The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: MrsJ on December 10, 2009, 11:30:48 am
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I know pigs love to wallow in the mud, but the ground is sooooo wet this year that I think we're going to have to move our winter pigs to our other enclosure before they sink out of view completely. The trouble with this is that neither area will then be any use for new arrivals in the spring. How are other pig owners coping with the dreadful weather?
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I don't have pigs but the goats are having problems with all this mud. Yesterday I had to call the vet out as 2 of them were having great difficulty with walking. I had checked their feet but could see nothing so called in the expert. The vet started with Blossom, one of the Pygmy's and could find nothing with her feet either. He gave her a thorough check and could find nothing but he could see she was not happy at walking. Eventually, with luck, he found she had the smallest of small stones in her foot which had ulcerated, hence the problem with walking. It was cleaned out and treated so when it came time to check Gizmo the same problem was found. So, we HATE all this mud!
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We had, reluctantly, but for pity's sake, to let our three Berkshire weaners out of their nice big but knee-deep-in-mud pen and into a two acre field which they have absolutely WRECKED!! (But what joy they have had in doing it!) I shall worry about that next year though.
I 'phoned the butcher, thinking I may take them in this week only to be told that they can do nothing 'til January!! Has anyone any ideas as to what to feed them that will keep them lean yet satisfy their hunger 'til then? They will be eight months old when they go.
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Speak to your local farm shop - we get all the rubbish fruit and veg from ours. It saves them having to dispose of it. Also, speak to your local greengrocer - ours let us have bruised fruit and off-cuts of veg etc.
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I moved my two as well, they are now sleeping in the hay shed and running around with the donkeys and horse. They like to wallow but not to swim! I'm just praying for dry weather.
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Dont worry too much they taste even better with a nice covering of fat.
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Is there not some problem that pigs get with their hoofs if they stay on wet ground too long?
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"Is there not some problem that pigs get with their hoofs if they stay on wet ground too long?"
Now you have got me worried as all my land is muddy. Just hoping now for some really hard frost.
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I know sheep do. Having had pigs on this land for over 5 years, never had a problem with the boggy ground, just the summer when it gets hard, Hilary (who is mega large) had difficulty on very hard ground. Wet ground does need loads of extra straw in the arcs.
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I have had to move my guys into the stable. The mud was getting deeper and deeper and getting fresh straw into their arc was becoming mission impossible. I have penned off an outsde area adjacent to the barn so they can still go out to wee poo and root but have a nice concrete area outside to eat/ drink and a nice stable to sleep.
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Well I got my wish for a hard frost, trouble is the ground is really rough and they are finding it difficult to walk on. Have thrown a new bale of straw into the arc and they are having great fun making their bed. If things dont improve will have to put them in to the empty stable, not sure how my mare will like having pigs next door though, she likes to use them as an excuse to be silly when I bring her past them.
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Its wonderful to see how much we care about our pigs.