Author Topic: grazing pigs (Read 2885 times)

charente · « **on:** September 05, 2009, 12:26:20 pm »

Please can you help me.I have a spare 3 acres for pigs and want them to use it all. I will have a breeding pair and eat theit offspring and sell some. So I wont ever have more than 20 pigs. So would there be enough grass to support a large part of their diet and I would imagine it is too much land for them to bald? Thank you.

Unicorn · « **Reply #1 on:** September 05, 2009, 01:04:56 pm »

Please buy a book on keeping Rare Breed Pigs before you go any further with your
project.

Pigs are not ruminant animals, and have to be fed every day, they can not live on grass.
Pigs dig and eat worms, mushrooms, roots etc, but need to have proper nutrition.

I would advise you to talk to someone face to face that keeps pigs, or get a good book
for your sake and the pigs

Happy Pig Keeping

Hilarysmum · « **Reply #2 on:** September 05, 2009, 03:54:40 pm »

20 pigs is far too many to exist on 3 acres. We have 10-11 acres and our 6 sows and one boar exist quite comfortably on this. I think its 6 pigs to an acre spacewise, but as Unicorn has already stated they need a lot of protein to thrive. Please do not join the brigade of people who think pigs can exist on grass and fresh air. (sorry if that sounds rude)

HappyHippy · « **Reply #3 on:** September 05, 2009, 03:58:38 pm »

My gut feeling is NOOOOOOOOOOO, sorry !
I'm not an expert, but 3 acres is NOT enough to support 20 pigs - I'd say more like 6 or 8, but you've got to allow for resting fields, make provision for seperating them all and may have to keep your boar seperate (which might make him grumpy

)or you'll be over-run. You're potentially looking at 3 litters a year, if you let the boar & sow run together, 10-14 piglets each litter depending on the breed so it's much more than 20, unless you're guarenteed to sell your weaners (which is likely to be at a loss) you'll be heading for trouble

and VERY unhappy pigs

charente · « **Reply #4 on:** September 06, 2009, 10:07:28 am »

Thanks everyone for your replies, i will be getting a book and talking to other pig farmers here in France. We do want the best for our pigs

HappyHippy · « **Reply #5 on:** September 06, 2009, 11:32:50 am »

Hi,
Here's an alternative idea -
Keep 2 sows together for company and get AI (or a visiting boar)to provide your piglets. That way YOU can decide when they have their litters and limit the number of litters per year. It would also be easier from the point of view of keeping a grumpy boar, especially since you couldn't mate him with any of the offspring.
'Starting with Pigs' by Andy Case is a good starter book, decide on your breed(s) then take it from there, joining breed societies and getting more in depth info. They all have their own merits, some are better breeders, some better eaters

and everyone's got their own particular favorites.
Good luck

Hilarysmum · « **Reply #6 on:** September 06, 2009, 12:15:29 pm »

Hi Charente, where are you, if close enough (or you are ever around this way- Brittany 56-) we would love to show you our pigs, there are quite a few pig keepers in LACEF (not touting) who if close enough to you would be pleased to meet you too. Of course if you did feel like coming along to a meeting you would be very welcome.