How to know and determine how much a pig weighs, table by size

Livestock breeders do not always manage to weigh their wards at home using scales. You can find out how much a pig weighs using specially developed techniques. This is very important, because it will be possible to take a lot of lard from a fat pig, but little meat, but from a lean pig, neither one nor the other. The methods themselves are not difficult to use, and even beginners can use them.

Why do you need to know the weight of a pig?

The owner needs to know the weight of the pigs not only in order to determine the time of slaughter and adjust the feeding regime. It is recommended to separate and keep pigs of the same mass. This is especially important if the farm is large and heterosexual pigs of different ages are raised on it.

The weight of animals fluctuates depending on the following factors:

• belonging to a certain breed;
• conditions of detention;
• used feed;
• the selected feeding mode.

All this should be taken into account when weighing or when making the necessary measurements.

Average weight of a pig at different ages

If the breeder is just going to breed pigs, then you should immediately decide on the breed. Now more and more preference is given to meat, which by 23-24 weeks already gain 100 kg of mass. At the same time, lard is almost impossible from them. For the production of lard, it is necessary to choose another breed that will have a low growth rate. Accordingly, the cost of feed in this case will be higher. The best option is considered to be a large white pig, which has high productivity and is suitable for obtaining lard and meat.

On average, a fattened animal gains about 650 g per day. This figure can vary from month to month. When growing a uterus, it must be borne in mind that at 7 months the pig is already sexually mature. A one-year-old piglet is quite capable of producing healthy offspring. During this period, the increase in mass is suspended, and even a plumb line is observed. The mating is allowed only if the live weight has reached 115 kg.

An adult female gains 25 kg after each farrowing. If by the time of the first insemination her weight was 120 kg, then by the second she will gain it up to 145 kg, by the third - up to 170 kg. The mass is accurately determined by measurements.

How to determine the weight of a pig without weights

There are several proven methods that make it possible to determine the weight of a pig without a professional scale.

Measurement by table

To calculate the weight of piglets using specially designed tables, it is necessary to make the appropriate measurements using a tape measure.Experienced livestock breeders also recommend using a 1.5 m long tailor's tape for this purpose. Measurements are taken in the morning, while the animals have not yet eaten. Make sure that the pig is level. To do this, it is better to use an assistant who will feed her with her favorite food from her hand.

First of all, you need to determine the length of the body. To do this, a tape measure or tape must be applied with one end to the back of the head, and the other to the base of the tail. After that, measure the girth behind the shoulder blades. Measurements determine the weight using a special table. It can be found in the breeder's handbook and photocopyed. The intersection of the rows and columns will show the resulting mass of the pig. Calculating weight by size is accurate. This method is used not only by the breeders themselves, but also by professional butchers. The margin of error is approximately ± 12%.

Torso length (cm)	Bust (cm)	Weight (kg)
38	60	11
	64	13
	68	15
42	60	13
	64	14
	68	16
	72	18
46	60	14
	64	16
	68	18
	72	20
50	60	15
	64	17
	68	19
	72	22
	76	24
	80	27
54	60	16
	64	18
	68	21
	72	23
	76	26
	80	29
	84	32
58	60	17
	64	19
	68	22
	72	25
	76	28
	80	31
	84	34
	88	37
62	60	18
	64	21
	68	24
	72	27
	76	30
	80	33
	84	37
	88	40
	92	43
66	60	19
	64	22
	68	25
	72	28
	76	32
	80	35
	84	39
	88	42
	92	46
	96	50
70	64	24
	68	27
	72	30
	76	34
	80	37
	84	41
	88	45
	92	49
	96	53
	100	58
74	68	28
	72	32
	76	36
	80	39
	84	44
	88	47
	92	52
	96	56
	100	61
	104	66
78	72	37
	76	41
	80	46
	84	50
	88	55
	92	59
	96	65
	100	70
	104	76
82	76	39
	80	43
	84	48
	88	52
	92	57
	96	62
	100	69
	104	74
	108	79
	112	85
86	80	46
	84	51
	88	55
	92	60
	96	65
	100	71
	104	77
	108	82
	112	89
	116	96
90	84	53
	88	58
	92	63
	96	68
	100	75
	104	81
	108	94
	112	101
	116	108
94	88	60
	92	66
	96	71
	100	78
	104	85
	108	91
	112	105
	116	113
	120	120
98	92	69
	96	74
	100	81
	104	88
	108	95
	112	101
	116	110
	120	118
	124	125
	128	133
102	96	78
	100	85
	104	92
	108	99
	112	106
	116	114
	120	123
	124	131
	128	139
	132	147
106	100	88
	104	95
	108	103
	112	110
	116	119
	120	127
	124	136
	128	144
	132	153
110	104	99
	108	107
	112	114
	116	123
	120	132
	124	141
	128	149
	132	158
	136	170
	140	180
114	108	111
	112	119
	116	128
	120	137
	124	146
	128	155
	132	176
	136	186
	140	196
118	112	123
	116	132
	120	142
	124	151
	128	160
	132	170
	136	182
	140	193
	144	203
	148	215
122	116	137
	120	146
	124	156
	128	166
	132	176
	136	188
	140	199
	144	210
	148	222
126	120	151
	124	161
	128	171
	132	181
	136	194
	140	205
	144	217
	148	229
130	124	166
	128	177
	132	187
	136	200
	140	212
	144	224
	148	236
134	128	182
	132	193
	136	206
	140	218
	144	230
	148	244
138	132	199
	136	212
	140	225
	144	237
	148	251
142	136	219
	140	231
	144	244
	148	258
146	140	238
	144	251
	148	266
150	144	258
	148	273

Take a look also

How much weigh the largest pigs in the world, representatives of the Guinness Book of Records

Calculation by formula

You can also calculate the weight of a piglet according to the developed formula by taking the appropriate measurements with a tape measure. It looks like this:

M = 0.99 D + 1.54 O-150,

where M is the mass of the pig;

D - body length of the pig;

O - the girth behind the shoulder blades.

Calculating the mass in this case will not present any difficulties if the measurements are made correctly. It should be borne in mind that the data obtained from the table and calculated using the formula are very different. As practice shows, tabular data are accurate, therefore it is recommended to use them.

The presented method does not make it possible to determine the weight of a newborn pig. In this case, you still have to use weights. It is not necessary to purchase professional ones, ordinary household ones will do. As the weight gains, it is no longer necessary to weigh the animal, but it will be possible to measure it and find out how much it weighs according to the same tables or calculated using a formula.

Calculation by body condition category

Another method has been developed for calculating the live weight of pigs by fatness categories. To do this, multiply the length of the body by the girth behind the shoulder blades and divide by a factor. For piglets of average fatness, the value of this coefficient is taken equal to 156.

The result of determining the mass in this case is greatly underestimated, therefore, experienced livestock breeders still recommend using tabular data.

Determination of body condition is necessary when it is required to adjust the diet of pregnant uterus. According to certain criteria, the following categories of fatness are distinguished:

1. Skinny - the hips and spine are prominently expressed.
2. Thin - the spine and hips can be easily felt with light palm pressure.
3. Medium - with strong palm pressure, you can feel the spine and hips.
4. Above average, the hips and spine cannot be felt.
5. Oily - the spine and hips are hidden, they cannot be felt.

Take a look also

How to feed a sow at home after farrowing so that there is more milk

To normalize weight, it is recommended to feed skinny animals daily 4 kg of compound feed, and fat animals - 2 times less.

The weight of small piglets is initially determined using growth tables or using a portable scale. Further, when they gain 25-30 kg, they separate the individuals intended for fattening and for updating the herd. They are selected different nutrition schemes and measure them monthly. Slaughter is carried out when the pig reaches a mass of about 100 kg. It is not advisable to feed her further, since weight gain occurs due to fat, the cost of which is lower than the cost of meat.