Experience Sharing on Large-Scale Confined Rearing of Meat Dogs

As a newly emerging special breeding project, large-scale rearing of meat dogs has characteristics and rearing methods different from those of other animals. Only by fully utilizing the special living habits of dogs, creating suitable environmental conditions, and adopting scientific feeding and management techniques can the rapid growth of meat dogs be ensured.

I. Breed Selection

At present there are many kinds of dogs in the world, and according to reports there are about 850 or more, such as wolf dogs, toy dogs, hounds, grass dogs (also called native dogs), etc. However, there is no truly specialized meat dog breed in the world. Therefore, meat dog breeding should be based on the advantage of local dog breed resources and extensively carry out the cultivation and utilization of crossbred meat dogs.

It is relatively ideal to choose two-way or three-way crossbred meat dogs for rearing, and they have the characteristics of large body size, fast growth, high reproductive rate, strong adaptability, tolerance of coarse feed, and easy management.

II. Kennel Construction

Dogs have strong adaptability and do not have very high requirements for pens. For new breeders just starting to raise meat dogs, existing housing conditions can be fully utilized, such as pig pens and sheep pens, which can be slightly modified to raise dogs. For newly built kennels, a quiet environment should be chosen, with high and dry terrain, away from pollution, and convenient for transportation and marketing.

Kennels should preferably face north with their backs to the south, and the buildings should be safe and sturdy. The dog farm should be equipped with breeding dog kennels, whelping kennels, puppy kennels, growing dog kennels, as well as an isolation room for sick dogs, a medical room, a beverage room, and an office. The kennel floor is best paved with cement, with a certain outward slope, and a drainage ditch in front of each row of kennels, so as to wash away feces and keep the floor dry and hygienic.

The kennel area should not be too large. Generally, the usable area of a breeding dog kennel is required to be 6-8 sq m, with an activity yard of 10-12 sq m. The rest of the kennels should preferably be 10 sq m, with 4 sq m indoors and 6 sq m for the activity yard, a room height of 1.8 m, and partition walls between kennels 1.6 m high. Each kennel houses 8-10 puppies.

For dog farms with relatively good overall conditions, puppies and fattening dogs can be raised in cages. This has the advantages of being hygienic and safe, saving feed consumption, reducing labor intensity, fully utilizing space, and allowing three-dimensional rearing to save site space.

Cage dimensions: length 100 cm, width 80-90 cm, and the mesh at the bottom of the cage should preferably be 2.5*2.5 cm. Materials can be obtained locally, using moso bamboo, timber bamboo, plastic, iron cages, etc., but they should be cheap, sturdy, and safe.