The Russian white breed of pigs comes from the English large white breed (Large White pig). She breed is extremely popular among farmers. About what these large animals are good and how to keep them - read in this review.

Origin history

A large white breed of pigs was bred by British breeders in 1868, improving the characteristics of Yorkshire pigs. After almost 100 years, in 1975, Soviet breeders made an attempt to improve the breed, making it more adapted to the local climate. So there was a Russian white breed of pigs. Unlike English, Russian mumps is more massive and is characterized by better fecundity. In addition, it is better adapted to local climatic conditions.

The task set by Soviet breeders was to breed sebaceous rock. But in the 90s, such work was curtailed, and now the main emphasis is on the meat qualities of farmed pigs.

Did you know? The genotype of the obtained improved pig is considered one of the most successful. It is universal and is used to obtain other breeds of meat and sebaceous orientation.

Breed description

First of all, the name of the breed fully reflects its external data. Large - because the weight of a 2-week-old piglet is about 25 kg, and by one year it reaches 2/3 of the adult weight - this is about 200 kg. The skin of the mumps is smooth, pink, without folds, covered with thick white bristles.

Appearance

The breed belongs to the universal. They are characterized by a strong physique, but a soft structure of meat.

Exterior of a Russian white pig:

• smooth fair skin;
• soft white bristles;
• elongated proportionally folded body;
• flat and straight strong back;
• wide sternum (volume - 165 cm);
• moderately elongated head;
• wide convex forehead;
• large erect ears, slightly covered with villi;
• small patch;
• middle proportional neck;
• legs with well-developed hams;
• males weight - up to 350 kg; body length - 180 cm;
• all females - up to 270 kg with a body length of about 160 cm.

Did you know? Pigs are unusually smart, they are curious and insightful. It is proved that they are smarter than children under the age of 3 years, dogs and even some primates.

Productive Characteristics

The breed is characterized by early maturity and excellent fecundity. Mumps can gain about 700 g of weight per day. By 6 months, they reach indicators at which they can be slaughtered for meat. The meat yield is 80%. The meat has excellent taste characteristics. It sells well, because it is structurally composed of layers of meat penetrated by thin layers of fat.The sow leads 12-15 piglets at a time. The first time the number of piglets will be no more than 10, then the offspring increases. Representatives of the breed have a pronounced maternal instinct.

Advantages and disadvantages

The popularity of the Russian white breed is due to the wide range of its advantages. This breed is one of the most numerous in the territory of the former USSR. It is intensively used in breeding new breeds and improving existing ones.

• Among its advantages:
• excellent gestation - a sow can bring more than 15 piglets;
• precocity - mating can be done for a year-old mumps;
• unpretentiousness to the choice of feed;
• good climate adaptability;
• high taste qualities of meat and its quantity;
• big weight - up to 300 kg;
• a large percentage of meat yield - 75–80%;
• cost-effective ratio of feed to weight - up to 4 kg of feed is spent per 1 kg of weight;
• universality and high quality of the genotype;
• calm nature - pigs are not aggressive in relation to people or animals.

• Of course, a small number of shortcomings of the breed are noted. Among them:
• white color - it does not allow pigs to tolerate heat and cold well;
• tendency to obesity - if there is an excessive amount of wheat and corn in the diet, then the animal begins to accumulate fat.

Breeding Features

The maturity of Russian white occurs at the age of about a year. At this age, the female can already endure healthy offspring. Guinea pigs whose weight exceeds 110–120 kg can be allowed for breeding. In a mumps ready for mating, swelling of the genitals is observed, estrus begins. The female becomes restless and squeals a lot.Pregnancy will last about 114 days. The first 3 months, the female may not look pregnant. If the pig does not become pregnant after coating, then estrus will recur after 21 days. If the farmer assumes that the female is pregnant, but she still has estrus, then a veterinarian will need to be consulted to determine her condition.

Important! At the age of 30 days, a pig’s skeleton forms. If the offspring froze for some reason and died, then the female is able to reabsorb it and after some time become ready for mating.

As the birth approaches, the pig begins to behave uneasily. Lowering of the abdomen and swelling of the mammary glands are observed. The born piglets are wiped with a soft cloth, the umbilical cord is cut and laid on the nipples of the mother to obtain colostrum.

Conditions of detention

The Russian white breed is peaceful and not capricious, but in the content you need to take into account the features of the exterior:

1. Bright sun rays in summer can cause burns, so pigs need a summer canopy.
2. Winter cold causes hypothermia. In order not to catch the wards, the pigsty should be insulated.
3. In the process of life, a lot of heat and ammonia is released. In winter, heat condenses into moisture. To ensure that the pets do not suffer from excess moisture, a good supply and exhaust ventilation is equipped in the pigsty.
4. The powerful constitution of the wards requires stable supporting structures and powerful walls to keep the building intact.

The rest of the breeding and maintenance of Russian White is no different from the content of other breeds.Basic content requirements:

• the pigsty should be warm, dry, clean;
• winter walks are possible at a temperature not lower than –5 ° С;
• in summer, pigs need constant walking and a canopy from the sun;
• mandatory five meals a day with a predominance of vegetable components;
• the diet includes feed, vitamins and minerals for intensive weight gain;
• the constant presence of warm drinking water with a temperature of about + 5–10 ° С.

Feeding

The feed the pig receives determines its growth rate, meat quality, productivity, health and, ultimately, the success of the farm. Summer pasture is extremely important in order to provide the farmer with excellent meat. No other source of food is able to provide pets with food like summer grazing.

Important! When sending pigs for pasture, remember that these animals are scavengers, and they are not limited to plants. Do not graze them where there are components harmful to the intestines.

Food feeds are measured by the amount of lysine and digestible energy that they provide for pets. Lysine is the most important amino acid, one of 10 that must be provided in the feed. It is found in grains and legumes, meat offal. At different stages of growth, the requirements for lysine will be different: most of all, it should be in the diet of pregnant and lactating females, dairy pigs. Non-pregnant free-range females need 15% more energy than those that are indoors.The diet of an adult pig consists of:

• vegetables - in raw and boiled form;
• fruit - it can be a garden scavenger;
• dairy products;
• cereals - almost any grain.

The maximum share in the daily diet is occupied by concentrates - their share is at least 60%, the share of root crops and fruits - about 30%, hay - about 4%. Whole grain is not digested in the intestines of pigs, so it must be ground. Fish flour can only be given in very small quantities.

Compound feed is the best solution for beginner farmers. Among its advantages are precise control over the diet and its quantitative composition, the absence of the need to cook food. But some farmers believe that eating natural food improves the taste of meat. Therefore, you can choose any option convenient for you.Regardless of the type of feeding, everything that you feed the pig should be fresh, not infected with mold or parasites. On average, one individual needs 2.2 kg of feed per day. To prevent dehydration, pigs should have a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Breed propagation

A successful farmer always uses good breeding animals. The offspring received from such a mating grows well and gives a high percentage of meat yield. If you take a boar for breeding, make sure that the offspring received from it is of good quality.

When purchasing a boar for your household, follow these rules:

• you should always buy only a purebred boar from a farm with a good reputation;
• large white sows can cross with other wild boars (crosses) if you raise pigs for meat;
• always keep records of piglets, their health and weight gain in case you have purebred pigs and you are going to leave your hog for breeding - this will help you make the right choice.

An effective animal should grow faster than average, have a lower fat content in the carcass and eat less feed than the average farm figure. An excellent wild boar at the age of 5 months should weigh about 90 kg. And the optimal indicator of feed costs for individuals that will be left for breeding is 3 kg of feed per 1 kg of produced weight.

Important! For breeding, the boar must be at least 8 months old, and the pig at least 12. The case is carried out for partners of approximately equal size.

Pig Care

Newborn piglets are kept at a temperature of + 28-30 ° С. In order to make them comfortable, they use special lamps for heating. In the first few days, they need very careful care.

So that the pigs do not get too cold, the floor should be covered with a special crate made of boards covered with straw or sawdust. Keeping animals on the mud floor is not possible to avoid health problems.

Every week, the air temperature should decrease by 1 degree so that by 1 month they would be at a temperature of 15–27 ° С. Nutrition is administered one week after birth. It consists of chopped boiled vegetables.If the street is more than +15 ° C, then piglets can be taken for a walk. Duration - 10 minutes with a gradual increase to 1 hour. As it grows, the duration should increase to the length of daylight hours.

Starting from 20 days, piglets are bathed. For this, the water is heated to +30 ° C. The washed piglet is carefully wiped and returned to the place.

How to choose a piglet

Of course, it is better to purchase purebred piglets from the breeder: so you will know exactly who you bought and what indicators you need to wait. If the piglet is bought for personal farming in the regular market, then you need to pay attention to its health.

The sick pig is inactive and does not run away if you stretch your arms towards it. Healthy piglets squeal and try to hide from a stranger. By 2 weeks a Russian white breed piglet should weigh about 25 kg - if this is not the case, then either you have a sick individual, or it is a representative of some other breed. Spots on the skin and the wrong exterior will also indicate that the baby belongs to another breed.

Did you know? In fact, pigs are very pure animals. If they have enough free space, they will be careful that the area in which they sleep or eat remains clean from dirt.

It is also important to find out what the babies were fed and what vaccines have already been made. When purchasing piglets from the breeder, they will provide you with supporting documents, which you will not find in the spontaneous market.

Possible diseases

Animal health is always a key factor in achieving maximum productivity. Therefore, the farmer must be aware of the diseases that are key in raising pigs, including the ability to identify their symptoms and know what measures should be taken. No less important is the prevention of dangerous diseases. Consider the most common of them:

1. Exudative dermatitis Is a skin lesion caused by a staph infection (Staphlococcus hyicus). With damage to the liver and kidneys, herd mortality is observed. Skin lesions begin in the form of dark patches that spread throughout the body and begin to peel off, covered with greasy crusts. For treatment, antibiotics and skin treatments are used. Prevents the disease timely cleaning of the pigsty, care for the nipples after farrowing, timely treatment of any skin lesions. Rough jambs, floors, and other injurious surfaces can cause scratches, which become the entrance gate of infection. Staphylococci can also enter the body through the bites of skin parasites.
2. Coccidiosis very common among young animals (dairy pigs). Caused by three types of intracellular parasitic coccidia. The main symptom is diarrhea. Occurs at the age of 10 days to the 15th week. Acute cases are treated with coccidiostatics. Complications can manifest as secondary infections that affect the intestinal wall. Feces are the main source of infection, and they are also flies that carry coccidia. Therefore, regular cleaning of manure is mandatory for the health of pigs.
3. Respiratory diseases and their manifestations - coughing, sneezing, abdominal breathing, decreased growth rates and potential mortality. Antibiotics are prescribed for their treatment, depending on the cause of the disease. Poor ventilation, high levels of carbon dioxide and ammonia in the air can aggravate the condition of animals. High levels of ammonia affect the airways and make pigs more susceptible to infection. Pneumonia leads to mortality as one of the types of complications after respiratory diseases. Treatment depends on the severity of the damage to the body and consists of taking antiviral drugs and additional symptomatic treatment.

4. Dysentery pigs manifest as diarrhea with or without blood. Caused by the Brachyspira hyodsenteriae bacteria. The animal refuses food and begins to lose weight dramatically. It is treated with antibiotics given with food or drink. Rodents can become a source of diarrhea, therefore, combating them is a priority preventive measure.

Russian white breed is an excellent choice both in productivity and ease of care for any farmer. These pigs have a lot of advantages, and 2/3 of the farms prefer to breed them. With good nutrition and disease prevention from these animals, you can get up to 200 kg of meat and fat with excellent taste characteristics.