Pigs

L1985

Been thinking of this for a while and would love some advice. This is only at thought process so any feedback welcome. thinking about getting 15 or so pigs. We have a 20 acre wood and my thinking was to parcel it off with electric fence and let the pigs forage through it and feed them as well. Throw up some old oil tanks cut in half for shelter( we have done this with calves). It would clear the v overgrown wood and I would be hoping to sell direct to butchers as opposed to big plants. Only thing is I've no experience with pigs...my dad thinks I'm mad and said it wouldn't be worth the hassle. Any thoughts off some experienced guys here??thanks all

whelan2

This thread might be of interest to you https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=103982336

L1985

whelan2 wrote: »

This thread might be of interest to you https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=103982336

Thanks whelan-that's really helpful!!

memorystick

Buy a few first and feed them indoors just to learn. I'm getting a few once the cattle go out. Sowing fodder beet in field so they will have cheap feed from august on with barley. Super rashers

Muckit

I know nothing about pigs but you sound to have an excellent spot for them! Start small is what l would do! Say 2 pigs the first year. I wouldn't have a clue what do look out for health wise with pigs.... do you? Does your vet know much about them? No point waiting to find out if/when you need him!

You could keep the 2 pigs for your own freezer the first year. A few of yer own rashers and bacon with the oul cabbage and your oul lad mightnt be long changing his tune!!

Listen to what your father has to say. He has to have grown up in the era when they had a few themselves when he was in shorts.

148multi

Kept pigs here, I found them to be the most satisfying animal on the farm. Very costly to fatten outside, you will never be able to compete with the piggery, a bigger longer pig outside, shorter blockier pig in a piggery, heated house. Meat off outdoor pig brilliant, lovely animals. But you may need to sell directly to consumer.

Doctors room ghost

Go on rte player and get this weeks ear to the ground they had pigs in a woods on it and making salami out of them.it was on today at lunch time get it on the player

memorystick

148multi wrote: »

Kept pigs here, I found them to be the most satisfying animal on the farm. Very costly to fatten outside, you will never be able to compete with the piggery, a bigger longer pig outside, shorter blockier pig in a piggery, heated house. Meat off outdoor pig brilliant, lovely animals. But you may need to sell directly to consumer.

I'm planning on getting into sows in a very small way but focus on outdoor for sows and finish inside. 10 sows max. You're right, there's something really satisfying with working with pigs. I think it's the absence of the bale of silage!

gozunda

In the UK outdoor extensive pig rearing is relatively common practice - I've been to a few locations there where pigs were ranged in electric fence paddocks with pig arks for shelter. Never saw such contented happy animals. Its a pity we don't have more pigs raised in this manner here.

I have also raised pigs myself on a small scale and can vouch that home reared pork beats the commercial stuff hands down. If you have areas of overgrown scrub / briars / gorse they will do well and successfully clear the area eating roots shoots weeds and woody vegetation. Mature woodland is good but they will root up young trees if restricted. Be careful thou if it us grant aided forestry - might not pass inspection requirements.

Obviousley they will need ration to finish and I would recommend crosses of breeds such as Tamworth / Glostershire/ Saddleback for hardiness and better ability to put on weight. Beware they are escape artists so fence well both electric and permanent.

_Brian

We keep a few pigs for the table.

People really need to tast the product to understand how bland intensive indoor raised pork has become.

We don’t breed but buy in weaners and grow them on to about 90/100kg.

Very enjoyable animals to work with and over the few years we’ve had them we haven’t had a sick animal.

We’re hoping to buy a few over the next couple weeks.

memorystick

_Brian wrote: »

We keep a few pigs for the table.

People really need to tast the product to understand how bland intensive indoor raised pork has become.

We don’t breed but buy in weaners and grow them on to about 90/100kg.

Very enjoyable animals to work with and over the few years we’ve had them we haven’t had a sick animal.

We’re hoping to buy a few over the next couple weeks.

What's the best breed to buy for the table?

L1985

thanks all- some great suggestions here. It's a mature native woodland and we don't get any subsidies on it so that shouldn't be an issue. fencing will take me a while but it needs to be fenced anyway. I'm seriously considering it as at the moment the woodland provides us with no income and is just gone into an overgrown mess. Also I like the idea of homebred pigs-selling the half a pig could be an option as well although I Deff won't be doing the butchering!!!

_Brian

memorystick wrote: »

What's the best breed to buy for the table?

Last two we had were Gloucester old spot saddle back cross. They were good and not too fatty, we had some straight saddle backs a few years ago and they were fatty, but perhaps we over fed them.

Base price

L1985 wrote: »

thanks all- some great suggestions here. It's a mature native woodland and we don't get any subsidies on it so that shouldn't be an issue. fencing will take me a while but it needs to be fenced anyway. I'm seriously considering it as at the moment the woodland provides us with no income and is just gone into an overgrown mess. Also I like the idea of homebred pigs-selling the half a pig could be an option as well although I Deff won't be doing the butchering!!!

If I was in your situation with 20 acres of mature woodland I would definitely keep pigs. I used to breed Tamworths and also had a Saddleback and GOS sows. Pigs are by far my favourite farm animal but as others have suggested start with a couple. I would suggest weaners (barrows preferably) in a smaller fenced area - btw pigs only respect electric fences. See how you get on with them and you can build from there.
You will need to register with the Dept for a pig herd number, have running piped water for drinkers and some sort of shelter be it a shed or outdoor hutch.
https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/animalhealthwelfare/animalidentificationmovement/nationalpigidentificationandtracingsystem/

L1985

Base price wrote: »

If I was in your situation with 20 acres of mature woodland I would definitely keep pigs. I used to breed Tamworths and also had a Saddleback and GOS sows. Pigs are by far my favourite farm animal but as others have suggested start with a couple. I would suggest weaners (barrows preferably) in a smaller fenced area - btw pigs only respect electric fences. See how you get on with them and you can build from there.
You will need to register with the Dept for a pig herd number, have running piped water for drinkers and some sort of shelter be it a shed or outdoor hutch.
https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/animalhealthwelfare/animalidentificationmovement/nationalpigidentificationandtracingsystem/

The water-I presume you could use a stream? The stream is off a spring that waters the whole farm so won't go dry in the summer or anything. I could pipe it either but was planning on moving them every couple of weeks. Few boggy patches I'd want them avoiding as well. A battery fencer would be strong enough to keep them in I presume?

MickeyShtyles

L1985 wrote: »

The water-I presume you could use a stream? The stream is off a spring that waters the whole farm so won't go dry in the summer or anything. I could pipe it either but was planning on moving them every couple of weeks. Few boggy patches I'd want them avoiding as well. A battery fencer would be strong enough to keep them in I presume?

We’ve a battery fencer. One strand about leg height and the other shoulder height.
Just a gentle zap should teach.

Base price

L1985 wrote: »

The water-I presume you could use a stream? The stream is off a spring that waters the whole farm so won't go dry in the summer or anything. I could pipe it either but was planning on moving them every couple of weeks. Few boggy patches I'd want them avoiding as well. A battery fencer would be strong enough to keep them in I presume?

Battery fence will do but make sure the battery doesn't go flat and it gives a good shock.
When you say a spring I presume you have a well and the water is piped throughout the farm. I don't think the Dept accept animals drinking from a stream as faeces can contaminate water sources but I stand corrected.

MIKEKC

gozunda wrote: »

In the UK outdoor extensive pig rearing is relatively common practice - I've been to a few locations there where pigs were ranged in electric fence paddocks with pig arks for shelter. Never saw such contented happy animals. Its a pity we don't have more pigs raised in this manner here.

I have also raised pigs myself on a small scale and can vouch that home reared pork beats the commercial stuff hands down. If you have areas of overgrown scrub / briars / gorse they will do well and successfully clear the area eating roots shoots weeds and woody vegetation. Mature woodland is good but they will root up young trees if restricted. Be careful thou if it us grant aided forestry - might not pass inspection requirements.

Obviousley they will need ration to finish and I would recommend crosses of breeds such as Tamworth / Glostershire/ Saddleback for hardiness and better ability to put on weight. Beware they are escape artists so fence well both electric and permanent.

There were several large outdoor pig farms here about 30years ago land totally unsuitable. All long gone

L1985

Base price wrote: »

Battery fence will do but make sure the battery doesn't go flat and it gives a good shock.
When you say a spring I presume you have a well and the water is piped throughout the farm. I don't think the Dept accept animals drinking from a stream as faeces can contaminate water sources but I stand corrected.

No I mean a spring it's not a well. We take water from the source further up and the stream continues down-we can use gravity flow and put in some basic troughs so not a big deal. we could prob connect it to mains electricity as well now I think about it!!

Base price

L1985 wrote: »

No I mean a spring it's not a well. We take water from the source further up and the stream continues down-we can use gravity flow and put in some basic troughs so not a big deal. we could prob connect it to mains electricity as well now I think about it!!

Once they are drinking fresh water from a trough then I don't think there will be a problem.
One word of warning - pigs are highly intelligent and respond well to human contact grunting with pleasure whilst you scratch behind their ears, front legs, belly, tail basically any part of their bodies. If they are for slaughter don't pet them.

gozunda

MIKEKC wrote: »

There were several large outdoor pig farms here about 30years ago land totally unsuitable. All long gone

Nothing stopping outdoor pig rearing in suitable areas. Here and land management is the key. Land with heavy vegetaion or scrub can be ideal especially hill land.

Say my name

gozunda wrote: »

Nothing stopping outdoor pig rearing in suitable areas. Here and land management is the key. Land with heavy vegetaion or scrub can be ideal especially hill land.

It's the poaching aspect.
Department takes a dim view on poaching in this country especially near a watercourse.
There's a reason all the outdoor pig farms are in the east of England with their dry land and less rainfall than here.
That farmer on ettg was a bit too far into the poaching scale imo.

gozunda

Say my name wrote: »

It's the poaching aspect.
Department takes a dim view on poaching in this country especially near a watercourse.
There's a reason all the outdoor pig farms are in the east of England with their dry land and less rainfall than here.
That farmer on ettg was a bit too far into the poaching scale imo.

There's is plenty of hill land that is suitable imo especially areas with heavy scrub. There is a serious amount of poaching by heavy cattle which goes largely unnoted in many areas of the country through. Good land management can sort that - same with pigs. Fencing is king.

Say my name

gozunda wrote: »

There's is plenty of hill land that is suitable imo especially areas with heavy scrub. There is a serious amount of poaching by heavy cattle which goes largely unnoted in many areas of the country through. Good land management can sort that - same with pigs. Fencing is king.

I'm not having a go.
We've had our share of pigs on this farm with buying sows and putting to the boar and selling with bonhams.
It's the rooting they do of land.
Pigs are clean animals and you'd see how careful the sow gets her bed before she farrows. Funny actually watching them going with mouthfuls of straw to make their bed.
It doesn't look well to me seeing them slopping about in muck outdoors in the winter.
The hill land would be okay as long as a clean warm dry shelter was provided.
They feel the cold the same as you or me.
They haven't got a hairy or woolly coat like sheep or cattle.
Bar a wooly breed like a mangalica.

memorystick

Getting a batch of pigs to fatten in May. The one thing that I love about pigs is that they stay below the radar in terms of dockets. Just s few can make a big difference,

Base price

Say my name wrote: »

I'm not having a go.
We've had our share of pigs on this farm with buying sows and putting to the boar and selling with bonhams.
It's the rooting they do of land.
Pigs are clean animals and you'd see how careful the sow gets her bed before she farrows. Funny actually watching them going with mouthfuls of straw to make their bed.
It doesn't look well to me seeing them slopping about in muck outdoors in the winter.
The hill land would be okay as long as a clean warm dry shelter was provided.
They feel the cold the same as you or me.
They haven't got a hairy or woolly coat like sheep or cattle.
Bar a wooly breed like a mangalica.

Poaching as you described only occurs where pigs are confined to an area. DAFM regulations require that pigs have access to a dry bedded area be it a shed or hutch therefore negating your comment re Mangalitsa.
I think that OP will not have such issues as long as she doesn't overstock her 20 acres of woodland.

L1985

Base price wrote: »

Poaching as you described only occurs where pigs are confined to an area. DAFM regulations require that pigs have access to a dry bedded area be it a shed or hutch therefore negating your comment re Mangalitsa.
I think that OP will not have such issues as long as she doesn't overstock her 20 acres of woodland.

I don't think overstocking will be an issue for a good while!! Of course I'll put in something for them-I was thinking old oil tanks as we used them with the calves and it went well. Easy to move as well. And there's so much undergrowth I think it will be a while before poaching happens

Say my name

Base price wrote: »

Poaching as you described only occurs where pigs are confined to an area. DAFM regulations require that pigs have access to a dry bedded area be it a shed or hutch therefore negating your comment re Mangalitsa.
I think that OP will not have such issues as long as she doesn't overstock her 20 acres of woodland.

I think wires are crossed. I said pigs don't have a hairy or wooly coat like sheep or cattle. Bar a wooly breed like a mangalica which does.
I 100% stand by that comment.

Base price

L1985 wrote: »

I don't think overstocking will be an issue for a good while!! Of course I'll put in something for them-I was thinking old oil tanks as we used them with the calves and it went well. Easy to move as well. And there's so much undergrowth I think it will be a while before poaching happens

When you say old oil tanks do you mean the 1000 c.litre IBC type tanks with the cage around them.
They maybe ok for weaners/growers but imo are not be suitable for adult/porker pigs and I doubt the DAFM inspector would accept them.

L1985

Base price wrote: »

When you say old oil tanks do you mean the 1000 c.litre IBC type tanks with the cage around them.
They maybe ok for weaners/growers but imo are not be suitable for adult/porker pigs and I doubt the DAFM inspector would accept them.

No I mean the bigger oil tanks with no mesh. We cut the side of one and it was great for calves.,,. That's something I can look into anyway

Base price

L1985 wrote: »

No I mean the bigger oil tanks with no mesh. We cut the side of one and it was great for calves.,,. That's something I can look into anyway

I don't know what those bigger oil tanks look like but if they were great for calves then then would only be suitable for weaners/growers.
Have a look at this pic one of my pbr Tamworth sows from a few years ago. To give perspective a factory fit barrow wouldn't be much smaller in height but would be larger in mass iykwim.
In the pic of her piglets you can see a 250w heat lamp with a timber bar which provides a heat/creep area.

Base price

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