Raising Pigs To Munch On

[Wifezilla]

I have seen enough Discovery Channel specials to know that tiny pigs are raised for food in all kinds of climates. Wish we could get some of those old breeds of mini pigs here. The ones that have been bred and starved down here are selling for stupid money as pets. I just want heritage breed snack sized pigs for my little lot.

 

[ronikins]

we are wanting to raise 2 feeder pigs. i am wondering if i need to get a male and female, male and male, or female and female? does it matter?

 

[~gd]

#2.... pasturing and/or rotational grazing.

I agree IF you can do so. Frankly I have always found pigs very hard to confine. They are Strong and Smart and the term 'Pig headed' was fairly earned. I have seen them power through welded and electric fences, Chew up wood fences, They are good diggers not as fast as a dog but still good diggers. So maybe if you keep them happy by moving them often you could reduce the stink factor. I have heard stories of pet pot bellies being trained to litter boxes inside. Pig poop isn't thay bad dry But the liquids stink.~gd

 

[~gd]

We usually raise 2 in a 30 x 30 area, under an old willow tree. Most of the time I can get them about 45$ each, and will go through about 400 pounds of feed, in 5 months. At $10 for a 50 -pound bag.....so maybe 80$ on feed. However, we DO supplement A LOT of grasses and weeds that they like....I just cut the weeds here on the farm...what I pull from the gardens...etc. For butcher...I think it was around $200, slaughter, cut, wrap, and sm.oke. They weighed just over 300 pounds each when dropped off, and I really can't remember how much meat there was, but it was a LOT! We had 4 hams, 10# each....and I think 6 1# packs of jowel bacon, 15 or 20 regular bacon, and I can't remember all the chops and roasts. I think once we averaged it, it came to about $2.00 a pound...something like that. I am terrible at numbers....sorry.

The Local Piggly Wiggly [grocery store] is offering Whole Buthcherd Pigs this week for $1.47/pound We have a lot of "pig pickings" around here when the weather is mild. That is whole hog BBQ around a state NC known for its BBQed Pork. Before I forget Butchered means Humanelly Killed, bleed out and gutted ONLY not cut up and wrapped. It still has the skin, feet and Head attached when weighted. Sincesome people are turned off by the head and feet they can be removed AFTER weigh-in. and for an additional fee the bones along the bach bone will be broken or cut so the pig can be butterflyed on the grill..

 

[the funny farm6]

We raise ours on a concete slab with a footer around it. (It was an little old shed) we put cattle pannels around it with posts every 5-8 ft. It is @ 20X20. They do tend to poop in one area. We scoop it regularly, and hose it out when needed. We keep a good thick layer of straw in the shelter for them.

We feed a comercial pig feed along with non-meat scraps, and we get feed bread from the sara lee plant up north. They LOVE bread! We have also found that they love alfalfa hay!

 

[ninny]

It may be helpful if those who have pigs could share your favorite piggy books. The ones that helped you when you were starting out.