Author Topic: which breed to get (Read 8000 times)

vickylouxx · « **Reply #15 on:** August 28, 2009, 01:24:31 pm »

hi , Ive just got agricultural number happy happy, can now ring them up for heard number

Muc · « **Reply #16 on:** August 30, 2009, 01:44:45 pm »

I had a Duroc and you'd need deer fencing to keep her in. The Saddlebacks and GOS were lovely, easily managed, but the pink GOS were more suseptible to sunburn than the black Saddlebacks.
I've given up on electric fencing. It works but you can never rely on it. This winter I'm building walls so I can sleep at night.
Has anyone tried gabian (sp?) cages - those wire enclosures they use to hold back embackments along motorways. I have a neighbour who made some himself with chainlink fence. They look effective and were a great way of getting rid of stones.

HappyHippy · « **Reply #17 on:** August 30, 2009, 07:35:28 pm »

Quote from: Muc on August 30, 2009, 01:44:45 pm

Has anyone tried gabian (sp?) cages - those wire enclosures they use to hold back embackments along motorways. I have a neighbour who made some himself with chainlink fence. They look effective and were a great way of getting rid of stones.

We had gabion baskets left over from a job hubby was doing - never even considered them for fencing - would've been the easiest dry stone dyke ever !
The ones we had were 2m x 1m so probably would've been overkill in terms of security

but making them up to a smaller/narrower size would probably work - providing the pigs didn't learn to climb !

Bodger · « **Reply #18 on:** August 30, 2009, 11:25:29 pm »

Country file again this evening. I thoroughly enjoyed the programme but I've just got to stop watching it.
For those of you who didn't see it, they spent the full hour on Adam Hensons 1600 acre Cotswold farm.
A few years ago, Kaz and I visited the rare breed farm that his father and now Adam runs. It was well worth the effort. Anyway, back to the programme, what sent me into raptures, was the couple of seconds of footage when they panned across one of the fields which had the most beautiful GOS sow in it.

She was stunning and it made me think back to the times when we had three sows and a boar of that breed. It really was very tempting to think about reliving those time again.

Sudanpan · « **Reply #19 on:** August 31, 2009, 08:41:30 am »

Can't comment on the breed advice - we are having our own problems making a decision as to which to get

However - gabions. We have used them to very good effect to build a retaining wall for our barn (our land is gently sloping and we had to dig in to create a flat site for our barn, we ended up with a 1.5m end retaining wall). You can get the gabions in various different sizes - we are using 1m by 1m by1m, and also 0.5m by 1m by 1m.
In order to get a good finish to the face we found it was best to pack the gabions by hand, you can't just dump the stones in because they will end up with big gaps or bulge outwards which is murder to remedy once the cage is full.
We have loads of stone in our field because it was used as a general dumping ground for the old cornish hedging stone when the farmer opened up the fields plus the remains from the old stone cottage - its a great way of clearing up and re-using the stone.

sausagesandcash · « **Reply #20 on:** August 31, 2009, 08:44:59 am »

Where are you buying the gabions?

Morgan

Hilarysmum · « **Reply #21 on:** August 31, 2009, 05:21:04 pm »

Sorry being extra thick today - its the sun - wondered if the pig might not dig out underneath? Or if its a tammie climb out over the top.

Sudanpan · « **Reply #22 on:** August 31, 2009, 07:46:07 pm »

Hi Mogan, We got our gabions from Devoran Metals just outside Truro - they stock the 1 by 1 by 1m as standard and just have to order in the other sizes if you want them. They are very helpful.

Can't comment on whether pigs could dig underneath - the 1 by 1 by 1m gabions weight about 1.5 tonnes when filled with the stone so if they dug under I think the gabion would fall into the tunnel!! As for climbing over - how agile are the tamworths?? The front facade is vertical so not easy to get a toe-hold.... but no exeprience so can't say for sure.
Tish