[windymiller]

I don't think the government CAN ban pork imports from countries inside the EU unless they fail to meet EU welfare standards, which are pretty poor. They COULD ban the import of battery eggs on these grounds. The pig cycle will apply to these overseas producers too: the price they get for their pork will also be depressed due to the glut of home produced pork.
I agree everyone should think twice about breeding pigs unless they have a decent business plan. If people re offloading surplus pork (or pigs) at a loss it affects us all. Hopefully enough of us will continue breeding pigs to prevent any more bloodlines becoming extinct!

i think they could certainly ban some of the stuff on welfare grounds, and believe they aredoing with the battery eggs now so fingers crossed the pork will follow...

[robert waddell]

jep i think you are out of touch with what the relevent bodies do for pork      breeding and pigs in general
why is it always the bpa fault you have to have free market conditions  yes a reasonable return for our efforts  that is all we are asking

[Dutchjim]

The only reason I considered keeping one Welsh weaner back for breeding was because I had to
travel far to many miles to get weaners at the right time. I need 12 weaners mid Aug to deal with the tons of apple pulp we produce. Here in Bucks not many pigs about ! ?
I would love to buy the right type of weaner at the right time for the money  I read above. I would then not have to breed my own. I would be happy to pay fair money. Is  £45 fair? But none available round here!?

[czechmate]

Robert w. I agree with the sentiment of your posts, so I am not arguing. I would just like to ask how you recon it costs £700/year to keep a sow? I realise I am fortunate being an arable farmer and mill my own feed but I am well aware of the value of it!
Mark

[robert waddell]

feeding
straw
your time and effort
purchase price   ok you get something back if you sell her
water
vet bills medicines and injections
boar hire  AI  or cost of boar and feeding
if you collect fruit and veg or brewers waste it costs to collect it
dung has to be disposed of
maintenance and replacement of fixtures and fittings
electricity
you get the picture
now these arable farmers that are making a fortune from growing grain £200 per tonne for barley 

[Sylvia]

Well then! Robert, I know you have no love for Kunekune, but they are small and don't cost too much in feed(mine are fed 75% free fruit and veg and are still a good body weight)
I buy in weaners of other breeds and rear them for my very large family, they pay costs and get good meat, fine, I know if you have a large family, but I have the pleasure (and the trials ) of rearing them.
I sold two litters of Kunekune, mostly, I admit as "pets" but I ALWAYS emphasised to buyers that if they decide that they have taken on more than they can manage, I will have them back(they won't get their money back though) so maybe I will have a good many free sausages and pork pies

[Fowgill Farm]

Here in Bucks not many pigs about ! ?
I  But none available round here!?

You aren't looking in the right places or prepared to travel out of the county then?

Czechmate. commercial farmers are losing £21 a pig in the UK and they have economies of scale so how can somebody like us do anything more than break even if we are lucky and our labour is 'free' ish.

Robert and I don't want people not to breed, we just want them to make the right considerations not just for their selfish selves but for the sake of the current market and their pigs too. Too often i've seen 12wk old free range weaners go to the local mart to be sold into what! slatted commercial set ups more than likely what must go thro their intelligent little minds they must be suicidal! (Commercial pigs are born to a life without earth & straw, have you seen a happy commercial pig i always think they look so sad in pictures)
Mandy 
Ps bit grumpy this morning burst pipe in pig yard and frozen drains = flooded out pigs

[Dutchjim]

Please show me the right place to look! Last time I had to travel to Wisbech in cambs
200 mls , 4.5 hrs round trip. Time and diesel... It all ads to the costs.
So yes .. Would rather buy local. Time at £10 per hour ? Diesel at £40 say.
Thats 2 weaners  just there.

[Fowgill Farm]

Please show me the right place to look!

Most of the breed socities have for sales sections on their websites, all the smallholding magazines have ads and sections devoted to pig breeders (using a landline you can call most for free at the weekend), local ag merchants often have signs( this is how i've sold my last two lots of weaners locally) Asking at the local mart if anybody knows of any. If you're fussy about what breed you have you may well HAVE to travel.
 You're right in the middle of the country with good road links try living up here in the wilds of Yorkshire! I've had to travel to Essex, Manchester & Derbyshire for good pigs. If you want local animals a lot of it is pot luck and being in the right place at the right time.
The GOS website had a huge list of members and their locations so maybe this will help.
http://www.oldspots.org.uk/members.asp
Your area sort of is between Midlands & SE so check both lists.
HTH
Mandy 

[HappyHippy]

I just typed pig breeders in bucks into Google - loads of pages 
There's Jarmfarm with saddlebacks, Michelle Andrews & Richard Hall, Tel. No.: 01844 274023  with Middle whites and that's just on the 'best of breeds' website. But as Mandy says - pretty much all of the breed societies have breeders listed by area, might just take you a wee while to look through.
Karen 

[Dutchjim]

Thank you for those very good pointers.
Love trying to be in the right place at the right time .
Could be a life motto! It feels great when that happens!

[JulieS]

Also worth having a look on the BPA website - www.britishpigs.org.

There is a 'search for pigs' button.  You can put your region in, the type of pigs you are looking for and it comes up with a list.

Let us know how you get on.

[princesspiggy]

. commercial farmers are losing £21 a pig in the UK

i thot it was £12 a head....thats even worse.

[chickenfeed]

Please show me the right place to look! Last time I had to travel to Wisbech in cambs
200 mls , 4.5 hrs round trip. Time and diesel... It all ads to the costs.
So yes .. Would rather buy local. Time at £10 per hour ? Diesel at £40 say.
Thats 2 weaners  just there.

you should have called in for a cuppa  we are just up the road from wisbech.

[Fowgill Farm]

Well you couldn't make it up, since i sold all my weaners i've had 2 calls & 2 e-mails of people wanting piglets! twinkle is due in 3/4 wks and i could do with her having 20 (she has six last time! big 'uns) the last two years i couldn't give piglets away!
heyho not complaining but thats pig keeping feast or famine.
Mandy