Meishan Chinese pigs were bred over 400 years ago. What is characteristic, since that time the breed has not changed much. Animals still surprise with their exotic appearance, and also please the owner with their unpretentiousness to feed and high resistance to diseases. In Russia, the Chinese breed is not widely distributed, but still some breeders are breeding it.
Chinese meishan pig
Characteristics of Chinese pigs
This breed of pig is named after the Chinese province of Meishan, where it appeared as a result of long-term selection work. According to the type of productivity, this variety belongs to the sebaceous direction.
The height of an adult male of this breed is only 70 cm with a body weight of 200 kg. The height of the female is even less – only 62 cm. At the same time, her weight, as a rule, does not exceed 170-180 kg.
The rather original appearance of Chinese piglets suggests the following features:
- large, massive body with a deep sternum;
- slightly sagging belly and back;
- legs are short and also massive;
- the head is small with miniature eyes;
- the skin is rough, dark in color and is distinguished by large folds, which are especially pronounced on the stigma of the animal;
- large ears (up to 30 cm), hanging over the eyes.
The body of the meishan is covered with short, hard hair, mostly black. The wrinkling of the skin increases with the age of the individual. In piglets, this sign is expressed to a much lesser extent.
Chinese piglets, with any fattening, grow into animals of a greasy direction. If the diet is chosen correctly, then the fat yield is 40-45% of the total mass of the carcass. At the same time, the thickness of fat in meishans, as a rule, does not exceed 3,5 cm, and it is valued for its rich taste and good texture.
But it is worth noting that such a pig in China is also valued for its high offal yield. The breed is mainly bred to obtain them, and the fat goes by the wayside.
Puberty of individuals occurs at 4,5 months. But usually a pig is taken to mating at 8 months of age. For one litter, the female is able to bring up to 18 piglets, and after farrowing she shows a developed maternal instinct. A sow gives birth twice in a year.
Meishan sow with offspring
Breeding
To date, meishans, in addition to China, are bred in England, Canada, the USA and in certain European countries. Basically, they are engaged in breeding because of a number of advantages of the variety, which include:
- increased resistance to diseases and parasites;
- unpretentiousness in terms of diet and conditions of detention;
- easy tolerance to heat;
- high quality meat and lard product;
- fertility;
- high percentage of piglet survival;
- long life of the animal;
- calm disposition, which makes it possible to keep pigs together with other inhabitants of the farm.
By nature, meishans are unpretentious to the conditions of detention, but it is better for breeders to follow some rules for their breeding. Already newborn piglets need to be looked after, as well as carefully looked after.
The offspring of this species from the first days begins to fight for the mother’s udder, and the strongest babies get the front nipples, in which there is more milk. Accordingly, those that are weaker are content with the less productive part of the udder, which means they grow more slowly. The task of the animal owner is to balance the growth rate of the young by periodically hand replacing the piglets in the milkier front teats.
Separating Meishan babies from their mother is a big stress
Also, when breeding piglets, it is important to consider such nuances:
- Separation of Meishan babies from their mother is a great stress for them, which can affect their growth and development. In order to partially compensate for it, it is better to take the female away from the pen for general keeping, and not take the piglets.
- When kept with a sow, babies should be handled with extreme care. If the cub is hurt and he squeals, the mother’s maternal instinct works and she can attack.
- When examining the offspring, it is important to pay attention to the tail and nose of the baby. If the tail is not twisted in a ring, and the patch has a certain cyanosis, then the baby is sick and it is better to show it to a specialist.
As for the rest of the breeding points, even a novice farmer can implement them. But it is extremely problematic to buy such a pig in Russia. There are practically no large enterprises involved in the breeding of purebred individuals, while it is also not easy to find private farms that earn money by breeding this breed.
Mini-pigs
Mini-pigs became a separate direction for further selection of Meishan pigs. Breeders began to breed them less than half a century ago. Unlike their large counterparts, miniature meishans are grown exclusively as decorative animals.
The weight of an adult individual of this variety of piglets is only 70 kg. They are kept in an apartment or in a private compound, like an ordinary dog. Moreover, many owners of such pets testify that they lend themselves well to training and are able to carry out the simplest commands.
Reference. Thanks to its compactness and charming appearance, the mini-pig is gaining more and more popularity in the world. Some varieties descended from Chinese pigs are now bought by many celebrities as a companion animal.
Meishan mini pigs
Growing conditions
Despite the absence of special care requirements, certain points should still be taken into account when breeding Chinese pigs. Speaking about the optimal conditions for their cultivation, it should be noted a number of requirements that apply to the room where it is planned to breed them:
- There must be a solid concrete foundation under the floor of the building and along the walls. Meishans in nature have a habit of tearing the ground, gnawing boards. Therefore, they can quickly bring the stable into disrepair.
- Strong walls made of brick or foam block. In the case of using thin wood, they must be additionally insulated so that the barn does not freeze in winter.
- Availability of a high-quality ventilation system.
- Grooves in the floor to drain manure and urine.
- Quality heating. This point is especially important for premises in which newborn piglets are kept.
- Machine tools must be made of iron, otherwise the pig will quickly gnaw through them.
The barn itself for growing pigs should consist of three main parts:
- The area in which the pens are located and the pigs spend most of their time.
- Territory for walking the herd. It should be partially covered so that there is a shadow in it.
- A wide but shallow water tank where animals can escape the heat.
The size of the machine for representatives of the Chinese breed is calculated depending on the age and build of the individual. For each piglet, at least 3 square meters are required. m. area, for an adult sow – from 4 to 6 square meters. m. The machine should include a rookery and a feeder.
Important moments of feeding
Meishans are unpretentious in food, but in order to get high-quality bacon, you should still follow certain dietary tips. The total time for feeding a piglet is no more than 150 days. At the same time, right before the start of fattening, boars are castrated.
Meyshans are unpretentious in food
When planning the feeding of Chinese pigs, the following recommendations should be considered:
- the total amount of concentrated feed in the diet should not exceed 50%, and this value gradually decreases during fattening.
- 2-3 times a day, animals should be given clean warm water to drink.
- a good increase in the sebaceous layer is given by beet tops, beets and potatoes.
- feeders should be cleaned after each meal, otherwise the pigs may be poisoned.
An approximate daily diet for fattening a Chinese pig in the summer is as follows:
- fresh grass – 10 kg;
- concentrated feed – about 5,3 kg;
- root crops – 4 kg;
- food waste – no more than 2 kg.
Reference. The menu is complemented by a menu of mineral supplements in the form of salt (50 g) and chalk (20 g).
The whole procedure for fattening young animals is divided into 3 periods. The first lasts no more than 8 weeks and involves feeding mainly low-nutrient feeds. During the transition to the second period, which takes the next 4 weeks, the proportion of concentrates in the diet increases. At the final stage of fattening (the last 3 weeks), concentrated feed forms the basis of feeding.
At the end of this period, the increased growth of the sebaceous layer in animals stops. In addition, the digestive and other organs are heavily overgrown with fat. As a result, the pig begins to eat less, and the volume of feeding the meishans is slightly reduced.
Chinese pigs are able to provide the owner with a large amount of high-quality lard and tender meat. Moreover, this breed does not require special care and maintenance costs. Therefore, it can be considered as the best option for breeding even by novice farmers.
