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Author Topic: Pig 'tractor'? Good idea?  (Read 1768 times)

Fieldfare

  • Joined Feb 2011
Pig 'tractor'? Good idea?
« on: June 21, 2015, 07:25:22 pm »
Hi- one of my fields has a poached/thistly area of about 2 acres. I was thinking of popping some weaners onto it to dig and clear before re-seeding (sending the weaners to slaughter when they are ready/when they have finished their task- hopefully these coincide!). What sort of time-scale/time of the year would I be better off doing this to make it most efficient? I have never kept  pigs. Do I need to feed vast amounts if I keep stocking rate low? and their is still grass? I have electric so fencing is no problem. Breed? Tamworth? GOS? OSB?
Thanks in advance for any advice  :pig:

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: Pig 'tractor'? Good idea?
« Reply #1 on: June 23, 2015, 08:25:49 am »
If you put weaners onto very overgrown ground they can get an impacted gut from too much greenery.  Pigs must have a dry lie, shade or a wallow, good fencing ( do you have a proper outer fence to contain escapees?) and a 24-hour supply of clean water.  You also need to think about how you're going to load them for the market/abattoir when they're ready for slaughter.  Around here piglets weaned in April to June are ready for slaughter in early Autumn, so you don't have to worry about the water supply freezing in the winter and the pigs hauling themselves around in icy mud.  The saying with thistles is "Top 'em in July, then they'll die."  If you can stop them seeding for a couple of years it will help.

 

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