The Breit breed of pigs is distinguished by its large size and excellent adaptation to the harsh cold climate. These advantages contributed to the wide distribution of these animals on the territory of Russia and neighboring countries. The peak of the popularity of the breed came in the middle of the last century.
Breit pig
Origin
Pigs of the Breit breed are a product of Soviet breeding. Since 1934, leading experts in the field of genetics have been breeding: V.M. Fedorinov and G.F. Makhonin. The ancestors of the Breit pig are the Danish breed (large and medium white), Latvian and Polesskaya. These species were crossed with pigs of local origin.
Reference. The beginning of breeding work on the breeding of the Breit breed was indicated in 1905. However, during this period, crossing was carried out haphazardly and chaotically, therefore, it was possible to obtain a qualitative result only after the specialists of the Breitovsky State Nursery were engaged in breeding.
The name of the breed comes from the name of the region in which it was bred: the selection took place in the Breitovsky district of the Yaroslavl region. In the state breeding nursery, specialists carried out planned breeding work to obtain a universal pig of a meat-fat type, adapted for breeding in the northwestern regions of Russia. The breed was officially registered in 1948.
Reference. To date, the breed is most common in the Yaroslavl, Pskov, Smolensk and Leningrad regions.
Description and characteristics
The advantages of the Breit breed are excellent meat-fat characteristics and increased productivity. A pig can give birth twice in 12 months, giving up to 14 heads of offspring in one farrow. An adult boar can reach a weight of 330 kg, a pig – up to 240 kg. When fattening young animals for slaughter, already at the age of 7 months, they reach a mass of 100 kg.
Attention! Daily young pigs can give an increase of up to 680 grams of weight.
External distinguishing features of the breed:
- a large body with a clearly marked neck and a proportional head;
- well-defined muscular frame;
- large ears hanging over the eyes;
- powerful straight limbs;
- dense bristles of a light color;
- dense skin, which, when gaining a large mass, can be collected in rare folds;
- small spots are acceptable.
Features of the breed
The meat of pigs of the Breit breed is juicy and tender, has high taste qualities. The sebaceous layer is dense, white.
Features of the content
The content of pigs is simplified due to their calm behavior: they do not break the fences of the pigsty, do not tear off the floors, do not show aggression towards other animals or people. The females of this breed have a clearly expressed maternal instinct: they carefully raise all the offspring.
Basic rules of care:
- In summer, it is advisable to keep the livestock on the street, equipping a special base that will protect it from bad weather conditions. For winter, they build a closed pigsty.
- In places where there is a sow with piglets, the appearance of dampness and a decrease in temperature are excluded, and daily cleaning is carried out.
- For food, pigs are given bulk feed, provide constant access to clean water. The daily menu includes legumes, vegetables (potatoes, zucchini).
Ease of cultivation and unpretentiousness led to the widespread distribution of pigs of this species. They are bred not only in households, but also in large farm enterprises. A large yield of high-quality meat and a quick weight gain ensure high profitability and a quick payback when breeding.
