[robert waddell]

no not as simple as that       find out what the slaughter house prefer    tags metal or  plastic  the plastic ones do survive the scalding process     the slap mark identifies the half carcasses so there is no confusion over who's is who  this does happen  before the Scot eid came into force pigs up to a year old could move on a paint mark even to slaughter and to slaughter as well

[princesspiggy]

2 Kunekune x Tamworth/wild boar.....

wow, was that a deliberate cross?

[Beewyched]

Holz 

I back HappyHippy re the Kune Kune, but them I would 

Don't worry about a herd No. until after you get them - all you need is your CPH number at the moment, as you can't move them onto your land without it (& the seller shouldn't let you have them without it either, as ScotEID will alert all & sundry VERY quickly).

Just check that any CPH No. you have includes LAND - this may seem a bit daft, but don't assume a CPH No. automatically means you can keep stock.  Recently 1 of my Kune buyers didn't realise that their CPH No. was LANDLESS  The easiest way is to register with ScotEID first, before looking for piglets, it will immediately tell you if your holding is ok.

Not heard of a KK cross Tammy, but if you get the best of each breed you could be on to some lovely pork that's not too expensive to rear  - just watch out for the Tammy specialist escape skills!

 

[holz306]

pretty sure it was a deliberate cross.  the sow is the Kune Kune, shame they're not pure because i'd definately have said yes already.  Thanks guys you've all been so helpfull so far - i'm used to horses (and a few sheep in the past) so its a learning curve when it comes to the rules and regs of piggys! 

Pretty sure the holding is land - its part of a farm, bit silly if its not, but it is a new CPH so i'd better check!  i'll try to register with Scoteid tomorrow.  and get the herd number sorted....i'm ridiculously excited about it.

[robert waddell]

it is not so much the Tammie escape artist    i would be more concerned with the aggression of the wild boar cornered or in earshot of a pig squealing they will smash down rickety fences and barricades to get and protect that distressed pig      all you end up with is a mongrel of a cross with no specific advantage

[holz306]

oh dear, that doesn't sound good.....there's a lot of wild boar crosses around here, i don't know why?

[robert waddell]

they are introduced to the forrests and large estates and like yourself there is nothing else available  but you have to search for what you want   there are far to many dolly mixture crosses and trading standards should get involved  with the crap passed of as a specific breed  oh it so infuriates me the the duff information and the praying on the new owners that goes on in the pig world

[holz306]

the two pigs that are left are males - is there a downside to keeping males rather than females, will they fight as they get bigger or likely to be more aggressive etc?

[Beewyched]

Holz 

If they have not been castrated, be VERY CAREFUL !!!

KK's are sexually mature from 5 months - though the breed is very docile, you can often get problems keeping boars together, even litter brothers, especially if there are any females within sniffing distance. 

Although I've not got got any experience with Tammies, from what Robert is saying the wild boar mix could prove a dangerous combination.

 

[HappyHippy]

If the piglets are moving farm to farm and they are under a year old they don't need to have any tags - a temporary paint mark is adequate (and you can fill that in on the ScotEID form no problems - they have a space for you to note it down ) I'd suggest it would be better for them not to be tagged to be honest, it makes the slaughter end easier - with only one tag ID to worry about 
The males won't fight as they are brothers (well, they'll fight but only in 'play') and the advantage of keeping uncastrated boars is that you HAVE to send them to slaughter, you wouldn't want to keep them as pets as they get too big and too boisterous. (You would get ovely attached to a pure Kunekune as they're just like big soft dogs  )
My Kunekune cross OSB's were great pigs and I was surprised that the Kune in them didn't seem to slow the growth. If these wee guys are close, the breeder is helpful and you're keen to get started then I'd say go for it  You can always try something else the next time 
HTH
Karen

[MAK]

Just read this thread and feel exhausted by all the regs needed to keep a soddin pig or two in the UK.
here in France I answered an advert and got 2 ( ear tagged) pigs for 45 Euros each - as I don't breed i have no need to tell anyone - We had a pig stye but we had to buy an electric fence - I did buy in some pig food but the pigs had a bit of a field and were fed by all of my neighbours ( orchards and large veg gardens, acorns, walnuts and chestnuts). I reckon I spent about £40-£50 on feed over 10 months with most expenditure post autumn when I cooked up spuds,marrow, pumpkins with a compliment flour and pig nuts for tea. We killed the pigs on site and I butchered them - we did our own bacon, hams, salami and sausages.

I only mention the above because it strikes me just how much red tape smallholders in the UK have to deal with and how challenging it must be. I do not think it is rocket science to look after a couple of healthy pigs and give them a good life and we were very lucky to have experienced neighbours to do a professional home kill.   

[robert waddell]

i am, glad you posted MAK  we are in the EU what we have to adhere to in the UK  the rest of Europe should be doing similar but it appears not to be 

[oaklandspigs]

One EU a myriad of different country interpretations!

Yes France has decided that the rules only apply to breeders, not to people just raising pigs.

Holz, as others have said I would be vary of anything wild boar cross as a first time pig, maybe when you've got more experience.  Have PM'd you on the book, but it is available on our website at the end of this post.

To re-iterate what HH and others have said, but them on a paintmark.  You don't have to ID them unitl you take them to slaughter, so no hurry about tags/slapmarks, but as Robert wisely says check what you local abattoir wants.

Robert - on holding of birth as you point out thisd has been added - this came in for Scotland under PRIMO 2011.  It is actually a requirement under a EU directive from 2007 that says that the paperwork should carry holding of birth for paintmark moves. Totally pointless rule, as either that is the holding they were moving from so is already on the form 999% of cases), or another in which case why do you need to know that?  As it is a directive rather than a regulation, each country is allowed to decide how to implement the rule.  England & Wales just added it to the paper form, relying on people filling it in.  Scotland ignored it (wisely).  However given that a new PRIMO regulation was coming out, Scotland added it to their regulation, but E&W did not, so whilst it is a bit on the form, in E&W it has no sanction.

[holz306]

Ok -  does anyone have any idea where i can get nice female weaners in North Scotland - i think you're right to not go for 2 males with Wild boar in them as first pigs.....so, I like rare breeds, british breeds....and Kunekunes - but i wonder are they too small to make it worth while raising them for the freezer?  The only pig people around here have wild boar x's.  i suspect this has something to do with it being a relatively remote area, and everyones been sharing boars over the past few years!!  so, all suggestions welcome?  what would be your one reccommended first pig, bearing in mind my location in the west highlands of scotland, where it tends to be wet and windy even in the summer! (although plenty of dry housing awaits them!!)

[robert waddell]

it may well surprise you just what is available in a bigger radius  unfortunately there seams a hesitancy for Scots to travel any great distance to further the gene pool in any great numbers
British lops do very well in Scotland and may well be worth your time and effort bringing them north and are an ideal starter pig with better results weight wise and time wise  than kunnies  future breeding has to be considered if you get pedigree whatever you decide Lillian can organise transport to Aberdeen  which gives you a bigger catchment area