Ukrainian steppe white. Distinctive features of the pig breed - Ukrainian

Pigs of the Ukrainian steppe white variety, due to their own productivity characteristics, belong to the meat-fat or universal direction. As you know, the territories of southern Ukraine, where pigs are most common, are quite arid, but such terrain conditions are excellent for the variety. It is also known that pets have a high level of resistance and can quickly adapt and acclimatize. Representatives of this breed do not need special conditions content. Pigs also have the ability to quickly digest any feed, even those that contain minimal amount nutrients. If we compare this variety with representatives of purebred large white pigs, then the Ukrainian steppe whites are rougher and are significantly superior in living in the arid territories of southern Ukraine, which is quite a big difference.

Initially, before breeding the presented variety, a special purpose was created. The new breed was required high level adaptability to living in dry areas. Because the steppe regions of Ukraine are quite favorable for further breeding of pigs, it has excellent conditions for the development of pig farming, but, unfortunately, there were no pigs that could adapt well and feel comfortable in these areas. Many experiments have been carried out in such regions. Local pig breeders each time tried to somehow develop pig breeding, but no matter what foreign cultural varieties were brought to the dry territories, the pets could not adapt and adapt, and the local varieties were late-ripening, and this is a rather disadvantageous disadvantage.

A livestock specialist by profession, Mikhail Fedorovich Ivanov, set before breeding a variety certain characteristics that future representatives should have. The target characteristics included: a high level of endurance and productivity, and the main difference was the ability to quickly adapt to the southern conditions of Ukraine. The main task of adaptation, ultimately, was to match the ability of local pigs to adapt.

It is known that with the help of reproductive crossing one can achieve the desired final result, only the process takes quite a long time, which cannot be said about how the revival of the Ukrainian steppe white variety took place. It took only eight years to develop the presented breed (from 1926 to 1934). The initially set goal was achieved using the method of reproductive crossing of sows that lived in local territories and boars of the large white variety.

The successfully bred Ukrainian variety has high productive qualities. Thus, an adult male representative has a live weight of 330-350 kg ( highest result weight category of boars becomes 423 kg). In turn, a mature female representative weighs approximately 225-260 kg (the record holder has 368 kg of live weight). The body length of boars averages 175-190 cm ( maximum length 215 cm), and the body length of sows is 160-170 (maximum body length is 186 cm). One of the advantages of the variety is the high level of reproductive ability in males, as well as multiple births in females. Practice has shown that in one farrow a mother pig gives life to twelve to twenty piglets, which is extremely rare. The milk production of a sow, which is true, does not correspond to the number of newborns, only 55-65 kg (higher milk production numbers are rare).

The creator of the presented variety, M.F. Ivanov, after the successful results of the created breed, created a certain technique, which is still highly valued among the breed formation of our country. To a large extent, animal husbandry methods have become successful enterprises in production. That is, there are certain rules for breeding pigs, which contribute to certain characteristics in the results. So, let's consider a well-known technique.

Firstly, in order to accumulate a sufficient number of local young representatives and increase them, it is necessary to perform the following actions:

1. To cross, using the method of reproductive crossing, the best representatives of sows from first-generation crosses with sires of the cultivated variety.
2. Of these, carefully select the most best representatives, which correspond to the set goal. Strictly reject those pets that do not meet all the necessary requirements.
3. Cross selected animals with local sows using the initial method.

Secondly, it is necessary to consolidate the heredity of local pig representatives of the second generation. To do this, pets must produce a new generation within certain limits of inbreeding or “in themselves.” Only the best pets should take part in the new stage, and new generations of the variety must be subject to strict rejection.

Thirdly, the created unrelated groups need to be improved with the help of the best boars that were born in purebred breeding.

Fourthly, it is imperative to carry out a targeted selection in order to consolidate the results already obtained and consolidate existing qualities.

Fifthly, a new young generation needs to be raised in full-fledged areas of the zone for which the variety was originally bred.

The founder of the Ukrainian steppe white pigs was a male representative named Askany I. The pet was created by crossing a local sow number 230 and a boar called Samson 15. The resulting pet had a fairly massive and developed constitution. The representative’s torso reached 186 cm, the circumference of the chest behind the scapular region was 173 cm, and the live weight was 375 kg. All the qualities of the boar were quite good, so the second generation was selected exclusively based on similar characteristics. In order to prevent internal breed matings from occurring in the future, which could spoil the high productivity of the variety, Ivanov M. F. developed intra-breed varieties of lines of uterine families. Thus, boars of one family were mated with sows of another family. But, the main rule of such crossing was the desired characteristics of the future offspring.

During the period of creation of the Ukrainian steppe white variety, the livestock specialist developed three separate lines of male representatives and about ten new types of female representatives. It was these pets that served as the foundation for the testing process new variety. Since the famous livestock scientist died in 1935, and the work to improve representatives of this variety needed further progress, the “Ukrainian Research Institute of Livestock Husbandry of the Steppe Regions named after Mikhail Fedorovich Ivanov” took up the matter. At the institute, the above-mentioned breed was developed, new and previously established qualities were bred, lines of various families were developed, and a plan was developed for further improvements of the pets. The main leader of the project was the Soviet researcher “Vaskhnil” - Leonid Kondratievich Grebnya.

The newly bred representatives of the Ukrainian steppe white variety, due to their exterior characteristics, differ significantly from the variety of large white pigs. So, pets have similar external characteristics: a massive body; powerful skeletal system; straight and massive back area; convex large rib cage and abdominal part; well developed hams; medium-sized, powerful legs; the head is small; slightly curved profile; neatly placed on the head bigger ears that hang heavily over the eyes. Pig skin is quite elastic and dense. The entire body area is abundantly covered with stubble on the skin layer. The bristles are of medium length, quite thick and hard. Representatives of the Ukrainian steppe white breed are characterized by a predominantly light cream or white color.

The level of formation and productive data of the variety is actually not inferior to the level of large white pets. On average, an adult boar weighs from 300 to 350 kg, and a sow weighs 200-240 kg.

Sows are characterized by multiple births; it is known that the number of babies per farrow is approximately 10-13 piglets. Milk production reaches 60-90 kg. State studies of the variety have shown that during maternal fattening, the average live weight gain in a baby will range from 700 to 800 grams, and required amount feed per kilogram of weight gain - 3.5-4.5 feed units. Already at the age of 180 days (6 months), piglets grow up independent and reach a hundred kilogram weight.

Pets that were bred in the territories of a breeding plant called “Sivashsky” took part in the research processes, where control fattening took place in the period 1969-1971. The results showed that the young animals had a live weight of about one hundred kilograms already at two months of age. On average, in one day the piglets gained approximately 700 grams of live weight, and the consumption per kilogram of weight gain was 4.5 feed units. The meat productivity of the presented variety was one of the highest. The circumference of the muscle eye area becomes approximately 28.5-29.5 cm, the width of the back fat is 2.5-3.0 cm. During breeding, boars were often encountered that had even higher performance than the average. For example, the distant descendants of a representative of boars, who was called Mirny 707, had an average daily weight gain of 750 grams over the entire fattening interval, while the consumption of feed mixtures per kilogram of gain did not exceed 3.5-3.8 feed units, and at six months of age the pets weighed about one hundred kilograms.

Some of the representatives weigh more than 400 kg. For example, a male representative named Fighter 899, aged approximately two and a half years, had a live weight of 415 kg, and the body dimensions were 190 cm in length and 182 cm in chest circumference.

The female representative of this variety, whose name was Culture 460, had 285 kg of live weight, with a body length of 172 cm. The maximum recorded fertility of a sow was 12 babies per farrowing, and milk production was 76 kg.

The presented variety of Ukrainian steppe white pets is quite popular in certain circles of keeping. Animals are used for productive economic breeding and industrial crossing processes. It was this variety that became the basis for the development of a new type of Ukrainian varieties - the Ukrainian steppe pockmarked, the invention of which was carried out by animal husbandry scientist Leonid Kondratievich Greben.

The presented variety of pigs needs further improvements in meat qualities, as well as improving the intensity of pigs' precocity.

In the conditions of modern Ukraine, the outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) is a death sentence for the entire pig industry and real threat hunger in the villages. Previously, ASF, dozens of cases of which have been recorded in Ukraine since 2012, bypassed the livestock business. The first major victim of the virus today is the Kalita agricultural complex in the Kyiv region, one of the ten largest Ukrainian pork producers according to the industry Association of Pig Breeders.

"Kalita" by last week contained a herd of 61 thousand 200 pigs. According to the instructions for the prevention and control of ASF, all these animals must be destroyed. A quarantine zone has been established around the agricultural complex within a radius of 3 km.

Interestingly, Since last year, all insurance companies have refused to insure farmers against ASF. According to the chairman of the board of Kalita, Yuri Zhikharev, all insurance companies, both domestic and foreign, refuse to work with the risk of this disease in Ukraine. That is, the insurers knew something, understood the real danger of the epidemic, and therefore refused what seemed like a surefire income.

The agricultural company estimated direct losses, including lost livestock, feed supplies and equipment unsuitable for further use, at 170 million hryvnia. And this minimum amount— in reality, it will take twice as much to resume work.

“The quarantine is lifted six months from the date of slaughter of pigs, and their breeding in a disadvantaged area is permitted no earlier than a year after the quarantine is lifted. That is, it will be possible to import these animals in at least a year and a half,” emphasizes CEO"Center for Improving Efficiency in Livestock Husbandry" Nikolay Babenko.

Moreover. All countries that allow such ASF outbreaks are deprived of the right to export pork for at least three months. And after this period, the resumption of supplies from each specific region depends on the epizootic situation in it. Which has yet to be assessed by independent international experts.

In addition, there is also a problem with grain. The International Office of Epizootics does not formally ban the export of grain from a country with an ASF outbreak. However, it notifies all countries about the risks of importing grain from Ukraine. You can imagine what will happen - who wants to buy risky grain, and even at normal prices. But grain today is the main export item of the Kyiv regime. It is grain, sunflower oil and metal that account for more than half of foreign exchange earnings.

The authorities had only 72 hours to implement protective measures - and these 72 hours have long since passed. But three days was enough to carry out complete depopulation at the agricultural complex and temporarily limit the movement of personnel between the pig farm and the surrounding areas. They didn’t do this (of course! these are crests!). So far, the State Veterinary and Phytoservice only proposes to depopulate wild boars in the Chernigov, Rivne, Sumy, Zhytomyr and Kyiv regions. Please note that she has not started to destroy them, but is only suggesting!

In the ruins of Ukraine there are now about 2.5 million pigs in agricultural enterprises alone. Of these, about 2 million are in regions where ASF has already been detected. In fact, the destruction of this livestock is a loss of approximately $4 billion. Plus the disinfection of buildings and equipment is most likely the same amount. Plus private farmsteads, where the livestock is comparable. Plus, the complete destruction of all wild boars is required. Plus, something needs to be done with feed grain and places where it is stored...

Will pigs be slaughtered en masse in Ukraine? Hardly. Just as they won’t do everything else. They will raise plague pigs and eat them, and make lard and sausage out of them, and sell them to feeble-minded idiots who are greedy for “Ukrainian products.”

By the way, thanks to the brothers from sunny Georgia. And separately - the American microbiological laboratory located there.

Victor Kalinin

Pig farmer with 12 years of experience

Articles written

The Ukrainian steppe white breed of pigs is the first domestic breed of domesticated animal, which was bred by the famous academician Ivanov. He was faced with the task of obtaining an animal that would belong to a cultivated breed and have a high level of productivity. Thanks to this, the Ukrainian steppe breed was born - these are pigs from which you can get a lot of meat and a sufficient amount of lard. Description, characteristics, advantages of the breed - everything a person involved in animal husbandry needs to know.

The Ukrainian white steppe pig has all the qualities that are suitable for living on the territory of Ukraine. Animals are hardy and not picky, which allows them to adapt to any climatic conditions countries.

The steppe breed appeared in 1934. The experiments that allowed the animal to be bred continued for many years. Scientists have not been able to achieve this for a long time desired result. After many years, Academician Ivanov managed to create his plan. Just like many years ago, today the scientist’s method of breeding pigs is incredibly successful among farmers and livestock breeders.

The main points of his methodology are that only the best sows of local origin and no worse boars are used for crossing pigs. It is recommended to breed offspring in the territory where the breed was bred. This is very important; typical steppe food and climate contribute to the best adaptation and productivity of the animal.

White steppe pigs, as a rule, live in Ukraine; they can most often be found in the south of the country. Less commonly, this breed is bred in the Krasnodar and Rostov regions of the Russian Federation. Armenia, Turkmenistan and Moldova are countries where Ukrainian white pigs are often bred today.

Photo of an animal in a commercial farm

Characteristics of the white steppe pig

The pig of this breed differs from other animals in the following characteristics:

• strong body structure along with powerful and durable ribs;
• the body is quite wide and long; the maximum length of a sow can be 186 cm, while the body of a boar extends to 215 cm;
• an elongated head, which is not typical for other animals;
• the legs are short but powerful, the hams stand out well against the general background of the body;
• the skin is quite thick, covered with hard hair;
• skin color is white, in accordance with the name.

While most pigs have large, protruding ears, the Ukrainian Steppe Pig boasts small ears that droop slightly forward.

The weight of boars can start from 250 kg and end at 400 kg. But the weight of a mature sow varies in the range from 200 to 250 kg. The weight of an animal directly depends on its diet, age and other factors.

bred in the Chapli reserve (formerly Askania-Nova) by crossing a Ukrainian simple local pig with boars of a large white English breed. U.S. b. With. differs from the large English white in its stronger constitution, rougher appearance, greater endurance and adaptability to the hot steppe climate. Live weight of queens at 12 months. 160 kg, at 2% approx. 220 kg. Boars in 2-2% year weigh 250-300 kg.

Ukrainian steppe white pig, boar and uterus.

Group of queens U. s. b. s, being on the Askania-Nova state farm in exactly the same conditions with a group of queens of the large white English breed good lines and families in the hot, arid zone of the south, provide the following advantages over the large white - a lower percentage of barrenness and large quantity live normal (15-20%) piglets in the litter (fertility 8-12 piglets). Piglets develop better and more of them remain under the uterus at weaning (less mortality).

Agricultural dictionary-reference book. - Moscow - Leningrad: State publishing house of collective farm and state farm literature "Selkhozgiz". Chief Editor: A. I. Gaister. 1934 .

See what "UKRAINIAN STEPPE WHITE PIG" is in other dictionaries:

PIG- a domestic, artiodactyl animal of the genus true pigs (Sus) of the pig family. S. originated from different subspecies of wild boar (European and Asian). Domesticated in the 5th and 3rd millennium BC. e. V East Asia and some areas of Europe... ... Veterinary encyclopedic dictionary

Domestic, comes from European and Indian wild boars and pigs. From the first species came the indigenous European breeds, and from the second the Asian domestic breeds. From the mixing of domestic Asian breeds with European ones, modern English breeds were obtained... Agricultural dictionary-reference book

DOMESTIC PIG, a cloven-hoofed, non-ruminant animal of the pig family (see PIGS). Forefather domestic pig there was a boar. But the origins of the domestic pig are complex and largely unclear. Obviously, there were three different centers of wild boar domestication... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

This family includes the most widespread non-ruminant animals with an elongated snout ending in a snout on which the nostrils open. The limbs are four-fingered with well-developed but shorter lateral fingers... Biological encyclopedia

The first pigs were domesticated by humans eight thousand years ago, and currently there are more than a hundred species of them on Earth. The breed called “White Pig” was bred in 1934 by academician M.F. Ivanov, by crossing female Ukrainian steppe pigs with English white boars.

The goal was to obtain a new variety of these farm animals, the representatives of which should have high productive qualities and at the same time easily adapt to the arid climatic conditions of southern Ukraine.

To achieve the desired result, the method of inbreeding or inbreeding was used, followed by culling of weak animals, as well as individuals with insufficiently expressed characteristics of the new breed.

The resulting individuals inherited the height, weight, precocity and fattening qualities of their English ancestors, but unlike them, they showed a lower percentage of barrenness (lack of offspring) and mortality of young animals in the hot steppe climate. In addition, they were good at absorbing poor nutrients feed and in general were more unpretentious to the conditions of detention.

After the approval of this breed in 1932, the white pig became widespread in the south of Ukraine, where it occupied one of the first places in terms of livestock numbers. Currently, it can also be found in the territories of other states, such as Russia, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Armenia. According to the type of productivity, it belongs to the universal or meat-and-fat breeds.

Like its English ancestors, this pig is characterized by a strong physique, powerful bones, a wide body and developed, pronounced hams. Its distinctive features are: a less concave profile, large ears that hang over the eyes (but not as much as those of long-eared breeds), denser bristles and a rather coarse build in general.

The average weight of adult boars is three hundred to three hundred and fifty kilograms, with a body length of about one hundred and eighty centimeters. Sows, as a rule, look a little more modest, their weight usually does not exceed two hundred and fifty kilograms, and their body length is one hundred and seventy centimeters.

The white Ukrainian pig, which is widespread today, is practically not inferior in its fertility to other similar breeds. As a rule, a pig gives birth to about twelve piglets per litter.

The kids grow quite quickly and gain about six to seven kilograms of live weight in six months of intensive fattening. The average cost for it is 3.8 units per kilogram of gain. The milk production of sows varies in the range of fifty to seventy kilograms, and in some cases these figures can reach up to eighty.

Currently, many breeding farms are actively working to improve this breed, aimed at improving its fattening and meat qualities. In addition, breeders are trying to achieve an increase in offspring, because many individuals of this breed, like others artificially created, often turn out to be infertile.

Despite its popularity, the Ukrainian white breed of pigs is not particularly popular in Western countries. Apparently the performance of the breeds common in the western part of the world suits the owners quite well farms. However, the quality of the type of pigs described in this publication is superior to others in many respects. This applies to both speed dial the weight of each individual, as well as the taste of the meat obtained from them.

A large amount of pig fat, which is highly valued in Ukraine and Germany, does not always find its fans in other countries, so this quality is most often considered a disadvantage.

At the Askania Nova farm, where this breed was bred at one time, a number of record heights and weights of Ukrainian white pigs were recorded, the most outstanding of them exceeding two meters, and their weight is about four hundred kilograms. Some specimens of the English whites, when well-fed, are capable of gaining up to six hundred kilograms of live weight.

The breed presented in this article is recommended for keeping in large and small farms. Its features allow the farmer to quickly benefit from the investment and effort. However, in some qualities it is inferior to other breeds, which is why keeping a white Ukrainian pig may become unprofitable.