How much should a pig weigh: the influence of breed on body weight, simple methods for measuring weight

What is the average weight of one pig?

Among pigs in the world today, there are some cases of record weight achievement. For example, the mass of a boar named Big Bill was over one ton, and its body length was 2.74 meters. The Chinese boar Chun Chun was a little underweight compared to Big Bill and his weight was approximately 900 kilograms. According to various sources, this boar ate for ten. Third place in this list is occupied by the American wild boar Big Norma, which reached 1200 kilograms.

Of course, domestic pigs do not gain such mind-blowing indicators, but they are also quite heavy animals. Basically, their weight depends on feeding and breed. We will find out in more detail how much the average weight of a wild boar and a pig can be.

Adult boar

Today, among all known domestic pig breeds, large whites are considered the heaviest. A boar of this breed is approximately 100 kilograms heavier than a female and weighs on average 320-350 kg. However, this is considered a large indicator. A more average indicator can be seen in boars of the Mirgorod breed. They reach a weight of 240-260 kilograms.

Adult pig

As we have already said, the weight of an adult pig largely depends on the breed. The average figure is 200-240 kilograms. But, for example, adult sows of the Great White breed can reach 320-360 kg. And Vietnamese pigs rarely exceed 140 kilograms.

Piglet

The weight of piglets largely depends on a competent approach to feeding. At about the age of 3-4 months, babies begin to be fattened, and their weight begins to grow rapidly. For example, the weight of a live gilt can reach 50-60 kg, and after two months - already over 90 kg. When feeding ad libitum, this figure is achieved in 2.5-3 months. But let’s look at how much piglets should weigh at each age in more detail.

Newborn

The weight of newborn babies primarily depends on proper feeding of the sow during pregnancy. If all the rules and regulations have been followed, then the piglets are born weighing 0.8-1 kilograms. Some breeds have more than 1.4 kg. Vietnamese babies do not exceed 500-600 grams.

Important! Weight at birth greatly influences the development of the animal and its subsequent productivity. Subsequent weight gain will be based on proper fattening

Monthly

During the first month of life, a piglet feeds mainly on its mother’s milk, so it gains weight rapidly. On average, by 30 days of age, the baby should weigh about 8.5-9 kilograms.

2-3 months

At a few months old, babies begin to receive special additional nutrition, and their weight increases by about half. At 2-3 months, the pig should weigh an average of 25 kg.

3-4 months

As a rule, from this age piglets begin to be intensively fattened. Their weight at the beginning of fattening should be on average about 50-60 kilograms.

4-6 months

During the fattening period, animals gain weight well and significantly increase in height. At 3-4 months their weight is 75-80 kilograms.

6-7 months

Typically, commercial fattening of piglets stops at 6-7 months. Their weight is already 90-110 kg, they reach sexual maturity and are transferred to the gilt department.

9-10 months

At 9-10 months, gilts become adults, mating and breeding begin. Their average weight is 130-150 kg.

Piglet weight table by month

A special table will help you determine in more detail the average weight by month and week of life of piglets.

Piglet weight comparison chart

Average weight of a pig at different ages

The livestock breeder should decide which breed of pigs he will breed. Modern breeds are characterized by the fineness of their bacon. In the conditions of livestock complexes, they reach a slaughter weight of 100 kg in 23-24 weeks. You won't get lard from them. Fatty breeds are characterized by low growth rates and high feed costs for growth.

Therefore, the large white is considered the optimal breed for breeding in small-scale production. It is unpretentious, tolerates unfavorable conditions well and is characterized by stable productivity. Suitable for the production of meat and lard.

In order to combine the quality and yield of products with profitability, they focus on the average daily gain of fattened pigs - 650-700 g.

The table shows the average weight of animals of different ages:

If a livestock breeder plans to raise a queen, he must take into account that at the age of seven months the replacement pig reaches sexual maturity. During estrus, growth may stop and even plumb. The first mating is carried out at 9-10 months with a live weight of 115-120 kg.

Be sure to read:
Growth stimulants for pigs: types and features of use
There is an approximate estimate of the weight of a sow by age. It is believed that after each farrowing, the female gains 25 kg. So, if at the first mating the weight of a pig of average fatness was 115 kg, then by the time of the second insemination it is 140, the third - 165 kg, etc.

Methods for measuring pig weight

There are three main methods for measuring the weight of a pig without weighing. For which you may need a special table, measuring tape or calculation formula.

Sizing

Experienced and experienced pig breeders often determine the weight of a pig “by eye”, without resorting to the help of scales and measurements. But the error in this case may be about 5-10 kg. To accurately find out the weight of a pig, you can use the measurement and table:

First, measure the length of the pig's body. To do this, take a measuring tape, apply one end to the middle of the head and stretch along the spine, to the very tip of the tail.

It is important that the animal stands still, without raising or lowering its head. The second necessary parameter is the measurement of chest circumference. The chest is measured just behind the front legs, and the tape is passed through the shoulder blades, but without tightening.

The data obtained is checked against a special table, in the upper part of which the measurements of the chest circumference are indicated, and on the side there are options for the length of the torso. The intersection of these measurements will indicate the weight of the pig.

The measuring tape for measuring pigs can be replaced with a tape measure.

Using these same measurements, you can determine not only the live weight of the pig, but also the thickness of the backfat, and also classify the animal into one of five quality categories:

• If the weight of a pig at eight months is 80-100 kg, then this is the first, meat category.
• Young pigs, weighing 50-150 kg and with a small layer of fat, belong to the second quality category.
• With a fat thickness of about 4 cm, the pig will be of the third category.
• Boars that have gained more than 150 kg of weight fit into the fourth category, and suckling pigs into the fifth category.

To make the measurement results more accurate, you need to measure the pig’s parameters only in the morning, when it is hungry and not too active.

According to the age

It is difficult to determine the weight of a pig based on age.

You can determine the weight of a pig based on its age and breed. A Great White suckling pig weighs about 9 kg, and a Vietnamese baby of the same age rarely reaches 4-5 kg. At three months, a healthy large breed piglet should weigh more than 25-30 kg, and by seven months it should already weigh 150 kg. Great White sows can gain up to 350 kg, although pigs usually do not weigh more than 200-250 kg.

But such a definition will not be accurate. After all, weight gain largely depends on diet, the addition of vitamin supplements, and living conditions. If an animal eats balanced, high-calorie pig feed, then within six months it can gain 120 kg or more. Feeding with kitchen waste or boiled potatoes will result in the pig reaching this weight only by the age of one year.

Using coefficients

The body condition coefficient is the main indicator when calculating the weight of a pig.

Another method for calculating the live weight of a pig is to determine the weight using the body condition coefficient

It is important to choose correctly which of them the animal belongs to:

• If the pig is quite thin and small, then the fatness coefficient is 162.
• If an animal of medium size is 156, and with normal and high fatness the coefficient will be 142.

When calculating weight, measurements of torso length and chest circumference are also used. These indicators are multiplied and then divided by one of the required coefficients. The result obtained will be the approximate live weight of the pig.

You can calculate the mass of an animal using the formula:

mass is 1.54*X+0.99*K – 150;

This is done very simply. Bust circumference is multiplied by 1.54, and body length by 0.99. The results obtained are added up, and 150 is subtracted from the resulting amount. The resulting figure will be the exact live weight of the pig.

At what weight are pigs slaughtered?

Pig farming is profitable due to the fact that it is possible to obtain a large amount of meat products. This is due to the fact that little waste (skin, internal organs, parts of legs) remains. In this regard, when engaging in this type of farming, it is important to know the slaughter weight.

It should be noted that the weight of a live pig and its slaughter weight should not be confused, since these are not identical indicators, and therefore they should be calculated differently. Slaughter weight refers to the weight of meat obtained after cutting the animal carcass. From here the weight of tripe, hide and hooves is subtracted.

Important! It must be remembered that slaughter weight is less than the weight of a living individual.

Pig farmers believe that on average the meat yield should be 60-70 kg with an individual weighing 100 kg, and the fat weight should be 15-25 kg. I would also like to note that a smaller sebaceous layer is obtained in pigs that led an active lifestyle and moved a lot during the fattening period. If the animal led a sedentary lifestyle, this may lead to a decrease in the amount of meat obtained as a result.

Reasons affecting weight:

1. The meat characteristics of the breed are one of the most important indicators. Some small breeds of pigs produce a more impressive meat yield than can be observed in large pigs belonging to tall breeds.
2. The sex of the animal affects the subsequent yield of meat. A castrated boar will produce more meat than a pig of the same weight.
3. Use of mixed feed for feeding (when using feed enriched with useful substances, you can get individuals whose slaughter weight will be greater).
4. Proper maintenance of individuals.

When determining the slaughter weight, it is worth remembering that if the individual looks well-fed the day before, then, as a result, more meat can be obtained. This is due to the fact that the weight of bones and internal organs remains unchanged, only meat can grow.

Subtleties of weight measurement

Any owner can easily find out how much his livestock weighs. The developed methods will help with this; the main thing is to have a measuring tape, a table or know the formula on hand.

Most experienced livestock breeders can determine offhand how much weight a pig has gained. However, this method is not very accurate. But having knowledge of some parameters of the animal’s body, it is possible to make more accurate calculations. The owner must know the girth behind the shoulder blades and the length. These measurements are already being compared with the figures in the table.

Murom breed

To find out the length of the body, the tape is applied to the middle of the occipital region and a measurement is taken along the spine to the root of the ponytail. During measurements, the pig should have its head erect and should not lower or raise it. Girth is measured by the angle of the shoulder blades behind the forelegs. You need to remember the resulting numbers and find them in the table where the columns with values ​​intersect.

Why you need to monitor changes in pig live weight

Weight is an important indicator in animal husbandry. From its dynamics one can judge:

• about the health of the piglet;
• about daily weight gain;
• about the sufficiency of feed, and accordingly adjust the norm in a timely manner;
• about the required amount of medications when vaccinating or treating an animal.

And also, without knowing the live weight of the animal and the approximate yield of meat products after slaughter, it is impossible to profitably sell a pig. And, as a result, recoup the costs of growing it. It is profitable to sell pork not in bulk, but in parts in accordance with the category of meat.

Growth rate for a piglet

How much growth should a newborn or one-month-old piglet have and how much does the piglet weigh at different times? The weight of a piglet is measured in the first days of its life. It's easier to weigh a piglet. A detailed video will tell a beginner how to distract the animal while an assistant calmly takes measurements from the piglet.

The yield of one-month-old piglets (milk boars) differs from the weight of three-month-old pigs. From the fourth month, the little piglet switches to a special diet. The general table is calculated by age, so separate schemes are created for young animals.

The average weight (the general table by age is not suitable) of piglets depends on the diet and the selected breed. Month-old boars weigh up to 10 kg. At 3 months the boar's weight is up to 25 kg. At 6 months of age, the pig weighs up to 80 kg.

How to find out how much a pig weighs? Finding out the live weight is important for an animal of any breed. With the weight of an adult female (determining live growth from body measurements), it is easier to transfer the sow to a new regime. According to age and weight, boars are distributed into different cages. An accurate diagram (RP) will help if you have devices for measuring the mass of an adult at hand, and the formula will be useful for calculating the average mass of a boar at any age.

Pig weight: size table, how to determine live weight without scales

Professional breeders determine the weight of a pig using special electronic scales. Although such a device is convenient for the farmer, it is expensive. You can calculate the mass of a pig without devices - there are other methods for this, based on tables and formulas.

Average pig weight

The weight of a pig depends primarily on the breed of the animal. So, an individual of the Great White breed will be much heavier than a Vietnamese pig. Another factor on which the weight of an animal depends is feeding. Details that influence its set include the type of foods consumed, the presence of mixed feed in the diet, and the amount of food eaten.

The weight of an adult great white pig, common in our latitudes, depends on gender. A boar can weigh between 300-350 kg. Females weigh slightly less and have an average weight of 200-250 kg.

Determination methods

To determine the weight of a pig, it is not necessary to purchase expensive devices. You can calculate the weight of an animal using a table, formula, or using the values ​​of the fatness category.

According to the table

For the convenience of farmers, a table was created in which the number of kilograms is determined by measurements.

To carry out the calculation you need to measure:

• body length from tail to nape;
• chest circumference behind the shoulder blades.

During measurements, it is advisable for the animal to eat while bending over the trough. It is most convenient to use a measuring tape, since it does not squeeze the skin when taking measurements. You can refer to the table with the test results. The value of the torso length is selected vertically, and the chest girth is selected horizontally.

Important! The error in calculations may be 5-10%

By fatness category

Depending on fatness, there are 5 categories of this type of animal.

1. Age up to 8 months, body length 1 m, 80-150 kg, fat thickness 1.5-3.5 cm.
2. Young animals, 60-130 kg, fat thickness 1.5-4 cm; gilts, 20-60 kg, lard thickness 1 cm.
3. Boars, sows, well-fed individuals, fat thickness from 4 cm.
4. Boars, sows from 130 kg, lard thickness 1.5-4 cm.
5. Dairy piglets.

You might be interested in reading about the pot-bellied Vietnamese pig.

Piglet weight gain chart

The weight of a piglet depends on its age, and if the value falls within the normal range, it indicates the normal development of the animal. To determine the number of kilograms of piglets, you can use a table that shows the relationship between age and average weight.

Average weight of a pig at slaughter

Before taking an animal to slaughter, farmers fatten it until it reaches the desired weight. Typically, individuals weighing from 100 to 150 kg are slaughtered for meat. The most effective yield after slaughter will be for a pig with a live weight of 180-200 kg.

Weight after slaughter

Indicators after slaughter will differ from live weight.

So, depending on the initial data, the output will be:

• 100 kg - 75%;
• 130-150 kg - 80%;
• from 175 kg - 85%.

Half carcasses, carcasses and quarter carcasses

A boar carcass is pure meat that remains after the remaining organs and parts have been removed. For example, after slaughter, a live weight of 100 kg will yield 73-75 kg of carcass.

There are different cutting methods: English, German, American, Moscow. It is generally accepted to divide the carcass into half carcasses. They, in turn, are divided into halves, resulting in a quarter of the carcass.

So, the hind quarter will include the hind leg, the front part consists of the fore limb.

Important!Before cutting the carcass, it is necessary to remove blood and its clots

Weight of other organs

To obtain a carcass, the remaining organs are removed from the body of a slaughtered animal.

Their approximate mass is indicated in the table:

Figuring out how to measure the mass of a pig is quite simple. To do this, you need to use special formulas or tables

It is important to consider that they are only suitable for live individuals, and the number of kilograms after slaughter will be slightly less

Gain table

How to determine the weight of a pig? Pigs are recruited in different ways, depending on the time of year, breed and diet. An important factor is the health of the animal: if pigs are born weak, one cannot expect rapid growth from them. Only greasy breeds can gain slaughter weight. The mass indicator is determined by two parameters, which are measured several times a year. There is no point in measuring the legs of pot-bellied breeds, but for dwarf breeds this indicator is just as important.

For measurements use a regular tape measure. First of all, the farmer measures the length of the pig’s body, and then the circumference of its chest. After measurements, the parameters are entered into a table and the average animal indicator is calculated. The breed determines the growth rate of young animals.

For the calculation, use a table that can be found on the Internet or in specialized literature. So the weight of a pig is determined by age and body parameters:

Body measurements begin from the head (from the part where the back of the animal’s head is located). You need to measure the entire body to the tail. With age, the length of the body changes, so measurements are taken every month until the animal turns one year old. All measurements are taken from the head. The girth of the torso follows the line of the heart. In a home farm, weight gain occurs more slowly. The optimal meat yield per individual is calculated based on the size of the piglet.

Table for young animals

The purchase of young animals also cannot be done without taking into account weight gain; the weight of a piglet relative to its age can be calculated, how well it was fed and what kind of care was provided to it. This accounting will help you avoid fraud. For young animals at 4, 6 or 7 months, special calculations are made that take into account slight growth. But you need to remember that the weight of a farm pig according to the table may vary, depending on the breed, and the calculations will be slightly inaccurate.

A small pig gains every kg over a long period. For further calculations, the small boar must stand still and move less during measurements.

Recruitment by age helps to keep track of a large farm with a lot of young animals.

Methods for determining weight without scales

There are several different ways to determine a pig's weight without using a scale. The three most used among them are:

1. According to the measurement table.
2. Using the body condition factor.
3. According to the age.

According to the measurement table

The method of measuring the body weight of a piglet, which uses a pig weight chart, is one of the simplest, but at the same time the most accurate. The error of this method of calculating weight ranges from 4–10%.

To carry out calculations, it is initially necessary to take 2 measurements of the animal’s body:

1. Pig chest circumference. The easiest way to carry out this procedure is to use a measuring tape. It is wrapped vertically around the animal's chest and back, so that one side of the tape touches the back edge of the shoulder blades.
2. Pig body length. After completing the previous measurements, the tape is stretched along the animal’s back, with its beginning applied to the base of the piglet’s head, and the measurement is carried out in the area of ​​the base of the tail.

When measuring to obtain the most accurate values, it is extremely important to consider the following points:

• the pig must stand during measurements;
• the animal's head should be slightly raised up;
• measurements are taken 3 hours before the piglet eats.

To comply with the first two points, the animal must be interested in something. Most often, a small container of food is used for this, which is brought to the piglet’s nose at the desired height. While the pig sniffs the treat and stands motionless, the performer quickly takes the necessary measurements.

The data obtained during the measurement is substituted into the corresponding column and row in the table (it is presented below). After this, the point of their intersection is found, it will indicate the weight of the individual whose measurements were taken.

Pig weight measurement chart

For example, if the body length of an adult pig is 1.26 m with a chest circumference of 1.24 m, then the weight of such an animal is approximately 161 kg.

Using the body condition factor

The second method is used if there is no access to the table. It involves more complex calculations, for which the same measurements of the animal and a certain value of the animal’s fatness coefficient are taken as the basis.

The indicated coefficients have clear meanings and are quite easy to remember:

• for animals with insufficient fat, the coefficient is 162;
• to deduct the body weight of pigs with an average degree of fatness, this figure is 156;
• when determining the weight of animals with pronounced signs of obesity, the value 142 is used.

The desired indicator is selected by assessing pigs by eye. Accordingly, to make the right choice in such a matter, a certain skill is required.

Further calculations are carried out according to the following plan:

1. The girth of the pig's chest is multiplied by the length of its body from the back of the head to the base of the tail.
2. The resulting value is divided by the coefficient selected after assessing the animal’s physique.

The number obtained as a result of such calculations is precisely the piglet’s body weight.

For example, the body length of a piglet is 58 cm. Its chest circumference is 72 cm. The physique is assessed as moderately well-fed. In this case, the calculations will look like this:

Accordingly, the weight of the young is 25.9 kg. Comparing this value with the table, we see that the number 25 is indicated in the corresponding line. Taking into account the existing error, we can conclude that the method is effective.

According to the age

Some breeders determine the animal's weight based on its age. Undoubtedly, this parameter affects the weight of the animal. But with this approach the error is significantly higher, so it is possible to determine only the average weight of a pig without specific values. The reason for this may be the difference in weight between animals of different breeds. In addition, the diet and living conditions used on the farm also play a big role in the weight gain of pigs.

There are a lot of tables for identifying pigs by age on the Internet. Moreover, in addition to the general ones, you can also find more specialized collections of values ​​on the network, focused on a specific breed line of pigs and living conditions.

It is extremely useful for a breeder to know the approximate weight of a pig. This value allows you to timely adjust the animal’s diet in order to increase productivity, prevent the development of various diseases in time, and clearly determine the animal’s daily feeding rate. But to determine this value at home, it is not necessary to purchase expensive electronic scales. It is enough to carefully familiarize yourself with the methods presented above for determining the body weight of pets.

Advice from experienced pig farmers

When fattening pigs specifically for meat to increase their weight, feeding is usually divided into intensive fattening and less intensive fattening. With the latter, it will be difficult to obtain a large meat gain, since with such a diet the animal reaches a weight of about 100 kg only by 10-12 months. Of the obvious advantages of this method, business executives cite the minimum cost of feeding pigs, but the meat yield is also minimal. In this case, the owner uses only kitchen waste with a small proportion of feed for feeding.

Another method in terms of meat indicators is much more profitable in terms of meat product yield. By 8 or 9 months, the pig reaches a slaughter weight of 100-130 kg.

In general, fattening of pigs begins at a time when their weight is about 30 kg. This should happen when the piglet is about three months old. The duration of fattening is usually from 4 to 5 months, but sometimes it can be a little longer. During this period, the pig will gain about 700 g per day.

Fattening of pigs begins at a time when their weight is about 30 kg

Pigs are considered quite intelligent animals, and experienced business owners advise treating animals as gently as possible to achieve good results. Not only proper feeding will help raise a good-quality pig from a piglet. An important point is the room in which the animals will be kept. It should be quite spacious and comfortable, good lighting is welcome.

Young piglets that have not yet been weaned from their mother's breast must be fed from the very first day, immediately after maternal feeding. You can use cow's milk with the addition of chicken eggs.

In order for pig meat to be soft and more tasty, it is necessary to use a large amount of greens in feeding. Suitable beet and carrot tops, weeds removed from the garden, or nettles. Place a tray filled with salt and charcoal near the feeder. Water for animals must always be fresh and clean.

On a note. Farmers also monitor the indoor air; too many gas formations due to the accumulation of ammonia due to untimely manure removal are unlikely to benefit growing pigs.

Raising good, healthy pigs in a private household is a very realistic goal. It is enough to have the necessary knowledge in this area and perform the necessary actions on time. Then the yield of tasty and healthy pork will fully satisfy the needs of the well-working owner.

Video

How experienced livestock breeders measure pigs and to what extent the data obtained by this method coincide with the tabulated ones - watch the videos:

Video: weighing Vietnamese piglets

Knowing how much a pig weighs on average and how to measure a pig’s weight is important not only for determining the profit from selling pork, but also for caring for the animal - selecting a diet to maintain its health, calculating dosages of medications, etc. In addition, weight is used to determine the category of a pig.

Sources

• https://SeloDaFerma.ru/tablitca-vesa-porosiat.html
• https://fermers.ru/zhivotnovodstvo/svini/izmerenie-vesa
• https://7ogorod.ru/svini/ves-porosat-po-mesacam-tablica.html
• https://oselhoze.ru/zhivotnovodstvo/svini/skolko-vesit-svinya
• https://stroy-podskazka.ru/svini/skolko-vesit/
• https://DomaFerma.com/svini/razvedenie-sviney/skolko-vesit-svina.html
• https://zoohoz.ru/svini-i-kaban/kak-uznat-massu-bez-vesov-7737/
• https://FermoVed.ru/svini/skolko-vesit-tablica.html
• https://7ogorod.ru/svini/skolko-vesit-svina.html
• https://ogorodum.ru/tablica-vesa-svinej.html
• https://VseNaFermy.ru/svini/izmerenie_vesa.html

Ripening of pork meat after slaughter

After the slaughter of an individual, various processes occur in the meat that determine its quality properties. A distinction is made between rigor rigor and softening (ripening of meat).

After several days in the refrigerator at a temperature of 5-10 degrees above zero, the pork will become flavorful. The product acquires excellent taste characteristics, juice comes out of it - an indicator that the meat is ripening.

A characteristic feature is the appearance of a “dry crust” on the carcass, elasticity and a specific smell. To determine the degree of ripening of pork, histological and chemical studies are used.

Long-term storage of this product without freezing leads to a change in its consistency, color, release of watery juice and the appearance of a musty odor. As a result, putrefactive microflora develops, and the pork begins to deteriorate instantly.

Final products after slaughter

How much meat you can get from a pig depends on gender, age group, breed characteristics and fatness. The ability to properly slaughter and butcher an animal is also of great importance. Pig farming is guided by the following approximate indicators of the final product:

• bisexual animals weighing one hundred kg - receive up to 75%;
• from 120 to 140 kg - up to 80%;
• more than 180 kg - 85%.

Half carcasses and carcasses

The concept of live weight refers to the weight before slaughter. But after the process of killing and primary processing of the product (cutting off limbs and heads), it becomes smaller and passes into the next concept - slaughter weight.

If the animal weighed 120 kg, then:

1. The weight of the bones is 10 kg.
2. Waste - 3 kg;
3. Lard - 20 kg.

Ultimately, 87 kg will remain for clean meat. Of course, all figures are approximate.

Weight of other internal organs

If we take an average animal weighing 100 kg, we can say the following:

• head weight - up to 9 kg;
• hearts - 0.32 kg;
• lungs - 0.8 kg;
• liver - 1600 grams;
• kidneys - 0.26 kg.

So, from the article it becomes clear that the weight of pigs depends on many factors. With the right approach, animals will give good weight gain.

We invite you to join our Zen channel and group on VKontakte or Odnoklassniki, where new articles are published, as well as news for gardeners and livestock breeders.

Similar articles:

• Technology of singeing a pig with straw
• Manifestation of cannibalism in piglets
• Farrowing pen for sows: selection criteria + making a cage with your own hands

Description and size of wild boar

The wild boar belongs to the order of artiodactyl animals and forms a separate genus in the family.
It is also often called the boar. This animal is the direct ancestor of the current domestic pig. As for appearance, it is not difficult to distinguish it from a modern domestic boar. The wild boar has a denser build and longer legs. The head shape of a wild boar is elongated. The ears on the head are long and erect. Males differ from females in having more developed upper and lower canines. The boar's body is covered with coarse long hair. There is a mane on the head and back. In winter, the fur becomes denser, and in summer it thins out. Hair color can be grey, dark or brown.

As for the size of the wild boar, it may vary depending on the habitat of the animal. The further north a wild boar lives, the larger it will be. The smallest individuals can be found in southeast Asia and southern India. The weight of such boars reaches only 45 kg. But in the Carpathians, wild boars can weigh about 200 kg. The largest individuals live in the regions of the Urals in Russia. Their weight reaches as much as 300 kg. The maximum weight that was recorded was 320 kg. Large wild boars weighing 150 kg can also be found in Italy. In France, the weight of boars can reach 230 kg.

The average weight of wild boars is 100 kg. The body length of the animal reaches 2 m, and the height at the withers is 110 cm. The length of the boar's tail does not exceed 40 cm. And the length of the fangs can vary from 6 to 12 cm.

How to measure live weight at home?

At home, it’s easy to find out the mass of a wild boar without having a scale at hand. Several methods have been developed specifically for this. All of them require a measuring tape, a table or a special formula. Let's consider each determination method separately.

By measurements

Many livestock breeders and butchers can determine the weight of a pig “by eye”. But this method is not available to everyone, and even more so, it is far from accurate. The exact weight of a pig can be determined by knowing some of its body parameters. Or rather, the length and girth behind the shoulder blades. The obtained data is compared with the data in a special table.

To determine the body length, apply a measuring tape with one edge to the middle of the back of the animal’s head and run it along the spine to the root of the tail. In this case, it is important to ensure that the pig’s head is placed straight, and not lowered or raised. The chest circumference is measured at the corners of the shoulder blades behind the front legs. Then we find the obtained data in the table and at the intersection of the columns we find the desired number.

Weight measurement chart

According to the formula

If you don’t have a table at hand, then the mass of a live boar can be determined using a special formula. In this case, we will also need the chest girth and body length of the animal.

Live weight = 1.54 • X + 0.99 • K – 150, where:

• X - chest circumference behind the shoulder blades, cm;
• K - body length, cm.

By fatness category

You can also find out how much an animal weighs using the formula, taking into account fatness. This method is believed to be more accurate. In this case, you need to measure the body length, as well as the chest circumference of the boar, then multiply both measurements together and divide by the fatness coefficient. For lean pigs, an indicator of 162 is used, with normal fatness - 156 and with excessive fatness - 142. See the formula.

Formula for determining the live weight of pigs by measurements

How to measure the weight of an adult pig

In order to find out the real weight of the animal and compare it with how much an adult pig weighs on average, you will need a measuring tape, a special table, calculation formulas and a calculator. In pig farming, three methods for determining weight are used, differing in accuracy.

Measuring by table

If you do not have enough experience in pig farming to determine the weight of animals by eye, you will have to take some measurements. You need to know only two parameters: the length of the body from the back of the head to the beginning of the tail and the girth of the chest behind the shoulder blades. When taking measurements, the head should be directed forward, not tilted, and be on the same axis with the body, so the animal will have to be occupied with something for a while.

To simplify the measurement, you need to follow some rules:

• The animal must be measured early in the morning;
• The pig does not need to be fed before measuring;
• You should use a soft tape without pressing it into the skin of the animal, so as not to cause discomfort and to maintain the accuracy of measurements.

The resulting dimensions are looked up in a special pig weight table (shown above), which lists possible body lengths vertically and chest girths horizontally. In the cell at the intersection of parameters is the approximate mass of the animal. The measurement error in this case is 4–11%.

Calculation by formula

To compile the table, a special formula is used, according to which you can calculate the weight of the animal with higher accuracy yourself.

Live weight = 1.54 × X + 0.99 × K – 150

Where:

• X - chest circumference in cm;
• K - body length in cm.

The accuracy in this case is higher, but a couple of % can be subtracted from the result if you take into account a certain amount of food consumed.

Calculation by fatness category

A more accurate formula is based on fatness. It is also more convenient, since you can use it to find out the weight of a pig without scales and a table. To use it, you also need to know the length of the body and the girth of the chest, but the coefficient (which is equal to 150 in the previous formula and is the same for all cases) changes depending on how fat the individual is.

Live weight = (X × K)/N

Where:

• X - chest circumference in cm;
• K - body length in cm.
• N is the fatness coefficient. It is equal to 142 for fat, 156 for medium and 162 for thin animals.

The fatness category is determined by the appearance of the animal in accordance with GOST. In this case, several parameters are assessed:

• Body shape;
• The thickness of the bacon, determined by touch by palpability of the vertebrae of the thoracic spine;
• Gender and age.

Fat, or greasy, pigs have rounded shapes, their neck merges with the shoulder blades, the back is wide and smooth, without visible outlines of individual parts. The lard has a thickness of 7 cm, the vertebrae cannot be palpated. Also classified as fat are semi-greasy pigs, which have the same characteristics, only their bacon can be 5–7 cm thick.

Nutrition category: fatty or greasy

Normal, ham and bacon pigs, which fall into the average fatness category, have backfat 3–5 cm thick, and the fat is hard to the touch. The body is straight, the stomach does not sag. The spinal processes can be felt by pressing firmly on the skin in the area of ​​the 6th and 7th thoracic vertebrae. The weight of an adult pig in this category does not exceed 110 kg.

Fat category: normal, ham and bacon

Thin, or meat, pigs have backfat 1.5–3 cm thick, the vertebrae are easy to feel, but they do not protrude through the skin. Signs of fatness are weak, with a visible interception behind the shoulder blades.

Fatness category: thin or meaty,

Thus, it is not necessary to be a specialist to determine live weight with sufficient accuracy - a table of pig weights will help novice pig farmers, and with experience it will be possible to weigh the animal by eye. The described methods can be used not only to find out the weight of a boar, but also to measure a pig - the same formulas are used. The only difference between individuals of different ages is that very small piglets can be measured on scales, simply by holding them in your arms.

Weight of piglets: measurement table

Armed with a measuring tape, you need to write down only 2 parameters of a growing pig:

1. Body length (BT) . It is determined by the ridge line. The starting point is the back of the head, and the “final point” of measurement is the base of the tail.
2. Chest volume (CH) . It is defined as the circumference of the body under the front legs (at the heart).

Using the data obtained, you can find out the approximate weight of the animal using the formulas:

Fatness can be determined taking into account the thickness of the fat, the age and sex of the animal.

A fat pig can be recognized by the following signs:

• rounded sides;
• short, barely noticeable neck, “merging” with the body;
• weak palpation of the vertebrae;
• Lard thickness is 5-7 cm.

Meat and bacon pigs are less fatty, their general parameters are:

• lard thickness - up to 5 cm;
• the fat is hard, the skin is elastic, the belly does not hang down.

Meat pigs have a minimal amount of fat. Their parameters:

• small thickness of bacon - 1.5-3 cm;
• a small hollow between the shoulder blades is visible.

Self-calculation will provide more accurate data. If you don’t want to waste time, you can determine the weight of a pig of any size in a matter of minutes using the universal table:

Measurements may give erroneous data, and the reason for this is non-compliance with certain rules:

• measurements must be taken in the morning;
• on the eve of measurements, the animal should not be fed;
• When measuring, use a tape measure with a soft tape to avoid causing discomfort to the pig.

During the procedure, the pig must stand upright, so it needs to be interested in something. Usually the subject of passion is food. Since the pig was not fed the day before, it will allow the measurer to do his job in peace.

On large farms, it is common practice to maintain several tables, the data of which is adjusted by farmers independently based on personal experience and taking into account the characteristics of the breed, diet, time of year and even the sex of the animal.

It is quite difficult to predict with 100% accuracy how much a five-month-old, 9-month-old pig or an adult pig should weigh. For example, in winter, animal energy is spent on maintaining body temperature, and piglets that have reached 6 months of age in winter will be lighter than individuals of the same breed and age in summer.

Measuring the weight of piglets makes it possible to assess whether weight gain is normal, whether it is necessary to supplement the animals or replace carbohydrate-containing feed with protein. Thanks to monitoring, it is possible to promptly identify diseases: tumor, anemia, flu, mastitis, arthritis and many others that cause loss of appetite. The use of growth charts and knowledge of piglet weight standards will allow you to raise healthy livestock and receive the expected profit.

How to find out the weight of a pig?

Experienced livestock breeders who have been breeding pigs for a long time can easily determine the weight parameters of animals without using any devices for this purpose. The error will be approximately 10-15 kg.

Calculating the weight of an animal, taking into account its age and breed characteristics

A suckling piglet of a Vietnamese pig gains weight not exceeding 4 kg, but a piglet of the same age of a great white pig can reach 9 kg. Piglets of large breeds have large weight indicators: at the age of three months they can weigh about 30 kg, and at six months - 150 kg.

Of course, such measurements are far from accurate, since the weight of an individual depends on how the pig is fed and in what conditions it is kept. If a variety of food scraps or potatoes are used for feeding, then the animal will only be able to reach slaughter weight by the age of one year.

A method based on the pig's body condition ratio

When calculating the weight of an animal in this way, it is necessary to find out how long it is and what the chest circumference is. The resulting numbers are first multiplied among themselves, and then divided by the coefficient assigned to the animal, according to its external data. The data obtained is considered as the average weight of the animal.

Coefficients are assigned as follows:

• if the animal is thin, short and small, then it is assigned a coefficient of 162;
• average or close to them parameters allow us to assign a coefficient of 156 to the animal;
• a well-fed pig receives a coefficient of 142.

Thus, to make the required calculations, you can use a simple formula. The measured chest circumference is multiplied by 1.54, and the torso length by 0.99. The obtained data are summed up and 150 is subtracted from them. Thus, the exact weight indicators of the individual are obtained.

Pig weight measurement chart

Using a Weight Chart

This computational measurement method is accurate. When taking measurements using it, the error may be 5-10%. To use such a table, you will need to make preliminary measurements of the animal’s parameters. As with the previous method, information about the body length and chest circumference of the pig will be required. To obtain this data you will have to use a measuring tape.

By stretching the tape from the base of the animal's head to the tail end, to the point where the rectum exits, you can find out the length of the body. The chest circumference size is correct if the measuring tape on one side is in close contact with the back of the shoulder blades.

The table is compiled after preliminary measurements are taken, as well as the following conditions are met:

• When carrying out preliminary measurements, the animal must stand.
• It is necessary that the head is raised up.
• Measurements must be taken three hours before feeding.

To obtain the required data, they resort to various tricks. They allow you to distract the animal from what is happening and interest it in something else. For this purpose, you can use a small bowl with food inside. This makes the animal reach for food, and will make it possible to carry out the necessary manipulations.

Having received the required indicators, a table is compiled: the data is arranged in columns and rows. The weight of the animal is located at the intersection of the parameters.

What is the yield of meat products from pigs?

Product yield at slaughter depends on weight, age and sex.

You should know that slaughter weight is not the entire carcass. When determining this indicator, the insides of the animal, hooves, tail and head are not taken into account. However, it is possible to determine the yield of pork from live meat while the pig is still alive, using the following table:

Obviously, the larger the individual, the greater the yield. That is why pig breeders carefully take care of the nutrition of pigs, regulating the weight of animals. If the dimensions do not suit the owner, the feeding ration is adjusted. It should be noted that the quality and quantity of slaughter meat depends on how and by whom the carcass is cut.

If a boar carcass is sold uncut, then all parts will be sold at the same price. The carcasses of older or fat animals are considered the cheapest, since the products obtained from slaughter are of lower quality.

An example of dividing a carcass of 110 kg:

• lard - 23 kg;
• meat - 73 kg;
• bones - 11 kg;
• meat waste - 3 kg.

On average, the mass of the entrails of an adult is 4 kg, and the head weighs 7–9 kg.

How much does a pig weigh?

The average weight of a pig depends on several main factors:

1. Floor;
2. Age;
3. Breed;
4. Conditions of feeding and maintenance.

Like people, pigs sometimes set weight records - cases of animals reaching a weight of more than a ton have been recorded, and the length of its body almost reached 3 m.

There are also dwarf individuals that are kept as ornamental animals. On average, representatives of the breeds most often bred in agriculture reach a live weight of 140 kg (weight of Vietnamese pigs) to 350 kg (large white pigs).

How much pigs weigh when they reach reproductive age depends on their gender. Adult boars are usually 100 kg heavier than sows. Thus, a female white pig weighs on average 200–240 kg, and a male weighs up to 360 kg.

However, with good feeding and low mobility, a large sow can be equal in weight to an average boar and weigh about 330 kg.

The weight of piglets depends on how properly they are fed. At birth, the weight of a piglet does not exceed 1 kg, but at 7 months, when the animal reaches puberty and begins to feed naturally, it reaches 90–110 kg.

To control the fattening process, it is important to know how much the piglet weighs by month:

• 0 months - when piglets are born, their weight averages 800–1000 g, up to 1400 g for large breeds and no more than 600 g for representatives of the Vietnamese breed. If a piglet is born too small, this can affect the animal's further weight gain and productivity. To avoid problems, the sow needs to be well fed during pregnancy.
• 1 month - up to 9 kg. Weight gains quickly as the baby feeds on mother's milk.
• At 2 months the piglet begins to be fed with a specially formulated diet, and at 3 months the average weight of the piglet reaches 25 kg.
• Starting from 3 months, the piglet begins to actively fatten, so the weight at 4 months reaches 60 kg.
• At 6 months the animal is approaching reproductive age, its weight reaches 80 kg.

More detailed information about the average size of piglets by week can be found in the piglet weight table.

A piglet becomes an adult at 9–10 months. The weight of young pigs starts at 130 kilograms; they reach their maximum size by the end of the first year. However, once the pigs have received one and a half centners of live weight, they can be slaughtered.

In the following table you can see the weight data for pigs by breed:

On average, weight categories depend on the breed. For example, you can take the producer of the steppe white, which can gain more than 300 kg, and the Vietnamese - up to 140 kg.

The young gain weight depending on their diet and how the queen was fed during pregnancy. Proper, regular feeding leads to the fact that the weight of newborns can vary from 1000 to 1500 g.

In pigs of the Mirgorod breed, the figure reaches 250 kg. 240 kg for pigs is an average figure. Pigs weigh even more if the farmer does not skimp on nutritious feed.

For good quality pork, rapid pig growth is a negative phenomenon. Due to the increase in weight, the layer of lard, not meat, thickens in pigs. A half carcass for sale should not have a large number of greasy streaks.

Pig weight for slaughter

How much an animal will weigh depends to a large extent on what breed it is and how proper the nutrition was during its growth.

The white pig breed can easily reach a weight of up to 350 kg, but pig farmers consider 200-250 kg to be the normal average weight. If a pig is fed ad libitum, it can weigh 100 kg at three months of age.

Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs can weigh up to 150 kg, but they are usually slaughtered a little earlier, immediately after six months.

What affects the weight of piglets

The growth rate of piglets depends on several factors:

1. Gender of the animal. Boars are usually much heavier than pigs. The difference in weight can be insignificant (for example, in the North Caucasian - up to 40 kg between individuals of different sexes), or significant - 100 kg or more (breeds: Murom, Ukrainian Steppe).
2. Breed. No matter how much you feed a Vietnamese pig, it will not grow more than 170 kg. But the Northern Siberian reaches 240-360 kg, depending on gender.
3. Conditions of detention and features of fattening.
4. Number of young animals in 1 farrowing. When 5-6 piglets are born, their weight will be greater than when 10-12 are born. The number of newborns also depends on the breed.

When comparing, it is easy to notice that the diversity of breeds is the root cause of the difference in the weight of pigs:

Sows can reach the weight of adult boars with careful care, limited movement and increased feeding.

Why do you need to know the mass of an animal?

Every experienced and caring owner periodically checks how much the pig weighs. A balanced diet is the key to successful farming, so farmers often measure animals to determine the effectiveness of nutrition and, if necessary, change the feeding regime and volumes. In addition, this knowledge will help set the time for slaughtering the pig.

The development of young piglets is also important. In order for the animal to develop and grow healthy and strong, small piglets must gain a certain amount of kg every month

Weighing pets helps to understand how the formation is progressing, and in case of deviation, allows the owner to intervene in time.