[newtopigs]

Hi everyone,

As you can tell from the username, we are making our first foray into pig-keeping. My children want to get some potbellies as pets and I know nothing! Have done quite a lot of research on the internet but had a couple of questions that I can't seem to find the answer to and your forum seems the perfect place to ask if that's ok...

1 We were thinking of giving them a generous pen under some trees but assume it will get muddy. So would a hardstanding (thinking MOT?) in front of the ark be a good idea?

2 What do you do with the poop?! We take our horse and chicken muck to the local allotments but assume pig poo is much more stinky and not appropriate? Where/how do you spread it without stinking out your neighbours?!

3 As we are only getting small pigs, the standard arks seem pretty large (and expensive!) I saw online that someone has used a kids playhouse for pigs. Would that work or would they destroy it in short order? Any other ideas for something that we could use on a budget??

Thanks so much for your help. Just off to look into getting our pig number now!

[Marches Farmer]

Get a good, well-researched introductory book (I recommend Pig Keeping by Richard Lutwyche).  The internet is full of misleading and just plain incorrect information.  Are your children aware that a mature Vietnamese Pot-Bellied pig can weigh 70+ kg?  The smell of pig muck may depend on what they're fed (and don't forget that any food that has been in a kitchen of any kind may not be fed to pigs).  You will need a holding number, a herd number and to nominate a large animal vet, as well as keep a herd record and veterinary record.  You will also be liable to inspection by Trading Standards, DEFRA and pretty well anyone else who may wish to turn up with zero notice.

[SmallWelshBarn]

Get a good, well-researched introductory book (I recommend Pig Keeping by Richard Lutwyche).  The internet is full of misleading and just plain incorrect information.  Are your children aware that a mature Vietnamese Pot-Bellied pig can weigh 70+ kg?  The smell of pig muck may depend on what they're fed (and don't forget that any food that has been in a kitchen of any kind may not be fed to pigs).  You will need a holding number, a herd number and to nominate a large animal vet, as well as keep a herd record and veterinary record.  You will also be liable to inspection by Trading Standards, DEFRA and pretty well anyone else who may wish to turn up with zero notice.

I am also new to keeping pigs accidentally. I have a holding number but never knew I need a herd number something to look in to. Curious I understand about the cross contamination of food. Pigs are roaming and able to eat natural food etc with supplemented pellets.
Whats Defras take on giving them veg that comes directly out of the veg patch ? I have too many potatoes etc.

[Marches Farmer]

Veg straight from the garden is fine.  I feed the tiny potatoes to my pigs but cook them first - slow cooker plugged into a socket in one of the sheds.  My mature pigs are presently getting 6 windfall pears or apples twice a day  in addition to their usual amount of pellets.  Our growers are getting two chopped apples a day and a handful of bolted mint each.

[harmony]

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/guidance-for-keepers-of-sheep-goats-and-pigs


Lots of info at the above link.


Also on the British Pig Association site.


A pig is a pig whether it is a pet or not. How old are your children?

[harmony]

Get a good, well-researched introductory book (I recommend Pig Keeping by Richard Lutwyche).  The internet is full of misleading and just plain incorrect information.  Are your children aware that a mature Vietnamese Pot-Bellied pig can weigh 70+ kg?  The smell of pig muck may depend on what they're fed (and don't forget that any food that has been in a kitchen of any kind may not be fed to pigs).  You will need a holding number, a herd number and to nominate a large animal vet, as well as keep a herd record and veterinary record.  You will also be liable to inspection by Trading Standards, DEFRA and pretty well anyone else who may wish to turn up with zero notice.

I am also new to keeping pigs accidentally. I have a holding number but never knew I need a herd number something to look in to. Curious I understand about the cross contamination of food. Pigs are roaming and able to eat natural food etc with supplemented pellets.
Whats Defras take on giving them veg that comes directly out of the veg patch ? I have too many potatoes etc.

When you registered on the eaml2 system to receive the pigs onto your holding did the departure holding not give you the letter about herd marks that would have been with the movement licence they have, assuming they self hauled?


Pigs are fed pellets first and any natural food would be the supplementation not the other way round.

[SmallWelshBarn]

The pigs are about six months old. The small holding they came from has a holding number etc. My understanding from talking to DEFRA was that as the other holding was less than 5 miles away I did not need my own holding number. However as I want to keep the children I have applied and received my holding number today and will sign up to the eaml2 system.
The pellets are a once a day supplement as they have plenty of natural feed to dig for lots and lots of acorns etc. The more pellets they get the less they will be inclined to root and I want them to root !

[harmony]

That is not correct. Every pig movement needs a licence and so the pigs are with you illegally. The movement should have been set up by the owner of the pigs from their holding to yours. You need to get that one sorted asap with the eaml2 helpline. It is actually considered a serious offence.


It is not good management to feed working on the basis you want them to root. In fact, you could say that was a welfare issue. Feed is NOT a supplement. A rooting pig in the wild would have a meat in it's diet which would up the feed value of a forage.

[Marches Farmer]

That is not correct. Every pig movement needs a licence and so the pigs are with you illegally. The movement should have been set up by the owner of the pigs from their holding to yours. You need to get that one sorted asap with the eaml2 helpline. It is actually considered a serious offence.

It is not good management to feed working on the basis you want them to root. In fact, you could say that was a welfare issue. Feed is NOT a supplement. A rooting pig in the wild would have a meat in it's diet which would up the feed value of a forage.

I agree.  A growing mammal needs protein.  Pigs aren't ruminants able to extract the maximum nutrition from herbage.  They are physiologically very similar to humans and require protein for growth in the same way we do.  For the same reason movement of pigs is very tightly controlled and they trigger a 20-day (rather than the 6-day standstill for sheep) when coming onto a holding.  Remember the role they played in the spread of SARS from China a few years back?

[harmony]

Personally from the point of view of bio security I would not keep pigs in an area with a footpath running through. You don't know if people walking through have pigs and have clean feet. I wouldn't trust people not to feed the last of their ham sandwiches to the pigs. Whilst you say your pigs are friendly so are mine but they could potentially see anyone with a bag as a food source and knock someone over by accident. I certainly would not run sows and litters in an area with the public walking through. Having said that once that paddock you took the pictures in gets wet and turns to mud, it will probably put most people off walking through, which might have complications with the rights of way people.