Increasingly, animal lovers are interested in how many years pigs live in the wild and in captivity. Pigs do not cause allergies, are smart, are well trained, and remember more commands than dogs, which is why city residents are increasingly keeping them as pets.
Average life expectancy of a pig
Wild pigs live in natural conditions, decorative breeds live in houses and apartments. Animals raised for meat and lard are kept in pigsties.Living conditions are different, so the average life expectancy is different.
In wild nature
The life of wild boars in natural conditions is fraught with danger; it is threatened by predators and humans. Wild pigs survive to their maximum biological age only in captivity. In zoos, some animals are kept for up to 35 years. In nature, individuals that live for 20 years are rarely found.
Wild boars live shorter lives than wild boars. They often risk their lives to protect their offspring. The female body wears out faster. They bear and feed piglets and are constantly under stress. On average, wild pigs live about 10 years.
At home
In pigs raised for fattening, the lifespan directly depends on the precocity of the breed. The faster piglets gain weight, the shorter they live. It is easier to estimate the average life expectancy of domestic pigs based on purebred breeding animals and pet piglets.
Breeding boars in good conditions live up to 35 years. Purebred females are not kept for a long time; they are usually slaughtered after the 6th farrow. In rare cases, purebred sows are kept for 15 years. During this time they bring piglets 20 times.
Decorative pigs are raised in a house or 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 do domestic pigs live?
The vital resources of the body 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 bacon breed, bred in England. The dimensions of adult boars and sows are impressive, the body is proportional. Landrace pigs can live 15-20 years, even in adulthood they move actively, despite their decent weight. During industrial breeding, piglets gain a weight of 100 kg by 6 months and are slaughtered.
Duroc
Pig farmers use this breed, descended from American and Canadian varieties, for breeding purposes. By crossing with pigs of other breeds, productive, early-ripening hybrids with high-quality meat are obtained. The biological life expectancy of Duroc breeding animals does not exceed 20 years.
White breed
These pigs do not live longer than 15 years. Animals are active and resistant to stress. The meat and lard of white pigs is of high quality, which is why the breed is popular among pig farmers in Russia and other countries. Purebred boars and sows are used in breeding. Using their genetic material, new productive breeds of pigs were developed (Kemerovo, Belorusskaya, Urzhumskaya).
Brazier
Hardy animals obtained in Hungary by crossing wild boars and domestic pigs. They have a medium-sized body, covered with thick hair, strong limbs, a wide chest, and a straight back. Thick fur protects animals from hypothermia; Mangal pigs spend most of their lives on pasture and live up to 25 years.
Vietnamese
This breed is popular among Americans as a decorative breed. In the USA, it is most often started by owners of country houses. Adults gain weight up to 45-100 kg, so problems arise when keeping a pot-bellied Vietnamese pig in a city apartment. Pets live up to 30 years.
Factors influencing life expectancy
Pets do not have to look for food, water, shelter, or escape from predators. People create living conditions for them. The longevity of pigs depends on their quality.
Nutrition
The feeding regimen and diet depend 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 the lactation period, food is needed twice as much, and to maintain vitality, supplements (vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, lysine, protein) are added to the diet of a lactating pig. Breeding boars have a special diet. It promotes the formation of high-quality sperm before mating and rapid recovery of strength after mating, important elements of food:
- protein;
- crude fiber;
- methionine;
- cystine.
A boar consumes 3-4 kg of feed per day, containing pea and fish meal, skim milk (dry), hay in winter, fresh vegetables and herbs in summer. Decorative and productive pigs of any breed should not be given foods that cause digestive upset: sugar, salt, spices, smoked meats.
Care and maintenance
In the south, pigs live on pasture most of the year; in temperate climates, they are kept in pigsties. For most breeds, temperatures below 10 °C cause stress and weakened immunity, so the home is made warm. In cold winter conditions, pens with piglets are heated with infrared lamps. Weaned piglets will not survive if temperatures drop below 20°C. In addition to temperature, life expectancy is affected by:
- air humidity;
- area of walking area, pigsty per 1 animal;
- presence or absence of drafts;
- lighting.
A sow with offspring requires an area of at least 9 m²; an adult boar needs 6 m².When kept in crowded conditions, animals are more likely to get sick and die. The main care of pigs comes down to providing feed, water, and maintaining cleanliness in the pigsty.
Disease Prevention
Timely vaccination is the key to the longevity of any animal kept in captivity. Scheduled administration of vaccines builds the pig’s immunity and helps cope with parasites, viruses, and bacteria. From birth, pigs are vaccinated against worms and diseases that are registered in the region of residence. There are diseases that lead to premature death of pigs. Veterinarians call rickets dangerous. This disease affects the entire body of the piglet. The cardiovascular system and organs of the musculoskeletal system suffer.
Immunity decreases with anemia, a pathology of the circulatory system. Nervous disorders caused by Aueszky's disease lead to death.
To reduce the likelihood of diseases, animals are provided with optimal living conditions, checked for the presence of worms, dewormed in a timely manner, and treated for infectious and viral diseases.
The life of pigs is also extended in other ways. Boars are castrated, they live longer after castration. The number of pregnancies in sows is monitored. Bearing and feeding offspring exhausts the body. On a farm and a private farmstead, the life of meat piglets lasts 7-9 months, tallow piglets are sent for slaughter later, after 10 months. Breeding boars and sows are kept for 5-6 years. Under optimal conditions, pigs raised not for slaughter live for several decades.
