How to select fattening piglets? Methods for choosing good piglets

  The general purpose of selecting piglets (weaned piglets) is fast growth, good appetite, feed savings, strong adaptability, disease resistance, and a high lean meat rate. To choose good piglets, please note the following points:

  1. Choose lean-type crossbred pigs: crossbred pigs have high vitality, strong adaptability, and the potential of heterosis. When buying crossbred pigs, you should also consider your own feeding conditions; if you have good feed, you can buy three-way crossbred pigs. If feed conditions are poor, choose two-way crossbred pigs; two-way crossbred pigs contain more blood from local pigs, about 50%, so they adapt to the local environment and feed conditions and are easier to raise. Considering growth speed, feed conversion rate, and lean meat rate comprehensively, three-way crossbred pigs are better.

  2. Look at body type and appearance: generally, piglets with a long body and slightly taller limbs are mostly lean-type pigs, with fuller hindquarters and sturdy limbs. In appearance, you should look at the specific crossbred pig's situation. White-haired crossbred pigs are generally crosses among Landrace, Large Yorkshire, and Large White, or crosses with local pigs. Crossbred offspring of Landrace pigs: fine hair, long snout, slightly large ears tilted forward; crossbred offspring of Large Yorkshire pigs: longer snout, medium ears standing obliquely; crossbred offspring of Large White pigs are roughly similar to those of Large Yorkshire pigs.

  3. Choose healthy, disease-free pigs: choosing healthy pigs is very important and is the key to successful pig farming. Healthy pigs have bright eyes, glossy hair, vigorous spirits, are lively and agile, wag their heads and tails, and have clear squeals. You can also carefully observe the feces; if there is no diarrhea and the feces form lumps, it shows the pig is healthy. Conversely, if the pig is listless, has rough and messy hair, hoarse squeals, a dry snout, diarrhea, or small dry pellet-like feces, it shows the pig has problems.

  4. Choose piglets from the same litter: if buying several pigs at once, at least 2 or more should be selected from the same litter, because they share common living habits, grow quickly when raised in the same pen, save feed, and are convenient for farm management. Pigs from different litters raised in the same pen have uncoordinated living habits, fight, compete for food, chase and bite, are difficult to raise and manage, have hindered growth, and waste feed.

  5. Buy nearby: buying piglets locally means you have a better understanding of the pig farm and herd situation, reducing trouble, and the pigs bought are easier to raise and manage because the climate, feed, environment, and other aspects are all similar. It is best to buy original-litter pigs from qualified pig farms. Try not to buy piglets at markets.

  6. Pay attention to bloodlines when buying pigs: do not buy piglets from inbreeding or improper crossbreeding. Be sure to maintain heterosis; otherwise, you will suffer economic losses and the pig herd will be prone to disease.