Animals

How long do pigs live at home and in the wild, average

How long do pigs live at home and in the wild, average
Anonim

Increasingly, animal lovers are wondering how many years pigs live in the wild and in captivity. Pigs do not cause allergies, they are smart, well trained, they remember more commands than dogs, so they are increasingly being adopted by city dwellers as pets.

Average life expectancy of a pig

Wild pigs live in natural conditions, decorative breeds - in houses and apartments. Animals raised for meat, fat, are kept in pigsties. Living conditions are different, so the average life expectancy is different.

In the wild

The life of wild boars in natural conditions is fraught with dangers, it is threatened by predators and humans. Until the maximum biological age, wild pigs survive only in captivity. In zoos, some animals are kept up to 35 years old. In nature, individuals who have lived 20 years are rare.

Boars live less than wild boars. They often risk their lives to protect their offspring. The body of females wears out faster. They bear and feed piglets, they are constantly under stress. On average, wild pigs live for about 10 years.

At home

In pigs raised for fattening, the life span directly depends on the precocity of the breed. The faster the piglets gain weight, the less they live. It is easier to estimate the average life expectancy of domestic pigs from purebred breeding animals and pet piglets.

Pedigree boars in good conditions live up to 35 years. Purebred females are not kept for long, they are usually slaughtered after the 6th farrowing. In rare cases, thoroughbred sows are kept for 15 years. During this time, they bring piglets 20 times.

Decorative pigs are grown in the house, apartment. These are dwarf breeds, there are about 30 of them, the common name of the variety is mini-pigs. These pigs die naturally from old age and disease. Low-growing varieties live for about 8 years, some individuals die at the age of 10-15 years.

How long domestic pigs live

The life resources of an organism are determined by genetics. Therefore, first of all, the life expectancy of piglets depends on hereditary factors, and secondly - on the purpose of the breed.

According to statistics, varieties bred in Asian countries live longer than their relatives from Europe.

Landrace Pigs

This is a breed of bacon bred in England. The dimensions of adult boars and sows are impressive, the body is proportional. Pigs of the Landrace breed can live 15-20 years, even in adulthood they actively move, despite a decent weight.With industrial breeding, piglets gain 100 kg by 6 months and are slaughtered.

Duroc

Pig breeders use this breed, originating from American and Canadian varieties, for breeding purposes. By crossing with pigs of other breeds, productive, early maturing hybrids with high quality meat are obtained. The biological life expectancy of breeding animals of the Duroc breed does not exceed 20 years.

White breed

These pigs don't live past 15 years. Animals are mobile, resistant to stress. The meat and fat of white breed pigs is of high quality, so the breed is popular with pig breeders in Russia and other countries. Purebred boars and sows are used in breeding. Using their genetic material, they bred new productive breeds of pigs (Kemerovo, Belorussian, Urzhumskaya).

Barbecue

Hardy animals obtained in Hungary by crossing wild boars and domestic pigs.They have a medium-sized torso covered with thick hair, strong limbs, a broad chest, and a straight back. Thick wool protects animals from hypothermia, most of the life of Mangal pigs spend on pasture, live up to 25 years.

Vietnamese

This breed is popular among Americans as a decorative breed. In the US, it is more often started by owners of country houses. Adults gain weight up to 45-100 kg, so there are problems when keeping a bellied Vietnamese pig in a city apartment. Pets live up to 30 years.

Factors affecting life expectancy

Pets do not need to look for food, water, lodging for the night, to escape from predators. The conditions for life are created by man. The longevity of pigs depends on their quality.

Food

Feeding regimen and diet depends on the physiological state of the animal. For example, pregnant sows should not be overfed, they need a lot of fiber during gestation.But during lactation, feed is needed 2 times more, and supplements (vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, lysine, protein) are introduced into the diet of a lactating pig to maintain vitality. Producer boars have a special diet. It contributes to the formation of high-quality sperm before mating and quick recovery after mating, important feed elements:

  • protein;
  • crude fiber;
  • methionine;
  • cystine.

A wild boar consumes 3-4 kg of feed per day, containing pea and fish meal, reverse (dry), hay in winter, fresh vegetables and greens in summer. Decorative and productive pigs of any breed should not be given foods that cause indigestion: sugar, s alt, spices, smoked meats.

Care and maintenance

In the south, pigs live most of the year on pasture, in temperate climates they are kept in pigsties.In most breeds, temperatures below 10 ° C cause stress, weakening of the immune system, so the home is made warm. In cold winter conditions, piglets are heated with infrared lamps. Weaned piglets will not survive if the temperature falls below 20°C. In addition to temperature, life expectancy is affected by:

  • air humidity;
  • walking area, pigsty per 1 animal;
  • presence, absence of drafts;
  • lighting.

A sow with offspring needs an area of at least 9 m², an adult boar needs 6 m². With crowded content, animals are more likely to get sick and die. The main care for pigs comes down to providing feed, water, and keeping the pigsty clean.

Disease prevention

Timely vaccination is the key to the longevity of any animal kept in captivity.The planned introduction of vaccines forms the immunity of the pig, helps to cope with parasites, viruses, bacteria. Pigs are vaccinated from birth against worms and diseases that are registered in the region of residence. There are diseases that lead to premature death of pigs. Dangerous veterinarians call rickets. This disease affects the entire body of the piglet. The cardiovascular system and organs of the musculoskeletal system suffer.

Immunity is reduced with anemia - a pathology of the circulatory system. Nervous disorders caused by Aujeszky's disease lead to death.

To reduce the likelihood of diseases, animals are provided with optimal conditions, checked for worms, timely deworming, treatment of infectious and viral diseases.

Pig life is also extended in other ways. Boars are castrated, they live longer after castration.In sows, the number of pregnancies is monitored. Carrying and feeding offspring depletes the body. On a farm and a private farmstead, the life of meat piglets lasts 7-9 months, greasy breeds are sent for slaughter later, after 10 months. Breeding boars and sows are kept for 5-6 years. Under optimal conditions, pigs not raised for slaughter live for several decades.

This page in other languages: