[welshlass181]

Hello all  we're going to see some weeners tomorrow with view to buy.  We want to get 2 or 3 gilts and bring home so they can turn the land that we've got.  What i want to know is: are there any spacific things that i need to look out for when buying pigs for the first time?  Please bear in mind these will be my first pigs ever ....... no idea what breed they are but she said something about glous old spot and welsh something

[robert waddell]

healthy ones will be a good starting point

[HappyHippy]

I've always gone for the brightest, healthiest ones from the litter. Avoid any with signs of scour (dirty tails) they should be 'up on their toes' and moving freely with no signs of stiffness, check eyes and ears are clean and clear. And if there are any with dimples above their tails, snap them up - as apparently they finish faster and better than others. (though this could just be an old wives tale ) This is purely from an eating point of view, things are a bit different if you're buying breeding stock (which I wouldn't advise until you've raised a few for slaughter to get experience)
HTH
Karen x

[welshlass181]

They are being bought to turn a field and to fatten up then go to slaughter.  They are being bought as tools then food 

[Eve]

Have a look around the site, does it look like the breeder cares about the pigs? Is the owner happy to show you the paperwork and gives you lots of sound information rather than just dismiss any fears you may have? Enthusiastic and caring pig owners will happily share all they know with you as they want their weaners to be treated well.
As mentioned before, are they clean? It's normal for the pigs to be covered in mud, but not faeces. And their bedding? Do they look well fed enough, is their skin ok (pigs can get mange).
How old will the weaners be when you get them? They shouldn't be younger than 8 weeks, and separated from mum beforehand (rather than suddenly taken from the family and dumped in the back of a car, stress doesn't do them any good).
Have a trawl around the internet, too, it can be very interesting.
Ask the owner what she feeds them and if you can have some of the same feed, as the change in diet may give them an upset tummy for a while, as can a sudden plentiful supply of greens (your field).
Are they outdoors at the moment?

 

[welshlass181]

Brilliant Eve thank you very much i now have a list of questions to ask the lady.  All i know is that there are all sorts and shapes and sizes.  Will know more when i turn up at the farm tomorrow

[bloomer]

silly question do you need paperwork to move them?

[welshlass181]

I've got some travel slip document things from the local council already ..... but i know that the lady has some anyway and she has said that she can deliver them if needs be

[Sudanpan]

Have you got your CPH number yet? You need that before you get livestock on your land
Enjoy the weaners 
Tish

[welshlass181]

We've all the paperwork through and we getting the land registry number for our land.  The council have said it is all ok and just need to dot i's and cross t's.  We're only going to view them tomorrow and not actually picking them up until the land is totally ready.  We are going to put them in a small pen until the settle down and when they do they'll have access to the entire field ..... then when they're fat enough and the field is done they are off to slaughter

[Eve]

They eat the field, you eat them... that gives a new meaning to the expression "living off the fat of the land"! 

Have you got the fencing and housing sorted? Water available? Neighbours on standby for windfall collections and some imprompty belly-rubbing sessions? Photo camera on hand? Plenty of washing powder for the must-have accessories of the coming season (mud-caked clothes)?

Enjoy, and feel free to ask any questions. 

[welshlass181]

They eat the field, you eat them... that gives a new meaning to the expression "living off the fat of the land"! 

Have you got the fencing and housing sorted? Water available? Neighbours on standby for windfall collections and some imprompty belly-rubbing sessions? Photo camera on hand? Plenty of washing powder for the must-have accessories of the coming season (mud-caked clothes)?

Enjoy, and feel free to ask any questions. 

Got elec fencing sorted, house materials there but house not actually up yet, running water on land, sister in law down the road and mother in law up the road.  We're up there everyday and always covered in mud and crap from the horses that i help look after.  Camera phone

They will be kept in a smaller pen until the get used to the new home then they can have the whole field

[Hilarysmum]

Sounds like you are almost ready, just develop a sense of humour and masses of patience.  Oh and be aware that this is the beginning of the rest of your life because pigs are very, very addictive.

[Sudanpan]

Sounds like you've got it covered 
If you can I would recommend giving the pigs access to the field in sections - that way you will get more even 'destruction'  Also it gives the pigs something new to explore every 3 or 4 weeks or so
Tish

[welshlass181]

Right we have got them all now.  Went up there to get 3 gilts and came back with ...... 5 gilts 1 sow and 3 piglets  not to sure how that happened exactly lol but oh well.  The lady was determined to offload more onto us too when we got them to the field they were a bit anxious which is to be expected and tested the fence out .... pigs and elec fence is really funny 

Everybody is happy in their new sections with the nice thick bed of straw and the huge pig arks loads of hay outside.  They're getting used to us slowly which is good.  The 5 gilts are digging in the ground already which is fab .... momma and piglets are more than happy to lay in the straw and chill out.  They're a smaller breed with Kune Kune / wild boar / glous old spot and i am not 100% if i have this last one right but here we go anyway ..... welsh black