The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Moggies Meadow on October 06, 2013, 09:53:58 pm
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We bought 3 boar piglets back at Easter. It was our second batch of piglets. Our plans were to keep the piglets until they were ready for slaughter then start again. Long term plan was eventually bread our own. In this second batch of piglets there was an OSB who was turning into a stunning boar. We thought we would see how he would develop and see if we could keep him for breading with. I started handling him a lot more than the other boars to see if i could build up a good trust as if we were keeping him then i wanted to get to know him and understand him and his behaviour. I have built up a good trust with him and he responds well with me but i treat him with the respect a boar needs. We made the decision to keep him and find him an OSB sow. The two other boars went to slaughter about 10 days ago. Since then i have moved him up to a smaller field and closer to the house. I fuss him all the time as i know he will miss them. The problem i have is my husband can't go in to him any more as he wants to play rough like what he did with his mates and as you know you can't do that with a boar!!! His behaviour hadn't changed with me only my husband. We are finding it difficult to find an OSB in our area which is Keith, Moray. Will he always be like that with my husband? Have i made the wrong decision to keep him?
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Hello,
Try Tony Goodall Torrans Farm Tomintoul
he keeps pedigree OSB
01807580237 [email protected]
We had a Saddleback boar and mangalitza swollowbelly boar that weighed in excess of 220 kg each which we handled frequently and were great to deal with but still could have turned at any time and now have a 1 1/2yr old red mangalitza boar who used to sit to command but as he is becoming more mature he is not as responsive as he was but we fine the more you time you put into your animals the more you get out of them!
We tend to keep any boar we have with 1 or more sows at all times which we find keeps them calm.
A boar / pig on it's own will be bored and/or lonely and will tend to be a lot more lively when you interact with it!
But always remember a boar has always the potential to be dangerous and should always be treated with respect!
Cheers,
Ian
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It's a pig not a dog. You have to respect a boar but also he needs to respect you and know you are the boss. I have 2 boars that I trust as much as you can any animal but I'm also aware they are big strong and potentially dangerous. We have a good relationship but they know I am the boss, well most of the time. If he is being rough with your husband he needs to go in with a pice of water pipe of similar and give him a wack on the nose until he learns to behave or you are asking for trouble.
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There was a thread on here a month or so ago, I'm not good with names, but a TAS member got badly injured by a boar.
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http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=37433.0 (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=37433.0)
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I'd say your OH needs to show him who's in charge sharpish or he'll get used to being top dog and could be trouble in the future. Assuming he's not fully grown yet imagine him misbehaving when he's heading for 300kg.
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Many thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read and reply. Thanks for Tony's number but that is who we got our boar from. I am pleased to say that we managed to find a sow today so he wont be on his own any more. I would like to reassure that i am fully aware that he is a potentially dangerous animal and i give him the fully respect his deserves. I put a lot of time and effort into all the animals we have so they have the best quality of life they deserve. It's a huge learning curve all this smallholder business and every day is a learning day.