Author Topic: Minimum space needed to rear pigs for meat (Read 13959 times)

dixie · « **Reply #15 on:** August 06, 2009, 05:08:27 pm »

Licence for what??

shetlandpaul · « **Reply #16 on:** August 06, 2009, 05:13:36 pm »

im no expert but i would be concerned about having pigs near were a yew has been. unless your planning to clear its roots then there is a risk of them eating some. it would really be wise to keep your animals separate. apart from the odd snack you could be introducing a risk of contamination. on to having them near a stream what happens if it floods. spend a lot of time think about what your planning. i always think of the worst event and plan for it. that way you dont end up with dead pigs.

shetlandpaul · « **Reply #17 on:** August 06, 2009, 05:17:51 pm »

Quote from: dixie on August 06, 2009, 03:22:49 pm

Good idea to share the ark with 2 pens. I dont know about the water thing, try ringing defra. I thought middle whites were a large breed?? I'd recommend gloucester old spots, tamworths, berkshires or a cross breed of these types. They all taste good! See what you can get reasonably priced near to you. You dont need to register your herd with a herd! Firstly you need a CPH number, ring your local animal health office, thy'll sort that out, once you have that you can move pigs onto your holding with a movement form,then contact defra to register your herd and they will issue a herd number or you can do this before you actually get the pigs. I'd keep the meat frozen for up to a year maybe more if it lasts that long!!

sorry dixie but after your cph number you need to get the pig holding number before you can get pigs. the movement licence from one holding to another which must be sent to animal health within 48 hours.

Janette1970 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 06, 2009, 05:36:22 pm »

Shetlandpual,
the River Trent does not tend to come onto the bank to any great extent where I live. There is a massive flood plane at Newark where any excess goes. If it does come up higher than normal then it is definately with no force. (Not yet anyway!!!) I've lived on its banks for 30 years and in all that time it came up onto my mum's bank once back in 1982!!
All things considered, I was thinking of having a second ark on the river side of the bank but was considering raising it off the ground a little. Could the pigs cope with this? If not, I could put the ark ontop of the embankment.
Would the pigs use their intelligence to move away from any flood water should this occur or will they relish the opportunity to make a bloomin big wallow!!! It will be securely fenced so they will not wash away! And the river does have some wildlife in it (eels and fish + the odd misguided seal!!) so they would not be harmed by the water.

As for contaminating the river, plenty of people have horses on their banks. Would a couple of pigs be that much different?!?!?

shetlandpaul · « **Reply #19 on:** August 06, 2009, 06:09:55 pm »

im not sure. would your fencing prevent them getting into the water. i can just picture me trying to get a 200 pound pig out of the river. if you feel that its safe then it is. but if there is an alternative site then think about changing things around. with such a nice big river ducks and geese would be better for a river side site. but enjoy what you do and always remember they will be food one day.

Janette1970 · « **Reply #20 on:** August 06, 2009, 06:16:22 pm »

I would definately make the fence strong enough so they can't get in. Any thoughts on my other posting, the Parish Council thing??!? Mother seems to think they could order me to shut down if anyone complains!!!!

Really beginning to wonder if its just a pipe dream

Hilarysmum · « **Reply #21 on:** August 06, 2009, 06:21:26 pm »

Ree is that right about the pigs distance from river? Does it apply nationally? I ask because my pigs quite like a wallow in the river when its hot (despite having wallows available). One is regularly to be seen grazing the banks from the water. We have fishermen down here all the time, none has yet complained. Now I am really worried as they are the the most voluble and have a big input to the River Police. Help .... please

HappyHippy · « **Reply #22 on:** August 06, 2009, 06:28:26 pm »

Stick with it - don't worry too much about the CPH number, it's just to register the land as approved to keep animals (as far as I know) you'll not get a lynch mob of angry locals complaining !
Although it seems like a lot of hassle, you'll only have to do it the once - same goes for fencing and clearing the site to make it safe. It's much better to have everything in place - especially good, STRONG, fencing then you'll not have the worry of escaping pigs roaming the country or swimming off down the river (do pigs swim, I'm not sure?)
It's soooooo worth it once you've got your pigs you'll be looking for other potential homes around your land so you can get more, and more, and more...........

dixie · « **Reply #23 on:** August 06, 2009, 07:25:18 pm »

Quote from: shetlandpaul on August 06, 2009, 05:17:51 pm

sorry dixie but after your cph number you need to get the pig holding number before you can get pigs. the movement licence from one holding to another which must be sent to animal health within 48 hours.
[/quote]
Not according to the paperwork I have here from defra! it states once you have your CPH number you can move pigs to your holding with an AML 2 movement form, once the pigs are on your holding you need to register them with defra with the animal health office! The white copy of the movement form must then be sent to trading standards within 3 days of the move!
Heres the link, worth downloading and printing it off to keep Janette1970;
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/id-move/pigs/pdf/new_owner_guide.pdf

shetlandpaul · « **Reply #24 on:** August 06, 2009, 08:13:19 pm »

our cph is --/---/0123
our pig herd number is the above --/---/0123/05 you also have a herd mark ours is z2419 just phone the animal health people and tell them that you plan to keep pigs after you have your cph. sounds complicated but its dead easy. expect a visit within a couple of months. mainly to do with what your feeding ours is very friendly. thou both times he has come we have had none.

MrRee · « **Reply #25 on:** August 06, 2009, 08:17:40 pm »

HM I'm only quoting what John and Kate told me,not sure if it's local,Dept or National. I know I had to have my fosse tout eau sited 35metres downhill from my well,so it kinda figures. Thing is,we're sited on La See,the best salmon and trout river in France,so might be a bit more stringent.....Ree

shetlandpaul · « **Reply #26 on:** August 06, 2009, 08:21:12 pm »

feeding your pigs on salmon and trout now they are posh pigs.

Hilarysmum · « **Reply #27 on:** August 07, 2009, 10:07:26 am »

Thanks Ree.

Ours is just a trout river.

We had a big flood in our lowest field once. It was January. The pigs moved out of their threatend arc and onto the higher area. However the younger ones did tend to make a big thing of swimming in the flood. They appeared to enjoy it.