[pigsinthewood]

Hello all,

I have only just joined and this is my first post...

My Girlfriend and I would like to start keeping pigs, probably half a dozen initially and maybe more in the future. We have been on a course which was very though and made everything seem a lot less daunting.

The area I have my eye on for them is 75 acres of native broad leaf woodland that was planted by my grandfather about 25 years ago.  Obviously 6 pigs wont need all that so I had imagined fencing off little parcels to rotate.

On the course there was a lot of emphasis on the importance of using Soy based pig feed, though to us that runs against the grain.  If you are trying to raise rare breed pigs on a small scale to sell locally why are you shipping in such feed from far off lands...? 

So the question is really, is it essential to supplement a pigs foraging with this kind of pig feed. If so how much/little per pig? Maybe there is another kind of feed we could use.  Also bearing in mind that we would also attempt to make friends with local veg shops etc to help feed them.

many thanks

[Steph Hen]

I don't keep pigs but have read a few books and been to a lecture.
https://www.wattagnet.com/articles/19229-nine-protein-alternatives-for-pig-feeds

I'm sure they'll get a lot of nutrition from the ground if its established woodland thats not had pigs previously. So you wont be giving them the full ration or pellets that are sold as a complete balanced food. How much will probably depend on so many variables its probably a week by week assessment of their growth and condition and then tweaking (do you have any pig keeping friends or neighbours you could visit or ask for their eye/hand?)

Hopefully someone with proper experience will comment but it's not essential to feed pigs soya based diet. - 100 years ago we didn't. But it's cheaper than other protein sources so may make a dent in your margin if you're payin for unusual soya free food, etc. Maybe they'll take longer to finish which'll use more time and money.

I assume you mean 6 weaners? Do you have a plan for how long to keep them, where they'll be killed and meat sales? perhaps three would start you off? I spent a summer keeping three wild boar and they changed remarkably quickly from cute nibblers to huge grumpy pits for food!
sounds like a good use of the woodland -  all the best.

[harmony]

Hi 


Pigs love woods but yes, you will need to fence smaller areas for them or you will lose them. Fencing wooded areas can be a bit problematic but possible. They will also need shelter and young pigs need to learn where that is and how to find their way around before they go too far away to find their way back.


Foraging pigs will still need pig food of some kind, whether that is ready made pig ration or you mix or own. They will of course supplement that ration by foraging. As Steph Hen has said soya free will cost more. Mixing your own means storage and mixing facilities for the raw ingredients.


As Steph Hen says know what you want to do with them before you start. I tell new pig keepers to work backwards from the end product because one pig is a lot of meat. Being faced with several finished pigs and no idea what to do with them is not a good scenario. Making money out of pigs isn't an easy game.


Feeding time is also a useful opportunity to check your pigs over and for them to get used to you. Catching, penning and loading "wild" pigs would not be an easy task.


We are assuming you want to finish some pigs and there is no reason why you can't do that slowly and I suggest you don't go for faster growing, modern breeds.