Pig farming is one of the most lucrative agricultural businesses due to the fact that pigs have high productivity, are highly resistant to harsh disease and conditions, and are easy to manage. In setting up a pig farm in order to realise the assumed profit in it, the important factor is consideration is the type of breed that will be on the farm. The Different Types Of Pig Breeds you used in your pig farming business determines how far it will go.

Different Types Of Pig Breeds

The Different Types Of Pig Breeds are going to be listed below, this is because some pig breeds are poor feed converters, have low mature body weights, have poor carcass quality, produce small litters, and attain maturity late. If one could understand these features or characteristics, certainly, the business will strive. It is for this that this article has been written in order to help you understand what type of pig breeds is needed on your farm.

What’s Pig Farming

Pig farming, otherwise called hog farming is the type of farming that involves rearing pigs for the purpose of meat or as raw material for industrial use. It is one of the most profitable agro-business because it is very reproductive and has high capacity and resistance to harsh conditions. There are many styles of pig farming which include: intensive commercial; commercial free-range enterprises; and extensive farming. It is a worldwide business except in the Arab world due to religious taboos.

What are Pig Breeds

Pig breed is the grouping of domestic pigs according to specific features unique to them. Each pig has its own characteristics and not all pigs are good for commercial purposes. The features which determine the grouping is homogeneous appearance and homogeneous behaviour.

What are the Different Types Of Pig Breeds

There are many Different Types Of Pig Breeds based on homogeneous appearance and homogeneous behaviour. This helps to determine which is good for farming and which is good for domestic purposes. Some of the common Different Types Of Pig Breeds good for the pig farming business are explored below:

1. Large White

Features

This is otherwise called Yorkshire, they are entirely white but they do have black pigment spots. They usually have a moderately long head with a slightly dished face and a broad snout. Their neck isn’t rough and is evenly full to shoulders with deep and broad chests.

Adult male of this breed has a weight between 300kg – 450 kg while the adult female weighs between 250kg – 350kg. They are reputable for supply highly nutritional pork.

2. Landrace

Features:

A landrace is a long, lean, white pig with relatively short legs. The head is long and narrow and the ears large and heavy and hang forwards close to the snout. The back is only slightly arched or is nearly flat. They usually cross well with other breeds and reach maturity quicker. A boar weighs up to 380 kg while a mature female weighs up to 320 kg.

3. Duroc Pig

Features

This breed is nicknamed “Red Pig” due to its moderately red colour but usually have shades varying from a golden to cherry red colour. It is very good for big farming as it can excellently grow weight in little time and produces nutritional pork. The pig body weight for a boar and sow is 400 kg and 350 kg respectively.

4. Poland China

Features

Poland China is black skin with white patches on the face, feet and snout. It has a large body size and floppy ears. It has strong bones and well-developed legs and feet.

This breed is also characterized as being excellent feeders and can gain weight readily under conditions of good care and management. China Poland mature male weighs between 250 kg and 360 kg, while a mature female weighs between 225 kg – 300 kg.

Also Read: Rabbit Farming: Required Facilities for Rabbit Farming

5. Welsh Pig

Features

This breed originated from Wales. It is characterized by having white skin, a long, pear-shaped body and lop ears. Its forelegs are set apart and have a thick and smooth tail. Likewise, hind legs are straight and set apart.

The Welsh pig produces very high-quality bacon and pork and also provides a lean carcass with a high killing out percentage. It matures boar on average weighs about 250 kg and the sow weighs between 150 to 200 kg.

6. Gloucestershire Old Spot Pig

Features

This breed is otherwise Spot Pig and it is native to the English people. It is characterized by having white skin with a few black spots. It is meaty and has more fat than other commercially popular breeds. They are easy to manage as they can adapt to harsh conditions. An adult male of this breed averagely weighs 272 kg while a sow on average weighs 227kg.

7. Sushan Pig

Features

This breed is of high-quality lean pig gotten as a result of crossbreeding local pigs with foreign pigs. It is characterized by having white colour, medium-sized head and ears and a flat abdomen. This breed is known for its high yield and they have high resistance to stress and drought. It mature adult has an average weight of 225 kg while an adult female has an average weight of 190kg.

8. Red Wattle Pig

Features

This breed is named because of its red colour and distinctive wattle. It is originated in America and comes in a variety of shades of red, some with black specks or patches, and red and black hair while some in black. Its head and jowl are clean and lean, the nose is slim, and the ears are upright with drooping tips. They are well adaptive for the commercial units as they are calm a d easily to manage. Averagely, their body weight is from 270–360 kg.

9. Tamworth Pig

Features:

This is otherwise known as Sandy Back. It is a domesticated breed that originated from the United Kingdom. It is gold-red in colour and has a lot of hairs that are straight and thin. Its face is slightly caved and they have a wide gap between its ears. This breed has high productivity and product quality pork. Adult Tamworth pig averagely weighs between 500 to 600 pounds.

10. Angeln Saddleback Pig

Features

Angeln Saddleback is a breed originated in Angeln, Germany and other known as Angler Sattelschwein. It is characterized by having large and lop ears. Also, it has a black body featuring a white band that goes all the way around its body to its forefeet. The breed matures really quickly and is adopted for small farmers as they are known to be very calm. Angeln Saddleback’s boar average weight is 350kg and adult sow’s weight is 300kg.

Conclusion

The different types of pig breeds explored are those observed to be good for commercial purposes. Pig breeds form an important factor that determines how far your pig farming business will go. Farmers are enjoined to take a look at the suitable quality before setting up a farm for pig business. If you have any questions regarding what has been discussed, you can drop a comment below. Also, if this article has been of help to you, kindly drop a comment below.

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