Does anyone keep pigs? Just rooting for some thoughts...
Discussion
I have a field of about 1.2 acres behind our house, and I'm looking for something to do with it.
It has a water supply and a field shelter for horses already. Keeping pigs is one of the options I'm thinking of.
I'm interested in keeping them for meat, not as any kind of pet, as well as to keep the vegetation down. Obviously I'd go on a pig keeping course if I do this, but has anyone ever tried keeping pigs? What's it like? Grunt work, or will I be squealing with delight?
It has a water supply and a field shelter for horses already. Keeping pigs is one of the options I'm thinking of.
I'm interested in keeping them for meat, not as any kind of pet, as well as to keep the vegetation down. Obviously I'd go on a pig keeping course if I do this, but has anyone ever tried keeping pigs? What's it like? Grunt work, or will I be squealing with delight?
We did this a few years ago when we rented a small-holding...
1) You'll need a CPH number
2) You can slaughter them yourself BUT only you can then eat the meat, you can't sell it
3) You can't feed them "slops" that contains meat
4) You need decent fencing and a gate that they can't lift off
5) You'll need freezers, lots of them - we had 180 sausages from just 3 small pigs for example
6) Find a small/local abattoir that will slaughter on the same day you deliver them - if they'll do at least some basic butchering for you that's a good thing
7) If you can, get a walk through the slaughter process at your chosen abattoir - it'll re-assure you that the animals are looked after, not stressed
But once all that's said and done; They're great, easy to look after BUT easy to get attached to! Of all the animals we kept the pigs and geese were my absolute favourites
1) You'll need a CPH number
2) You can slaughter them yourself BUT only you can then eat the meat, you can't sell it
3) You can't feed them "slops" that contains meat
4) You need decent fencing and a gate that they can't lift off
5) You'll need freezers, lots of them - we had 180 sausages from just 3 small pigs for example
6) Find a small/local abattoir that will slaughter on the same day you deliver them - if they'll do at least some basic butchering for you that's a good thing
7) If you can, get a walk through the slaughter process at your chosen abattoir - it'll re-assure you that the animals are looked after, not stressed
But once all that's said and done; They're great, easy to look after BUT easy to get attached to! Of all the animals we kept the pigs and geese were my absolute favourites
GnuBee said:
We did this a few years ago when we rented a small-holding...
1) You'll need a CPH number
2) You can slaughter them yourself BUT only you can then eat the meat, you can't sell it
3) You can't feed them "slops" that contains meat has come from a kitchen/food prep area that also prepares meat
4) You need decent fencing and a gate that they can't lift off
5) You'll need freezers, lots of them - we had 180 sausages from just 3 small pigs for example
6) Find a small/local abattoir that will slaughter on the same day you deliver them - if they'll do at least some basic butchering for you that's a good thing
7) If you can, get a walk through the slaughter process at your chosen abattoir - it'll re-assure you that the animals are looked after, not stressed
But once all that's said and done; They're great, easy to look after BUT easy to get attached to! Of all the animals we kept the pigs and geese were my absolute favourites
Subtle difference. Basically, no swill unless it comes from a vegetarian kitchen.1) You'll need a CPH number
2) You can slaughter them yourself BUT only you can then eat the meat, you can't sell it
3) You can't feed them "slops" that
4) You need decent fencing and a gate that they can't lift off
5) You'll need freezers, lots of them - we had 180 sausages from just 3 small pigs for example
6) Find a small/local abattoir that will slaughter on the same day you deliver them - if they'll do at least some basic butchering for you that's a good thing
7) If you can, get a walk through the slaughter process at your chosen abattoir - it'll re-assure you that the animals are looked after, not stressed
But once all that's said and done; They're great, easy to look after BUT easy to get attached to! Of all the animals we kept the pigs and geese were my absolute favourites
I started asking the same question on the Accidental Smallholder forums, I was looking for oinkers that didn't dig as much.
I have a 0.3 acre orchard and a 2 acre paddock. Looking for a couple of girls as pets, to occasionally put in front of a boar to make piglets for selling/meat.
Kunekunes were the popular answer, and good for a novice pig-keeper. General consensus was to keep fewer and rotate around the land so they don't ruin it that much, but Kunes don't root around much anyway; they are grazers. Apparently make excellent eating but take a little longer to grow to eating size.
I have a 0.3 acre orchard and a 2 acre paddock. Looking for a couple of girls as pets, to occasionally put in front of a boar to make piglets for selling/meat.
Kunekunes were the popular answer, and good for a novice pig-keeper. General consensus was to keep fewer and rotate around the land so they don't ruin it that much, but Kunes don't root around much anyway; they are grazers. Apparently make excellent eating but take a little longer to grow to eating size.
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