[Amie]

HI!!! 
I'm a newcomer to this site and hopefully I'll be a newcomer to pigs too!!! 
I am trying to decide what breed would be best for me, I hope to get a piglet(female) and rear it then have baby piglets when its a the right age -all going well!!!!
I would appreciate any advice you would have!! thanks

[faith0504]

hi and welcome from moray 

[Daisys Mum]

Hi and welcome from the Scottish Borders,   Now here comes the advice bit don't get 1 pig as it will be terribly lonely, they are very social animals and don't do well on their own. I would also suggest that before you start breeding you at the very least go on a course if you have no experience. There are loads of pig breeders on here and perhaps there would be one in your area that you could visit and get some hands on experience.
I have just taken my fourth lot off to the abattoir this morning and now think that I may have enough experience to start to breed my own. As to what breed to keep that is another thing you could try out if you were to get a couple to raise for meat, I have had Pietrains, Saddlebacks and Oxford Sandy and Blacks, I intend now to breed Osb's as I got on so much better with them.

[OhLaLa]

.....don't get 1 pig as it will be terribly lonely, they are very social animals and don't do well on their own. I would also suggest that before you start breeding you at the very least go on a course if you have no experience. There are loads of pig breeders on here and perhaps there would be one in your area that you could visit and get some hands on experience.

Good advice from Daisys Mum. One pig is not good. Get booked onto a course, get yourself a good book or three and read up.

Bringing on a couple of weaners is better than trying to breed at such an early stage. So much to learn (we all had to start somewhere), but the more hands on experience you can get the better.

.... and remember that when the time comes for your own piggies they will need good sound fencing, a good strong ark - and obviously access to fresh water and feeding twice daily.

 

[HappyHippy]

Hello and welcome from me too 

I'd echo everything that's been said so far - get at least 2 for company and look to raise them for meat initially. Don't jump in to breeding straight away. There's so much to learn, even just raising some for the freezer, but breeding brings with it lots more learning and a need for you to be confident and competant when it comes to handling, giving injections, picking up signs of problems etc.
Pigs are great and I don't want to put you off, but please learn to walk before you go off running 
As for breeds to choose......the list is endless ! But for a good starter pig you can't beat a Kune Kune  Small, placid temprament, easy to handle, less inclined to dig 6ft deep holes or try to climb stone dykes ! (and VERY tasty!) Other good breeds are Oxford Sandy and Blacks, Glouster Old Spot or anything floppy eared as they tend to be more docile. But no matter how docile and placid they are they need good STRONG fencing, a dry warm straw filled arc, plenty of muck to root about in and piggy company in order to keep them happy and content as well as food and water 
Good luck and let us know how you get on !
Karen x
Oh, and if you haven't already got it, you'll need a CPH number and a herd number too.

[manian]

hi
we're also new to pigs..... we have ended up with 4, we have pietrian x large white
we have 2 black and 2 white...   
had them now since the end august and we are hooked. Although we read loads and loads it is very scary when you first get them. within the first few days  2 developed a rash, one started limping and then all 4 stopped eating!!!!   
luckily the chap we got them from reassured us all settled in well, and rash went, stumpy stopped limping and all were eating. Since then learnt how to deal with constipated pig etc!!!!!
 
we have a bridleway so our pigs attract alot of attention from the kids walking to school..... we feed them at 8.30 so its the same time they walk through it.........they all know they are going in January.

 
i think weaners are perfect for learning and then eating!!

[oaklandspigs]

Welcome, and hope you step into pig keeping.

As others have said, we would recommend that you start with some weaners (8 week old piglets that have just come off mum - so have been "weaned"), before moving onto to breeding at a later stage.

You will want at least two (it is illegal under the welfare of farmed animals regulations 2007 to keep pigs on their own, and if you are raising them for meat, then you come under this regulation) - pigs are herd animals and do not bond to humans as dogs do, so whilst they will become very friendly, they need the company of their own kind.

Breed wise, go for what you like the look of - every breed society and breeder will tell you that their breed is the best for pork, bacon, ham, sausages, is easy to look after, good mothers, nice temperament. and does the washing up for you. Breeders are a passionate and enthusiastic lot! Whilst some breeds are more specialist, you can make good food from any breed, so don't worry about choosing. Now to contradict what I have just said  I would agree with HH that we generally recomend starting with a lop eared breed (ears down) such as oldspot, saddleback, large black etc. rather than prick-eared such as tamworth, middlewhite, berkshire.  Just for you first pigs, after that go for what you like.  16 tamworth breeders are now fuming as they read this, and I fully expect several posts telling you I am wrong !  As I say, go for what you like the look of !

A good course will give you lots of info that you can't get from books (seeing really does help), but plenty do start just with a book.  We do both and whether you come on a course or choose a book from us or others, please do get some knowledge before you start, pigs are easy to keep, but you do need the basic knowledge.

Have fun and good luck

[kbomgte]

just got oaklands pig book. its very good. it covers every thing very well. just a idea of a book for you.

[egglady]

oaklandpigs, our 2 new piglets are a) tamworths and b) only 6 weeks old....tell me why I shouldnt have done either please?  (only our second lot and it was berkshires last time ) keen to learn...

[oaklandspigs]

Egglady,

Did not mean to imply that 8 weeks was the earliest, nothing wrong with 6 week old weaners, most breeders wean between 6-8 weeks, we judge it depending on mother and litter size.  With a large litter they generally need to compete more -so grow less, and need longer before weaning. With a smaller litter they can easily go much earlier.  Some mum's put everything into their young, and rapidly lose condition -  here you would wean earlier if litter are strong to help mum recover.  Other mums hold condition longer, and if you're not pushing to get mum back into pig, you would leave longer to help piglets grow.  This is all subject to judgement rather than formula, no two litters are the same, and breeders judge when best to wean.

On Tamworths, I know plenty of people who have started with them and get on well, but plenty of others who have found them boisterous and escapees - as I said in earlier post, this is subjective, and I would never criticise people for getting what they like. You will no doubt love yours as I do our pair, who are amongst my favorites.  The point that I was making is that prick eared breeds see more, so can (not will) be more of a handful. If you are not fussed on breed, the lop eared for first time would be my recommendation, but this is just a view.

[oaklandspigs]

just got oaklands pig book. its very good. it covers every thing very well. just a idea of a book for you.

thanks for the recommendation

[egglady]

thanks oakland pigs - that is really helpful.  these wee girls are quite big so i think maybe they did get plenty from their mum.  hope so anyway!  bright eyed and bushy tailed...given that they escaped within 20 minutes of arriving here, i think you are spot on about the seeing more and being escape artists!  we live and learn ....they look like fun though so it will be interesting to see the difference in character between them and our berkshires...

talking of which we had roaste belly with crackling for tea tonight (HWF recipe) and i have to tell youit was seriously yummy!  thoroughly recommend it as was way to cook belly and have succulent meat.

[HappyHippy]

Talk to Hilarysmum for some VERY amusing Tamworth stories 
I love Tammies, but they are the racehorse of the pig world 
WHEN (not if) they escape, they take off running !

[Eastling]

Hi
 We attended the course run by Oaklands in June of this year, and would highly reccomend it. Very informative and fun. We have yet to buy our weaners as having moved recently have lots to do to the house before we make a start on the pig enclosures, but have been looking at breeds and fancy OSB as first weaners. Fingers crossed early next year

[Amie]

Thanks SOO much!!!
Looks like il be 2 little weaners then!!! haha
All the advice was very good, i would have had a very lonely little piglet!!!
Im just in the middle of getting the herd number at the moment they still have to set a date for the inspection!!!
Thanks again!!!