Duroc pig breed: photo, description, characteristics, reviews

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Pig breeding is one of the most profitable livestock industries. In the world, more than a hundred breeds of pigs of various productivity directions are bred and grown. The second largest breed of pigs on the planet is Duroc. Among others, it is distinguished by good indicators of feed payback, daily live weight gain and meat quality. Experts recommend it for breeding both in pig complexes and in small households or farms.

History

The birthplace of the Duroc pig breed (photo in the text) is America. It is the product of the collective labor of thousands of American farmers. During the conquest of the continent, the settlers brought with them many domestic animals, including pigs. When breeding them, local livestock breeders, at their discretion, crossed the available material. The colonization of the North American continent required a large amount of food.

Farmers sought to obtain an early maturing large breed adapted to local conditions. Several breeds served as the basis at once: Guinean, Portuguese, Spanish, and later Bershire. Maternal consider Guinean, imported from West Africa, large animals with red thick bristles. The spontaneous nature of breeding work has led to the emergence of a diverse livestock of pigs.

There were two main types in it: jersey and duroc. The first differed in size, late ripeness, lop-earedness (the ears closed their eyes), and rough bones. They were bred in the state of New Jersey, hence the name. The latter were smaller, distinguished by precocity, lighter bones and excellent meat qualities. The main stock was concentrated in the state of New York.

The history of the name of the Duroc breed is rather curious. In 1823, a piglet was born to one of the farmers. He grew into a magnificent boar with an excellent smooth body, and it was he who became the ancestor of the breed. The owner of the boar had a fairly well-known trotting stallion Duroc. His nickname passed to a magnificent example of red pigs. All his descendants automatically received the name Duroc.

By crossing these two breeds, the breeders got precocious animals with a light skeleton, a little smaller than a jersey. In 1883, the Duroc Jersey breed received official status. Both parent breeds are mentioned in the name. Over time, the name was shortened to "Duroc".

In pig breeding, breeds are divided into groups, independing on the direction of productivity:

• Universal. The most numerous, animals of the meat and tallow direction, are characterized by high precocity and a large number of offspring.
• Bacon and meat direction. The most popular, the main advantage is lean meat. The amount of fat on the carcasses is small.
• Greasy. Carcasses have a very high percentage of fat. The advantage is that they feed well.
• Decorative. They have no special economic value. Mostly bred as pets.

Initially, the breed was greasy, but a change in demand made it necessary to continue breeding work with Duroc-Jersey in the bacon direction. It successfully ended with obtaining individuals with the desired characteristics.

Distribution

Distribution throughout the North American continent, the Duroc breed of pigs is due to immigrants. The "finishing" of the breed continued in many states: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Nebraska. For their large size, endurance, adaptability to grazing, the ability to improve other breeds and high-quality meat, animals have become widespread throughout the world.

The meat breed of Duroc pigs is popular not only in the USA, it is bred in China and in many European countries. The Middle East, due to traditions, does not develop pig breeding. Animals came to the territory of the USSR in the 70s of the last century. They were mainly used to improve local livestock. Boars with increased meat heredity (terminal) served as the basis for breeding new meatcrosses.

At present, the Ukrainian type of Duroc is being bred in Ukraine based on the genotypes of Czech, English and American selection. There are about 5,000 individuals, of which 360 are sows. Duroc boars of Ukrainian selection gain weight up to 325 kg, sows - up to 260 kg.

Description

Short description of Duroc pigs:

• Torso. Medium length, deep and wide. The chest and muscular withers are wide. The back has the form of a smooth arc. The sacrum is strong and well formed. The sides are long, the ribs are well shaped. There are 14 nipples on the belly, 7 on each side, the distance between them is large.
• Limbs. Tall, straight and strong. The forelegs are rather large with well-developed, powerful toes. Hind limbs with elastic and flexible hocks. The hams are well executed, muscular, wide, long.
• Head. Small, somewhat concave profile, hairless snout, ears look forward, their tips are lowered.
• Neck. Short-haired, long-haired.
• Stubble. Coarse, most of the body is covered with hair, there is none at the bottom on the legs, snout, ears (sometimes slightly pubescent).
• Suit. The main red, there are shades from golden (with yellowness) to dark cherry.
• Character. Calm, not shy, balanced animals, good-natured attitude towards relatives and other animals. Not aggressive towards humans. Calmly and quickly adapt to new conditions of feeding and keeping.

Productivity characteristic

Describing Duroc pigs (phototypical representative in the text), first of all, its precocity is noted. Two factors contribute to this:

• decent weight of newborn piglets from 1,100 grams to 1,600;
• high average daily gains from 750 to 950 grams (record - 1016).

By the age of two months, the total weight of the litter can reach 200 kg, and the number of goals does not exceed 11. With proper fattening, young animals easily gain 100 kg up to 6 months. The cost per 1 kg of weight gain is 3.7-3.8 feed units. The yield of meat from the carcass is up to 80%, the thickness of the fat layer along the spine line is up to 2 cm. Such indicators guarantee the profitability of breeding Duroc pigs. Reviews of the excellent taste of marbled meat provide a permanent market for products. The content of intermuscular fat in meat can be up to 4%.

Adult individuals practically do not differ in size. The body length of males is 180-185 cm, only 5 cm longer than that of females. The weight of a boar can reach 350 kg, pigs are lighter - 300 kg. A sow gives birth to an average of 8-11 piglets. A small number of babies makes breeding this breed for the purpose of selling young animals unprofitable.

Feeding

Young animals at the age of 2 months are put on fattening, when a live weight of 1 centner is reached, the pigs are sent for slaughter (if the piglets were not raised for breeding purposes). To gain 100 kg in 180 days, animals need high-quality protein feed. You can include the following in your diet:

• vegetables (potatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, carrots, beets,pumpkin and others);
• cereals (barley, wheat, oats);
• legumes (peas, soybeans);
• acorns;
• dairy products (whey, skim and others);
• bran;
• fresh grass;
• hay or hay flour;
• cake;
• compound feed;
• fish and fish waste;
• meat and bone, fishmeal;
• waste from the table (bread, etc.).

Features of the breed require compliance with certain rules when fattening young animals. If a large amount of grain is present in the diet, then the percentage of fat increases, while the meat qualities of the carcass are lost. When fed with fish or fish waste, the meat may acquire a fishy taste and smell. It is not recommended to give silage to animals - its acidity reduces the digestibility of feed. In addition, finding high-quality silo is quite problematic. Waste from the table cannot be the basis of the diet, they go as an additive to it.

Young animals need a balanced diet, so mineral supplements are added to the diet: 30 grams of s alt, 25 grams of chalk. Pig vitamins are obtained from fresh grass on the range. The frequency of feeding is twice a day in summer, in the rest of the year - three times. This will help to obtain a high-quality, uniform carcass in its composition. Animals must have constant access to fresh water.

Contents

Undemanding to the place of residence - this is not about Duroc pigs. Description (the photo in the article shows a spacious enclosure) conditions of detention:

• Minimum requirements: a warm pigsty and a spacious aviary for walking (grass is better).
• A pet shed should be warm and spacious. Bred in a mild (compared to Russia) climate, pigs do not tolerate severe frosts, drafts and dampness.
• Mobile, fun-loving, non-aggressive Durocs need daily exercise. Equipped with a fairly high fence (young animals easily jump over low barriers), the enclosure should be large. It is equipped with a canopy, drinkers and feeders. They are released for a walk from early spring until the first frost. It is being built close to the pigsty, providing free access to the street.
• In winter, at the time of farrowing, the air temperature in the room cannot be less than +250С. A well-insulated, well-built barn is suitable for the life of kids.
• The area of the room depends on the direction of cultivation. For breeding animals, at least 4 m2 is required per head. With group fattening or in pens, the area depends on sex and age, it should provide a comfortable life for pigs.
• The floor is preferably concrete or asph alt, with plenty of bedding made of straw, hay, sawdust. A variant of a wooden floor raised above the ground is possible.

Compliance with high requirements for humidity and temperature conditions is helped by the installation of climate control. Violation of the maintenance regime leads to diseases of conjunctivitis and rhinitis.

Breeding

The above productivecharacteristic of Duroc pigs makes breeding animals at home unprofitable. Small (on average up to 9 heads) farrowings do not justify the year-round maintenance of thoroughbred breeding pigs. Although there are no particular difficulties in rearing young animals.

Sows are distinguished by a strong maternal instinct, they treat their offspring very carefully. Livestock safety at weaning up to 93%. From one individual per year, you can get no more than 20 piglets (usually 15-17), compared to other breeds (30 or more), this is not much.

Duroc pigs are ready to mate at the age of 7-8 months. Signs of hunting are common for representatives of this species of animals. The pig refuses water and food, its motor activity increases, reddening of the genital mucosa is observed. The duration of the hunt is 48 hours.

Experts do not recommend covering animals on the first day of hunting. The next day, mating is carried out twice with an interval of 12 hours. The ideal option is to cover with two different boars.

Piglets

Despite the mother's care, without human intervention, the litter may not survive. A very small amount of milk in a sow does not allow piglets to grow only on suction. From the first days of life, they need to be fed. Moreover, the feed must necessarily contain copper, iron, vitamins, macro- and microelements. Special additives containing the necessary substances are also added. Without such help, babies fall ill with rickets and noticeably lag behind in development.

WhenWith a properly selected diet, piglets gain up to 2.5 kg in two weeks, and up to 6 kg per month. Be sure to quickly gain weight and proper development, frequent walks in the fresh air are recommended. In the warm season, the content of the grown young on the pasture can be around the clock. Young pigs grow very quickly, adding 700-900 grams daily, and reach a weight of 100 kg at 160-180 days.

Benefits

In the post-Soviet space, there are a lot of people who want to breed these animals, especially after studying the productive characteristics of Duroc pigs. Feedback from pig breeders confirms the advantages of the breed:

• precocity;
• excellent meat quality;
• high slaughter meat yield;
• mascara uniformity;
• adaptability to grazing;
• phlegmatic, calm, balanced character;
• stress resistance;
• excellent breed for improving local livestock and producing highly productive hybrids and breeding new breeds.

Great marbled meat is always in demand and costs a lot of money.

Flaws

The confirmed fact that the breed has been confidently ranked second in the world for more than one year speaks of its demand. Separate nuances do not allow animals of this breed to come out on top. The characteristics of Duroc pigs are slightly spoiled by the following points:

• low fertility;
• when fed with fish waste, the meat is saturated with the smell and taste of fish;
• heat-loving;
• demand quality protein nutrition;
• does not tolerate violations of sanitary standards (drafts, dust, dampness, dirt, cold);
• low nutritional value of milk in sows;
• prone to runny nose (atrophic rhinitis);
• a common vice is the incorrect position of the limbs.

Where to buy?

Duroc pigs are the most correct to buy in specialized breeding farms. It is difficult to find purebred individuals in small private farms - it is unprofitable to grow young animals in them for a tribe. A subwoofer that looks like red pigs will not have the characteristics of a purebred animal.

Geographically breeding of Durocs in Russia is limited. More thoroughbred animals can be found in Ukraine or Belarus. The price for a two-month-old baby for fattening is about $20 (1,150 rubles), a piglet for breeding will “pull” a large amount - $200 (11,500 rubles). Experienced pig breeders recommend taking animals for fattening - investments will definitely pay off and bring profit.