Mirgorod breed of pigs

Pigs have long been valued by people for their high productivity. These animals bring a large amount of meat, healthy fats, and are also very prolific. There are many breeds that differ in the intended end product. Among the meat-fatty types of artiodactyls, the Mirgorod pig breed is not the last. This species appeared relatively recently, but nowadays it is actively used both in industrial agriculture and on private farms. Mirgorod piglets are distinguished by the minimum requirements for care, unpretentiousness in feeding and good weight gain.

Mirgorod breed of pigs

Origin and characteristics

Mirgoro Skye pig breed was developed in 1940 in the Poltava region. The basis for the breed was the representatives of Ukrainian brown pigs, which were crossed with the Berkshire and Temvor breed. The main goal of the breeders was to increase productivity, as pigs produced a small amount of the final product.

Today Mirgorod pigs are bred around the world, but the largest percentage of animals is in Ukraine. In this country they can be found in the southern regions and the Poltava region.

The characteristics of these animals only increase their worldwide popularity.

The Mirgorod pig breed is primarily characterized by its unpretentiousness and rapid weight gain.

These artiodactyls are characterized by a high level of health, a strong nervous system and resistance to many diseases . Pigs adapt well to other climatic conditions and calmly tolerate transportation.

The advantages of the breed include the following qualities:

1. Balanced body constitution.
2. Fast weight gain.
3. Adaptation to pasture grazing.

However, the breed has significant disadvantages:

1. Low taste of meat.
2. Low percentage of meat.
3. Intolerance to cold and direct sunlight.

External signs of the breed

Pigs of the Mirgorod breed have number of distinctive h ert. The color of animals varies from black to a motley shade. Red blotches are allowed. For this species of artiodactyls, the following characteristics are characteristic:

1. Body length in males reaches 180 cm, in females – 170 cm.
2. For wild boars, weight is 330 kg, for sows – 220.
3. The massive constitution of the body with a deep chest.
4. A wide shoulder turn with a lot of muscle mass.
5. Large limbs that end with small hooves.
6. The abdominal cavity contains a large percentage of sebaceous deposits and sagging greatly.
7. The face of the animal is large, with well-developed ganaches and small ears.
8. There are no skin folds on the body, the hair is hard and thick.

Feature The exterior is considered to be the wide setting of the legs and the strength of the hooves. Thanks to such a constitution of the body, the pig can move, despite its size. The straight back and slightly concave profile are also considered characteristic features.

Productive features of the breed

To evaluate the productivity of artiodactyls, the following criteria are used:

1. Taste quality and final amount of meat.
2. The quality of the sebaceous layer.
3. Fertility of sows.

Meat characteristics of the Mirgorod breed are low. The taste of meat does not meet the standards. However, with proper fattening and an active lifestyle, you can get 85% of the meat component of the total carcass of the animal. Industrial owners compensate for the low quality of the product with large quantities, bringing the weight of pigs to the maximum level. In some cases, the sow is fertilized by a male with a higher meat class, due to which piglets with average rates are born. However, such breeding is not considered rational, since in this case the high qualities of the sebaceous layers are lost.

Fat of the Mirgorod breed is considered the standard among all types of pigs. The final product is soft, clean and does not have a heavy smell.A good layer of sebaceous deposits can be observed in monthly piglets, and several kilograms of high-quality products can be obtained from an adult.

Mirgorod pigs are considered to be very prolific in comparison with other breeds.

In one litter there are 10-11 cubs. Among piglets, up to a month old, 95% of the offspring survive. This high viability is due to the presence of elevated levels of globulin in the milk of females. This compensates for the average milk yield of the sow: 52 kg per 1 brood.

Cubs gain weight quickly: in one day a kilogram piglet can grow by 700 g. By the sixth month of life, the offspring weighs 100 kg.

Character of the breed

Mirgorod pigs are characterized by a calm disposition. They make good contact with a person and rarely show aggression. This species is not characterized by rapid movement, animals will not run to the full at the sight of a full feeding trough. An exception is the nursing female, which aggressively protects the offspring. The Mirgorod breed of pigs prefers the herd way of life – the animal alone can be homesick.

The pigs are characterized by a pasture type of housing, they need a place for grazing. Mirgorod sows take good care of their own offspring, cases of abandonment of cubs are very rare.

Conditions of detention

The Mirgorod breed is considered unpretentious in comparison with other varieties of pigs.However, there are still certain requirements for keeping:

1. The shed where animals are kept must be airtight and warm. Mirgorod pigs cannot tolerate cold, and hypothermia can affect their development.
2. The room must have a stable level of temperature and humidity.
3. The ventilation system must be located so that there are no pens in the pens drafts.
4. The shed is cleaned three times a week, once a month the pens are treated with a solution of sodium and bleached with lime.
5. There should not be loud noises or sharp smells in the room.

Mirgorod pigs require daily grazing in the warm season. For this breed it is necessary to provide pasture, because without fresh food and an active lifestyle, rickets can develop in animals.

There must be a shadow on the walk. White pigs do not tolerate direct sunlight and can burn the skin.

Diet

Pigs are considered cost-effective due to their unpretentiousness in feed. The basis of daily nutrition is boiled potatoes, which are mixed with other products. Among them stand out:

1. St. hedgehog, hay and tops.
2. Crushed crops.
3. Carrots and beets.
4. Dairy and sour-milk products.
5. Fruits.

To improve bone tissue, animals add fish and meat meal to food. Pigs are fed 2 times a day, in winter, if necessary, artiodactyls can be fed 3 times a day.

Pigs of the Mirgorod breed are fed more often: about 5 times a day. Pigs should always have access to plenty of water.