pregnancies and good milk production.

Pig breed "Landrace"

As for appearance, landrace pigs have an elongated body characteristic of the meat type with dense hams, thin white skin and short soft bristles.

Urzhumskaya

Like Landrace pigs, Urzhum pigs reach high rates in terms of weight when low cost stern. Moreover, the animals perceive the local feed well, and the weight gain in piglets is 700 g per day.

Features of the Urzhum breed: a strongly built constitution, a long torso of large size, covered with thick white bristles. Females are prolific, up to twelve piglets can be expected for one farrowing.

Vietnamese

Asking for a Vietnamese bellied pig

Popular in Russia bellied pig has become relatively recent, and the selection of this breed is still ongoing in order to increase live weight. The Vietnamese fold pig is valued for the absence of a specific smell, cleanliness, compact size and balanced character. Animals have strong immunity and feel good on the pasture. Sows differ from other breeds in their well-developed maternal instinct and high milk production. Vietnamese pigs quickly gain weight, and by 10 months they already weigh about 110 kg.

greasy rocks

It is easy to identify pigs of a greasy direction by a loose constitution and a shortened body. The content of fat in a hundred-kilogram carcass reaches 45%, and meat - less than 50%. Of the most common breeds of greasy type, it is worth noting the large black, Berkshire, Breit.

Video about Vietnamese herbivorous pigs

Large black

The black pig differs from other breeds in its intense black color and folded skin. Large black boars gain weight over 290 kg, the weight of sows can reach 220 kg. During the fattening of young animals, the body weight gain is 670 g at an average feed cost. The content of meat in the carcass is 52-53%.

The breed itself is large black in pure form has many shortcomings, but when crossed with other breeds (especially with whites), it is possible to achieve better results.

In the direction of productivity, pig breeds are divided into three types - meat (bacon), tallow and meat-tallow. Classification of pig breeds is necessary in order to make it easier for farmers and business executives to choose the direction of business and desired view animals.

Main features

Pigs of meat breeds have an elongated body, large hams, a small and light breast. Their live weight reaches one hundred kilograms; after slaughter, up to 60% of meat and 30% of fat are obtained from one carcass. The best breeds of pigs for meat productivity are Duroc, Landrace, SM-1, Estonian bacon, Urzhum.

Pigs of the greasy type are distinguished by a shortened body, a loose constitution, and short hams. At slaughter, about 50% of meat and 40-45% of fat are obtained from the carcass. The main breeds of greasy pigs are the large black pig, the Hungarian mangalica, the Mirgorod breed, and the Ukrainian steppe speckled pig.

Bacon and greasy pig breeds

Pigs of meat-fat breeds are between tallow and meat breeds. In the carcass, 53-54% is meat, and 34-37% is fat. For meat, it is best to slaughter them at a young age, since adults, having reached a certain size, begin to accumulate fat. The best meat-fat breeds are Murom, Latvian white.

All these breeds of pigs can be raised and bred in farms and households.

meat breeds

Landrace is the first breed of pig bred as a meat pig. The breed was bred in Denmark by crossing local pigs with large whites. The resulting piglets were fed products with a high content of animal proteins.

New individuals were selected according to such traits as precocity, meat quality and payback on feed costs. The result was a bacon-type pig breed with a thin layer of blubber and a high percentage of lean meat. In the carcass of animals fattened up to 100 kilograms, lean meat contains 2-5% more than pigs of other breeds.

The description of the Landrace breed looks like this: the body is elongated, the head is medium in size, the hams are wide and flat, the ears hang over the eyes, the skin is thin, the bristle is white, not too thick.

The live weight of boars is about 300 kg, sows - about 250 kg, sow fertility - 10-11 piglets.

Landrace pigs are used to obtain high-quality meat, as well as to breed new breeds of pigs with excellent meat, early maturity and fertility.

The Duroc breed was bred in the USA in the 19th century, the breed was brought to the USSR in 1976 to the farms of the Zaporozhye region. The breed is distinguished by a red suit of various shades - from light red to dark.

Pigs have a wide and deep breast, round ribs, arched back, well-developed hams, high legs. The head is wide. The live weight of wild boars is 336 kg, the body length is 170-183 cm. The live weight of sows is 250-260 kg, the body length is up to 180 cm. Some individuals gain weight up to 330 kg. The first time the sow brings 7-8 piglets, the next time 9-10 piglets.

The Urzhum breed was bred in the Kirov region of the RSFSR, officially approved in 1957. The breed is distinguished by a strong physique and high productivity. It adapts well to the Russian climate and feed.

The skeleton is massive, the bristles are well developed, the head is round, with a long snout, the legs are strong, the back is long, the belly is large, rounded.

The live weight of boars is 310-330 kg, sows 240-250 kg, sows are multiple - 11-12 piglets are brought per farrow. Young growth at the age of 6 months is gaining weight of 100 kg each individual, giving an average daily weight gain of 680-720 grams.

The Estonian bacon breed was officially registered in 1961. The breed was bred in Estonia by crossing local pigs with Landrace and German long-eared breeds.

The Estonian breed has an elongated body, thin bones, a long neck, a fleshy back, well-developed hams, and pink skin. The breed is well acclimatized in the Baltic countries.

The live weight of boars reaches 330 kg, sows - 220-240 kg, body length - 185 cm in males and 160 in females. The sows are prolific, they bring 11-12 piglets at a time. The average daily growth of young animals is 750 grams.

An early maturing meat breed was obtained by crossing the best domestic and foreign meat breeds. Work on breeding the breed was carried out according to a single methodology in 73 large collective farms and state farms of the USSR, located throughout the country.

The result was pigs with a strong constitution, a wide body, large hams. The breed is significantly superior to other breeds in terms of early maturity and acclimatization.

Young animals gain weight of 120 kilograms at the age of 4-5 months, so pigs of this breed grow up with less feed and money.

On average, the live weight of adult boars reaches 300-320 kg, the weight of sows is 240 kg. Sows at a time bring 10-11 piglets, which at 2 months all together weigh about 190 kg.

In the video, piglets of the SM-1 breed.

greasy rocks

The large black breed was obtained in England by crossing three breeds - Chinese, Neapolitan and local long-eared. In Russia, the breed began to grow in the 50s of the 20th century.

The breed is distinguished by black color, thin constitution, drooping ears, short legs. Boars gain up to 280 kg of live weight, sows - up to 236 kg. The body length is 174 cm in males, and 160 cm in pigs.

For one farrowing, the sow brings 10 piglets, the total weight of which reaches 165 kg by the age of two months.

The Mirgorod breed was bred by specialists of the Mirgorod breeding plant by crossing animals of such breeds as large white, temvois, Berkshire, Ukrainian short-eared. Currently, it is readily bred in farms and households in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia.

Mirgorod pigs have a strong constitution, their chest girth is equal to the length of the body, but sometimes it is more than it. The ears are erect, the legs and hams are well developed.

Color - motley - black and white, black and red, or completely black. The skin is elastic, the bristles are thick, uniform.

Boars gain 250 kg of live weight, sows - 220 kg. The body length is 170 cm in boars and 160 in females. For one farrowing, the female brings 10-11 piglets, which, by the age of two months, weigh 142 kg with the whole brood. Slaughter carcass yield up to 85%. Meat yield - 55%, fat yield - 33%.

Mirgorod pigs are very precocious, reaching slaughter weight at 6 months. Their meat has a low moisture content, so it is used for smoking.

Meat-greasy breeds

The Murom breed was bred in the Vladimir region by crossing local pigs with representatives of the Lithuanian White and Large White breeds. Therefore, their exterior is not much different from the appearance of the parent breeds.

Pigs of the Murom breed have a wide, massive body, strong and short legs, white color, thick bristles.

The live weight of boars is 300-320 kg, of sows - 200-220 kg. Pigs are quite prolific, at one time they bring 10-11 piglets. Pigs are quite precocious, so the breed is popular not only in domestic and farms Vladimir region, but also in neighboring regions.

The Large White breed was bred in Russia on the basis of English breeds.

Representatives of the breed are distinguished by a large and long body, a medium-sized head, and a slightly curved snout. The neck of the pigs smoothly into the body. The chest is wide and deep, the back is straight, the belly is voluminous, dense, the legs and hams are straight, short. The skin is without folds, elastic, white-pink, the bristle is long, uniform.

Adult boars gain up to 350 kg of live weight, sows - up to 260 kg. Body length in boars is 178-190 cm, in sows up to 165 cm. Sows bring 10-12 piglets at a time.

Video - large white breed of pigs.

The Breitovsky breed of pigs was bred in the Breitovsky state breeding nursery of the Yaroslavl region by crossing Danish, Estonian, Polissya and Latvian pigs with local late-ripening pigs. The breed was officially approved in 1948.

Later, the breed became popular in 30 regions of Russia, and at the end of the 20th century it remained only in the farms of the Yaroslavl, Smolensk, Leningrad and Pskov regions.

Representatives of the breed are distinguished by a strong constitution, large size. Their head is of medium size, the snout is slightly shortened with a bend. Ears are long and drooping. The neck is of medium length, the chest is deep and wide. The back is even, the legs and legs are well developed, strong, straight. The skin is dense, the setae are thick, the skin is white or spotted.

The body length in boars is up to 170 cm, in females - up to 160 cm. The live weight of males is 300-350 kg, females - 220-260 kg. The breed is characterized by high fertility - for two farrowings per year, the sow brings 20-24 piglets. Individuals are known that bring 15-17 piglets. Piglets grow quickly, love potatoes and other succulent feed. At the age of 6-7 months, piglets weigh 90-100 kg each. Pigs of the Breit breed can be grown on a pasture.

The breed is widespread throughout Russia and is widely used for industrial crossing with purebred and crossbred queens of Large White and other breeds of pigs. The multiplicity of hybrid sows increases by 5-10%, the precocity of young animals - by 5-12% while reducing feed costs per 1 kg of live weight gain; the content of meat in the carcass increases by 2-7%.

It was bred in Denmark as a result of crossing a Danish pig with a large white pig under conditions of full feeding when rations are saturated with animal proteins. At the same time, they conducted a long selection and selection according to precocity, payment for feed with products and meat qualities. Pigs are typically bacon type. Their body is stretched; ham wide, flat; the ears are long, strongly hanging over the eyes; thin skin; bristles are white, sparse. Boars of this breed have a mass of 309 kg with a body length of 181.6 cm; sows - 253 kg with a body length of 166.7 cm; multiple sows 11 piglets. The average daily gain in live weight is 707 g; feed consumption per 1 kg of growth - 3.97 feed. units; the age of reaching a live weight of 100 kg is 189 days. In the coming years, landraces will be used in the farms of our country in interbreeding with sows of domestic breeds and breed groups, as well as in hybridization and breeding of new types of pigs. Purebred breeding herds of Landrace are concentrated in the breeding farm named after Tsvetkov Kaluga region; breeding farm "Krasny Bor" Novgorod region, etc.

Biological features of pigs

Pigs have a high prolificacy. For one farrowing, a sow can bring 10-12 piglets or more. A short period of pregnancy (pregnancy) -114-116 days and lactation - 3-4 weeks (in home garden conditions it can be even shorter) allows, with good feeding and care, to receive more than two farrowings from a sow per year, i.e. 20-25 piglets and more.

Due to the high biological precocity, pigs are ready for reproduction at the age of 8-9 months with a live weight of 110-120 kg.

One of the positive properties of pigs is their high economic precocity. At the age of 6-8 months, the animals reach a live weight of 100-120 kg. Thus, for farrowing from one pig, you can end up with 1-1.2 tons of pork in live weight. No other type of farm animal has such productivity.

Pigs are much better than cattle and sheep in paying for feed with an increase in production. With intensive fattening, they need only 4-4.5 feed units per 1 kg of live weight gain, and 9-10 feed units and more for cattle.

Of all farm animals, pigs have the highest slaughter yield (the ratio of the weight of the edible parts of the carcass to the pre-slaughter weight). So, when fattening young animals to a live weight of 100 kg, the slaughter yield is about 73%, and when fattening up to 130-150 kg - 80% or more.

A very valuable property of pigs is their omnivorous nature. They can eat a wide variety of feed of plant and animal origin, food residues, various waste from the meat, fish and food industries.

It should be noted that the meat and fat of pigs have a high calorie content and biological usefulness. Pork meat is tender, juicy, thanks to which you can cook a wide variety of meat dishes from it, as well as harvest it for future use in the form of bacon, ham, loin, brisket, sausages and other products.

The main breeds of pigs and their productive qualities

High productivity can be obtained only from pedigree animals adapted to a certain climatic zone and feeding conditions.

In our country, 32 domestic and foreign breeds and breed groups of pigs are bred. All of them in the direction of productivity are divided into three groups. The first, most numerous, are breeds of pigs of the meat-fat (universal) direction of productivity. They are characterized by a combination of high reproductive, fattening and meat qualities. The second group includes breeds of meat and bacon areas of productivity. Animals of these breeds, along with good reproductive and fattening qualities, are distinguished by the highest meatiness of carcasses. Animals of the third group have excellent fattening qualities, but fat predominates in their carcasses and their fertility is somewhat lower than that of the animals of the first two groups.

To obtain piglets, it is desirable to choose pigs with a universal direction of productivity. If the purpose of fattening is to obtain meat lean pork, it is better to choose animals of meat or bacon breeds, as well as crossbred animals obtained from crossing these breeds. For fattening to greasy conditions, it is advisable to purchase pedigreed animals of the first and third groups or their crosses. However, it should be remembered that when choosing a particular breed, first of all, one must take into account their adaptability to local conditions.

So, pigs of breeds of the third group can certain conditions be more productive than the animals of the first group.

Breeds of the universal direction of productivity.

Large white

The breed is most common in Russia. Currently, in the total number of pigs in the country, the Large White breed occupies 86%. It was bred in England in the middle of the 19th century. The breed was first brought to our country in the 80s of the last century and, as a result of long-term selection work, has been significantly improved. At present, the Large White breed is widespread in almost all zones with developed pig breeding due to its adaptability to various climatic and forage conditions.

Animals of this breed of white color, not rough physique, harmoniously built, have good health. Pigs of the Large White breed have a small head with thin, elastic ears, slightly tilted forward. Their body is long, wide, deep with a strong back without interception behind the shoulder blades. The hams are rounded, the legs are relatively low, without skin folds, with short elastic pasterns and strong hooves. The skin is dense, elastic, without folds. The bristles are thin, smooth, densely covering the entire body.

The live weight of adult boars reaches 300-360 kg, sows - 220-260 kg. The body length of boars is 178-183 cm, of sows - 160-165 cm. For farrowing, sows bring 10-12 piglets or more, milk production (nest weight at 21 days) is at the level of 48-50 kg. By the age of 2 months, the weight of one piglet is 16-18 kg or more. With intensive fattening, young animals at the age of 6-7 months reach a live weight of 100-110 kg. The animals make good use of the pasture. Succulent feed in their diet can be up to 30% of the total nutritional value.

Ukrainian steppe white. The breed was bred in the south of Ukraine by crossing local pigs of the Kherson region with large white boars. Animals are well adapted to the dry sultry climate, have a white color, a strong physique and a good overgrowth of the body. The indicators of development and productivity of pigs of this breed are the same as those of large white pigs, only their early maturity is lower. Pig carcasses contain 53-54% meat and 35-36% fat. The breed is common in the south of Ukraine, as well as in Kharkov, Rostov, Donetsk, Volgograd, Astrakhan regions and in the North Caucasus.

Latvian white. The breed was created in the Latvian SSR on the basis of crossing local pigs with large white and partially white short-eared pigs. According to the type of constitution and exterior, Latvian white pigs are similar to large white ones. Adult boars have a live weight of 300-330 kg, sows - 210-240 kg. Young fattening animals reach a live weight of 100 kg in 6-7 months with an average daily gain of 650-700 g. The carcasses of pigs contain 54-55% of meat. Breed in mainly distributed in Latvia.

Lithuanian white

The breed was created in Lithuania by crossing local pigs with Large White boars, German short-eared and long-eared breeds. These animals are white; in constitution and exterior they are similar to animals of a large white breed. The live weight of boars is 310-330 kg with a body length of 170-175 cm, sows - 220-230 kg with a length of 153-155 cm. On average, sows give 11 piglets per farrow. Pigs of this breed are bred mainly in Lithuania, but Lithuanian white is also used for industrial crossing in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine.

Breitovskaya

The breed was bred in the Yaroslavl region by crossing local pigs with Danish Landraces, Large Whites, Medium Whites and Polesye. Animals of this breed have a white color, proportionately folded. They have a medium-sized head with a slightly curved profile, large, hanging ears, a wide and deep chest, a wide back and loin, and rounded hams.

The live weight of adult boars is 270-300 kg, body length - 162-172 cm, sows - 225-240 kg and 135-158 cm, respectively. Sows give 10-11 piglets per farrowing. Young animals for fattening have an average daily gain of 650-700 g. The yield of meat in the carcass is 54-55%.

Recently, crossbreeds of the Breit breed with the Swedish Landrace have become widespread. The meat of the carcasses of these animals reaches 57-58%.

Pigs of the Breit breed are bred in the Yaroslavl, Leningrad, Pskov, Smolensk, Ivanovo, Kostroma and Murmansk regions.

Muromskaya

The breed was bred in the Vladimir region by crossing local pigs with animals of the Lithuanian White and Large White breeds. Animals of white color, with a strong physique, are similar in appearance to a large white breed, but have shorter legs. A distinctive feature of Murom pigs is their good adaptability to the use of a large amount of voluminous feed. Adult animals are quite large - the live weight of boars reaches 250-280 kg, sows - 200-220 kg. The multiparity of sows is 10-11 piglets per farrow. Young growth on fattening reaches a live weight of 90-100 kg by 6-7 months of age, carcass meat content is 57%. Animals of this breed are bred mainly in the farms of the Vladimir region.

North Caucasian

The breed was created by the method of reproductive crossing of local Kuban pigs with pigs of large white, Berkshire and white short-eared breeds. Animals are large, have a black-and-white color, strong physique.

Adult boars have a live weight of 250-300 kg, sows - 200-230 kg. The average number of sows is 10-11 piglets. On fattening, the average daily growth of young animals is 670-700 g. The breed is common in the Rostov, Volgograd regions, Krasnodar and Stavropol regions.

Livenskaya

The breed was bred in the Oryol region on the basis of crossing local long-eared pigs with boars of large white, Berkshire and Polish-Chinese breeds. Animals of the Livonian breed are broad-bodied, white or black-and-white, there are also black and red-and-white. The constitution of animals is strong, the skeleton is massive, the head is short with a curved profile, the ears are large, drooping. The skin is rather loose, often folded, overgrown with strong.

The body length of boars is 170-175 cm, of sows - 160-165 cm. For farrowing, 10-11 piglets are obtained from sows, the average daily gain of young animals for fattening is 750-780 g. The meat of carcasses does not exceed 52-53%. The breed is bred mainly in the Oryol, Lipetsk and Voronezh regions.

Belarusian black-and-white

The breed was created by crossing local pigs with Large White, Berkshire, Large Black and Landrace breeds. Animals of this breed are characterized by a black-and-white color, a rather long and deep body, a straight and wide back, moderately developed hams, and somewhat short limbs. The live weight of boars reaches 320-340 kg, sows - 220-240 kg. For farrowing, sows produce an average of 10 piglets. The average daily gain is 730-750 g. The breed is widespread in Belarus.

Siberian northern

The breed was bred as a result of crossing local short-eared pigs - descendants of the wild European wild boar - with a large white breed. Pigs of the Siberian northern breed are distinguished by a strong constitution, great endurance and adaptability to harsh climatic conditions. Animals have a white color, a well-developed chest, a wide, straight back and rounded hams. Their bristles are long, thick, often with an undercoat. Adult boars have a live weight of 320-360 kg, sows - 240-260 kg. For farrowing from sows receive 11 piglets and more. The average daily gain of young animals for fattening is 700-750 g, the meat yield in carcasses is 53-54%. Pigs of the Siberian northern breed are bred in the Novosibirsk region, the Krasnoyarsk Territory and Buryatia.

Kemerovo

The breed was bred in the Kemerovo region on the basis of crossing local Siberian pigs with boars of large white, Berkshire and large black breeds. Animals of this breed are black in color, with small white spots on the body and white marks on the legs, tail and forehead. The constitution of animals is strong, the body is elongated, the chest is deep and wide, the hams are rounded. The live weight of adult boars is 290-340 kg, sows - 200-240 kg. For farrowing from a sow, 10-11 piglets are obtained. The average daily gain in fattening is 700-750 g, and they reach a weight of 100 kg in 190-200 days. The breed is common in the Kemerovo and Omsk regions, the Krasnoyarsk Territory and partly in Kazakhstan.

Semirechenskaya

The breed was bred in Kazakhstan by crossing animals of large white and Kemerovo breeds with wild boar. Animals of this breed are distinguished by good adaptability to local conditions, endurance, and have a strong constitution. In the conditions of Northern Kazakhstan, this breed successfully competes in terms of productivity with the Large White and Kemerovo breeds of pigs. The live weight of boars is 260-280 kg, of sows - 220-240 kg. For farrowing, sows give 10-11 piglets. The average daily gain in fattening is 690-700 g, carcass meat content is 58-60%.

Pig breeds for meat and bacon productivity

Landrace

The breed was bred in Denmark as a result of crossing local Danish pigs with a large white breed. Animals are characterized by a white color, large hanging ears, a long, relatively narrow body, wide, well-developed hams.

The average daily gain of young animals for fattening is 700-750 g, the meat yield in carcasses is 58-59%. Sows are quite prolific - on average they give 10-11 piglets per farrow. Animals of this highly specialized bacon breed are quite demanding on the conditions of keeping and feeding. Nevertheless, the Landrace breed is widespread throughout our country and is widely used for crossing.

Estonian bacon

The breed was bred in Estonia by crossing local pigs with Danish and Swedish landraces, as well as with the German long-eared breed. Pigs have a white color, are very similar in appearance to animals of the Landrace breed, are distinguished by a stronger constitution and better adaptability to local conditions. The live weight of adult boars is 320-330 kg, body length - 180-185 cm, sows - 220-240 kg and 160-165 cm, respectively. For farrowing, sows give 11 piglets or more. The average daily fattening gain is 700-750 g, the meat content in carcasses is 58-60%. Animals of the Estonian bacon breed are widely used in crossing with other breeds in order to obtain crossbred young animals for meat and bacon fattening. Sufficiently high performance has this breed and purebred breeding. Estonian bacon breed is widespread in the Baltic States, as well as in a number of regions of Russia, Moldova and other republics.

Urzhumskaya

The breed was created in the Kirov region on the basis of crossing local long-eared pigs with a large white breed. Animals are characterized by white color, strong constitution, high productivity and good adaptability to the use of local feed. The live weight of boars is 310-320 kg, of sows - 240-250 kg. Sows are distinguished by high prolificacy - 11-12 heads per farrow. Young growth on fattening reaches a live weight of 100 kg at 180-185 days of age, has an average daily gain of 680-700 g. Meat yield in carcasses is 57-58%. Animals of the Urzhum breed are bred in the Kirov region and Mari El, as well as in individual farms in other regions of the Volga-Vyatka and Ural economic regions.

Breeds of pigs of the meat-fat direction of productivity

Mirgorodskaya

The breed was bred in the Poltava region by crossing local "Ukrainian short-eared pigs of a motley color with Berkshire, medium and large white boars and the Tamworth breed. Animals are characterized by black-and-white color, strong constitution, wide and deep chest, wide body of moderate length and rounded hams.

The live weight of adult boars is 280-330 kg, body length is 165-175 cm, sows are 200-220 kg and 155-160 cm, respectively. For farrowing, 10 piglets or more are obtained from sows. The average daily gain of young animals for fattening is 670-700 g, the meat yield in the carcass is 54-55%. Animals are well adapted to pasture use. They are bred in Poltava, Zhytomyr, Rivne, Sumy, Ternopil, Khmelnytsky, Cherkasy and Chernihiv regions of Ukraine.

Ukrainian steppe spotted

The breed was bred in the Kherson region by crossing pigs of the Ukrainian steppe white, Berkshire and Mangalitsky breeds. Animals have a motley suit of different shades (black and white, black, black and red), strong constitution, deep and wide chest, rather long body, well developed hams.

The live weight of boars is 280-300 kg, sows - 200-220 kg. For farrowing from a sow, 10 piglets or more are obtained. The average daily gain in fattening is 650-680 g. Pigs of this breed are bred in Kherson, Nikolaev, Odessa, Crimean and Zaporozhye regions of Ukraine.

Large black

The breed was bred in England in the second half of the 19th century. by crossing local long-eared with Neapolitan and Chinese pigs. Animals are characterized by medium size, black color, somewhat loose constitution. The live weight of boars is 290-300 kg, of sows - 200-220 kg. For farrowing from a sow, 9-10 piglets are obtained, the average daily gain in fattening is 670-690 g, the meat of carcasses is 52-53%.

Pigs of a large black breed are successfully used in crossing with white-skinned breeds of pigs. Crossbred young animals in all cases are highly productive, some animals (20-30%) have dark pigment spots on the skin.