[Azzdodd]

In jan/feb I will be renting a farm which has 22 acres of woodland the idea is to rear pigs in there and sell the finished pork. My question is what breed? I thought saddlebacks & tamworths? They will live farrow in the wood? My plan was 2 sows 1 boar

[oaklandspigs]

Any of the rare breeds will be great for your woodland, they'll be hardly and happy there.
I'd suggest you start by having a few "weaners" - typically 8 week old pigs, and grow them up for meat.
Whilst some might disagree, I would suggest  you start with a lop-eared breed, they tend to be more docile, so saddleback, Gloucester Old Spot, OSB, Large Black amongst others will be fine.  Tamworths are a prick eared breed, and more feisty - maybe have them as your second lot once you've got used to some lop-eareds.
Once you done that, you can start to think about moving onto the breeding stage, and two girls and a boy will work quite well, as if you alternate the boy can have female company all the time.
Farrowing outside is perfectly fine, but you will get a higher rate of piglet mortality, and sows can be harder to handle in farrowing arks than in buildings, but many do, and don't let me put you off.
 
[advert on] Sounds like a good book on pig keeping is what you need, or even a course - we do both www.oaklandspigs.co.uk - other books and pig courses are available [advert off!]
 
Whatever you do, you starting right by asking questions and doing your research !
 
 

[Marches Farmer]

I'd suggest you begin with how good the fences are, whether it has a non-freezing source of clean water, where you'll put the housing and how you'll ever manage to get hold of the pigs if you need to catch them in 22 acres!  Fertility can suffer if you have less than 6 sows to a boar - doesn't keep him busy enough!  Agree with starting with a few weaners if you've never kept pigs before.  Holme Lacy College (Herefordshire) does a course on Pigs in Woodland.

[Azzdodd]

I have had pigs for the freezer many times. The fencing is great the lady who rented it before kept goats the fences are good stock fence I will split them into more manageable paddocks I did think about weaners were I am a lot off people have come out off pigs. But I could always go to a market and buy a couple off litters. Suppose would save the hassel of getting good breeding stock

[Tamsaddle]

We've kept both Tamworths and Saddlebacks in woodland for 5 years, and they couldn't have been happier.  Disagree about Tamworths being feisty - we've found them just as easy and friendly as any other pigs, and of course they are so so SO pretty to look at too.   

[J0HN]

I agree with Oaklands with starting with 8 week old Weaners. However, I disagree with Oaklands in the fact that a Boar and 2 Sows would work well. I think that more would be needed (as marches farmer said for fertility) and that to maintain 22 acres of woodland you would need more. As regards to breeds, get what you want as you have to enjoy them. I would recommend both saddleback and tamworth. If you google Forest Hogs they use both tamworths and saddlebacks in woodland at the weald and down museum in singleton, Chichester. With regards to woodland, you must check whether any of the trees have TPO's (tree preservation orders) and if there is a stream that it doesn't affect water supplies or food production. Disagreeing with oaklands again, I generally have better success with farrowing in a farrowing ark compared to a barn as there is less space for piglets to wander and die from being too cold. The sow will also be able to heat the ark on her own whereas electricity would be needed for heat lamp to heat the barn.

[RaisinHall Tamworths]

Tamworths arent all feisty  . Ours are very quiet and laid back to deal with  .
As said any traditional breeds would cope with the set up you have so it would just be a case of going with whichever breed you like the look of most. Everyone is bound to have their favourite breeds  . Personally after a bad experience with an miserable OSB sow I wouldnt ever have another but wont tar them all with the same brush 

[Tudful Tamworths]

I'm with Raisinhall and Tamsaddle. When I take my Tamworths into the show ring, people often ask me if I've given them something to calm them down, because they really are very laid back. It's a lot to do with regular handling, so don't believe the myths about prick eared pigs being more difficult. Just think - why do so many people rave about Berkshires being such a pleasure to keep?
Like Raisinhall, I had a bad experience with an OSB sow, and I also found the piglets very in your face - much more pushy than Tamworths. I was also put off the supposedly docile Gloucestershire Old Spots - grumpy and stubborn.
As some of the others have said, think carefully before committing yourself to a breeding herd. It's an expensive business and, unless you're sure you will have a market for all the weaners, it might be better to stick to buying in weaners.
If you're concerned about not having enough pigs to manage the land, why not see if someone else might want to go into business with you? I'm sure there are lots who would take your arm off if you offered them the opportunity to rent some land - and they could also help with the feeding/mucking out of your own, if you weren't around.
Where are you, by the way?
Good luck and feel free to message me if I can help at all.
Liz

[beauty4beast]

Hi, I keep pigs in 26 acres of woodland. Any of the darker skinned rarebreeds will be happy. Watch out, all of them will breed like bunnies   On the negative side, it is definately not commercially viable, even if you are a very good salesman, but, wow, the meat is awesome and you will fall totally in love with these very intelligent pigkind.