The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: sokel on September 10, 2012, 10:16:42 am
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I have been offered some saddle back x wild boar weaners and wondered if anyone had kept this cross
If so what are they like to keep, what sort of size do they reach and at what age do you finish them ?
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Do you need a wild animal licence for them? You do for wild boar, but I don't know if you need one for crosses.
Sorry I can't help with your queries :eyelashes:
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Don't need one for crosses.
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There used to be someone in the Somerswet area who bred such pigs and sold the meat under the Wild Blue title. Any cross with a wild boar will be a lot fiestier than domestic pigs and will need careful handling and strong fencing. Such crosses are prodigious jumpers (I had an Iron Age gilt jump out of the back of a pony trailer once many years ago so think 6-7feet high). They will be smaller than domestic pigs and slower growing.
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Thanks for the replys
I have been talking to several people on the phone and I have decided that they are not for me :o
I like an easy life and as our land backs onto the fell I dont fancy chasing pigs over 1000s of acres of fell ::) or being accused of starting a herd of feral pigs up there :-\
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Hi, I know this is an ancient thread, but just in case anyone finds it on a search like I just did .. I am keeping 4 saddleback x wild boar males just now and they seem pretty easy really! They are held in about an acre of wood/scrub with 2 strands of electric fence, they can be led anywhere with a bucket, and they can't jump for s***!
Happy pig-keeping!
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Are your 4 all related/same litter [member=151786]Cryptogamix[/member] ?
Crosses, any/all crosses, will vary as we all know: it might be that similar crosses to yours are not quite so biddable.
Out of passing interest; how did you come to have SB/Wild Boar crosses ?
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Yes, they're 4 brothers from the same litter. I don't know much about pigs, these are the first ones I've had ... Just thought I'd share my experience. For sure there'll be variability.
Basically just looked on my local FB page for pigs, and these were available and sounded suitable for my situation, so I just for it.
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Yes, they're 4 brothers from the same litter. I don't know much about pigs, these are the first ones I've had ... Just thought I'd share my experience. For sure there'll be variability.
Basically just looked on my local FB page for pigs, and these were available and sounded suitable for my situation, so I just for it.
How old are they?
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Yes, they're 4 brothers from the same litter. I don't know much about pigs, these are the first ones I've had ... Just thought I'd share my experience. For sure there'll be variability.
Basically just looked on my local FB page for pigs, and these were available and sounded suitable for my situation, so I just for it.
I'm not a piggy person, but [member=151786]Cryptogamix[/member] I would say you were "brave" to go for a wild boar x as your starter. But great that yours are so easily managed (and will no doubt be very tasty idc !).
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Any pics [member=151786]Cryptogamix[/member] ?
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Here's a recent pic, if I've uploaded right..
They were born in March I think.
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No expert here, but fine looking pigs to my mind.
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I don't see any sign of wild boar in those, which is a good thing as abattoirs can get twitchy about such things.
They also look ready to go.
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I don't see any sign of wild boar in those, which is a good thing as abattoirs can get twitchy about such things.
They also look ready to go.
Don't ask me why, but whenever I'm at a Country Show I head for the pig and chicken pens/tents first.
I reckon [member=24672]harmony[/member] that Cryptogamix's piggies are a bit different (elongated snout with no stepped profile) to a "standard" Saddleback , but they look so Saddleback that probably no one would question unless in a show ring !!??
Edit: they remind me of SmallWelshBarn's "pink" crosses (apart from their colours). [I wonder how [member=99988]SmallWelshBarn[/member] is getting on with his troublesome (from his point of view) Right Of Way across his piggy fields ?]
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[member=152775]arobwk[/member] I'm not sure what you mean about stepped profile? The standard of excellence says medium length for the face and very slightly dished. Maybe that's what you mean about stepped. I'm not sure whether they have muddy legs on the picture but pedigree saddlebacks should have white front legs, a continuation of the white saddle.
Those in the picture could easily be saddlebacks that didn't make the pedigree grade. I have seen saddlebacks without a saddle despite the fact parents were both pedigree.
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[member=152775]arobwk[/member] I'm not sure what you mean about stepped profile? The standard of excellence says medium length for the face and very slightly dished. Maybe that's what you mean about stepped. I'm not sure whether they have muddy legs on the picture but pedigree saddlebacks should have white front legs, a continuation of the white saddle.
Those in the picture could easily be saddlebacks that didn't make the pedigree grade. I have seen saddlebacks without a saddle despite the fact parents were both pedigree.
[member=24672]harmony[/member] I guess what I meant by "stepped" was something that looks like a "forehead". However, prompted by your comments above, I have checked out wild boar pics ont' web and note that many do have "foreheads" so profile between ear and snout not a reliable measure of wb-ishness afterall.
Equally Saddlebacks seem to have more of a "forehead" according to age.
However, I attach a pic of what I believe to be a young "English" Saddleback and I reckon it looks quite different to Crypto's piggies (at least the two on the right).
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[member=152775]arobwk[/member] I'm not disputing whether there is wild boar in these pigs. The original poster presumably saw the parents. I'm just saying I don't see wild boar in them and I think that's a good thing. I see pigs that could be saddleback rejects or saddleback crosses. Personally I don't like long snouts in saddlebacks but I have seen plenty. You can get very different heads in different litters.
In a show ring against saddlebacks they would stand out a mile. Even the one on the left, whose ears aren't correct. The other two would be disqualified for the black front legs.
I think the op should be pleased with his purchase and that they have inherited saddleback traits not wild boar ones.
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Of course, [member=24672]harmony[/member], my assessment is based on "show-quality" SBs so, as regards varying conformation, I bow to your experience.
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[member=152775]arobwk[/member] they vary in the showring too! My friend who bred saddlebacks said I had a much easier time than him as I have lops and all I was looking for was a white pig not one with colours in the right place!
We all see different things in the same animal. It's what makes watching show classes interesting.