Four practical techniques for raising pigs in winter, helping the herd get through the winter safely

????One build: build a plastic shed.Erect a plastic shed inside the pen. A plastic shed has good light transmission and can trap warmth, raising the shed temperature by about 5-7°C; at the same time, a plastic shed has the features of low investment, simple construction and quick results. For scattered pig raising by farming households, generally the pen pattern can be followed, adapting to local conditions and making do with whatever is available, by building a ridge-shaped, umbrella-shaped, arched or single-slope south-facing plastic warm shed above the pen. Leave a movable ventilation window at the upper part of the south side for adjusting temperature and air exchange, and ventilate promptly. A plastic shed transmits light and traps warmth, and can raise the shed temperature by about 5°C, which is beneficial to pig growth and weight gain. After winter begins, the pig house must have wind holes plugged, grass curtains hung and windows sealed, to prevent "cross draft" and "sneak wind" from blowing in through rat holes, cracks, gaps and broken roof openings in the pen.

Two keep: keep the pig house insulated and keep the pig house dry.

① Add an insulation layer to the pig house. For an enclosed pig house, the ceiling height is 1.8-2 m from the ground; add sawdust and rice husk on top of the ceiling, and spread bedding straw on the ground for the pigs to lie on. Leave one ventilation opening every two bays of the ceiling to discharge ammonia gas and moisture from the shed.

② Keep the pig house dry. The higher the humidity in the pig house, the colder the pigs feel; and it very easily causes pig skin diseases, respiratory diseases, infectious diseases and parasitic diseases. To prevent dampness and rain leakage, frequently add and change dry grass and loose soil inside the shed, make the pigs defecate and urinate at fixed spots, keep the place where the pigs lie clean and dry, and provide the pigs with a comfortable living environment, so as to promote the growth and health of winter fattening pigs.

Three increase: increase stocking density, add bed boards and increase the number of feedings.

① Increase stocking density. When stocking density is high, the floor area per pig shrinks, and they can warm each other by lying close together. At the same time, when pig stocking density is high, their body heat dissipation also increases, which helps raise the temperature inside the pig house.

② Add bed boards. During the piglet stage, where conditions permit, it is best to use warm bed boards such as wooden boards, bamboo boards and thickened fiberboards; where conditions do not permit, precast concrete slabs can be laid.

③ Increase the number of feedings. The purpose of increasing the number of feedings is to relatively increase feed intake, so as to fill the weight deficit caused by the heat produced by fat and muscle metabolism in the pig's body due to low temperature. Where conditions permit, it is best to adopt free feeding. Where feeding at fixed times is used, one feeding can be added in the evening. The original feed energy level can be raised by about 10%. Lower for large pigs, higher for small pigs. For small pigs, high-energy feeds such as oils and fats can be added; for large pigs, the amount of ordinary energy feeds such as corn in the mixed feed can be increased.

Four prevent: prevent low temperature, prevent biting and fighting, prevent careless feeding and drinking, and prevent epidemic diseases.

① Prevent low temperature. The most suitable temperature for pig growth is 15°C-25°C, and the temperature for normal growth is generally above 8°C. To ensure normal growth and development of pigs, the best method is to use warm-shed raising, that is, cover the top of the pen with relatively thick plastic film. The cover should have a slope of about 30 degrees to facilitate light collection. If the pen temperature is too high at noon, air can be released for ventilation; if it snows, it should be cleared promptly.

② Prevent biting and fighting. To ensure normal growth of pigs, feeding must achieve comprehensive nutrition. If one or several components are lacking, not only will growth be slowed, but a biting and fighting "vice" may also appear; especially in winter when green feed is relatively scarce, the possibility of the "vice" appearing is greater. Therefore, multiple vitamins, minerals and trace elements should be supplemented in the feed, and pigs should be grouped by strength, penned by size, and castrated at the proper time.

③ Prevent careless feeding and drinking. Feeding pigs requires stable feed quality and stable feeding times; the mix should be formulated according to different production performance and different growth stages, and abrupt quality changes must be avoided. If feed needs to be changed, the amount increased, or the feeding time changed, it should be changed gradually and slowly. When feeding in winter, the mixed feed is best fed raw and dry; if a small amount of water needs to be mixed in, the water temperature should also be about 25°C. If the thin-feeding method is used, the feed should be warm, and it should be given in small amounts and added frequently, to prevent cold and freezing. At the same time, pigs have a great demand for water; if water is not provided in the pen, pigs may even drink urine indiscriminately, which will inevitably cause digestive tract diseases and other disorders. Therefore, warm and clean drinking water must be supplied to the pigs continuously.

④ Prevent epidemic diseases. In winter, the temperature is low and the air is dry, and pigs are prone to illness. To keep pigs growing healthily, the pig pen must always be kept clean, tidy and hygienic, and the pen should be scrubbed, disinfected or sprayed with disinfectant on a regular or irregular basis. Pigs should be injected with vaccines, and commonly used medicines should be kept on hand; when sick, isolate early and treat early.