yearle tamworths are excellent stock, id personally recommend them, they also taste superb.
tamworths in woodland wont get as destructive as just in a muddy paddock as the tree roots hold the soil together more, and there is more for them to do with fallen leaves etc.
if you dont feel ready, why not buy a butchered pig for the freezer whilst you research some more? theres a lot you can learn about cooking/processing the meat that is interesting.
yes, there is a xmas rush for the butcher, so aim for before butchering before end of november.
we kept our tamworths out all year round and sent them off about 7 mths. feed goes up and growth comes down during winter but it is achieveable. but wind, rain and cold isnt the most pleasant environment for them if you can help it. they will stand there and shiver. so a good shelter is a must.
why not get some older store pigs that will finish a bit sooner? - say 4 mths old (most breeders will have these if they sell pork) they will be more expensive due to the feed the have eaten already but will give you a bit of experience. they may not be as tame as your own weaners tho,unless they have been handled alot but use a pig board/race to load them etc and they should be no problem.
tamworths were our first ever pigs, and werent difficult though it was a learning curve. if you spend time handling them, scratching bellies, teaching to roll over etc you can get fabulous relationships with them, one shout and they will come galloping over to you. they are quite vocal though. the hard bit is sending them away if they are your new best friends
Topic: First weaners - now or next year? (Read 12102 times)
