Today the Vietnamese pig has become one of the animals with the greatest acceptance by farmers around the world dedicated to breeding for their farms. If you are engaged in livestock farming and you are thinking about raising this breed, everything you are going to read below interests you. In this article you will learn a little more about this mammal, something still unknown to many.

The history of the Vietnamese pig breed

Vietnamese pigs began to be imported from Vietnam to Canada and eastern Europe in the mid-1980s. Over time, the fashion for rearing these pigs has spread to many countries: the United States, France, Spain, Hungary, Poland, etc. Currently the largest breeding work is carried out in Hungary and Canada. In these countries, breeders try to make the breed even more productive by increasing the size of the animal and the percentage of its muscle mass.

Characteristics of this breed

The Vietnamese breed of pig is characterized by some peculiarities that must be taken into account when breeding. One of the main characteristics of the breed: they are fast maturing animals. At 4 months the females are sexually mature, and the pig is ready to reproduce in 6 months. Also, caring for newborn pigs is not difficult as the sow does not interfere with it and will behave in a human friendly manner.

Another characteristic of Vietnamese pigs: they have a good immune system, as they are resistant to warm weather and cold winters.

The appearance of the Vietnamese pig

These pigs can be white or black, although it is also possible to find a combination of both colors. Due to the short legs, its belly practically touches the ground. Its ears, in contrast to its body, are small. As for its weight, it is usually around 80 kg, which is why you can see that its body is full of folds.

Why are farmers and ranchers looking for Vietnamese pigs for their farms?

The popularity of Vietnamese pigs among the agricultural and livestock world is due to the following advantages:

• Low feeding costs.
• The possibility of free walking throughout the year, since pigs perfectly tolerate low temperatures during winter.
• They are very clean animals, free of that peculiar smell inherent in almost all pigs of other breeds.
• Disease resistant.
• Early maturity gives you the opportunity to obtain the first offspring between 7-9 months. At the same time, they are animals capable of living for 30 years, so they can remain fertile for a long time: they can bring 12 to 20 pigs at a time.
• They are calm and friendly animals.

Where to raise Vietnamese pigs?

Raising and caring for Vietnamese pigs does not bring many problems, provided they are raised on suitable farms. Thanks to their size, smaller than in other breeds, they do not require a very large pen. The Vietnamese pig is a relatively clean animal, so you don’t have to worry about manure spreading all over the pigpen. In addition, these animals do not dig the ground, which also facilitates the lives of the owners.

Vietnamese pig feeding

The right diet is the key to the growth of a healthy animal. The feeding of these animals depends on the particular structure of their digestive system.

For food to be digested as well as possible, preference should be given to ground grain. The basis of their diet should be barley and wheat. You can also add oatmeal, peas and corn. The latter should not be more than 10%, since this cereal causes obesity in pigs.

Vitamin supplements have a good effect on the health of Vietnamese pigs. Piglets can be given fish oil, added eggs, milk and vitamins. In raw form, so as not to destroy the vitamins, you can give your Vietnamese pig zucchini, carrots or squash. If the vegetable is cooked, it is important that it be cooked just before administering it.

Vietnamese pig reproduction

The swine pregnancy lasts from 114 to 118 days. A few days before birth, the animal begins to take care of its future, building a nest, and accommodating its space. In order to support the childbirth some preparation is needed: it is necessary to check and make sure that the corner created for the piglets is warm, maintaining a temperature of at least 30 degrees during the first hours of life.

Once the offspring are born, if necessary, the mucus from the piglet’s respiratory tract is cleaned and then placed in a place prepared for drying. It is important to ensure that in the first hour of their life each pig received the necessary amount of colostrum (the first type of milk that the mother produces after giving birth).

Pigs will eat only milk first, which satisfies most of the nutrients they need. To prevent anemias in the offspring, piglets can receive injections of special medications whenever a veterinarian sees it necessary.

Generally, at 10 days old, the pig reaches a weight of 1 kg, at 20 days 1.5-2 kg. Per month, the body weight of piglets can be 2.5-3 kg.

One month after birth, the amount of milk that the sow provides to her young must be reduced to gradually introduce solid food.