How long does a pig grow before slaughter and factors affecting speed, when can you cut
Many farmers who have not previously raised animals are interested in how much a pig grows before slaughter. It is difficult to answer this question unequivocally, since the growth time can be different. However, if you familiarize yourself with the developmental features of the piglets in advance, it will be possible to determine the appropriate time for slaughter.
Factors affecting growth
There are several factors that affect the rate of development of reared animals. Among them, the following are distinguished:
- Breed. Pigs of different breeds differ from each other in growth rate. For example, one Vietnamese pig grows up to one hundred kilograms during the year. The Estonian pig grows twice as fast, and therefore it gains such a mass in just six months. At the age of one, their body weight increases to one hundred and fifty kilograms.
- Diet. Gilts' weight gain largely depends on the food they are given daily. The food should contain the optimal amount of vitamins and other nutrients. If you feed the pig more than 5 times a day and do not let it go for a walk, the weight gain will increase by a quarter. However, with such cultivation, the animal becomes overgrown with fat, and also becomes clumsy and slow. Because of this, he may start having trouble with the liver and stomach.
- Heredity. In many ways, the growth rate depends on heredity. If the parents grew quickly, then their piglets will also gain weight during the year.
How long does a pig grow before slaughter
Novice farmers often wonder how long a pig should grow before slaughter. The fattening period for piglets is divided into three stages:
- Lactic. During this period, the pigs do not feed on anything other than mother's milk. Sometimes vitamins are added to their diet to strengthen immunity. In time, this stage lasts two months.
- Growing up. Grains are gradually added to the diet to promote initial weight gain. Growing lasts for six months.
- Feeding for slaughter. This is the final stage when the piglets are given feed to increase body weight. It lasts until the pig gains 150-200 kilograms.
When can an adult animal be slaughtered?
To determine the moment of slaughter of an animal, the following factors are taken into account:
- Weight. You can send a pig to slaughter when its weight reaches one hundred and fifty kilograms. The main thing is that he does not have time to overgrow with a fat layer.
- Hormones. Every 2-3 months, pigs start a hormonal surge, which negatively affects the taste of meat. Therefore, animals are recommended to be slaughtered 2-3 weeks after the end of the hunting period.
- Season.It is recommended to slaughter in the spring or summer at a temperature of 15-20 degrees above zero.
- The volume of meat. It is necessary that the volume of meat is more than 70% of the total body weight.
- Number of farrowings. Sows are sent to slaughter only after they have farrowed more than five times.
Conclusion
People who plan to breed piglets are interested in when they can be slaughtered. To do this, you need to understand the growth rate of the gilts and other factors that affect the slaughter.
