The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: DavidnChris on March 11, 2009, 10:52:10 am
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Well I've had the pigs for 4 days now and everything so far is going quite well.
They've chosen the toilet area as right by the gate into their enclosure which I think is just to be pig headed.
What do other pig keepers do with the poo ? I've picked it up and buried it in some loose soil at the moment but it's clear that can only go on for long. It doesn't seem right to just leave it, apart from the fact, as I say, that they've chosen to do it in the most awkward place.
On a lighter note, why do pigs shove the food out of the trough and then stand in the trough to eat the food?
Do we live 'high off the hog' because we're eating back bacon and not belly pork?
Why do we make a pigs ear of things?
Why can we be pig headed?
Why do we sweat like a pig when pigs don't sweat?
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Don't think I have ever heard of people picking up poo from outdoor pigs :o
What most pigs do is choose to have several latrines and then there is the hundred other areas where they get caught short ;D ;D
Why not rotate areas and use the nicely fertilised bits as veggie plots..........you will grow the best veg ever.....i promise!
Any pigs we have toss feed troughs into orbit unless cast iron.....they bury those ::) so we have always fed sow nuts or rolls scattered about which gives them some occupational therapy finding them!
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We use recycled rubber buckets, the only thing that survive our gentle GOS EDwina. She still buries them in the mud When we get desperate we go out with a metal pole and a spade, hit the ground with the pole till we find the rubber troughs then dig them out. Except when the ground is too hard for even her to bury them, she hides them in the sedge or in her arc. No idea why.
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Hello,
Ours all gets churned into the ground (once the field has been vacated) when I'm in with the tractor and land leveller. This leaves it all nice for any subsequent reseeding.
Cheers
Gavin
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Pig poo is great for root vegetables. If you do collect it then either mix with straw and let it rot down, or if you dig it in then don't atempt to plant for at least a month. The other alternative is as Val suggests, rotate your ground and plant in behind your pigs. Ree made a point on another posting as well, that it is a good idea to put some chooks on the land after the pigs and before planting, because they eat the nasties and scratch around and break down the soil.
Kate :farmer:
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I can't help feeling that i'm responsible for you picking up the pig poo from a previous post.
What do other pig keepers do with the poo ? I've picked it up and buried it in some loose soil at the moment but it's clear that can only go on for long. It doesn't seem right to just leave it, apart from the fact, as I say, that they've chosen to do it in the most awkward place.
CAn I just expalin that one of my pigs had an intestinal worm, and I disposed of the pig poo during worming process, before moving them to fresh pasture. I hope that clears things up. Lets just say, it's like a farmer going around with a shovel collecting cow dung...it just doesn't happen!
regards,
Morgan :farmer:
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Thanks for your input Morgan, I had read your post about the worm and your reasons for picking up.
No this is purely because the little blighters have chosen to do it right where I have to walk through the gate into the enclosure, I suppose I could just shovel it across onto the 'general' area of the enclosure where it can work it's magic for any subsequent planting.
It did niff a bit the other day and that was one reason for not wanting to have too much about. It's a long story about my neighbours but I don't want to upset them if I can help it.
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DAvid, Anyone who doesn't like the 'earthy' smell of pig poo, has a problem :). Luckily I couldn't hit my closest neighbours with a stone, even if I had a catapult! Sometimes i'm tempted though...the have a Rotweiller dog (in a rural area, I ask you!), and I have four kids......
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problem here in the Lake District is we have a lot of people who have second homes and love the idea of being 'in the country'. They don't however want the country to be used / changed in any way shape or form.
I was faced with what almost amounted to a residents committee when I put a field gate off the cul de sac which my field is next to. I'd researched it checked with planning, got the permit from highways etc and was all legal and above board. They are panicking in case anyone builds on the field, which as mentioned in other posts is quite (very) steep but with enough flat bits to keep the pig arc etc on -- building would be a challenge.
As it is a London 'lady' who has her second home here was in prime location for the pigs to be at the bottom of her garden, she thought I was getting sheep and was looking forward to that, however I'd said 'stock' not sheep. When it came to it though I struggled and I mean Struggled to get the arc up to the other flat bit of ground so I wasn't too near her.
So all in all I want to let the dust settle a bit and let them get used to the idea that the land has a new owner who has tidied up a lot and is actually using the land. The previous owner had let it go as it wasn't near his farm.
It has cheesed me off that they want second homes and there are many people here who haven't got one.
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...the have a Rotweiller dog (in a rural area, I ask you!), and I have four kids......
I know I'm totally off topic here - but had to jump to the defence of the rotty ;)
Okay, I've never had one myself but have met a fair few of them in my time and in my experience they are great big soft lumps of slobber. ;D
Obviously though I don't know your neighbours, their reasons for having it and how their dog behaves, and kids safety is always of the highest concern, but not all rotty's are the monsters our press have portrayed them to be.
I don't want to cause offence or sound preachy at all Morgan - I'm just saying that they're not all bad
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I should probably have mentioned that one lady neighbour had to take refuge in her car from him, and another male neighbour had to beat him off with a fairly decent sized branch. One day when the bugger was in our field worrying the sheep I rang the guy, and in a really nice way told him that the dog was out, to which he replied 'so', I then told him that the dog was worrying the sheep, to which he replied 'and what?'....He was so dismissive it was unreal. His attitude could best be described as 'what are you going to do about it'. Admittedly I had a meltdown at that stage and told him, in a rather elevated tone 'and what!...and F***ing what!...I'll shoot your dog...that's what!'. I hung up and got the gun...by which time the dog was called in. If he wants the dog, that's his business...but let him at least take the steps to keep the animal under control. My what a long way we've travelled from pig poo, lol!
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I hate irresponsible pet owners. I'll aggree a dog that chases and killes livestock is a dead dog on my farm.
But at the same time I want all to know it could be any dog. I love my Rottie. My 2 year old daughter adores her and pulls her ears and tounge but the rottie still is protective of her and will not let strangers near her.
My pigs don't poo in one place its all over the pasture but when they were in a smaller pen they would go the fartherest way away from their bedding as possible. maybe move their bedding nearer to the gate
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Ah, they're that kind of rotty owner, with that kind of dog - I have total sympathy for you in that case. I'm sure I remember posting my thoughts on dogs and sheep before - they just don't get it that it's your livelihood that their pet is 'playing' with.
Having given them warnings you'll just have to perfect your aim now ;)
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I hate to have to do it....but needs must...
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Perhaps a warning shot next time the dog is anywhere near your animals may be a compromise. The owner may then realise you mean business without you actually having to kill the poor dog - I mean poor because it isn't his fault he has a bad owner.
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Have done that twice before. The bugger runs off and comes back another day. My greatest fear is that, having arrived at the gates of Heaven (or Hell), that there'll be one peed off Rotweiller waiting for me....Grrrr! Lol
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Dont worry about the rotti being at the gates have just heard Old Harry's Game it appears dogs/computers/dolphins are all destined for down there.
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So long as you have a bunch of your sausages in your hand at the time you'll be fine! lol
Seriously though, it is the owner that's at fault.
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I know but I feel a tad bad. The dog, after all, knows no better...thanks to his lack of training. Still if its a choice between a piglet or a lamb...god help him.
Morgan :farmer:
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Well, picking up the pig pooh, may be seen as admirable in an evironmentally friendly sort of way
but, I don't see me ever getting round our herd, let alone managing to catch them all on the pot at the same time.
Poster 2, is right, it does make very good fertiliser and at no extra cost to you. :)