The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: intercrewman on November 25, 2007, 01:41:27 pm
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Hello People i just got in here am new in this Farming thing,although, i have been into Poultry for some years now.
Please people, i amm interseted in Rearing Pigs ,please what do i need to know about Pigs.
I like them alot and i want to go into rearing them for sales.
Please i dont want to make mistake lossing money in it.
Please advice
Thanks
Intercrewman
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Hi, first point where are you based? If UK you will probably already have had dealings with DEFRA for your hens. They would be your first port of call.
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it depends how big of business you want. my experience is that there is a niche for small, rare breed herds, but more as a hobby than a cash cow. supermarket pork is being bought from the farmer at more or less the same price as 1996, yet production costs are at least double. fmd has left many pig keepers exposed to costs as they could not sell their stock for cashflow and had extra expense. but good quality meat is in demand on a small scale.
read as much as you can. try and go on a pig keeping course, ask important questions and network with other pig keepers. think about why you are doing it?( strictly business, pleasure, meat for you and yours, cheaper quality meat for friends and neighbours etc.) choose a breed you fancy and get stuck in. try and sell the meat to people even before you start keeping pigs. this will ease the risk aspect and cashflow. I have two pigs in my herd which are sponsored, which allows me to keep a few more.
good books i have read are by andy case and by tony york.
my pigs give me a lot of enjoyment and little profit.
best of luck.
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Hi,
We too have been thinking about getting pigs for quite a while now. We currently keep sheep, chickens and also have dogs, rabbits and hamsters.
We keep our animals as pets really and would love to have a couple of pigs to complement the others. To find out more about pig keeping we recenlty went on a pig husbandry course www.animalloversweb.com/blog/?p=8 in Wooller, Northumberland. This was run by Sarah Dodds who is a breeder of the rare Tamworth pigs. This was really useful and we learned a lot. Although, having been up close and personal with the pigs, we were shocked by the shear size of an adult pig.
We decided that we would probably prefer a smaller breed and are now investigating Kune pigs, which seem better suited for us, and we are hoping to try to get them by the spring.
Any recommendations of a UK supplier would be much appreciated.
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Hi, re kune kunes you could try the googling, the kune kune breeders club will be very helpful.
Kunes are lovely, smaller animals, they make great pets, as do Vietnamese pot bellied pigs. The miniature ones are very small. Personally though, if you are looking for a pet pig (ideally you need 2 unless they are being kept indoors, and I know of several that are) Gloucestershire Old Spots. They get big, yet stay adorable. A neutered male or two would make superb, affectionate pets.
Just a thought. HM
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my gos boy, gremlin, is a lovely affectionate pig with bags of character. currently, at 4 months, he only weighs @50kg. if i let him stay on he will reach the size of a small shetland, and i'm not sure i want to have that size laying across my feet for a tickle. i went to visit a smallholding to fetch 2 weaners a few weeks ago and their boar was really friendly, but you could feel his tusks rubbing against you, and when i stopped scratching his ears he picked me off the ground to gain my attention. but if you have the space and don't mind your land being bulldozed and bereft of plants smaller than a medium tree. i think they make excellent pets as long as you understand what you are letting yourself into. why not keep weaners up to porkers and benefit from the meat as well as the company.
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We have 2 gossie boars, neither are any trouble. The older one does have tusks coming now. So far no problem. We have a rule once they get "difficult" they go.
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Hilarysmum
Thanks, Yes gloucestershire old spots look absolutely gorgeous and we do have a very local breeder who specialises in them and Tamworths, so they would be pretty easy to get hold of. I am going to contact them to get more info and also the Kunes breeder society.
A very basic question are weaners more available in the spring, like lambs, or do people breed pigs all year round?
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Hi sows can produce at any time of the year, its really up to the individual breeder. It may be nicer to have weaners in the spring though. If I may add my own thoughts, if you can go for neutered males. Much easier to keep as pets, no pmt, and no tostesterone. (spelling?)
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You will love rearing pigs. Our weaners are doing fine and we're moving on to breeding sows after Christmas.
First: Read a book (Starting with Pigs by Andy Case is excellent and straightforward)
Second: go on a course. They're fun and very useful, especially if you get a chance to go 'hands on'. Ian and Maggie Todd's course at Smallicombe in Devon is excellent, but there are loads of others.
Third: make friends. Find a rare breed breeder (Kwik fit fitter?) in your area and pay a few visits. You'll see what you need in the way of ground, equipment, housing, fencing and so on.
Fourth: Listen to what breeders say, but always remember that they will champion their own breed. I've come to the conclusion that it makes little difference as long as they are healthy.
Fifth: When you take the plunge, get just a couple of weaners. If you start small, the mistakes will be small.
Sixth: Make sure you have someone nearby who knows what they are doing. Their advice and help will be priceless.
Enjoy your pigs, they'll never make you rich, but they'll make you happy.
Malc
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Wow Malc that was brilliant, could I copy this and offer the advice to people who ask me about pigs?
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Please do not hesitate to contact me with any specific concerns or queries that you may have, either now or in the future. You seem to have enough general advice at the moment to keep you going and to give you food for thought for the time being. ccantsdam@aol.com
Whatever you decide, just please give your chosen breed/crosses all the care and respect that they deserve and you will be rewarded tenfold in many ways.
Good luck,
Andrew
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Hilarysmum,
Help yourself. It's only the accumulated "wisdom" (!?) of a few months of trial and (thankfully few) errors, but it's the way it was put to me when I first decided pigs would be a good idea.
All the best, Malc
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Thanks Malc.
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If you are new to pigs your firstquestion always has to be what am i going to do with them,
If i am keeping them outside what is the groung like thayt they will be living on.
you always need to work from the end backwards.
so many people buy pigs just to fatten get attached and then decide that they want to breed from them.
Please remember that if they are being offered for fattening then they are not good enough for breeding.#
no one sells a breeding pig that they considwer good enough for breeding just to kill to eat.
also if someone tells you that the litter produced say 10 pigs and all were good enough for breeding then unfortunatly they dont know what they are on about.
A litter will normally produce 3 pigs out of 10 that MAYbe good enough for breeding
if you want any other advice leave a message and i will respond.
I am a pedigree breeder for over 20 years. Believe me i have made all the mistakes possible and learnt from them
tony.k
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Talking of pigs as pets, I have just met the most gorgeous little mangalitsas. They look like a cross between a dog and a sheep. Very cute. I am told they are very gentle and doglike. The owner of the ones I met has them trained. Very impressive, wish my dogs were half as well behaved.
I have heard that they are very popular in UK, but very pricey. Anyone else seen them ?
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Ours Mangalitzas are a dream, everyone adours them.
It could be a good alternative breed for anyone wanting a truly managable pig, not huge, and obvously very different and dual purpose - meat and/or pets.
In UK the main breeder is Tony York at Pigs Paradise, and yes pricey, but I think you will find there are other breeders on a smaller scale around.
If interested advertise on other forums, someone may know of some - I know I read of someone having some in UK - I will have a think who and where.
Kate
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They are very appealing.
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http://www.oxhey-mangalitzas.co.uk/ (http://www.oxhey-mangalitzas.co.uk/)
just found this link about mangalitzas if anyone is interesed
linz
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Still talking of the magnificent breed the Mangalitza, I have kept these pigs for 4 years now and would recommend them as possibly the best for the first time pig keeper. Not just because of their looks but the temprement and the hardyness, but size does matter when you are venturing into new animals.
Carole
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I am also new to all this and learning so much reading the replies. Thank you to everyone who contributes, great info and fun adventures too! I can't wait until we get our first pigs in March. Then I really will need you!
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Linz - what a nice website. It is encouraging to see a litter of 6 piglets. We were expecting to get only 2 or 3 per litter so pleased to have seen the photos on the site.
Kate