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Pork is the type of meat best digested by humans. It is ideal even for people with liver disease. But only on one condition: the meat must be lean. Pork and lean meat seem to be incompatible concepts, but there is pig breed A pietrain capable of satisfying this need. Lean pork is drier and less tasty than one with some fat. But it is known that useful is not tasty.
The promotion of a healthy lifestyle has done its job, and Pietrain pigs are very popular in European countries and Latin America. In Russia, due to climatic conditions, Pietrain has not received wide recognition and, in general, the breed is used for crossing with meat-greasy breeds to improve the productive characteristics of the offspring.
Origin story
The Pietrain breed has a very short and clear history of origin. These pigs do not have any mysterious ancient ancestors. Pietrain was bred in Belgium at the beginning of the twentieth century by crossing Berkshire, Great White and Yorkshire pigs. The addition of local Belgian pig breeds was also not without. In breeding, inbreeding was often used to improve the meat qualities of the breed. The quality of the meat has improved and the overall survival and acclimatization of the Pietrain pigs have deteriorated.
During a difficult period in the pork market in the early 50s of the last century, the Pietrain breed gained popularity and was introduced to Germany in the early 60s. There, Pietrain is still used today to improve the production characteristics of other pigs.
In the USSR, Pietrain was introduced back in 1964, but it was precisely those qualities that were deteriorated in the process of breeding the breed that prevented the widespread distribution of these pigs in the country. The union needed unpretentious animals that could adapt to different climatic zones. The breed characteristics of Pietrain pigs did not meet the requirements of Soviet zootechnicians for productive farm animals. But a certain number of livestock remained, since the representatives of the breed were able to improve the productivity of meat-lard pigs familiar to Russia.
Description
When looking at a photo of a representative of the Pietrain pig breed, there is no doubt about the direction of productivity. The Pietrain boar has a pronounced structure of the animal meat direction:
- long cylindrical body with a shallow chest;
- powerful hams;
- fleshy forearms
- small head with large but thin auricles.
In the description of the Pietrain pig breed, the characteristic groove running along the ridge, the straight profile of the head and the wide rump are also indicated as characteristic features. But you can't see it in the top photo. And the straight profile is not visible on the bottom either.
A more characteristic feature of the breed is the black and piebald color - the only possible one in Pietrain pigs.
Productivity
The productive characteristics of the Pietrain pig breed are not impressive, although the slaughter yield per carcass is 80%. But the weight of the mascara itself is not great. Live weight of wild boar is up to 240 kg, pigs - up to 150-170 kg. At the same time, the representatives of the breed have a very high feed consumption for fattening. Pietrain piglets daily gain 500 g, but at the same time they need 2.5-3 kg of feed per day.By the age of 7 months, Pietrain piglets grow up to 90 kg. Other pig breeds can gain up to 100 kg by 6 months.
This is the main reason why this beef breed has conquered the European market. In addition, Pietrain feels good in the mild European climate.
Pros of the breed
The main advantage of the breed is its resistance to circovirus. The virus often leads to the death of animals. Young pigs of all breeds of pigs, except Pietrain, suffer from the disease.
The pluses also include:
- lack of tendency to obesity;
- the yield of pure meat from the carcass is up to 65%;
- improving the meat characteristics of other breeds.
Minuses
Pietrain has much more disadvantages and this prevents the spread of the breed in private farmsteads:
- sensitivity to temperature extremes;
- poor ability to acclimatize;
- sensitivity to stress;
- exactingness to feed;
- low weight gain;
- low milk production of sows;
- poor quality meat.
Pietrain meat quickly oxidizes in air and loses moisture.
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Due to the very thin layer of bacon, Pietrain pigs do not tolerate both cold and heat equally poorly. Already at + 15 ° C, they feel uncomfortable. And at + 30 ° C they can get heatstroke. To breed this breed of pigs, a specially equipped climate-controlled pigsty is required. In Russia, heating systems are traditionally installed in rooms for animals; cooling is usually not required in summer. But not in this case. In order for these pigs to live well, an air conditioner will have to be installed in the pigsty. In particular, in the photo there is a Pietrain pig in such a specially equipped pigsty.
Due to their thin skins, these pigs cannot be kept on a metal grate, as is the case with Large Whites. Frequent cleaning of the bedding is also required so that urine does not corrode the skin. All this complicates and increases the cost of keeping Pietrain piglets. In general, the breeding of this breed is within the power of only large complexes or breeding stations.
Feeding
Muscle fibers always require more food to maintain mass than fat of the same volume. But during a hunger strike, the muscles are "deflated" first. This feature of living organisms plays a bad role in the raising and fattening of Belgian meat pigs. Due to the rapid combustion of nutrients while maintaining the vital functions of "muscular jocks", Pietrain requires more feed per kilogram of weight than meat-greasy pigs.
When breeding, you will have to take into account that sows have low milk production. Milk from a sow alone will not be enough for piglets. Piglet feed will have to be introduced very early. And this despite the fact that usually on farms, piglets begin to feed already on the 5th day of life. Accordingly, Pietrain will have to give additional food almost from the first day.
In this case, the sow usually brings no more than 8 piglets per farrowing.
Fattening young are given food rich in carbohydrates and proteins:
- meat production waste and meat and bone meal;
- fish and fishmeal;
- return;
- dairy waste;
- kitchen waste;
- boiled potatoes;
- roots;
- legumes.
Pigs are actually very poor at digesting grains, especially whole grains. Therefore, you do not need to be especially zealous with corn, barley or oats.
The natural food of pigs is various types of nuts, acorns, roots, berries, and sometimes animal food. Wild boars rarely graze on cereals.
Breeding
Before breeding a breed in your own backyard, you need to carefully analyze your ability to create suitable conditions for these pigs. Experienced pig breeders advise against trying to recruit a herd exclusively from representatives of the Belgian breed.The best option would be to cross a Pietrain boar with a Landrace or Duroc sow. When crossed with Landrace, the young grows faster, and when crossed with Duroc, the meat characteristics of the offspring improve. Three-breed crossing is often used: Big White, Landrace and Pietrain. But such crossing is available only for pig breeding complexes. The private owner has no opportunity to keep such a set of pigs.
Breeding nuances
Sexual maturity in boars occurs at 8 months. Pigs mature earlier like any other breed. But in order to obtain full-fledged offspring, the Pietrain sow is not recommended to happen earlier than 10 months.
Sows have a significant drawback: they are not only infertile and give little milk, but they also have enough milk for only 6 cubs. If there are more than 6 piglets in the litter, they need to be fed from the very first day. Otherwise, the weakest will die of hunger.
When introducing feeding, give it to all pigs. The best feeding would be whole milk replacer for piglets.
Such substitutes often cause severe diarrhea in piglets and it is better to buy more expensive but better quality ones.
The second option for feeding: reverse and whey after making cottage cheese. It is better if the milk is curdled with calcium chloride. The serum from such curd is not sour and contains an additional dose of calcium.
To increase milk production, the sow needs to be fed 4 times a day, giving high-calorie and juicy feed. With properly organized complementary foods, you can save even a dozen Pietrain piglets as in the photo below.
Testimonials
Conclusion
Reviews of the Pietrain pig breed from private owners are usually not laudatory. This is due to the characteristics of the Belgian pigs. It is difficult for private owners to provide the necessary conditions. The best option is to buy feed hybrids at the breeding station.
