Among the original-looking breeds of pigs, the Hungarian Mangalitsa especially stands out. Its unusualness lies in the fact that the animal is covered from head to toe with thick curly hair. The non-standard appearance attracts breeders, the breed becomes popular and in demand. Although Mangalitsa was bred for lard, today it is increasingly used as an unusual ornamental pet.
Origin story
The breed appeared in Hungary in the 19th century as a result of crossing local pigs with wild boars and the Serbian Shumadi. The pig turned out to be fast-growing and easy to care for. It is believed that the Hungarian Mangalitsa is close in its characteristics to the Lincolnshire English one. In 1927, Hungary began improving the breed. Until the mid-20th century, it remained one of the most popular, after which the population began to decrease everywhere. Since the end of the 20th century, the cultivation of the Mangalitsa breed began in Canada, the USA, and many European countries.
Features and characteristics of the Mangalitsa pig
The Hungarian Downy is distinguished by its long, curly hair, for which piglets are sometimes called sheep-pig. When living in a warm pigsty and receiving plenty of food, the need for wool disappears, and pigs can go bald. In more severe natural conditions, by winter the coat actively grows and becomes thicker. Through it, black stripes are clearly visible on the skin, reminiscent of wild ancestors.
The main standards of the Hungarian Mangalica breed include:
- straight line of the back:
- broad chest;
- small head;
- hooked snout;
- erect ears;
- a voluminous tail with a tassel at the base.
Among the main characteristics of the Hungarian Mangalitsa:
- the average weight of adults is 200 kg for pigs, 300 kg for boars;
- maximum weight of individuals - 500 kg;
- at six months of age their weight is 70 kg;
- at the first farrowing the number of piglets is 4-5, then about 9;
- farrowed sows of the Hungarian Mangalica have a pronounced maternal instinct and carefully feed their offspring;
- farrowing proceeds without problems;
- meat quality is above average;
- lard thickness from 5 to 10 cm at one year of age;
- high immunity.
Mangalitsa pigs are unpretentious in food and are able to find their own food on free range. In cold weather, piglets lie down between furry females, who warm them with their warmth.
Existing varieties
Purebred Hungarian Mangalitsa have three types of suit (coat color) - white, swallow, red. All of them have a grayish skin tone, and the edging of the eyes, mouth, all hooves, nipples, eyebrows, and the edges of the nose are black. A spot on the ear about 5 cm in size is a distinctive feature of the breed.
There were more species, but gradually some of them were lost, and restoration is almost impossible.
White mangalitsa
The main part of the total population of the breed (about 80%) is the white Hungarian Mangalitsa. Medium-sized pigs, with a strong build and strong bones.
White downy can have gray, reddish, yellow fur. It depends on the type and composition of food and the presence of specific minerals in it.
Red and black mangalitsa
Piglets with red hair are larger than white ones. This type of Hungarian Mangalitsa breed quickly gains weight and is more productive. The fur is dark red or brown. Thanks to their curly nature, animals can easily withstand winter temperatures. At first the coat is straight, later at the age of several months the piglets become curly and shaggy. The meat is considered one of the most delicious, the lard is creamy white, high in Omega-3 fatty acids. The black type of mangalitsa is so rare today that many experts consider it lost.
Martin
This type of curly pigs was obtained by crossing a white species with an extinct black one. The result is a combined color - the fur on the sides and back is black, and the lower body (belly) is light (grayish or yellowish).
The species is smaller than white mangalitsa, although the physique is powerful. The swallow's fur is hard and rough, and can protect against severe frosts and injury.
Pros and cons of the breed
According to reviews from breeders, the advantages of the breed include:
- unpretentiousness in maintenance - they can easily stay on the pasture almost the whole year, only in winter the fluffy piglets are moved indoors;
- low costs for feed - mangalitsa, being free-grazing, are able to find their own food;
- stable immunity - animals rarely get sick, do not require vaccination or antibiotics;
- calm disposition - attached to home and owners;
- stress resistance - they do not need to create special conditions;
- gain weight quickly - within a year they can reach 170 kg;
- high quality meat - an environmentally friendly product has a marbled structure, and lard is easy to render.
There are not many disadvantages of the Hungarian Mangalica breed:
- the high cost of breeding material - it is difficult to find, some species are on the verge of extinction;
- long period of puberty - occurs no earlier than the 7th month of life;
- low fertility - during the first farrow no more than 5 piglets are born;
- the need for large pastures to provide food and comply with sanitary standards.
Feeding and care
The Hungarian Mangalica is considered to be of the greasy type. Free-range pigs produce meat with streaks of fat, creating a marbling effect. It is not recommended to keep wool piglets in stalls throughout the year, since in this case the percentage of fat increases and the marbling of the product disappears. Semi-free grazing is considered the most favorable for the Hungarian Mangalica breed. Animals feed on grass, insects, frogs, worms, and plant roots.Free access to clean water must be ensured. With this method of maintenance, weight increases slowly. To speed up the process, you can additionally feed pigs with grain feed.
If free grazing of Hungarian mangalitsa is not possible, it is worth including in their diet:
- juicy green food;
- crushed barley;
- wheat;
- bran;
- corn;
- fish meal.
Juicy food makes up at least 2/3 of the total diet. When fattening on potatoes and grain, the percentage of fat in the resulting product increases significantly, taste quality decreases, and marbling disappears. Corn, pumpkin, weeds, algae, bush branches, and root vegetables are used as plant feed. In winter they provide hay, acorns, and chestnuts.
By observing the diet, it is possible to achieve the formation of layers and an increase in the live weight of a Hungarian Mangalitsa piglet up to 500 kg.
Frequent illnesses
The Hungarian Mangalica has good health. This is due to the animal’s lifestyle and innate immunity. The breed is resistant to infectious diseases, which is not a reason to refuse prevention. Veterinarians advise not to violate the vaccination schedule, since there is no guarantee against epidemics, especially for free-ranging animals.
For the Hungarian Mangalitsa, as for other breeds, treatment for skin parasites and helminths is mandatory. They often have helminthic infestations; infection on free grazing occurs through dirty water from reservoirs, fish, and household waste.
When feeding spoiled food or consuming poisonous plants, gastrointestinal diseases occur - poisoning, gastritis, enteritis, stomach ulcers.Keeping shaggy piglets in drafty rooms leads to respiratory tract pathologies - bronchitis, chronic cough.
When eating large vegetables, fruits, and root vegetables, blockage of the esophagus is possible. Foreign bodies - nails, chips, wire - can get into the gastrointestinal tract of the Hungarian Mangalitsa. It is necessary to carefully monitor the sanitary maintenance of premises and walks, as well as the animals themselves, in order to provide timely assistance if necessary.
Breeding Hungarian Mangalitsa
At the age of 1 year, Hungarian Mangalitsa reach sexual maturity. By this time they weigh about 100 kg. Gestation time is 110-120 days. Newly born piglets have short hair. At the time of farrowing, the room is equipped with a heat lamp to quickly dry them. The sows are kept indoors with the young animals and are fed breast milk for up to one and a half months. At the age of 4 days, the piglets' fangs are broken off so that they do not injure the uterus during feeding. At 2-3 weeks, boars intended for raising for meat are castrated. Thanks to their pronounced maternal instinct, Hungarian Mangalica sows carefully care for and protect their offspring.
At two weeks, piglets begin to be fed bran and barley. They eat roughage per month. A complete transition to a normal diet occurs at 4 months. You should buy young Hungarian Mangalica for breeding on a farm where you can see the parents of the piglets being purchased.
