Mangal piglets, breeding and maintenance features, rearing tips

Livestock breeders periodically replenish their farms with new breeds of pigs. Preference is given to animals that are not demanding in their maintenance, especially when it comes to nutrition. The climatic conditions of the region are also taken into account. Mangal piglets are known to a limited number of Russian pig breeders, but recently there has been an increased interest in them, due to the high taste of the meat.

Piglet Brazier

What breed is this

The Mangal breed is considered relatively new to Russia, although the history of its origin dates back to 1830. Large livestock complexes began acquiring expensive piglets in just over a decade. In order to develop a meat pig breed, breeders took the Carpathian Mangalitsa and Western European wild boar as a basis. The result of painstaking work was an animal with a stable genetic structure. In further breeding work, Mangal was often used as genetic material for breeding other varieties.

The peculiarity of the Mangal breed is the piglets’ unpretentiousness to feed and living conditions, which distinguishes them favorably from the common white steppe pigs.

Elite herbivores gain up to 300 kg of weight during the fattening process. Male piglets aged 1-2 months are subject to castration. This procedure promotes intensive muscle gain. In addition, the meat does not have the unpleasant odor that is felt when the insemination boar is slaughtered. The layer of fat in this breed is insignificant, so the Mangal breeding business is considered more profitable.

If you plan to use piglets for breeding, castration is not carried out. From the grown-up animals, the most active and largest individuals with a good appetite are selected. Pigs become sexually mature at 5-7 months.

The appearance of the Mangala representatives also has some features that distinguish the breed from other varieties of artiodactyls. First of all, it is thick hair that covers almost the entire part of the animal’s body. It is quite long and stands on end along the ridge, which makes the piglets look like a wild boar. Intensive wool growth is observed in young animals in the fall before the onset of cold weather. According to pig farmers, such a fur coat helps to survive the harshest winters without special re-equipment of the pigsty.

The following colors are considered standard for the Mangal breed:

• black;
• red;
• white;
• martin.

Reference! The offspring are born with pronounced stripes along the back with a combination of light and dark tones.

Mangal pigs - description

The first thing that attracts attention in the appearance of these pigs is their long thick fur. Moreover, the wool is quite pleasant to the touch and curls into identical, even rings. The resulting cover is very similar to sheep's fleece. In England, the term “sheep-pig” is even applied to this breed, that is, “sheep-pig”. Hungarian pig farmers prefer to call their charges “curly pigs.” In Russia, the term “Hungarian downy Mangalitsa pig” is often used.

Mangalitsa have the thickest and most luxuriant hair in winter, when they need to protect themselves from the cold. In spring, the thick coat thins and turns into thin bristles, and black stripes clearly appear on the backs of the pigs, indicating their relationship with wild boars. Well, if pigs of this breed are kept in a warm pigsty all the time and given abundant, balanced food, their hair, necessary for wild life, almost completely falls out, and they take on the appearance of a species - an evolutionarily developed set of individuals, characterized by a single... almost ordinary pigs.

In general, Mangalitsa have a strong constitution and a strong skeleton. In the exterior of adult pigs, a large belly is clearly visible to the point of caricature, looking awkward against the background of short legs. The downy pig has a large chest and a flat or slightly arched back. The head is of medium length, the snout is curved, the ears are quite large and oriented forward.

Currently, there are four colors of mangalitsa: black, swallow, red and white. The latter color option is the most common, accounting for about 80% of the breed's population. The Red Mangalitsa was obtained by crossing the white Mangal pig with the Szalontai breed, it has the highest productivity of all breed types. The swallow color type was developed by crossing with the Sirius breed. In addition to their distinctive color, pigs of this type are also distinguished by their larger build.

Characteristics

Adult Mangals reach a weight of 200-300 kg (at 1-1.4 years). A world record for the breed is registered – 500 kg. With proper feeding, the body weight of a six-month-old animal reaches 70 kg, while the sebaceous layer is practically absent. By the age of one year, boars acquire subcutaneous fat (the layer reaches 8-12 cm).

The height of a one-year-old Mangal is within 78-89 cm. Pigs are 7-8 cm lower than the boron. For intensive growth, animals need green feed, vitamins and minerals.

The constitution of adult pigs is quite strong, the exterior is characterized by a large belly, which gives the appearance awkwardness against the background of low legs. Despite the presence of thick curled fur, a large chest and an almost flat back with a barely noticeable deflection are easily visible. The head parameters are average, the stigma has a curved shape. Large ears are tilted forward.

Breeding and rearing

Reproduction is not such a simple process. This feature is associated with rarity. It is quite problematic to acquire purebred piglets, and mixing with other breeds can lead to rapid degeneration and deterioration in productive quality at an older age.

If you are the happy owner of Mangal piglets, further breeding will not pose any special problems. Although puberty begins quite early, mating is recommended after reaching the weight mark of 100 kg. This recommendation is due to the fact that a weaker sow will not be able to bear such a number of piglets at one time and produce strong and viable offspring.

The gestation period for piglets is 116-120 days.

The sow can cope with farrowing on her own. However, this fact does not mean that there is no need to look after the animal during this alarming period. In addition, the farrowing process may be disrupted, and both the adult and the newborn piglets may need your help.

Mangal piglets are adapted to independent living from the age of one month without the care of a sow. 5 days after weaning the piglets, the pig can already fully participate in the hunt and is again ready for fertilization. When breeding this breed in a year you can get offspring 2 times.

Unlike other breeds of pigs, piglets do not require vaccinations, since they have strong immunity from birth.

Conditions of detention

The fact that Braziers are undemanding in terms of maintenance does not exclude the basic rules for caring for animals, including:

• balanced diet;
• arrangement of a pigsty, a place for walking animals;
• preventive vaccinations;
• regular cleaning of the premises and disinfection.

The walking area should be fenced with a net to prevent contact of pigs with wild animals and stray dogs. This is one of the rules for disease prevention. The place must be previously examined for the detection of poisonous plants. They can cause poisoning in piglets. It is recommended to equip part of the walking area with a canopy so that the pigs can hide from the scorching rays of the sun or precipitation. Drinkers need to be installed in several places.

Despite the presence of thick wool, the need for a pigsty does not disappear. It needs to be prepared for winter, the walls insulated, cracks sealed to prevent drafts. Periodically during the winter, the bedding of dry hay needs to be changed. The minimum room temperature is 0 degrees. In severe frosts, it is worth considering the method of heating and lighting.

Reference! An important factor in maintaining sanitary conditions in a pig barn is good ventilation.

The intensive growth of Mangal piglets ensures proper feeding of pigs: balanced feed, including greens. Walking in the summer helps enrich the animals' bodies with vitamins and minerals. Additionally, livestock breeders throw into the pen:

1. potato;
2. zucchini;
3. pumpkin;
4. beets;
5. apples, etc.

On the fifth day after the birth of the piglets, they begin to feed them. At this stage, liquid mash and roasted barley grains are used. A growing organism requires mineral feed. For these purposes, the following is added to food:

• chalk;
• clay;
• bone meal, etc.

Three-week-old piglets switch completely to adult food. They happily chew vitamin-rich hay and hard vegetables.

Mangals reach sexual maturity at the age of six months, but it is recommended to use one-year-old individuals for reproduction. Pigs should be mated after the first signs of heat appear. For 116-120 days, a pregnant pig bears her cubs. Mangals handle farrowing on their own, but it is still recommended to supervise the process in case the piglet or the mother herself needs help.

Five days after farrowing, the cubs can be fed. They become independent by the age of one month.

Reference! Livestock farmers often receive two farrows per year. A pig can show heat 5-7 days after the piglets are taken from her.

Feeding Mangals

What to feed

Mangals are herbivorous pets that eat mostly green vegetation. In the summer, there are no problems with feeding. They can eat while walking, and in winter and autumn their diet is filled with pumpkin, hay and other hard vegetables.

Piglets begin to be fed complementary foods on the fifth day, and when they reach three weeks of age, their menu is completely identical to the diet of adult animals. Piglets need vitamin and mineral supplements. Farmers give them in the form of mash.

Advantages and disadvantages

For a more detailed study of the breed, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with its advantages and disadvantages.

Advice from experienced owners

Mangal is a breed of pig that has only positive reviews. At the same time, owners of this breed are ready to give a number of tips to future owners:

• To quickly gain weight and obtain high-quality meat, it is recommended to castrate wild boars.
• Piglets must be weaned from their mother at one month of age - this will make it possible to have 2 litters within a year.
• When keeping free-range pigs, it is important to ensure that there are no poisonous plants on the pasture.
• The pig pen must be fenced to protect it from predators.

It is important to take into account that a lack of exercise can provoke obesity in Mangals, which will inevitably lead to an increase in the weight of cheap lard and a decrease in the weight of meat for which this breed was bred.

Diseases of the breed

One of the advantages of the breed is strong immunity, which is passed down genetically from wild boar. But this fact does not exclude preventive measures to prevent the development of the following diseases.

• Stomatitis is recognized by bad breath and loss of appetite. To eliminate the problem, it is recommended to rinse with a soda solution or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. It is also important to review the diet and replace feed.
• Vitamin deficiency – this disease affects mainly young individuals. The main symptom is a slow growth rate. Vitamin deficiency can be compensated for by adding fortified feed to the diet.
• Poisoning – when free-ranging, animals eat various greens, among which poisonous ones grow. If piglets experience increased salivation, vomiting, diarrhea, and bloating, then the help of a veterinarian will be required. The specialist performs gastric lavage and prescribes sorbents.
• Esophageal blockage – often occurs when piglets are given unlimited amounts of food. A hungry animal, pouncing on food, does not chew it, as a result of which a plug forms in the esophagus or intestines. The problem can be recognized by shortness of breath and increased salivation. If the pig is not given timely assistance, death is possible, so you should not hesitate to call a veterinarian.

Origin of the Brazier pig breed

The history of this unusual breed dates back to 1830 in Hungary, which was then part of the Austrian Empire. One of the local nobles, namely Duke Joseph, came up with the idea of ​​crossing a domestic pig with local wild pigs that lived in the Carpathians. On his orders, livestock breeders fulfilled this idea, using the Mediterranean breed Sumadia as a basis.

The key task that the Duke wanted to implement was the creation of a breed of domestic pigs that would be maximally adapted to the difficult weather conditions of the Carpathian valleys. Despite the extravagance of the entire enterprise, the attempt turned out to be surprisingly successful: the breeders managed to achieve what they wanted in a fairly short time.

However, the result was somewhat unexpected: the resulting pigs were very curly. Otherwise, the set goals were achieved. The new breed of pigs had strong immunity to almost all diseases from which ordinary domestic pigs suffered. They also easily tolerated any weather conditions, including being able to live outside all year round without the need for a full-fledged pigsty. The new breed also had no problems in terms of nutrition, since the pigs could live exclusively on pasture.

The breed, called the Mangalitsa pig, quickly gained popularity in the Hungarian provinces of the Austrian Empire, as well as in the lands of Ukrainian Transcarpathia. They began to breed it especially en masse in monasteries and churches. The advantages of the breed were so obvious and the value so great that in 1833 a law was even passed prohibiting the crossing of Mangalitsa with other breeds.

Soon the fame of the new breed thundered throughout the empire, and the meat and lard of Hungarian pigs gained enormous popularity in Europe in the mid-19th century. Hungarian farmers herded pigs like sheep - in a nomadic herd, which was very convenient given the presence of huge mountain pastures rich in grass. This practice brought farmers huge incomes until the 20th century, when the Carpathian forests began to be actively cut down.

After World War II, the breed was on the verge of extinction. The communist authorities of Hungary and Ukraine did not see the advantages of this breed, so almost the entire population of Mangal pigs was put under the knife. By 1970, their number did not exceed two hundred.

Fortunately, the Hungarians came to their senses in time and already in the 1980s a program to restore the breed began to operate. A little later - in 1994 - the Hungarian government even established the National Association of Mangalica Pig Breeders.

At the beginning of the 21st century, Austrian, British and American livestock breeders joined in the restoration of the breed, and a little later, Ukrainian farmers and, on a much smaller scale, Russian farmers began to actively import these pigs.

Price

You can buy 1.5-2 month old Mangal piglets for 3,500-5,000 rubles. A pregnant sow will cost about 15,000 rubles; for a fence they ask for more - 25,000 rubles.

Since the breed is considered rare in Russia, unscrupulous sellers often pass off completely different varieties of artiodactyls as Mangal. When choosing piglets, it is recommended to personally visit the farm. There you can see with your own eyes the parents of the babies for sale and their breed. This way the risk of being deceived will be minimal.

In the neighboring country of Ukraine, barbecues are more popular, so there are plenty of offers. Another option is to purchase animals there, but you should take into account additional travel costs and documents required to move piglets across the border.

Adult pig and piglet of the Mangal breed

Where to keep

Pigs of the Mangal breed are large in size, so they require a lot of space for keeping and walking. Mangal piglets are kept in a fenced area. Walking areas are organized in areas with dense vegetation so that the pigs can feast on greenery whenever they want.

It is necessary to install a separate canopy in the walking area so that the pigs can hide from the rain and heat. For winter maintenance it is necessary to build a shed. A bedding of straw or hay is placed on the floor of the barn. No additional heating is required.

It is best to build a pig shed from wood. The pigsty must be equipped with a ventilation system. An important point in keeping pigs is maintaining an optimal indoor microclimate; it is also important to avoid unsanitary conditions. The litter must be changed regularly.

Reviews

Nikolay, Sergeevich, 56 years old, Tver region.

I have been growing Mangals for the fourth season. The maintenance is quite simple, the strong immunity of the piglets allows us to exclude most of the preventive measures that were carried out with the Lithuanian White. The meat yield is 30 percent more. For feed I use everything that is grown in the garden, I buy only mineral supplements.

Valentina, 49 years old, Rostov region.

For two years I decided to purchase Mangal piglets; interest in the breed took over. During my vacation last year, I went to visit relatives in the Sumy region, in Ukraine. There I saw a farm breeding Mangals. She brought home three one and a half month old piglets. Even the costs of paperwork ended up being less expensive than the proposals in Russia.

There were no problems with maintenance and feeding; the pig gained weight steadily. The overall impression was excellent; I liked raising Mangals even more than Vietnamese pigs. Therefore, she left one girl to breed the breed on her farm. But now you need to pick up a boy, and they are so expensive.

Antonina Mikhailovna, 63 years old, Lipetsk region.

A neighbor gave me a pig, Mangal, for my birthday. The striped cub turned out to be a boy. I wanted to castrate, but after I learned about the qualities of the breed, I decided to keep the piglet for further breeding. The girl was bought in another region. Two years later we already had a farm of 23 Mangals. Selling offspring turned out to be a good business. Only three 1.5 year old pigs were slaughtered, the meat turned out to be very tasty. True, the sebaceous layer is rather thin, but this is typical for the breed.

Watch a video about breeding Mangal pigs:

Prospects for breeding the Mangal pig breed in Russia

Hungarian downy pigs are captivating primarily because, subject to certain maintenance conditions, they provide very low production costs. Accordingly, it is very profitable to breed them where there is enough free land suitable for pasture. Taking into account the low population density in many regions of our country and the presence of huge untapped land resources, the prospects for this breed in the Russian Federation are indeed very great.

First of all, the breed will be of interest to amateur pig farmers, that is, ordinary village residents. By fencing off a small plot of not even rented land, but simply no-man's land, you can successfully establish the breeding of the barbecue breed of pigs on it without any costs.

But farmers will have to make sure that their pigs graze on a purchased or appropriately registered plot of land. Fortunately, in many regions of Russia, land is very cheap, so there will not be large expenses. Considering that at least one and a half to two dozen pigs can be grazed on one hectare, the benefits are obvious.

But for large pig-breeding complexes that practice modern stall keeping of pigs, this breed is not suitable. In closed premises, barbecues cannot compete with pigs of other breeds in terms of profitability and productivity.

Some facts from the history of the breed

This hybrid species is the result of crossing Carpathian Mangalitsa pigs and wild boars from Western Europe. Similar breeding work was carried out at the beginning of the 19th century in Hungary. From their wild “relatives”, of which this species has slightly less than half of their genes, barbecue pigs received such a quality as unpretentiousness to the conditions in which they live, as well as to their diet. These individuals can easily eat green food, like cows or goats, while gaining good weight, but not a layer of fat. Therefore, they are rightfully considered the elite of pigs in meat productivity.

However, in a small farm, it is quite difficult to breed such pigs, since there are some maintenance nuances that the owners of a small farm cannot always carry out. Therefore, for the most part, Mangal pigs can be found on large pig farms, where breeders can create appropriate conditions for their existence.

Unfortunately, farmers rarely sell young animals of this breed, so the cost of these piglets on the market is quite high. And you should remember: before you decide to raise young animals of the Mangal breed, you need to thoroughly learn from competent breeders how to raise these piglets.