The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: harry on May 06, 2009, 08:28:25 pm
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Every now and then i think i might like some free range piglets 2....to grow on for meat, then i get put off... people tell me they dig big holes everywhere... i have free range chickens on 3/4s an acre and would like the pigs to go with them, it would be nice for me if they dig the ground over(grass etc) do pigs graze, but i dont want huge holes everywhere... i believe Tamworths are less likely to get problems, is that correct.....
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Pigs do graze, in summer.
If you were going for a pig or two, now would be the time to do it, as summer is just around the corner.
The more primitive the breed, the better the grazer,
don't now about Tamworth's but the British Saddleback, is an excellent grazer.
Good luck!
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I have just got 2 Saddlebacks and they're gorgeous! Make sure you get your paperwork in place first before you do anything else. You need a CPH number and then a herd number. The DEFRA website has loads of good advice and a step-by-step guide to the paper work that you need.
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thanks ...probably would only want to keep them live for a short time what would various pigs be like at say 5 - 6 months.... by the way would like sausages and bacon mostly... harry
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Tamworths are rooters and are like pig shaped ploughs so if you want to rpeserve your land, give them a miss. I think the short snouted, lop eared breeds are easier on the land.
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Go for Gloucesters especially if you want bacon without bunkers. You need to get them to 100 kilos for decent bacon. Tamworths are ideal bacon pigs, as Rosemary says they do like to dig.
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i wouldnt mine the land ploughed but not bunkered,,, harry
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Hello,
Middlewhites would be least intrusive on the ground and make excellent crackling.
Cheers
Gavin
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Then go for tammies long term, mine dug huge holes, then filled them in again as they dug the next bit. As long as you dont have trees which you value no problem . Keep them till 9 months, they should make great bacon. Have very good fences, or start practising for the London Marathon - tammies are guaranteed to keep you fit.
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allready got electric fence that should do it????? harry
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I wouldn't put money on an electric fence ALWAYS keeping them in - my weaners escaped from theirs :o
The other thing to bear in mind is you'll need 2 strands of electric fencing - one at about 8-10 inches from the ground (to stop them going under) and one higher up, maybe 2 - 2.5 ft (to stop them going over)
We slaughtered ours at 9 months as they weren't really big enough at 6 months, got great sausages, but no bacon. I think you have to let them mature a bit more for good bacon. We had a tamworth and a saddleback, tamworth's are great fun? :o if a bit mental, but the saddleback was really chilled out - possibly a better 'beginners' pig, but everyone on here has their own favorites, personally I really fancy a couple of large blacks next ;)
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All pigs are fantastic, intelligent and make great pork. Tamworths are particularly good at clearing. We have a very laid back saddleback, our gossies are for the most part extremely easy, however there is always the exception to the rule, and Hilary (half GOS x Elephant) is the exception that proves the rule. Its really whatever takes your fancy, or is easiest to access. Thats the joy of starting up, all those choices.
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Just skimming through this 'cause like Harry, I to would also like 2 pigs, like himself, I have a plot of land spare, probably 1/2acre or so, would like it fenced up and drop an ark in. Keep reading of electric fencing - we have this for horses and run off the mains supply as there is so much land to cover but for pigs - does anyone know of a way of wiring up a solar panel to a battery and feeding the power that way? or more ideally - anyone know of any kits where it all comes 'ready made'? the panel, the leads, a 'store' for the power... Any help - greatly appreciated. For the horses we use the electrical tape and feed it through the plastic eyelets on the posts - would this do the job? Got loads of it - shame to not use it...
J
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With one exception - all our pigs are fine with electric fencing. Be prepared for a few escapes at first, especially with weaners who are not electric fence trained. Once they get used to it no problems. If you could make a starter paddock with electric fencing surrounded by stock fencing, just for the first 2 weeks you should have no problems at all. Tamworths will jump a solid fence; have never seen one jump electric at a reasonable height. GOS dont as they cant see the fence.
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If you want two for only 5-6 months and for bacon you wont want a tamworth as they take longer than that to get to bacon weight (around 90kg + liveweight).
We have a welsh pig (WE) and a oxford, sandy and black (OSB) who are both 23 weeks old (bought at 10 weeks old) and weigh in the region of 90kg for the WE and 70kg for the OSB, they are off on June 10th. they have been fed 18% protein diet (farmgate growers) and for these last few weeks will be fed on a mix of growers, crushed oats and flaked peas. They were on a ad-lib diet till 20 weeks, and then restricted as the OSB was starting to put a little to much fat on.
We aim to get the WE near 105kg liveweight by slaughter.
The WE roots well, but doest dig too many hollows and he likes eating the things he has found whilst digging, the OSB digs less and generally gets bored with it, but will maintain the wallow and dig hollows for laying in. They are outdoors in a 5m x 15m pen.
Other good pigs for bacon would be large blacks though to do bacon well from them they would need to be around 8 old before they went off, they are very docile as they have lopped ears (like the WE and OSB).
Large whites can also be used for bacon, and really any traditional breed crossed with a modern will be quicker to weight (if you like the idea of crosses, as some people dont).
British saddlebacks are a bacon pig, but they can put the fat down, but if you find a cross of them with say a (large white/hampshire/duroc/welsh/landrace/pietrain) then they will take a little longer till they start laying the fat down.
I dont really have an opinion one way or the other to pigs as i've worked with most breeds, though i will add that tamworths do talk the most and the saddlebacks i've worked with are rather boring, however they all have their own personalities.
My personal favs are WE, large black and durocs (all very different).
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Free pigs !
Hello All !
I am looking fo a good home for my 2 Kuney Kune pigs... I bought these beautiful creatures with the intention of raiseing my own meat.... however I have ended with lots of piglets and no heart to kill / eat them.. I end up giving them away to friends, this is driving my husband round the bend ! He is from a farming background and I admit Im soft ... and there is nothing wrong in raising your own meat, infact it is so much better for the animal..however I cannot help the way I am, I buy free range British pork instead .
The boar is 18mth old, great father !
The sow is 2 yrs old..proven mother !
I live on a smallholding in West Wales ... for more info plz call me on 07800596636
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Why not keep these two and sell the piglets as weaners to others - that way you are not killing them directly fro your own use, you get the fun of having them, and they pay for their own keep. If I had more than just a large garden that's what I'd do. Your husband being in farming will have the contacts you need to sell them, and it will satisfy his farming instincts too! Simples, as someone or thing regularly says ;) ;D ;D
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How about post and rail? Any good?
Again, plenty of that knocking around here, easy to maintain, strong and sturdy. lower the heights as needed to 6 inch 12 inch and possibly a 3rd rail higher.
Dont think there would be the need to electrify then either, add a gate post.
Any thoughts?
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Hi post and rail, mine would scratch on it, wriggle under it, or just walk through it. Hilary walks through anything in her way, that included a barn door, and various fencing. Electric just about does it for her.
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My most successful fencing, after three years with pigs, is a wire fence with an electric fence just inside it. The fence is sheep netting with 6" square holes and the posts are made from lengths of 2"x2" from a builders supplier. I sharpened the poles and just tapped them into the ground and then stapled the wire-netting on. The electric fence is a single strand of the tape type, battery powered.
I think when the pigs see the fence and get their first shock from the electric, they accept that they can't get through. So far I've had no escapes and the whole lot can be taken down or moved quite easily. I take away the battery for charging every few days and they don't know it's off. Instead of a gate I have a stairs on each side, made with six 9" blocks (3,2,1 on each side). Braces and a belt, I suppose.