Landrace is a breed of pigs: description, features of keeping and feeding

Landrace pig breed

Bacon breeds of pigs, which include Landrace, are very easy to identify by appearance.
Such animals have a small head, large rounded hams and an elongated body that resembles a torpedo. At the same time, outwardly the individuals give the impression of tightly built animals, and their skin is pure white and covered with sparse thin hairs (Figure 1). These animals are popular in many countries, although this breed was originally bred in Denmark. However, unpretentiousness in keeping and feeding, as well as the high taste of meat products, led to the breed spreading throughout the world.

Figure 1. External features of the breed

Experienced farmers know that keeping bacon pigs has its own characteristics, which relate not only to the arrangement of the premises for the livestock, but also to the feeding of the animals. If you are also planning to start breeding such pigs on your farm, we recommend that you read the information in our article today.

Origin and description of the breed

In order to more clearly understand the requirements for keeping pigs of this breed, we should dwell in more detail on the origin of the animals. The breed first appeared in Denmark, where it was bred by crossing Danish pigs with individuals of the English Large White breed.

Although purebred Landraces are an excellent source of quality bacon, these animals are not without certain disadvantages. Firstly, they have weak tanks. Secondly, pigs tend to wag their butts because they have weak hind legs. To eliminate these defects, in most countries purebred individuals are crossed with local breeds (Figure 2). This does not at all affect the productivity and quality of meat products, but the individuals themselves become more hardy and stress-resistant than their purebred relatives.

Despite the fact that Landraces are actively crossed with representatives of other species, all animals have certain exterior features:

1. The physique is strong, with good meat forms;
2. The body is elongated, shaped like a torpedo, while the hams of the animals are quite strong and round;
3. The head is small, but goes into a strong neck with well-developed muscles;
4. The animals' chest is narrow, but their back is straight;
5. A distinctive feature is thin white skin covered with sparse hairs. Because of this feature, animals often get sunburned when spending too much time in the fresh air.

Figure 2. Landrace exterior

Another external feature that distinguishes Landraces from other pigs is that they have very long ears that hang over their eyes.

Characteristics

It is beneficial to keep representatives of this species not only on an industrial scale, but also at home. This is explained by the fact that animals quickly gain weight, although they accumulate little fat. Another feature of the breed is that the body of such pigs undergoes accelerated protein synthesis, which allows young animals to grow quickly.

Most farmers who plan to start breeding Landraces are interested in the weight characteristics of such pigs:

• By two months the weight of piglets reaches 20 kg;
• During the period of active growth, young animals gain about 750 grams of weight per day, but under balanced feeding conditions;
• An adult boar weighs on average 300 kg, and a sow weighs 220 kg.

Another advantage of pigs of this species is their fertility: in one farrow the queen can produce up to 12 piglets. At the same time, females have a well-developed maternal instinct, and they quite successfully raise young animals.

Naturally, all the advantages of the breed will be observed only if the livestock is kept in comfortable conditions and receives balanced feed. Therefore, we will consider these aspects of breeding in more detail.

Description of the breed

Photo:

The animals are large in size and dense in build. Adult boars reach a length of 200 cm, and pigs - 160 cm, with a chest girth of 140-160 cm, and a weight of 280-310 kg and 200-220 kg, respectively.

Characteristic:

• The body is long, torpedo-shaped.
• The neck is wide and powerful, the head is relatively small.
• The ears are large, hanging over the eyes.
• The back is straight, the chest is rather narrow, the hams are flat, the limbs are short, and the belly is tucked.
• The color of the skin is usually pink, but the breed standard does not exclude the presence of individual black spots.
• The bristles are light, sparse and soft.

Characteristics of the Landrace pig breed would be incomplete if we did not mention the behavioral characteristics of the animals. Despite their heavy weight, pigs are very active, but good-natured and not prone to aggressive or quarrelsome behavior.

They get along well with each other and listen to people.

How to choose piglets when purchasing

When choosing a Landrace pig, you need to pay attention to its condition:

1. Young animals are purchased when they reach the age of 2 months.
2. The piglet must be well-fed and of strong build.
3. The skin should be smooth and pink, without damage. The bristles are silky, the tail is dry and clean.
4. The straight profile of the snout indicates strong bones. At the same time, the back is convex, the chest is deep and wide.
5. The limbs are strong and widely spaced, and the hooves are shiny and clean.
6. The piglet's breathing indicates lung disease. If he is coughing and breathing heavily, it is better to choose another one.
7. A healthy and well-developed piglet, 3-4 weeks old, weighs between 5 and 7 kg.
8. The piglet must be active.
9. If a pig's rear end is inflamed and covered in feces, it means it has gastrointestinal problems.
10. The animal should have no discharge from the eyes. The nickel should be pink.
11. The pig must have a veterinary passport indicating vaccinations.

The Landrace breed is characterized by a long body, such piglets will grow faster. Defects in body constitution are indicated by a sagging back, as well as thin and crooked legs.

If you plan to keep two animals on your home farm, then taking two pigs is not recommended. This is due to the fact that, starting from the fifth month, females go into heat. They bother each other, which usually affects the efficiency of fattening.

When choosing a pig to buy, you need to pay attention to its fatness. A good physique, strong bones and playful temperament will tell about the general strength of the constitution, as well as the state of health of the pig. The straight or slightly curved profile of the snout can also tell about the strength of the skeleton, the back should be slightly convex, the chest should be deep and wide

The limbs should also be very strong and widely set, the hoof horn should be shiny and clean

The straight or slightly curved profile of the snout can also tell about the strength of the skeleton, the back should be slightly convex, the chest should be deep and wide. The limbs should also be very strong and widely set, the hoof horn should be shiny and clean.

Important! An excessively snub-nosed snout, a sagging back, as well as thin and crooked paws are indicators of a weak body constitution of the animal. As for fatness, it should be quite good, but not excessive.

The condition of the animal's lungs is of no small importance. If piglets breathe heavily and frequently, cough or wheeze, this indicates lung disease. A healthy piglet breathes deeply, without coughing or wheezing.

As for fatness, it should be quite good, but not excessive.

The condition of the animal's lungs is of no small importance. If piglets are breathing heavily and frequently, coughing or wheezing, this indicates lung disease

A healthy piglet breathes deeply, without coughing or wheezing.

Also a positive sign of a well-developed animal is the long length of its body. Long piglets will grow faster and develop better.

You will probably be interested in reading about such breeds of pigs as: Karmal, Pietrain, Red-belted, Hungarian Mangalitsa, Vietnamese Pot-bellied, Downy Mangalitsa, Duroc, .

Suitability of Landrace pigs for homestead farming

Raising pigs is labor-intensive and expensive. It is extremely important for the future owner to sensibly assess both his own capabilities and the characteristics of the chosen breed. In addition, you must immediately decide whether you will limit yourself to fattening young animals for meat for your family or combine this type of activity with producing offspring intended for sale.

When keeping pigs, it is important to provide them with optimal conditions and proper care.

If you intend to keep a sow, pay attention to the following difficulties associated with breeding this breed:

• According to some owners, the likelihood of a pig getting fertilized during the first attempt at mating is very low. Experienced livestock breeders in such a situation (when the sow has not become pregnant) recommend repeating the mating during the next “hunt” (after about 3 weeks), but with a different boar. On large farms this usually does not pose a problem, but for an owner who keeps one or two sows, it is very difficult to find a second boar (especially a purebred one);
• Landrace sows often have difficulties at the time of birth and immediately after farrowing. In most cases, they require the assistance of an experienced pig farmer or veterinarian;
• pigs of this breed are sensitive to stress, especially at the end of the gestation period, and they are also very large. Therefore, newborn piglets can be accidentally crushed or injured by a sow. To avoid trouble, babies must be taken immediately after birth and kept in a nearby pen, only allowed near the mother for feeding.

Landrace piglets kept for fattening have significant positive qualities :

• young animals effectively absorb feed and quickly reach the optimal weight for slaughter;
• animals are resistant to diseases, balanced and obedient;
• the meat is extremely high quality and lean;
• the breed has a high meat yield from each carcass (about 70% of live weight).

On the other hand, landraces also have disadvantages that can cause problems with cultivation or low profitability:

• high cost of purebred piglets;
• sensitivity of animals to living conditions. To properly build muscle mass, piglets will need not a simple pigsty, but a room with the possibility of walking, which not every owner has;
• low resistance to stress;
• “crankiness” regarding food. Piglets may refuse unfamiliar food, as well as foods whose taste or smell they for some reason did not like;
• inadmissibility of “saving” on the diet. Buying the recommended set of feeds is very expensive, and any violation of the feeding regime leads to a decrease in the quality of meat, and sometimes to a deterioration in the health of animals. If you do not have the opportunity to grow at least part of the feed yourself (for example, vegetables and potatoes), it is better to think about taking “simpler” piglets for fattening.

Properly fattening a Landrace pig is neither easy nor cheap. The bacon will be of very high quality, but if you are completely dependent on purchased feed, the price of a kilogram of grown meat may be even higher than what you would pay for pork purchased at the market. That is why many owners, when purchasing young piglets for fattening, choose not purebred piglets, but crosses of Landraces with other breeds.

Breeding and raising of purebred Landraces is carried out mainly by large breeding farms

In conclusion, it is worth noting that the Landrace breed is unlikely to be suitable for beginners. If you decide to have pigs for the first time, give preference to animals that require less careful care. In the process of maintaining them, you will gain the necessary experience, and the costs of growing them will not be so significant.

How to feed Landrace pigs?

It was stated above that pigs of this breed are sensitive to the quality of feed, but the result of proper nutrition will be rewarded in the form of delicious bacon. An optimal diet will allow a pig to gain up to 1 kg per day, and this is a significant profit for any farmer.

The main “dish” in the diet is considered to be compound feed, but for variety you should add natural ingredients in the form of vegetables or herbs.

Be sure to pay attention to mineral supplements with natural content, which include fish or meat and bone meal. Meat and bone meal contains many proteins and contains elements such as calcium, phosphorus, sodium

Meat and bone meal contains many proteins and contains elements such as calcium, phosphorus, and sodium.

Landrace pig feed should include components such as concentrated mineral and vitamin supplements.

In the case of a successfully selected diet, the pig receives the following growth rates:

• Piglets 2 months - up to 0.25 kg per day;
• Pigs 6 months - up to 550 grams per day;
• Pigs 10 months - from 550 grams per day.

If you use compound feed, then to raise a pig up to one year old you will have to spend about 250 kg of feed

Please note that the Landrace and Duroc breeds of piglets differ in feed costs, where the first breed clearly wins. But just because your pig is eating well doesn't mean you need to give more food.

Excessive nutrition can cause obesity or poisoning.

Experts recommend feeding pigs 2 times a day, since the animal itself is not able to control its norm. Also note that the break between feeding should be approximately 11 hours. In winter, the frequency of feeding increases up to 3 times, but with breaks of 8 hours.

Features of cultivation and care

Representatives of the breed in question demonstrate high rates of meat productivity only if they are properly maintained and properly cared for. Therefore, you need to take care of arranging a suitable room and adhere to a list of specific requirements for caring for pigs. A balanced diet is no less important for animals. Let's take a closer look at the features of keeping landraces.

Conditions of detention

Landrace pigs need comfortable living conditions. This factor plays a decisive role for the well-being of animals and the achievement of high meat productivity.

Landraces spend a significant part of their time indoors, which must meet a certain list of requirements:

1. Size of the stable . Representatives of the breed are large in size, so they need a lot of free space. These animals should not be kept in crowded conditions - this will slow down their weight gain and increase the incidence of diseases in the livestock.
2. Clean and dry bedding . Landraces need cleanliness, so you need to monitor the condition of the bedding in the barn and change it when it gets dirty or wet. Wet flooring radiates coldness, especially in winter, which can cause pigs to catch a cold.
3. Suitable air temperature . Landrace pigs love warmth, so the air temperature in the barn should not be lower than +20 °C. In winter, animals are kept in well-insulated and heated hangars.
4. Protection from drafts . Too thin a layer of subcutaneous fat makes representatives of the breed very sensitive to drafts. All cracks and holes in the barn must be carefully sealed, because in a cold draft, Landraces can catch a cold and get sick.
5. Humidity level . Pigs of this breed do not tolerate high humidity well and can catch a cold. If the room for keeping animals is cold and damp, then you need to install a heater - it will make the air warm and dry.
6. Lighting mode . Landraces need light paddocks. If the pig barn has windows, then in the summer there may be enough natural light. In winter, when daylight is short, you need to install lamps for artificial lighting in the room.

Important! To prevent diseases in the livestock caused by unsanitary conditions, Landrace pigs need to be bathed regularly. It is especially important to provide animals with access to a container of water for bathing during the hot season, as they do not tolerate heat well.

Organization of walking

Landrace pigs enjoy the outdoors. In addition, animals need daily physical activity to prevent obesity. The walking area must be carefully fenced on all sides with a strong fence so that heavy pigs do not break it and run away.

In summer, the most beneficial for pigs is walking in clearings with lush and thick grass. To prevent the hot sun from leaving sunburn on the sensitive light skin of animals, the walking area must be covered with a canopy.

In winter, Landrace dogs are walked mainly in the barn. If it is not very cold outside, then the animals are briefly released into the fresh air. At the same time, you need to make sure that they do not become overcooled, since their body cannot retain heat for a long time.

Feeding at home

Landrace pigs require strict adherence to the feeding regime and the use of only high-quality, nutritious feed. In order for animals to gain good weight by the time of slaughter, you need to feed them correctly: these picky and capricious pigs will not eat any food. What to feed adults and young animals - more on this later in the article.

You may be interested in reading about how to find out the weight of a pig.

Adult pigs

To produce the highest quality bacon, Landrace pigs' diet must consist of nutritious and varied feed containing essential vitamins and minerals. Particular attention should be paid to the quality of food, purchasing food only from trusted manufacturers.

The list of foods and vitamins that adult Landrace pigs should receive is presented below:

• fresh grass (nettle and clover) is a source of carotene;
• nutritious feed - contains a full range of vitamins that pigs need;
• bran;
• hay and cake;
• silage;
• fresh vegetables;
• fish and bone meal - a source of amino acids;
• mixtures of ground grains;
• yeast - contains B vitamins;
• dairy products (milk, whey);
• fish oil - contains vitamins A and D;
• chalk is a source of calcium to strengthen the skeleton.

In summer, Landrace cats are fed twice a day.
It is important that the interval between feedings does not exceed 12 hours. The main place in their diet is occupied by fresh greens and nutritious feed. In winter, animals are fed three times a day. For good weight gain, pigs are given a large amount of fresh vegetables and hay. It is especially important to include fresh pumpkin in your pigs' diet.

To prevent obesity in animals, they need to be fed strictly on a schedule. An adult of the described breed needs 2.5 buckets of food per day. Particular attention should be paid to proper feeding of pregnant sows and pigs after farrowing. In order for their offspring to be healthy and receive enough milk from their mother, the diet of sows must be nutritious and high in calories.

The list of products prohibited for Landrace pigs includes:

• raw potatoes - causes poisoning;
• whole grains are difficult to digest and cause digestive upsets;
• potato and tomato tops are poisonous to animals;
• stale silage (rotten or moldy).

In order for the feed to be better absorbed, Landrace pigs need to be given a lot of water - it should be warm and clean.
Did you know? A pig eats an amount of feed per day that is equal to 4% of its weight.

Young animals

For one month after birth, piglets feed on the sow's milk. After this, they are separated from their mother and fed solid food. New foods should be introduced into the diet of young animals gradually even at the stage of feeding with mother's milk. By the time they are weaned from the sow, piglets should be able to chew and digest solid food independently. The diet of young individuals of the breed in question must be balanced so that the piglets gain weight well.

You can start feeding piglets with solid food a week after birth, when their teeth are cutting through.

For good growth, piglets need to be given:

• roasted grains (corn, wheat);
• greenery;
• curdled milk;
• compound feed;
• grated fresh carrots (given 2 weeks after birth);
• boiled vegetables - beets, potatoes and pumpkin (given 2.5 weeks after birth).

In summer, a large amount of greens and garden tops are added to the diet of young animals. Pigs like clover and nettle, which stimulate growth well and contain many vitamins.

In winter, the lack of fresh herbs is compensated by an increased portion of fresh and boiled vegetables. Piglets are also given silage, chaff, and hay dust.

For good health and strengthening the immune system, Landrace piglets need vitamins.

Important! The amount of feed for young animals is calculated according to the proportion: 4 feed units per 1 kg of growth.

Therefore, along with complementary foods, the following products are introduced into the diet of young animals:

• chalk is a source of calcium, strengthens bones;
• fish and bone meal - contains essential amino acids;
• ready-made feed vitamins A and D;
• salt (in small quantities) - stimulates appetite;
• turf - contains useful minerals.

Young animals need to be fed at least three times a day.

Landrace piglets should not be given the following foods:

• low quality feed;
• potato and tomato tops;
• bananas and citrus fruits;
• coffee beans and tea leaves.

The drinking regime is no less important for piglets. The pigs' drinking bowls must always contain clean and fresh water with a temperature not lower than +15 °C. When feeding dry food, piglets need to drink plenty of water to prevent constipation.

Landrace pigs description and photo of the breed

Landrace is one of the most specialized breeds of bacon-type pigs.

The Landrace breed was developed in Denmark as a result of selection of local Danish pigs from large white pigs under conditions of adequate feeding and saturation of the diet with protein of animal origin. A long selection of crossbreds was carried out based on early maturity and meat qualities.

Landrace pigs are typically bacon type, with a thin layer of subcutaneous fat and a high content of lean meat in the carcass. Compared to animals of the Large White breed and some other breeds (with almost equal reproductive qualities), Landrace, when fattening up to 100 kg, produces carcasses with a higher (2-5%) content of lean meat and a slightly smaller thickness of subcutaneous fat.

The body of Landrace pigs is elongated, the ham is wide and flat, the ears are long, hanging heavily over the eyes, the skin is thin, the stubble is white and sparse.

In Russia, the weight of Landrace sows is 250 kg, boars are about 300 kg, the fertility of sows is 11 piglets.

The breed is widespread throughout Russia and is widely used for industrial crossing with purebred and crossbred queens of large white and other breeds of pigs. The prolificacy of crossbred sows increases by 5-10%, the early maturity of young animals - by 5-12%, while reducing feed costs per 1 kg of live weight gain; the meat content in the carcass increases by 2-7%.

Landrace breed photo

Landrace pig breed characteristics

Productivity.

The weight of an adult pig reaches 250 kg, and an adult wild boar - 320 kg.

Sows have multiple births. During one farrow, a pig gives birth to 10-12 piglets. The weight of a two-month-old pig is about 20 kg. By six months the weight of piglets is 100 kg. The average daily gain is 700-800 grams with feed consumption per 1 kg of gain of less than 4 feed units.

The meat quality of Landrace is high. High lean meat content. The meat yield in the carcass is 65-70%. (Additionally, see the meat qualities of pigs of different breed combinations) The layer of subcutaneous fat is thin. Lard thickness is 18-20 mm.

Very often, Landrace boars are used at pig breeding complexes for crossing with sows of universal breeds in order to produce crossbred piglets for fattening. At the same time, the productivity of young animals increases, as well as the quality of the resulting pork.

Features of breeding Landrace pigs

Landrace is one of the breeds that is quite demanding in terms of living conditions, especially replacement young animals and suckling queens.

Errors in the feeding ration and housing conditions negatively affect fertility, multiple births and other indicators of the productivity of these animals.

Landraces, unlike other breeds, have some morphophysiological features that distinguish them from representatives of the tallow and meat-fat type breeds.

For example, fat and energy in Landraces at 6 months of age are deposited by 9.83% (and at 9 months by 7%) less than in large white breed pigs. And in terms of protein production (and the energy contained in it), growing Landraces are superior to large white breed pigs at 6 months of age by 21.1%, and at 9 months of age by 26.6%.

Origin story

Landraces were bred in Denmark at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries by crossing local pigs such as European Folds with large whites and Berkshires, imported mainly from Great Britain, followed by lengthy selection.

As a result of breeding work, it was possible to obtain meat (or rather, bacon) animals that have metabolic characteristics that allow them to accumulate a moderate amount of fat, digest feed well, and quickly build muscle mass.

The breed first came to our country in 1948, but did not become widespread due to some difficulties in keeping it. Two large tribes (Novgorod region) and them were engaged in breeding and acclimatization. Tsvetkova (Kaluga region).

Only from the 3rd-4th generations, obtained through intra-breeding, did specialists manage to create fairly consolidated herds.

In 1993, the breed was officially registered in the State Register as approved for cultivation in all regions of Russia.

Landraces are widely used in crossbreeding and hybridization as a parent or third breed.

Now many owners of homestead farms and large meat producers have become actively interested in it.

Breeding piglets

Pigs of this breed are considered prolific - a sow can give birth to 11 or more piglets at a time. At the same time, the female is quite capable of feeding her cubs without having problems with the amount of milk; usually Landraces have a well-developed maternal instinct.

The first offspring can be obtained quite quickly - boars become suitable for mating at the age of 1 year, sows - already at 9 months. In this case, the weight of the boar must be at least 160 kg, and the sow - at least 120 kg.

Pigs intended for breeding need special care and comfortable living conditions - proper nutrition, walking, lack of stress, etc. A few weeks before mating, it is recommended to add mineral supplements, vitamins and proteins to the sow’s diet.

As a rule, males cope well with their duties during mating, managing to cover the sow 2-3 times in 24-48 hours (this is how long the heat period for Landrace males lasts).

The pregnancy itself in pigs of this breed lasts 114 days (a “delay” of birth by no more than 5 days from the due date is acceptable). Experienced breeders advise seeking the help of a veterinarian, because Landraces often experience complications during and immediately after birth.

Landrace piglets are usually born healthy and strong, weighing up to one and a half kilograms

Each newborn piglet must be wiped dry, the umbilical cord carefully cut and the umbilical wound treated with iodine. After this, they are placed on a clean and dry mat under a lamp to prevent them from freezing.

Most often, piglets are taken away from their mother almost immediately, since a large pig can accidentally crush the offspring. There are also frequent cases of aggression from a sow towards her children, especially if something irritates or worries her.

Therefore, it is recommended to divide the pen into two parts, one containing the sow and the other containing the small piglets. Every 2-3 hours, babies need to be allowed close to their mother for feeding, and the weakest ones sometimes have to be bottle-fed.

In the first month of life, piglets feed mainly on sow's milk, although in some cases supplementary feeding is necessary, for which cow's milk, crumbled eggs, and vitamin supplements are used.

The weight gain of young animals directly depends on the quality and balance of the diet, so you need to know how much a month-old Landrace piglet weighs. On average, babies gain 700 grams of weight per day, and by the age of one month they reach 10 kg or more. It is during this period that feed mixtures, vegetables, and green fodder are gradually introduced into the piglets’ diet. Young animals switch completely to adult nutrition at about 4 months.

Video

The video shows seven-month-old Landrace piglets: the length of the female from ears to tail is 128 cm, the length of the boar is 130 cm.

Breeding and feeding

Breeding Landrace pigs involves a number of features associated with the extreme sensitivity of the animals. Therefore, let’s take a closer look at how the breed should be bred and what the rules for feeding it are.

Conditions of detention

Young animals are highly susceptible to cold and begin to get sick from drafts and sudden temperature fluctuations. Therefore, buildings for keeping animals should be light and insulated. There should be no drafts in them. Sheds should be heated to 20 °C or higher.

Breeding Landrace pigs should involve large walks. They are needed so that animals have the opportunity to move. To prevent animals from being exposed to diseases due to cramped conditions, about 6 m2 is allocated for boars; 4 m2 will be enough for sows.

In the summer, livestock farmers let their pigs graze in a clearing with grass. There should be canopies in this area, since during extreme heat the animals need shade. It is also worth arranging baths and scratching grounds.

How mating is performed

The first sign indicating that the sow is ready for mating is the redness of her genitals. When breeding animals at home, the pig owner will have to look for a healthy boar.

The sow is in heat for 2 days. For the mating process to be successful, the sow should be covered 2-3 times. The first boar coating is carried out 10 hours after redness is noticed. The second time is repeated 12 hours after the first mating.

A pig set up for mating always stands motionless when covered with a boar. But if she spins, then we can assume that the mating process has not occurred.

Sometimes inexperienced pig farmers, knowing that two acts need to be carried out, leave the animals in the pen. As a result, repeated crossing may occur, and this factor negatively affects the planned number of piglets. In addition, the practical experience of pig farmers indicates the need for animal control. Since in this process they can become aggressive and injure each other in a fight.

If after 14-20 days the sow stops showing signs of heat, we can assume that mating was successful. There are also cases when one leisurely crossing is enough for fertilization.

Mating does not give a positive result in cases where:

1. The boar has poor sperm quality (in this case, it is worth repeating the procedure with another boar);
2. the timing of crossing was poorly chosen (the sow was not physically ready for sexual intercourse);
3. the pig is emaciated or overweight.

For the mating process to be successful, the animals must be well fed.

How to care for piglets

A sow bears piglets for 114 days. The average weight of the offspring is 1.5-2 kg. The farrowing process in Landrace pigs, like other large breeds, is difficult, therefore, the help of a qualified specialist is most often required.

Born babies are immediately wiped, the umbilical cord is removed, the wound is disinfected with iodine and placed on a clean, pre-prepared bedding. To keep the little pigs from freezing, heat from an incandescent lamp is directed onto them. Babies are applied to the sow's nipples within the first hour after birth. Sucking high-calorie, vitamin-rich colostrum significantly enhances the viability of newborns. In addition, in the process of suckling, the sow completes farrowing faster.

The brood and mother are kept in the same pen. However, it is divided into 2 parts. This measure is forced and is due to the fact that the sow can crush the babies with her large weight (such cases are known). In addition, this breed is characterized by stress aggressiveness, against the background of which the mother can eat the offspring. Therefore, the babies are fenced off from the sow and small cubs are allowed near her only after 2-3 hours. Those piglets that do not gain weight well must be fattened by pig farmers.

For your information! This breed is characterized by a high tendency to diseases. Therefore, routine care includes various vaccinations and regular washing of animals. To maintain cleanliness and dryness in the pigsty, the bedding must be changed promptly.

If hygiene measures are not followed (this means timely bathing and changing bedding), animals can become ill with sarcoptic mange, helminthiasis and pasteurellosis.

Features of feeding piglets

Despite the fact that their ancestors were not picky about food, Landrace pigs are gourmets. This breed should be fed only with highly nutritious food containing many valuable elements that allow the animals to grow quickly. Thanks to a properly selected diet, little pigs turn into adult animals in six months.

What should Landrace pigs feed? For feeding animals, compound feeds containing additives with a high energy value are used. Also, as a daily diet, pigs are given green plants and large quantities of vegetables.

For example, the following diet compositions can be given:

1. soybean, feed cake and fish meal are mixed;
2. beets, grain crops, peas, silage, pumpkin are mixed.

To get good weight gain, bone meal, grass (you can take nettle, clover, alfalfa), as well as dairy products are mixed into the food.

Landrace pigs are fed 2 times a day in the summer with an interval of 12 hours; in the winter months they need to be fed 3 times a day. In this case, the order in which food is served must be strictly observed to prevent obesity in animals. After all, a sedentary lifestyle contributes to an increase in fat and at the same time a decrease in the valuable indicators of meat.

Vaccinations

When buying piglets, you should always ask the seller to provide an official certificate issued by a veterinarian confirming the availability of vaccinations. When the owner of the farm receives the offspring, he will have to vaccinate according to the required scheme himself.

The rules are:

1. On the 3rd day, newborn piglets are administered a polyvalent serum vaccine aimed at protecting against salmonellosis and colibacillosis. Also, preparations containing iron give good results.
2. At 1.5 months, the cubs undergo a course of vaccinations against leptospirosis with an interval of 7 days.
3. At two months, pigs are given an erysipelas vaccine.
4. At three months a plague injection is given.

Breeding

To breed Landrace piglets, you should find a boar in advance, since the duration of heat is 2 days. During this time, the boar must cover the sow 2 times with a break of 12 hours. To obtain healthy offspring, you need to carefully select a boar.

The inseminator must be kept in good conditions, in a spacious pigsty with outdoor exercise. The boar should be fed high-quality feed.

It is necessary to feed the pregnant uterus with high-quality feed. They should not contain rot or mold, because... poor feed can lead to the death of embryos. Gestation lasts 115 days. Piglets are born weighing 1.6 kg.

It is recommended that farrowing takes place under the supervision of a veterinarian, because... In large uteruses, complications may arise.

During the first 40 minutes of life, piglets should be attached to the udder. Weak newborns should be applied to the front nipples, because... they contain more milk. With mother's milk, piglets receive their first immunity.

Some sows may be aggressive and the piglets may need to be separated. An important condition for keeping newborn animals is cleanliness, warmth and dryness.

Content

The high productivity of Landrace pigs, as well as the rapid growth and development of piglets, occurs only if high-quality housing conditions are observed.

Required containment conditions:

• the room for pigs must be consistently warm (at least +20°C), without drafts;
• high air humidity in the pigsty is unacceptable;
• for heavy animals, it is very important that there is a lot of space in the room (the standard pigsty area for a boar is at least 6 sq. m, for a sow - 4 sq. m; pen - 1 hectare of land);
• if there is insufficient natural light (the window area is less than one fifth of the floor area), you should resort to artificial light sources, especially in winter;
• cleaning in the pigsty should be carried out at least every other day;
• It is advisable to arrange a so-called swimming pool for the pigs, otherwise in the heat you should definitely water them from a watering can;
• the litter should be deep, fresh and dry; to avoid damage from dampness, it should be changed regularly.

Breeding

If you want to replenish the ranks of your individuals, it is important to correctly approach the issue of breeding and preparing this procedure. This should be done by experienced specialists or people who can deliver babies.

First of all, it is important to conduct the mating correctly

Select only healthy individuals for mating

The male must be fed high-protein food, which will increase the quality of the seminal fluid. Then it is necessary to place the male and female individuals in a separate room where no one will disturb them. Before mating, several hours before mating, individuals are fed food with a high content of protein, beneficial vitamins and minerals.

After this, they are locked in one room for 12 hours.

Mating requires peace and quiet

In order to understand that the procedure was successful, it is important to monitor the behavior of the sow. She should behave very calmly for the next 20 days, not show aggression or sexual desire

If the female behaves as usual, even shows aggression, then it is better to mate with another boar, repeating all the steps again.

Raising Landrace piglets

Piglets of this breed are born 114 days after successful mating. It is important that the owner or veterinarian be present with the uterus during farrowing. The fact is that this species is considered large, and the female may experience complications during childbirth.

In order for Landrace piglets to grow healthy and strong, you need to take care of proper care for them:

1. For farrowing, you need to equip a separate pen with clean bedding and a heater. Conventional incandescent lamps are most often used as a heating device.
2. In the first 45 minutes after farrowing, young animals must be attached to the nipples so that they can receive colostrum. It is necessary to apply piglets to the nipples, even if the uterus is still experiencing attempts. This will help increase the vitality of piglets and ease labor pain in the female.
3. If the number of piglets exceeds the number of teats, some of the young animals will have to be artificially fed. If the litter is small, it is advisable to place the piglets on the front nipples, as they contain much more milk.

Figure 5. Raising Landrace piglets
Immediately after birth, the queen and piglets can be in the same pen, but after pushing and the first feeding, it is better to place the young animals in a separate pen and allow them to approach the queen only for feeding (Figure 5). This is due to the fact that a large female can accidentally crush the piglets. In addition, females are often aggressive during mating and after farrowing, and may even eat the piglets.

Feed ration

Landas, as typical representatives of the bacon breed, are quite selective in terms of feed. If the diet is prepared correctly, then they give weight gain very quickly. The slightest flaws in feeding and care nullify all the efforts of the breeders. Therefore, there is no point in keeping Landrace dogs on a small farm. The animal will lose all its benefits if it is fed with ordinary food waste, which is often practiced.

The basis of landrace nutrition is compound feed. On average, approximately 250 kg of such compounds are consumed per pig per year. A prerequisite is the inclusion of natural ingredients in the form of green mass and vegetables in the pigs’ diet. Good additions include carrots, potatoes, pumpkin, greens such as alfalfa, and clover. Alfalfa is generally considered one of the best components of the feed mixture, especially if it is mowed at a young age (no higher than 15 cm). It contains a lot of protein and pigs eat it with great pleasure. To accelerate weight gain, it is also necessary to add meat and bone or fish meal to the feed. It consists of 50% protein and contains a whole complex of minerals.

Video: Feeding Landrace

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PIGS FEEDING RATION // FEATURES OF RAISING PIGS // PIGS ARE OMNIVORES!

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Landrace piglet one month and two weeks old.

Animals cannot be fed frequently, otherwise they will begin to accumulate fat, which is unacceptable for such a bacon-oriented breed of pigs. It is better to practice eating twice a day at the same time, with breaks of 10-12 hours. In winter, Landrace pigs should be fed three meals a day with breaks of 8 hours. During this period, they require more calories to maintain their body temperature.

Fattening bacon pigs

There are two periods in fattening pigs of this particular breed and the bacon type in general. Up to five months, piglets gain about 450 g per day and by this age they reach a weight of 55 kg.

In the second period, daily weight gain should be about 600 g. If weight gain is lower, then keeping pigs is more expensive and has a negative impact on the quality of bacon. During this period, they try to exclude meat and fish meal, as well as soy, oats, and bran from the diet. Or reduce the amount of these additives to 5%. Instead, peas, millet and barley are added to food. For better growth, pigs need to move less.

It is also important to include fiber in the Landrace diet because it:

• increases the immunity of individuals;
• increases the amount of hormones in sows;
• provides a feeling of satiety to animals;
• guarantees good bowel function without obstruction;
• removes metabolic products and toxins;
• is a preventative against stomach ulcers.

Feeding

The diet of pigs must include the following types of feed:

• legumes and grains (peas, beans, barley, wheat, buckwheat).

As a rule, these products are given crushed, as part of compound feeds, which are prepared in the form of wet mash;

• succulent food. These include a variety of vegetables (carrots, beets, rutabaga, turnips, Jerusalem artichoke, pumpkin, zucchini, etc.), as well as potatoes;
• green mass. This is legume grass (alfalfa, clover, soybean) and nettle;
• products of animal origin (whey, buttermilk, fish, meat and bone meal, etc.). It is important to consider that when feeding fish and its products to pigs, the meat acquires an unpleasant aftertaste. Therefore, such feed is excluded from the diet two months before slaughter;
• roughage (hay, sunflower cake or meal, chaff, bran).

In the Landrace diet, mixed feed should make up about 70%, green mass and succulent feed - at least 20%. Representatives of this breed are not recommended to be fed oats, rye or corn, as their consumption contributes to the formation of subcutaneous fat.

For the same reason, the content of potatoes in the diet should be no more than a third of all succulent feed. When fattening, piglets are often given kitchen scraps, but young Landraces often refuse such food (especially if it has an unusual smell).

Therefore, this type of food should be included in the diet gradually and with caution. In the warm season, pigs are fed twice a day, and in winter - three times.

It is important not only to provide pets with a balanced diet, but also to strictly adhere to the feeding standards depending on the age of the pets and promptly clean the feeders from food debris.

The fact is that pigs (like many other animals) “do not know how” to control the amount of food they consume.

Simply put, they eat everything that is given to them. For Landrace dogs, this is fraught with a deterioration in their health, and for their owners, a decrease in the quality of the grown meat.

History of the appearance and spread of Landraces

The Landrace breed was first mentioned in historical documents dating back to the 19th century. This Danish breed was the result of the crossbreeding of an English white pig with a Danish pig. The first herd of Landraces was registered in 1896. However, the process of improving this breed lasted more than ten years. Only since 1907 have breeders been able to produce offspring with stable characteristics.

It is worth noting that experiments aimed at improving the breed were continued. Denmark, despite its limited territory, has become one of the world's largest suppliers of excellent bacon, on par with other European producers in this regard. In an effort to avoid competition outside the country, Denmark imposed a ban on the sale of live representatives of this breed, which was in effect for a long time.

Only at the end of the 40s of the twentieth century. The Danish government made concessions in this regard, thanks to which Landraces became popular among pig farmers in Europe, Australia, Canada and even South Africa. We also became acquainted with Landraces on the territory of the USSR, where these pigs were brought in 1948. But due to problems associated with keeping them, Landraces did not become widespread. And only in 1993, after Russian breeders were able to develop a hybrid more adapted to the natural conditions of Russia, the breed was included in the state register of the Russian Federation.

It is worth noting that purebred Landraces not only had a number of advantages, but also had their disadvantages:

• difficult to maintain and care for;
• weak cheek;
• weakness of the hind legs.

Due to these circumstances, outside Denmark, purebred Landraces are hybridized with other breeds that are better adapted to life in local conditions. This makes it possible to obtain high-quality hybrid breeds that not only adopt the best qualities of Landraces, but also get rid of their inherent shortcomings.

In this regard, when it comes to Landraces, most often they talk not about a purebred breed, but about its local hybrids, obtained by crossing Danish representatives and two or even three breeds of local pigs.

Owner reviews

Most farmers involved in breeding Landraces successfully cope with the characteristics of this breed and are ready to recommend it to other breeders.

Alexander (Kaluga): “An unpretentious breed, excellent for fattening. Before purchasing, from the description it seemed that pigs were capricious and would be a lot of trouble. But in the end it’s not so difficult with them.”

Elena (Kemerovo region): “Large meat pigs, suitable for crossing with other breeds. Very tasty meat, very little fat.”

Andrey (Moscow): “An excellent breed for fattening and breeding. You can raise a big pig in one summer season!”

Characteristics of the Landrace pig breed

These piglets differ from others in many ways. Firstly, they have excellent external characteristics: a pot-bellied body shape, a thin layer of skin, sparse white stubble on it, and a wide ham. Secondly, they are quite large animals, the weight of males can reach 300 kg, and females - 210 kg. Sows of this breed are excellent producers - about 12 piglets per birth.

Landrace pigs showed excellent results at the state breed test, where they ended up being leaders. On average, the piglet gained about 700 g per day, the ratio of feed to 1 kg of weight gain was 4 to 1. Thus, a weight of 1 quintal was achieved after 180 days. This result turned out to be the best among all pig breeds.

In the process of breeding any breed of piglets, certain difficulties arise. Landrace pigs were no exception. They have acquired some features that set them apart from their peers. One of them is unpretentiousness to climatic conditions. If we take into account the length of boars, it can be noted that they have a rather narrow chest. Thus, with a length of almost 2 m, the chest girth is only 1.6 m. In queens, also with a body length of 1.7 m, the chest girth is 1.5. On average, the difference is about 30 cm, which is quite a lot.

Feedback from livestock farmers

The experience of livestock breeders raising Landrace pigs is rich in remarkable reviews. Breeders note that with the same feeding of ordinary piglets and Landrace pigs, the latter gain weight much faster. Most often, by the time of slaughter, a simple pig gains 150 kg, and a purebred pig gains as much as 250 kg. At the same time, in Landrace animals the thickness of the sebaceous layer does not exceed 2.5 cm.

This breed does not withstand hot, sunny weather well. There were cases when, without a shelter in the paddock, pigs lost consciousness from overheating.

Farmers who raise the breed at home confirm the good-natured nature of pigs, and also say that representatives of the Landrace breed love to frolic in nature for a long time.

Sometimes you can find negative reviews on the Internet, in which you can feel the contrition of breeders that it is difficult to select food for animals. Others complain about the need for careful maintenance. However, the breed as a whole is highly rated due to its precocity, high weight gain and excellent meat characteristics.

Tribal characteristics

The appearance of Landraces does not allow them to be confused with other breeds. The torpedo-shaped, pronouncedly elongated body is combined with a medium-sized head. The ears of pigs are large, wide and hang over their eyes, practically covering them. The dense, fleshy neck extends into a narrow chest

Landrace hams attract attention - they are wide, strong, their relief stands out against the background of the body. The skin of these pigs is a traditional soft pink color with sparse whitish stubble.

In healthy, well-fed individuals, the belly hangs no more than 30 cm to the ground. The pigs' legs are straight and not very long, but this does not prevent them from moving quite briskly.

Landrace sow feeding piglets

Main characteristics of the breed:

• average weight: 300 kg (boars), 250 kg (sows);
• chest girth: 185-190 cm (boars), 148-150 (sows);
• fertility - 10-11 piglets from one sow;
• weight gain per day - 700-710 g;
• feed costs per 1 kg of gain - 3.97 feed units.

Landraces, like most bacon breeds, are distinguished by high early maturity. The weight of piglets at 2 months (often from this age young animals are purchased for breeding) is 17-22 kg. Piglets cross the live weight bar of 100 kg on the 180th day of life.

The photo shows the breed of pig "Landrace"

Pig breeds - comparison

Productive qualities

Sows are fertile - up to 12 cubs are born at a time. Small Landraces weigh approximately from 500 to 750 g. These figures depend on the quality of the breeder’s diet and the number of newborns. If all maintenance rules are followed, the survival rate of young animals is high.

With balanced feeding, at 2 months the piglet weighs 15–22 kg, and at six months it weighs almost a hundredweight. In mature Landrace boars, the weight reaches 3 centners, and in a sow - 230 kg.

Landraces, regardless of gender, are characterized by high precocity. During the day, the weight increases by 600–700 g. The slaughter yield from an adult pig reaches 73%. At the same time, bacon and meat have excellent taste.

How to properly care for Landraces?

When engaged in pig farming, it is important to prevent the loss of livestock and to prevent the animals from getting sick. All these factors lead to loss of profitability of pig breeding

In order to avoid these negative aspects, it is necessary to provide Landraces with proper care.

Vaccinations

An important point in animal care is timely vaccination of animals. Preventive vaccinations are carried out from the first days of life of young animals. They are placed by a veterinarian, who makes the appropriate marks.

Vaccinations should be carried out in the following order:

1. Polyvalent serum is administered to piglets three days after farrowing. It allows you to protect young animals from salmonellosis and colibacillosis.
2. Piglets are given vitamins and preparations that contain iron.
3. When the piglets reach one and a half months, they are vaccinated against leptospirosis in two doses. The interval between vaccination stages should be seven days.
4. Piglets are also vaccinated against erysipelas. This happens when they are two months old.
5. In the third month of life, a plague vaccination is carried out.

Hygiene, light and temperature conditions when keeping Landraces

When growing Landraces, you should not forget about such an important aspect of caring for them as hygiene. Despite popular perceptions of pigs as untidy animals, they are lovers of cleanliness.

In the pigsty, the pens must be periodically cleaned, and the little piglets need to be given water treatments (the water for them must be clean and warm). All this will reduce the risk of diseases among the livestock such as helminthiasis, sarcoptic mange (itching scabies) and pasteurellosis.

Important components in keeping animals that have a beneficial effect on their health and development are proper temperature conditions and lighting. Landraces do not tolerate drafts and low temperatures. In this regard, the average temperature should be around 20 degrees.

If we talk about lighting, then the best option here would be to combine artificial lighting with natural lighting. The correct lighting regime helps to improve the blood composition of individuals, and as a result, increase their resistance to various diseases.

Walking value

Landraces are active and even playful animals. Therefore, in good weather conditions, it is necessary to provide your pets with free range. For this purpose, a special hole is made in the pigsty, using which pigs can freely leave the pigsty and return there. You should also properly prepare the area where animals will roam. Its dimensions should be such that there are 10 square meters for boars, and 0.8 for piglets.

It would be an excellent option if there is greenery growing in the walking area, where there are places for swimming and scratchers are installed.

Diseases and their treatment

To prevent the occurrence of possible diseases in Landrace pigs, a whole range of preventive measures should be carried out.

It includes:

Disinfection

For a small household, irrigation is the best method.

To destroy spore-forming microorganisms, use a solution of bleach (5% active chlorine) and a 4% solution of formaldehyde at the rate of 3 liters per 1 square meter. m pigsty.

In a medium-sized pig farm, a 5% solution of soda ash, a 3% solution of fospar or parasod preparations, and a 20% slurry of freshly slaked lime are used for irrigation.

The temperature of these solutions should be about 80°C. The room must be cleaned and washed, disinfection is carried out 2-4 times over a period of 3-5 days.

Pest control

Various insects (flies, ticks, gadflies, fleas, lice) can be carriers of dangerous diseases.

In combination with disinfection, disinfestation solutions are used, such as a 5% solution of iodine monochloride with chlorophos or a 1% solution of formaldehyde with chlorophos.

In the summer, manure, garbage disposal, and cesspools should be regularly treated with aqueous emulsions of 50% trichlorometaphos-3 concentrate (0.3%), 65% polychlorpinene concentrate (0.5%) with a consumption of 4 liters per 1 sq. m. m pigsty.

Deratization

Rodents can not only be carriers of viral and bacterial diseases, but also cause material damage to the farm. For deratization, fast-acting poisons are usually used - zinc phosphide, monofluorine, poisons with an anticoagulant effect.

It is important to place these drugs away from pigs to avoid poisoning. Bacterial preparations with specific pathogenicity, such as bactocoumarin, are considered the most effective.

Disinfection of manure

If stored improperly, natural fertilizer poses a great danger. Provoked diseases are dangerous for both animals and humans.

The manure storage facility must be isolated. The most effective, harmless and budget-friendly is biothermal composting of manure, in which pig bedding can be processed. The disinfection period lasts from 10 to 24 weeks, depending on the initial moisture content of the manure.

Vaccinations

Routine vaccinations are mandatory for Landrace pigs.

The purchase of piglets must be accompanied by an accompanying document - a special veterinary certificate confirming the normal state of health of these animals.

For a month after purchase, the pig must be isolated from other pigs.

Landrace conditions

This breed has long been acclimatized in our regions, so there is no need to build specially insulated hangars for them. They are kept on permanent bedding using fermentation technology that came from Canada.

Fermentation bedding made of straw and sawdust, to which biological products with bacteria are mixed.

Microorganisms quickly decompose all organic waste. There is no need for manual labor, and there is no unpleasant ammonia smell in the pigsty. Due to the activity of bacteria, the bedding heats up to 40 degrees and heats the entire pigsty. This allows you to keep animals without additional insulation. The fermentation litter lasts about three years without replacing it; it is enough to simply loosen it periodically. There is no need to add material. After use, it can be used as fertilizer.

When keeping Landrace pigs, it is necessary to provide them with free range, because they are very active and mobile individuals. For this purpose, a special passage is provided in the pigsty through which animals leave and return. There are vestibules on both sides of the opening. The area for walking pigs is calculated based on the standards: 10 square meters for boars and 0.8 for piglets. The ideal option is paddocks for walking, seeded or provided with green grass. For example, nettle or alfalfa. Part of the walking area is equipped with shelter from direct sun or rain.

Feeding and diet

To maximize the potential of Landrace pigs and obtain tasty lean meat, it is necessary to provide them with a complete and balanced diet.

Pigs of this breed are quite picky eaters. Their diet must include dry, succulent food, and mixed feed. The feed is supplemented with hay, silage, and cake to prevent an excess of nutrients and the formation of excess subcutaneous fat. It will be useful to add various vegetables and root vegetables, pumpkins, and herbs to your diet.

It is preferable to prepare food specially, but kitchen waste can also be used after mandatory pre-boiling. Adults are fed twice a day, the daily norm is 2.5 buckets of food. In winter, three feedings a day are recommended.

Landrace pigs should always have free access to clean, fresh drinking water.

When raised on free range in the spring-autumn period, pigs additionally have the opportunity to consume fresh grass, clover, and nettles.

Story

The history of this breed begins from the very beginning of the 20th century. In Denmark, experiments were conducted on the hybridization of various breeds of pigs.

The goal of breeders is to develop the ideal bacon breed

The purpose of the experiments was to mix an English Large White pig with a Danish one. The experiment was successful, and in 1818 the Landrace genotype appeared. This breed is considered large, has a white or light pink color, and has excellent productive qualities. Over time, the purity of the breed was improved by other experiments that lasted until the mid-20th century.

Since the 20th century, breeding of this breed began everywhere in Europe. The Landrace pig came to Russia in the post-war period. However, due to the harsh policies of the USSR, pig breeding soon came to an end. The Landrace breed appeared again in Russia in the late nineties, and today it is actively purchased by farmers.

The pig is not a perfectly bred species.

This animal has some disadvantages. The reason for them was the impurity of the breed, which was lost over time due to constant experiments with crossing. The pig often wags its rear and has weak hind limbs. Today, breeders from various countries are trying to experiment with crossing this breed with others in order to breed a strong, healthy and resilient individual.

Advantages and disadvantages

Based on all the qualities of Landrace pigs, scientists have formulated the advantages and disadvantages of the breed.

What does it look like

The advantages include:

• High rates of productivity and accelerated protein synthesis in young animals. With average feed consumption, animals are capable of producing high daily weight gain and yield of lean, high-quality meat. Landrace breeding is profitable; piglets are able to reach slaughter weight in a short period of time (from 5 to 7 months after birth).
• High fertility. Sows of this breed are very caring mothers; very fertile and milky. Pigs of this breed are well crossed and bred, thanks to which farmers can obtain highly productive hybrid offspring.
• Friendliness. These animals are extremely friendly to humans and do not show aggression towards other members of the herd.

And the main disadvantages of the breed include:

• Skeletal problems. Due to deficiencies in skeletal structure, Landrace pigs have extremely weak hind limbs, so the animals often suffer from joint damage. And if there is dampness on the floor in the pen, then the risk of injury to the animal is high. Therefore, it should always be dry.
• Mobile nervous system. Many factors can affect an animal's fertility and health. Animals are very demanding in terms of diet, quality of food and care measures.
• The quality of bacon depends on the composition of the diet. Any disruption in the animal’s diet causes a negative response and affects its productivity.

But with proper care, the negative aspects of the breed do not appear, and the positive ones more than compensate for their minor manifestations.

Prospects for breeding Landrace pigs

In fact, landraces are quite popular in Russia, due to their excellent productivity. They are especially loved by medium and large livestock complexes, where the production process is organized according to the principle of profitability, rather than simplicity and convenience. And in terms of profit, these pigs perform very well.

Having spent from the very beginning on the construction of a high-quality pigsty, as well as on the education and training of personnel, then you can safely receive results. High productivity and excellent quality of meat completely cover the starting and ongoing costs.

However, the situation is completely different among small farmers and in the private farmsteads of villagers. For this category of livestock breeders, the simplicity and convenience of animal care are no less, and sometimes even more important than productivity. And all because these people have to care for animals on their own, and there is no one to entrust these not always pleasant chores to.

There is absolutely no point in raising Landrace pigs if one or two pigs on the farm are kept for meat and lard exclusively for the family’s own needs and the animals are fed with food waste, plant residues from the garden and grass. In this case, it is better to give preference to another breed that is easier to care for and maintain.

Reviews

According to farmers, the advantages of the breed include:

1. Low subcutaneous fat content. If your farm is focused specifically on producing meat, including bacon, then this breed is perfect. Cheap by-products make up a relatively small part of the carcass.
2. Good early maturity. Young animals show excellent daily gains with fairly low feed consumption per kilogram of gain. By strictly following all the rules for keeping and feeding Landrace pigs, you can have very decent profitability in raising them.

1. High fertility. On average, one sow gives birth to about 10 piglets, but often 11-12, which is a very good indicator.
2. Peaceful character. Although these pigs are quite active and mobile, they have not been particularly aggressive. They get along well with each other and listen to humans.

With all these advantages, many farmers, nevertheless, prefer to bypass this breed, giving preference to less fertile and productive, but easier to care for and maintain breeds.

Most often, Landraces are criticized for:

1. Demanding conditions of detention. As soon as one of the conditions for keeping pigs is violated (feed composition, temperature in the pigsty, light level, cleanliness, humidity, room area per head, etc.), this will immediately affect the productivity of the animals.
2. Picky eating. Even taking into account the fact that the composition of the feed must be strictly balanced in terms of nutrient content, pigs can also be capricious, simply refusing the food offered to them. Then you have to almost force feed the Landrace pigs.

Nutritional Features

Unlike the white pig, Landraces are capricious when it comes to feeding. Feed must be highly nutritious and of high quality. This requirement is due to the precocity of the breed. Since rapid weight gain requires a lot of energy expenditure, your diet should be carefully considered.

Landrace pigs are good because they eat almost everything, so it is not difficult to create a varied diet in which the pigs will receive all the nutrients they need to quickly gain weight. Conventionally, all food products needed by Landraces are divided into 3 groups:

• Grain feeds, which must be present in the diet. This also includes silage and peas, vegetables (pumpkin, beets).
• Corn bran, buckwheat and potatoes. It is recommended to add molasses to the diet.
• Oil cake, bone meal, soybean and fish meal. These foods are included in the diet in small quantities. They are needed in the form of supplements. 60 days before the slaughter of artiodactyls, this group of feeds is excluded from the diet. Before slaughter, food products of this group are replaced with products included in the first group.

Also, according to reviews from Landrace pig breeders, it would be a good idea to add whey or low-fat milk to the diet during feeding.

As an option, you can buy ready-made feed intended for pigs. But when choosing food, you should pay attention to its composition and pricing policy. Good feed cannot be cheap. It is best to opt for products that have an average and high cost.

The best option for feeding the Landrace pig breed, according to reviews from people who have been working with this breed for several years, is a combination of high-quality feed, grain crops, vegetables and green feed.

What to feed your Landraces is up to the farmer to decide. When feeding, you can limit yourself to compound feed alone, but when you add juicy greens, dairy products and bone meal, Landrace piglets gain weight faster, and a balanced diet also has a positive effect on the taste of meat.

Feeding mode

Landraces need to eat twice a day. We feed at the same time every day. The second meal should take place no later than 12 hours after the first. In winter, you can add one more meal, but you need to monitor your weight gain.

Excessive feeding often causes obesity. And when pigs become obese, fat increases. Accordingly, meat, which is valued precisely for its low fat content, falls in price.

Starting in early spring, the artiodactyls are released into the fresh air, where they will independently find green food for themselves. The pens for walking are first seeded with grass that is useful for pigs. These are primarily alfalfa and nettle.

During walks, pigs should not be under the scorching sun. If there are no trees on the territory of the pens, then you will have to build a canopy under which the animals can hide.

Landrace mating

When breeding pigs on a farm, selecting a boar is not a problem. In a small household, this should be taken care of in advance. After all, the period of sexual heat for a sow is quite short - only 2 days. To achieve 100% results, it is advisable to carry out mating three times with a difference of 12 hours. On the farm, for every hundred animals there is one boar and five sows.

The breeder must monitor the behavior of the pigs during mating so that they do not become excessively aggressive towards each other and do not cause wounds. Clear signs of heat are that the females eat food poorly and that they spend a lot of time lying down.

There can be many reasons for a negative result:

• boar sperm of low quality (especially if it is frequently mated with different sows);
• the female was not ready for mating, that is, the time for mating was not very well chosen;
• exhaustion of animals, they are too hungry;
• excess weight;
• incorrect feeding diet for both the boar and the sow.

If the mating was unsuccessful, but it is possible to repeat the mating, then this should be done, but with a different boar. For optimal performance, do not perform more than 30 matings per year per boar . Otherwise, he will not be able to produce good offspring for more than four years. The selection of purebred specimens is an important point for mating. It is also necessary to create comfortable living conditions for boars and provide them with exercise in the fresh air during the warm season.

The fact that mating was successful is indicated by the calm behavior of the female after 21 days. If after three weeks she is not sexually active, a litter should be expected soon.

Breeding history

The creation of the breed dates back to the beginning of the 19th century; it appeared as a result of crossing Danish pigs with English large whites. The large white one was not chosen by chance, because... The individuals exhibited excellent conformation and productive qualities.

Purebred Landraces have one serious drawback - weakness of the hind legs. To combat this problem, breeders use crossing bacon pigs with local animals. Landraces compare favorably with other bacon breeds due to the following qualities:

• resilience;
• stress resistance;
• meat indicators.

What do animals look like?

Landraces are characterized by a strong, well-built body with a pronounced meat type. The body is elongated, torpedo-shaped, the leg part is wide and dense. The cervical region is fleshy, thick, ending with a small head. The dorsum is straight, the sternum is narrow. The skin is loose and has a pinkish tint. The bristles are sparse, soft to the touch, mostly white. Limbs of medium length. Pigs are quite temperamental, constantly walking around the entire premises or walking yard. Landraces have a small characteristic feature - these are impressively sized ears that hang over the eyes.

An adult boar reaches a length of 2 meters with a sternum girth of 1.5 meters. Sows are somewhat smaller - length up to 1.6 meters with a sternum girth of up to 1.4 meters.

Sow with piglets

Breed characteristics

Landraces are fertile animals: one sow can produce over 12 piglets. Pigs have a well-developed maternal instinct, and they also show good milk production, thanks to which they can feed numerous offspring without any problems.

Pigs of this breed are the best in their field due to the amount of meat they produce with a small layer of fat.

But not everything is so simple with landraces

It is important to know: in order to achieve high levels of productive qualities, as well as to obtain large offspring and healthy, strong young animals, it is necessary to strictly follow the rules for keeping animals and the feeding regime. Particularly careful care is provided for replacement young stock and farrowing sows.

If all aspects are met, the following indicators can be achieved:

• young animals weigh 18–21 kg by the age of 60 days;
• daily weight gain in piglets is up to 750 g;
• by the 189th day of life, live weight is 100 kg;
• the average weight of an adult boar is 301 kg;
• adult pig - 221 kg.

Content Features

The Landrace piglet breed is not unpretentious in terms of living conditions. If the temperature regime or sanitary and hygienic standards are not observed, the piglets will not gain weight properly and will begin to get sick. Poor quality nutrition also has a negative impact on the condition of animals.

Landraces are afraid of cold, drafts and are sensitive to changes in temperature. They feel comfortable at a temperature of at least 20°C, so before bringing in these artiodactyls, you need to properly prepare the barn. In regions with cold climates, you need to consider the heating system in the pigsty.

Landraces also do not like crowds in the barn. For each large pig, you need to allocate a considerable amount of space. Ideally, a healthy boar needs up to 5 square meters. m of space in the barn. This is not always possible. If the barn doesn’t even have 3.5 square meters. m per adult, it is worth taking a closer look at smaller breeds.

The advantage of Landars pigs in terms of keeping is that they are not particularly hardy. Accordingly, you can get by with small paddocks for walking. One hundred square meters of land is enough for one wild boar to stretch its legs, but the walking areas are sowed with grass, which the animals enjoy while walking.

There must always be a normal level of humidity in the pigsty, so it is important to keep the bedding clean and dry, which should be changed as needed. High humidity levels increase the risk of various infectious diseases.

Productivity

Landrace pigs are bred for their meat, which has excellent taste. It contains a minimal amount of fat, which is a specific feature of this breed. Boars gain up to 300 kg of weight. Pigs weigh 70-80 kg less. Landrace piglets are good because they quickly gain weight. Already at the age of 60 days, their body weight is 19-20 kg, and after 6 months the young weigh about 100 kg. With proper feeding and proper care, daily gains vary between 720-750 g.

It is also worth noting the fact that during farrowing a sow gives birth to an average of 11-12 piglets. It is not uncommon for more than 12 piglets to be born, so Landrace pigs can be raised not only for the purpose of selling lean meat, but also for selling young animals.

Landraces are the best bacon category today.

Caring for piglets

Caring for newborns at home is not difficult. The conditions for keeping small pigs are not much different from the conditions for keeping adults. According to the characteristics of the breed, Landrace piglets are afraid of cold, drafts and temperature fluctuations. The pen for them is built in such a way that even with the doors and windows open, the young animals do not end up in a draft.

During breeding and rearing of young animals, special attention is paid to nutrition. At first, pigs feed on their mother’s colostrum (from 2 to 4 months). Sometimes more than 12 piglets are born. In this case, some of them should immediately be switched to bottle feeding, but breeders do not recommend feeding young animals this way for a long time, because later it will be quite difficult to accustom the pigs to normal food. Gradually, the young animals are transferred to regular feed. At first, it is advisable to buy starter feed intended directly for piglets.

The most important days during breeding and raising pigs are the first days. At this time, you need to keep the young animals under heaters. After 3 days, the heaters can be removed.

If the sow does not have enough milk, she will have to supplement the feeding of the young animals herself.

Reviews from pig farmers

Mikhail, 43 years old, Bryansk

We have been raising pigs for a long time, but last year we bought one Landrace pig. The two-month-old pig was almost twice the size of our usual piglets. There were no particular difficulties during cultivation. I don’t have space for grazing, so my piglets spend their childhood in a large pen next to the house. I fed all the piglets the same. But the purebred piglet very quickly overtook his relatives. When the pigs were slaughtered, Landrace weighed 250 kg. The lard was 2.5 cm thick. The weight of ordinary pigs is slightly less than 150 kg. Next year I will buy more purebred piglets.

Nikita, 41 years old, Smolensk

An experienced pig farmer, last year he decided to switch to the Landrace breed. My barn is large, bright, independently heated, so in February my guests were not cold. I learned about the peculiarities of feeding and care through the Internet, so there were no problems with this. But in the summer I almost lost my piglets. It was hot, and they were walking in the pasture; there was nowhere to hide. The neighbors saw that the piglets were sprawled on the ground and not moving. I had to drag them myself into the barn. Nothing, leave.

Marina, 52 years old, Krasnodar region

This is the second year we have taken in purebred piglets. Landrace pigs eat almost any food, but most of all they liked it when there were boiled carrots and beets in the mash. In the fall, after slaughter, I hung the meat. Five carcasses weighed more than 800 kg. The meat was torn off with your hands! We are thinking about buying pigs and a wild boar in the spring. Let's try to breed our own piglets. We have the conditions for this.

Sergey, 36 years old, Novosibirsk region

There are a lot of praises for the Landrace breed. I don't like that there is practically no lard. After all, this is what pigs are raised for. I will no longer be involved with this breed. Even though the weight of an ordinary pig is less, the fat can be salted and smoked.

Breeding Features

According to the characteristics of the breed, breeding these pigs can become a profitable business. It’s worth mentioning right away that just as the Landrace pig breed took the best from the white pig, other breeds can improve by mixing the blood of these bacon boars, so it makes sense to cross them with other pigs on the farm. If such piglets are sold, their price will decrease significantly.

Mating

Prepare for mating in advance. They select a pig and a boar a year in advance and provide them with proper care. To improve the quality of boar sperm, you need to strengthen its nutrition. In the warm season, the duration of walks is increased, which has a positive effect on the health of future offspring. If breeding work is carried out constantly, excessive load on the inseminating boar has a negative impact on his health. The permissible number of matings in 12 months is 30. But this is the maximum. It is advisable to stop at the number 22-25. If the boar is overloaded, it will be necessary to cull it after 4 years.

Oestrus for pigs lasts only 48 hours, so it is important to place the sow and boar in the same room in a timely manner. During these 48 hours, the boar must cover the sow twice (in the first and second 12 hours).

Landraces often behave aggressively during sexual hunting. To avoid injuries that animals can cause to each other, they are monitored during mating. If there is a threat, the boar is taken away from the sow.

If after mating the pig behaves calmly and does not show signs of heat, the mating was successful and you can prepare for farrowing.

Farrow

The young are born 114 days after mating. At this time, someone should be near the sow. All large pigs have a risk of complications during farrowing, and Landraces are just such pigs. There is a video on the Internet about the difficulties that can arise during farrowing of a Landrace pig. It is extremely difficult to independently deliver a child with complications even after watching the video, so it is advisable to invite a specialist who will supervise the entire process from beginning to end.

After the piglets are born, they are wiped dry with a clean and soft cloth, the umbilical cord is removed and the umbilical wound is disinfected. The newborns are then applied to the sow's nipples. This must be done even if the farrowing has not yet ended. This will reduce the pain of the woman giving birth. It is very important for piglets to drink colostrum as early as possible. This product has a unique composition and starts the work of all organs of the gastrointestinal tract and forms the body’s immune system.

Place newborns on soft cloth prepared before farrowing. After the newborns have had enough to drink, they are taken away from the sow, who often becomes aggressive after farrowing. Newborns are released to their mother exclusively for feeding, which occurs at intervals of 2.5 hours.

Disadvantages of the breed

We have already talked about why Landarsa pigs are good. But the breed also has disadvantages. First of all, it is worth noting that the breed is heat-loving, so difficulties arise during the breeding of artiodactyls in our country. In winter, the pigsties have to be heated additionally. And, since pigs cannot be released outside in winter, a large area must initially be allocated for a pigsty. Depriving an animal of walks for 3-4 months will negatively affect their health. In addition, the pork will not be as tender and tasty. That is why the pigsty must be of such a size that the pigs can walk freely there.

In the absence of bone meal, skim milk and other additives in the diet, the reproductive function of boars weakens, and Landrace piglets are born less often than we would like. In addition, no more than 6 individuals are born during farrowing.