[Maysie]

We have 2 female OSB/Berkshire crosses which are about 7 months old.
Our pigs have been really well behaved until recently when they have started to get a bit boisterous when we go in to feed them, resulting in a couple of rather nasty bites on the thighs as we are trying to put their food in the trough.  Otherwise they are very good natured. 

We had the same thing happen with two males we had previously when they were approaching pork weight, but these are now in the freezer. 

We have resorted to feeding the two females from the other side of the fence now, so we can easily avoid the issue, but I just wondered why they have started to do this all of a sudden? 

Has anyone else experienced the same and if so, what did you do to stop the biting?  I am pretty sure it is just excitement/impatience that their dinner is on its way, but they are now of a size that I don't want it to get out of hand.     

[alang]

We get it occasionally from sows/gilts of all ages. Obvious question is are they getting enough feed? Is the time they are getting fed the same time (roughly) every day (pigs like routine)?

[harmony]

Is it a deliberate bite or you getting caught between one pig biting the other? It is actually quite rare to get bitten by a pig. Generally biters are young pigs (weaners/growers) just getting a bit boisterous and pushing their luck. Any persistence at this and I would give the culprit a sharp smack on the nose with a rubber glove.


As alang said are they getting enough food?


If it is getting too difficult to get the food in the trough quick enough feed on the floor or use rubber skips that you can carry two in and just put them down more quickly than trying to get it in the trough.


Are they going in the freezer?

[Rupert the bear]

Too late for now ,but for the next ones a bit of early training. I have them wait until feed in trough, then ring the feed bell.
They are easier to train than dogs when started early + I'm a slow moving lazy so and so !
As alang rightly says routine and maybe a hint on the food
  harmonys right they get boisterous and push their luck, the rubber hose glove method more surprise than hurt 

As seen elsewhere on this site Me + playful pigs = falling in mud.

[bj_cardiff]

I've kept several breeds and found that OSB were the worst for nipping. They used to nip me while I was climbing into or walking across their paddock to the feed trough. Nothing nasty, just impatience. I carried a short stick and if they got too close to my legs they got a tap across the snout. Their so clever that they learn and after a couple of times they keep away if you have the stick with you.

[Maysie]

Thank you for the advice.  To answer a few points:

They are fed regularly twice per day at the same time (within half an hour).  They are fed the recommended amount for their age/size, but of course would also like more. 

The biting has only just started and did appear to be an impatient bite as they wanted their food faster than I could get it in their trough.  It was deliberate, rather than me getting between the two pigs. 

The intention was to keep these two females for raising piglets, so not destined for the freezer at this stage. 

I will stick with the 'pig training' regime and see how it goes.  They are just so fast though and it REALLY hurts when they bite!

[SallyintNorth]

I had two OSB gilts, both intended as breeders.  Meg never nipped and was a lovely mother.  Gaby nipped and tasted wonderful

[Rupert the bear]

I had two OSB gilts, both intended as breeders.  Meg never nipped and was a lovely mother.  Gaby nipped and tasted wonderful

 

[harmony]

Thank you for the advice.  To answer a few points:

They are fed regularly twice per day at the same time (within half an hour).  They are fed the recommended amount for their age/size, but of course would also like more. 

The biting has only just started and did appear to be an impatient bite as they wanted their food faster than I could get it in their trough.  It was deliberate, rather than me getting between the two pigs. 

The intention was to keep these two females for raising piglets, so not destined for the freezer at this stage. 

I will stick with the 'pig training' regime and see how it goes.  They are just so fast though and it REALLY hurts when they bite!

Presumably you have picked these two because they have good conformation and underlines. At 7 months they should be ready for pork so if you persevere with teaching manners they will be heading to baconers if you change your mind about breeding from them. What are you going to cross with?

[Maysie]

Presumably you have picked these two because they have good conformation and underlines. At 7 months they should be ready for pork so if you persevere with teaching manners they will be heading to baconers if you change your mind about breeding from them. What are you going to cross with?

It is all still quite new to us, so this will be the first venture into the world of breeding pigs.  At the moment we are looking at sticking with either an OSB or Berkshire boar, but much will be dependent upon what we can find for loan locally. 

These two were initially planned as our baconers after the two boys went for pork, but they were so good that we changed our plans and decided to give them a try as breeders instead. 

[pharnorth]

I kinda agree with Sally on this one.  A nippy pig is a dinner not a breeder.  There are plenty of good well behaved sows out there to make working with a nippy one an unnecessary risk.

[harmony]

Presumably you have picked these two because they have good conformation and underlines. At 7 months they should be ready for pork so if you persevere with teaching manners they will be heading to baconers if you change your mind about breeding from them. What are you going to cross with?

It is all still quite new to us, so this will be the first venture into the world of breeding pigs.  At the moment we are looking at sticking with either an OSB or Berkshire boar, but much will be dependent upon what we can find for loan locally. 

These two were initially planned as our baconers after the two boys went for pork, but they were so good that we changed our plans and decided to give them a try as breeders instead.

When you say "so good" what do you mean? They should still have the breeding attributes of a pedigree pig with good basic conformation and especially a good underline. Buying pigs to fatten and changing your mind isn't the best way to pick breeding pigs. I'm not saying there aren't good cross bred sows out there because there are.


Fattening to breeding is a big step. One that takes planning and a change of mind from fattening to breeding isn't generally the best way to go. Have you got the facilities for keeping a boar? Have you got the facilities for farrowing, weaning, an outlet for your pigs?


When are you planning to serve? Most pigs farrow down around 12 to 14 months of age.


I get the feeling you are keeping them for the wrong reasons but I will be happily corrected.

[JedM]

This is exactly how I got into breeding pigs and it worked well.  I started off with 6 weaners to fatten, and ended up keeping the 2 girls as I thought it would be good to try breeding.  I didn't worry about whether they had good conformation or underline.  They were both excellent mothers and produced really good piglets.  I bred from these girls 3 times.

As long as you are prepared for farrowing and got all the equipment, you should give it a shot.

[alang]

Have you got the facilities for keeping a boar?

Only need a fridge that is capable of keeping a semen pack at between 16.5 and 17.5 deg C (turning packs twice daily to stop them going stale) and there you go. No need for a boar

[Jim Bob]

Apologies for going off topic but I am getting a couple of piglets  next month with the aim of having them until July when they are going to slaughter. I will be keeping them in a 20m x10m pen  in a field about  20 metres from our back yard.
 Someone was telling me today that these pigs will smell and advised against  getting them
Will it be that bad or can someone reassure me that the smell from 2 pigs,  if any,will be tolerable ?