Author Topic: Looking for good grazers - feedback (Read 2544 times)

farmers wife · « **on:** December 03, 2014, 08:37:28 pm »

We have had some great pig breeds in the past including old spots but have been out of the farming game for a number of years. As part of our low input, high profits system based on Joel Salatin at Polyface farm we are looking for grazing pigs which looks like the darker pigs. Looking at feedback from owners who have grass grazing pigs with electric fencing. The pork is very important and wonder if there is much difference in breed with the pork.

shygirl · « **Reply #1 on:** December 03, 2014, 08:52:22 pm »

do you mean kunes?

Rosemary · « **Reply #2 on:** December 04, 2014, 08:49:45 am »

We've had Tamworths, Hampshires and Kunes - all of them root. Kunes less than the others but they still root.

CharingPorkPantry · « **Reply #3 on:** December 04, 2014, 09:11:24 am »

Large Blacks are supposedly grazers but my paddock says differently! Never had one which didn't dig. I think a lot of it depends on your ground. We are clay so nice a soft for digging up treasures

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #4 on:** December 04, 2014, 09:31:10 am »

They graze if you moved them to new ground every day, as he does with cattle, but I think the instinct to root would take over if they stayed on the same ground.

SophieLeeds · « **Reply #5 on:** December 04, 2014, 12:45:00 pm »

No personal experience, but friends with Middle Whites say they root less?

verdifish · « **Reply #6 on:** December 04, 2014, 02:08:29 pm »

All pigs will Rio even those considered as " grazers" if they don't have enough grazing !!!

Sasha · « **Reply #7 on:** December 04, 2014, 02:41:28 pm »

I've got a couple of Middle Whites and they graze rather than root. The young Gloucester Old Spots I have also graze.

Azzdodd · « **Reply #8 on:** December 04, 2014, 10:48:13 pm »

If you don't want pigs too root out them on concrete but that's not what I'm about....I belive it's not just the breeds but were the breeds are from & how there parents grandparents etc etc were raised. I have a large white sow who will dig to Australia if you let her then another large white sow who will only dig if starving....I belive her parents were mainly indoor so she isn't as well educated to living outdoors as the other who's parents were all outdoor reared

shygirl · « **Reply #9 on:** December 04, 2014, 10:52:21 pm »

my gos up-earthed and turned over a whole acre very quickly even though there was plenty of grass. shes was worse than my tamworths by far.

hughesy · « **Reply #10 on:** December 05, 2014, 08:02:09 am »

We've found that pigs will root over ground that hasn't been rooted before very quickly but that they aren't in such a hurry to dig when they're put back onto ground where they've been before and it's regrown. Maybe they've had all of what they were after first time round. However over a period of time they will dig it up again and will also make a lot of mess just by walking about in the same areas when it's wet. If you don't want your fields turning over don't get pigs.