[grantshome]

Hi everyone,

We have a smallholding that we bought in June last year, we have ventured in to a few different animals and various fruits and veggies and are doing well. We do however want to raise some pigs this year for meat!

We have a lovely wooded area for the pigs that they can root up and rough up as much as they like, the area is about 40x90m well fenced and has stone walls too.

We have decided that weaners would be best fro us as we don't feel ready yet to have a sow and deal with pregnancy etc... yet... maybe next year!

So my questions:

How many could we sensibly keep as first time pig keepers (my family did it when I was small, so i have some idea.. but feel very novice!) and also bearing in mind the area that we have available.

Which breed would be best as the children want to be involved and we want good meat too!?!

Where is the best place to get them from?

Thank you in advance for all your help and advice,

Michelle 

[fsmnutter]

Hi and welcome!
pigs are a great choice, we started keeping kune kunes last summer, and they are great to have around.
sounds like you have a lovely area for the pigs, but might be an idea to split in half so you can rest half at a time for it to recover.
It is often advised to start with weaners, to check whether you like pigs and they work for you, without a long-term commitment. Two or three mean they will have company as social creatures. It can be hard to make pigs pay, and breeding our kune kunes has meant little to no profit, but we've enjoyed having the pigs, raising piglets, and two sows went to the butcher and are delicious! They're nice small, friendly pigs, so great for family and friends with kids.
do your research, there are plenty on here who have different breeds and can tell you all about them, there are also often weaners for sale, and buying from known sources is always the best way to make sure you buy good stock.
all the best for your piggy adventures!

[Cactus Jack]

How many could we sensibly keep as first time pig keepers (my family did it when I was small, so i have some idea.. but feel very novice!) and also bearing in mind the area that we have available.

Michelle 

I started off with two and within a year I am up to 11 with more on the way any day..........I'll be starting the big slaughter next week

[mowhaugh]

We are very new to pigs, so I can only speak from our very limited experience, but our Large Blacks are very gentle with our children, even though they are much bigger than them.

We selected them on the least scientific basis possible - my husband liked the look of them.

[Raine]

 


We bought three Berkshire boys last year as our first pigs.  A really nice number to start with (just in case the worst happens and you lose one).


The boys were great fun and it meant that, when the time comes, the boys are getting boisterous enough to be a pain!

[Fowgill Farm]

Hi and welcome.
Good sensible idea to start with a couple or three weaners to fatten, sounds like you have a good place for them. Which breed depends a lot on where you are in the country and what is available around you. Don't write off cross breeds for fattening, they're often a good cheap way to get you started.
Biased I know but any of the lop eared pigs are good starter pigs, Gloucestershire old Spots, Oxford Sandy & Blacks, Lops, Large Blacks, saddlebacks, take your pick. see www.gospbc.co.uk under header pig management for some getting started info and for check for members in your area, other than that you can google other breeds. If you aim to pick up 8wk old weaners at Easter they'll be ready to be porkers in Autumn. Tip get boy pigs then they HAVE to go to the butchers and you won't be tempted to keep them...it happens! specially with cute little girl pigs that grow into 40 stone monsters! been there done that
Whatever you decide theres loads of info here on TAS and don't be afraid to aske questions the only daft question is one you don't ask, but be prepared to not always like the answer and take the replies with a pinch of salt and use your common sense.
HTH, best of
mandy
Ever so slightly addicted GOS keeper North Yorkshire!

[oaklandspigs]

re your q's

"How many can I keep" is a very logical first question, and one asked by many who come on our pig courses.

Like many things piggy - start at the other end of the process - so a better question would be "what am I going to do with x pigs when they are ready?"

You could certainly keep quite a few on 40m*90m, but having say 8 pigs ready at the same time will give you an awful lot of meat.  Butchers and abattoirs might buy finished pigs from you, but most won't (they have existing sources, and are usually unkeen to buy from unknowns)  and you'll almost certainly make a loss.  At livestock markets you'll lose even more -they sell to abattoirs and butchers, and selling to the public from home requires time and effort.  Selling at Farmers Market's requires even more dedication.

So "toe in the water" approach is consumption for yourself and family/friends.  I'd recommend you start with 2-3, and see how you get on.  If you want larger numbers, then  stagger purchase (say two this month, two a month or two later) so you get a production line going.

Breed wise - as others have said there is no right answer - if there was they'd be only one breed of pig!  Lop ears (ear going down, rather than prick ears who have more sight) are generally easier, so we'd recommend them as a good start, but some have had say Tamworths (a prick eared breed) and got on fine - although we know some who have struggled and general feedback concurs with our practical experience that lop ears are an ideal first time pig. And as others have said - don't rule our crossbred pigs.

Best place to get them from? - we know several farmers who have premises made of tin and string and the whole place is very untidy, but have fantastic livestock and welfare, and have been to others where we have walked away from posh premises due to poor pig conditions. So don't be put off by first impressions, but DO look carefully around to see how all their stock is looked after.   Preferably see them at 3-4 weeks - that way you can assess, choose and put down a deposit so you know what you are getting at 8 weeks.    Don't be afraid to walk away if you get that feeling - you can always pretend to get that urgent call on the mobile and need to leave.  Bottom line is ask around.  if you're near us (Sussex) - drop us an email - if we don't have we can probably put you onto someone who we trust.  If not ask on this forum, there are pig keepers from all over the UK on here, and they can recommend for your area and breed.

Finally get a good pig book (assuming you're not coming on one of our courses, where you get one free), we do one online (http://www.oaklandspigs.co.uk/perfect-pigs-book/), but others are available, for instance  the Haynes Pig manual is written by another TAS member.

And enjoy your new venture !

[devonlad]

we had our first pigs a couple of years ago on a very similar sized piece of land to you. we intended to have 3 but somehow ended up with 8. we had no problem getting rid of it. friends and family were already committed to half of them before we started and within a very few weeks the rest were spoken for. they became a bit of a visitor attraction quite soon as seemed to be a novelty. became quite adept at snaffling up an order for a half pig whenever I caught someone looking over the gate.
 we went for a rare breed- British lop- partly because we were told the meat was yumptious- IT WAS !! and partly because we were told that pigs with floppy ears tend to be more docile, partly because they cant see too well. they were a delight though anyone who says that they are a browsing/grazing breed rather than diggers should have seen the state of the place after they'd gone. we bought through an online ad- preloved I think, though people often advertise on here. couldnt help thinking after that we paid well over the odds £35 as we went to market some time later and GOS were going for £8 a weaner. next time we're planning on large blacks for a change- not sure if brave enough to buy from market as never quite sure about where they come from but certainly a cheaper way.

[kelly58]

I have got the Haynes manual but never seen Liz Shankland on the forum ? Does she still keep pigs ?

[sokel]

I have got the Haynes manual but never seen Liz Shankland on the forum ? Does she still keep pigs ?

Tudful Tamworths  on here 

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Hi
I would recommend either large blacks or another breed of pig which is quite gentle to handle.
I myself keep large black pigs. We are quite careful about what pigs we buy, temperament is key. I have at the moment 3 large black gilts for sale, which have good temperaments. They are currently 3 years old. I was told by a fellow pig keeper that large black pigs are good in forestry areas because they love the acorns.
Hope this helps
thanks

[Beeducked]

We selected them on the least scientific basis possible - my husband liked the look of them.

We are collecting our three large black weaners on Friday and the breed was selected on that principle too! To be fair I did read up on them after he said that's what he wanted to get and they sounded perfect for what we need.

[10thletter]

We have large black crossed with saddle back.  Can definitely confirm they are gentle.  my little cousins spend have spent most of this half term with a weaner stretched across their lap............they going to struggle when they get sent off!

[Tudful Tamworths]

Hello! Yes, I'm here. Not here all the time, but I do try and dip in and out when I can. If anyone has any particular queries, do message me. Always happy to help if I can.

[Marches Farmer]

I have at the moment 3 large black gilts for sale, which have good temperaments. They are currently 3 years old. I was told by a fellow pig keeper that large black pigs are good in forestry areas because they love the acorns.

If they're referred to a a "gilt" because they've never been bred from they could be very difficult to get in pig, and pretty tough eating at 3 years old.