[Dave Taylor]

Hi everyone,

We have a couple of castrated saddleback boars who are about 14weeks old, both came together from the same litter. We are wanting to add a couple more weaners to the pen to make sure we have continuity when it comes to producing meat. So we will be looking at adding animals around 10weeks old.

Would they be ok to be added to the same pen? It is a very large pen with approx an 175m perimeter with vegetation ranging from short grass to 5ft +, has a wallow and a large arc which is part of an old cottage, the arc space which is currently available to the two could be doubled or even tripled if needed. 

We will hopefully be getting a Sow at a later date, however she will be in pig and will have her own pen and own arc completely separate.

Thanks
Dave

[Dave Taylor]

Also, any advice in regards to what sex would be best to add? Many thanks!!

Dave

[Marches Farmer]

I never mix groups.  The boars will almost certainly pitch in to any growers younger than themselves and are old enough to inflict a lot of damage. 

[Tamsaddle]

When we had pigs three years ago, we regularly mixed groups, including with uncastrated boars - after all, 14 weeks old is still very immature for any gender pig.   


We started by keeping the newcomer pigs in a fenced off part of the pen so that both could see each other through the fence and talk/make aggressive gestures/whatever for 24 to 48 hours depending on response.  The best response you can get is for the established pigs to get bored of the newcomers, but there is no telling how it will work out until you try it.    On the day you put them together, there will invariably be some chasing and aggression, but luckily we never experienced actual fighting or drawing blood.    Then there is the absolute pig ritual about where everyone sleeps for the first few nights.  Even if you provide a spare ark, on the first night, the newcomer pigs are obliged to sleep close to, but outside of the established pigs ark.   The newcomers are desperate to be accepted, and will show no interest in going into their own separate ark, even if its pouring with rain.   After one, possibly two nights, the newcomers are allowed to creep into a corner of the main ark, but may get chased out during the night.   After 4 nights or so, there is usually complete acceptance, and all the pigs will sleep together all cuddled up as it they've known each other for ever!


We went through this ritual on many occasions, and it always worked out fine in the end (max 5 days). 

[hughesy]

Agree totally with Tamsaddle. If you've ever seen two sows fighting after being reunited you wouldn't worry about a bit of pushing and shoving among 14 week old growers. I would just put them in. There's bound to be a bit of argy bargy but they'll sort themselves out in a couple of days, maybe even quicker. Remember they're herd animals and there has to be a pecking order. They only have one way to establish it.