The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: harry on March 04, 2009, 05:57:03 pm
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HELLO... done the useuall... raising poultry now want to turn some land over with pigs, applied for a holding number... anyone know where i can get a couple of weaners in norfolk, would like to feed food waste, pellets and free range so advice needed on a good breed for a beginner...... also ime in south norfolk , wheres my nearest abbitore that would do my 2 pigs and then i would need them butchered, i know a man in Porringland that can slaughter and butcher, i think hes still doing it not sure...... REGARDS HARRY
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Hi Harry and welcome.
Hope you find your pigs. You can't feed kitchen waste to any livestock though. Defra has new guidance for new pig keepers. Might be worth you getting a copy.
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Do as much research as you can before you commit to pigs. there is such a lot of red tape and rules attached. make sure you find a vet, a butcher, an abattoir and transport before you do anything. then either get a good book or go on a course if you can. weaners are usually quite easy to pick up once` you have everything in place and most breeders are enthusiastic and helpful. also be prepared to get hooked on your pigs, and two soon becomes many more.
best of luck :pig: ;)
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We have some oxford sandy cross large blacks for sale as weaners shortly if yuou are interested. There arn't very many of us in Norfolk with these rare breeds! Hannah 01603 866226
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Harry, living in France I am not so up-to-date with pig regs now, but I believe that if you have the animals home slaughtered only you and your immediate family (that is those living in the same house) can eat the meat. So if the chap you were thinking of is not using an abattoir might be worth giving it some thought.
All pig breeds are great, the outdoor old breeds are in my opinion the best. All have wonderful characters. I find tamworths very frisky (but greatest bacon ever), have always recommended Gloucester Old Spots as easiest to keep in the field, however my newest GOS gilt has taken to hurdling over the electric fence. If only she was a racehorse I could enter her for the Derby.
Pigs are very addictive. HM
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Hi, we raised our first pigs last summer and took them to slaughter in January. We took them to Ruse's in Long Melford about 7 miles south of Bury St Eds, they are a small family/village butchers with an abattoir attached who so it's all in one place, they are very helpful and used to dealing with smallholders with only one or two animals. We had english saddlebacks and they were lovely/easy to keep and taste beautiful now.
Hope this helps
Good luck :pig:
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I find the tamworths great, and haven't had any problems with the electric fence...bar with the male weaner on day one! I have moved mine to larger sections of ground three times, and they always respect (for want of a better word) the electric boundary. We use blue electric tape and a mains fence.
Morgan