How to Choose Piglets That Are Easy to Raise? A Detailed Guide to Selection Methods
In recent years, more and more people have returned to their hometowns to start businesses, and most of them have chosen to develop the breeding industry, while the scale of pig farming in rural areas has further expanded. We all know that pigs can be said to be a very easy animal to raise, but we must also be very careful when selecting piglets, because good piglets are directly related to the subsequent breeding process and the economic benefits of breeding. So let's take a look below at the piglet selection methods that the editor is bringing you today.
1. Choosing the Purchase Base
The choice of purchase base is very important. Many farmers do not pay much attention to the base from which they buy piglets, but if the chosen base is an epidemic area or an area carrying various potential diseases, then the losses can be very severe. First, we generally choose a piglet purchase base nearby, which makes it convenient for us to understand the epidemic situation and can also reduce the harm caused to piglets by stress reactions. Second, choose a legitimate seller with a business license and a health quarantine certificate, which can effectively guarantee the quality of the piglets. Finally, after comparing prices, choose the final purchase base.
2. Checking the Piglets' Body Shape and Coat
After deciding on the purchase base, we need to select the quality of the piglets. First, we check the piglets' body shape, coat and weight. Generally speaking, the piglets' skin should be thin, rosy and clean; second, we should choose piglets whose intercostal hair hangs downward, whose body is relatively long, whose belly does not sag, whose rump is relatively full, and whose back is wide, because only such piglets can grow big and strong. Also, the coat should be glossy and smooth, and it is best to choose piglets with a large body weight, because such piglets gain weight quickly during fattening and also have better disease resistance.
3. Checking Feeding Behavior
Feeding behavior is also an important condition for judging whether a piglet is good or bad. Generally speaking, the better a piglet's appetite, the faster its weight gain, so it is best to choose healthy piglets with a good appetite. We can make our selection through the feeding method: when feeding, piglets that are hungry usually cry out, rush to be first, gulp down their food and make crisp sounds while eating, which shows that their appetite is very good and they are naturally easier to raise. Also, piglets that can consciously drink water and sleep in a regular pattern after feeding are also very suitable for selection.
4. Understanding Health Condition
When selecting piglets, we also need to pay attention to their health condition. Generally speaking, a healthy piglet has bright eyes, a relatively moist snout, good mental state, a certain degree of self-movement, a crisp cry, and normal feces with neither diarrhea nor constipation. If what you observe is like this, then it can be selected. But if a piglet shows signs such as listlessness, poor appetite, diarrhea, or drooling, then it is best not to consider such a piglet, otherwise the loss after buying it back will be very great, and even if it survives, raising it will be very laborious.
The above are the piglet selection methods that the editor wants to share with you today. Of course, if conditions permit, it is best to select piglets from the same litter, because then the piglets' adaptability will be stronger. Also, when piglets are moved between groups, attention should be paid as well: the actions should not be too rough, otherwise the loss of healthy, easy-to-raise piglets will also be relatively great.