Today we will discuss the breed of pigs meat direction Pietren. This breed is widely used in Europe, due to its productivity and low amount of waste during slaughter.
We will find out what the Pietrain breed is, discuss the profitability of cultivation, and also talk about the conditions of detention and the intricacies of breeding.
Description and features of the breed
Pietrain - breed of pigs of the bacon direction, the characteristic and photo of which will be presented below.
This breed was bred in Belgium by crossing several meat breeds. As a result of ten years of work, the Pietrain breed was obtained, which possessed the qualities that the creators thought. 
External characteristics
A large animal whose body is elongated in the shape of a cylinder. The musculature is well developed, which is visible to the naked eye. The head is small, which has a positive effect on the percentage of pure meat. The ears are erect. The back is wide, has a groove along the spine.
It is worth paying attention to the color, which is represented by black large patches on a white “background”.
We advise you to read about other breeds of pigs: Hungarian mangalitsa, Mirgorod, red-belt, large white, Vietnamese vislobryusha.
Productive qualities
It is worth starting with the fact that meat of this breed is considered dietary, and this increases its value.
An adult boar weighs from 200 to 250 kg, the uterus - up to 200 kg inclusive. However, it happens that some individuals may exceed the indicated weight parameters by several tens of kilograms.
Females at a time give no more than 10 piglets, which do not differ vitality. Gilts reach a mass of 90 kg at the age of 8 months, so the breed is considered mid season. 
Speaking about mass gaining, it is worth considering that Pietrain in this plan lags behind other breeds, gaining no more than 500 grams per day. It is also worth considering that the feed consumption per 1 kg of live weight is in the region of 5 feed units.
Important! Sows can not feed the offspring, so the mortality of young stock is quite high.
Pros and cons of breed
Next, let's talk about the advantages and disadvantages of Pietrain, which are related both to our climate and the amplitude of temperatures, and to the characteristics of the breed.
pros
- High yield of pure dietary meat at slaughter (about 70%).
- The breed is resistant to circovirus (an infectious disease).
- Can not accumulate large amounts of fat, regardless of the diet and caloric intake.
- Perfectly fit the role of genetic material, preserving the sign of meatiness in the offspring
Minuses
- Badly acclimatized.
- Sensitive to extreme heat or cold, due to the absence of fat.
- High sensitivity to stress during transportation and during maintenance.
- The dependence of the quality of meat on the quality of feed.
- Sows not only give a small number of offspring, but also cannot provide it with milk.
- Very slow mass gain in gilt pigs.
Did you know? The biggest boar in the world was raised in the USA. A hybrid of Polish and Chinese breed has gained weight in 1153 kg.
How to choose healthy pigs when buying
We proceed to the selection of young animals, on which not only the productivity but also the rate of weight gain will depend.
Let's start with appearance. First, the color suit should correspond to the specific parameters. Even the smallest gilt has black spots. Secondly, there should be no blood stains and any rash on the skin. The gilt should stand firmly on its feet, and the hooves should have a bright brilliant color.
Next, look at correct bite. It is not strange, quite a lot depends on the bite, as the young with the wrong bite feeds worse, respectively, slowly gaining weight. 
Focus on behavior. Piglet must be alive, move, actively eat and drink water. A healthy animal should not constantly sleep or sit, so pay attention to this or ask the seller to call for a pig so that it moves.
We evaluate the selection. Feces and urine should go free. Liquid healthy animal painted in straw color.
After that, it is worth comparing development with age. The pig should not be very large or small, which will indicate deviations. Also pay attention to the frequency of breathing, which should be up to 90 per minute. More frequent breathing indicates lung disease.
Important! In no case do not purchase young animals that cough and wheeze. This indicates lung disease.
It should be understood that unscrupulous sellers will get out in every way, saying that all this will pass, just the weather is not that, stress and so on. You should not be "led" to such persuasions, because a good product does not need excuses. 
Conditions of detention
The most important thing to take care of when keeping a Pietrain is temperature and humidity.
Do not think that these pigs will tolerate cold sheds, as domestic. They need a temperature within 17-28 ° C. If it is cold in the pigsty, the animals will get a cold. If it's too hot, heatstroke.
Do not forget that the presence of proper ventilation is necessary that the pigsty was not damp and other fungi. Ignoring this rule, you will get weak pigs that will be "awarded" with various lung diseases.
In order to maintain the desired temperature, it is necessary to make external or internal insulation using any foam blocks. Ventilation should not create a draft, but properly supply the room with fresh air.
Important! Watch the temperature in summer, as it is easier to heat the room than cool it.
Animal care
Care is the regular replacement of the litter, which should always be dry. Wet hay or straw is a source of pathogenic organisms. Regularly clean the water tanks and the trough into which the feed is applied. 
In addition, pigs need to be checked for the presence of parasites and diseases, which is easiest to do, while walking in the aviary. You can also assess the weight gain to calculate the moment of slaughter.
In the summer, when the temperature just rolls over, the output will be a shower at room temperature, which will cool the pigs and relieve potential parasites.
Important! If animals are tormented by skin parasites, then on the run you can build a semblance of a bath with ashes. Pigs will "bathe" in it, getting rid of uninvited guests.
Feeding ration
From the diet depends on whether you get a lot of meat or not, how it will taste and how valuable to your body.
Adult animals are fed high-calorie foods that will give a maximum daily weight gain, namely:
- sugar beet;
- corn;
- legumes (not greens, but seeds);
- feed;
- leftovers from the table (only natural, without flavors and dyes).
Also, the diet should be saturated with vitamins and microelements, which can be achieved by buying special nutritional supplements.
It should be understood that Pietrain can not overeat, as a result of which severe obesity will begin, so let's feed as much as the animal can eat. In this case, pay attention to how much food is left, remove excess. 
Do not forget about feeding the young, which the "mother" can not provide the right amount of milk.
On the second day after birth, the pigs are given purified water and mineral supplements. On day 3 - cow's milk (only homemade, no shopping option). When the young are one week old, you can give porridge from oats. After 1.5 weeks we give hay legumes (fresh, not refractory).
From 11 to 14 day we feed with grated fresh carrots. It is advisable to use not fodder, but table varieties. From 15 to 19 days we use boiled beets, grated on a coarse grater. From the 20th day we start to give juicy grass, and from 25th - boiled potatoes. Then gradually transfer to the "adult" food, focusing on the development of young.
Important! In specialized stores you can buy a stimulant of milk production from a sow, which will help feed the gilt in the first couple.
Diseases: prevention and treatment
Hypothermia, pathogens and parasites can "reward" animals with diseases of varying severity. Next we will talk about what you need to be prepared for while growing the Pietren. 
Peptic ulcer disease. Appears in young animals, which began to eat too early, intended for adult piglets. Signs: vomiting, food residue in feces, refusal of food. It is treated by isolation from other animals, so that you can give daily fasting and laxatives.
Gastroenteritis. Occurs in young animals at the moment when they begin to give "adult" food. Roughly speaking, this is a reaction to adult pig food. Symptoms: fever, vomiting, liquid excrement, poor mobility. It is treated with laxatives, after which you need to feed liquid porridges. If all else fails, we turn to the veterinarian to prescribe antibiotics.
Read also about the diseases of pigs: African plague, parakeratosis, pasteurellosis.
Bronchitis. Familiar disease that is associated with hypothermia and drafts. Signs: fever, discharge from the nostrils (snot), refusal of food. Initially, you need to transfer the animals to a warmer room, warm them. Further, antibiotics, streptocide and ammonium chloride are used.
There are also diseases that cannot be cured at home, so if your animals had blood in their excrement, for unknown reasons, the temperature increased, body ulcers or rashes appeared - call the vet immediately to save the animal.
Did you know? The most famous and bred among meat breeds of pigs are landraces and Estonian bacon breeds.
Rearing
For a start, it is worth making sure that the sow is healthy, otherwise all livestock will die. Analyze the condition of the pigsty, on which the health and survival of the young. 
It is better to cross Pietrain with other breeds in order to improve basic qualities. Hybrids with Duroc pigs have better meat quality, and with landrace breed, the best growth and rate of weight gain.
It is better to spend the test in two approaches, giving two days before this for the “acquaintance” of future parents. After fertilization is performed, the sows are created with the best conditions and given protein-rich food. You should also take the sow to walk in the pen, so that the limbs are not atrophied.
After birth, you must carefully examine the gilt. If some of them were born weak - pick up and nurse in a warm place using the above feed. Strong gilt can be left with mom.
Now you know what is interesting breed Pietren for small farms. The breed, though not distinguished by unpretentiousness, however, makes it possible to get both tasty and dietary meat, which is valued many times higher than the products of domestic pig breeds. Please note that the described requirements are an axiom, their non-compliance leads to a loss of livestock.
