Successfully buying a piglet for fattening is a rather difficult task if you do not know the rules for choosing and the characteristics of different breeds of pigs. It is important that the animal is in good health, gains weight well and has vitality.
When buying piglets, choose animals older than 1 month. They must weigh at least 5 kg and be from early spring or winter farrowing. It is better to buy a pig with a long body, it will gain weight faster and grow well, the carcass will turn out with a lot of lean meat and a thin layer of bacon.
To choose a healthy pig, and not just throw your money down the drain, take a close look at it. The head should be heavy and large, with a straight profile, the ears should be slightly drooping or erect, but not very thick. You should not buy an animal with a light head and a snub nose for fattening, it will not be able to gain the necessary muscle mass.
Pay attention to the pig's legs, they should be high and bony, an animal with short legs quickly weakens and stops growing. Experienced livestock breeders advise to look at the constitution of the body: the back of a healthy pig is wider than the shoulders, smoothly turning into round sides. If a pig has a sagging belly, it is better not to buy it. There are no depressions on the withers of a healthy animal, and their presence is a sign of illness and weakness of the pig. Before buying, listen to the breathing of the piglets, it should be deep and even, without coughing and wheezing.
The most popular breeds for fattening are Bashkir, Black, Estonian Bacon, Ukrainian Steppe, Mirgorod and Large White. If it is supposed to use juicy and green feed for fattening, then it is better to give preference to piglets of pockmarked, white or Mirgorod breed. Pigs of the Wales, Landrace and Duroc breed gain weight well on concentrated feed.
