Transporting livestock?

[Bettacreek]

Alright, I have an issue... We plan to pick up pigs for butchering before too much longer. Unfortunately, you pick them up live and cannot slaughter there. We have a full size truck, but no livestock trailer. So, what's a good, cheap way to keep them safe in the bed of the truck?

 

[mekasmom]

Don't you have siderails for the truck?

 

[Big Daddy]

Hogtie them and lay them on something that won't hurt them.

 

[Beekissed]

Alright, I have an issue... We plan to pick up pigs for butchering before too much longer. Unfortunately, you pick them up live and cannot slaughter there. We have a full size truck, but no livestock trailer. So, what's a good, cheap way to keep them safe in the bed of the truck?

Either borrow stock racks for your truck from a neighbor~ or hire the pick up place farmer to deliver ~or hire a friend to pick up and deliver.

OR, if you are going to repeat this in the future...you may consider building your own stock racks for your truck.

OR, last but not least, if you have no pride at all like ME....you could whine to a really good friend and promise some of the best cuts of meat and grovel really well...and ask them to do it for you for free?

 

[hwillm1977]

When I was a little kid (like toddler little) my mom used to hogtie the pigs and lay them down in the back of our station wagon

 

[Beekissed]

Question: If they are butchering size, how does one hogtie it and THEN lift it into the back of a vehicle?

I mean, it could be done with enough men, but the pigs would be squealing and squirming like crazy, wouldn't they? And, heaven forbid, what if they got loose??

 

[big brown horse]

OR, last but not least, if you have no pride at all like ME....you could whine to a really good friend and promise some of the best cuts of meat and grovel really well...and ask them to do it for you for free?

My first thought was dog crate, but I think pigs might be too strong for that.

My good friend would just put her daughter's 4-h piggy right into her van as is.

 

[k0xxx]

I have absolutely no experience with hogs, so take my suggestion for what it's worth. I'd make a 2x4 frame that sits in the bed of the truck and cover it on the sides and top with 2x4 welded wire. A neighbor did this once, for transporting goats, and it seemed to work well for them. Anyway you do it, let us know how it turns out.

 

[deb4o]

Hogs can be a real problem to load. Here is how we do it and I will tell you it is ajob. First you need side rails and good ones, cuz that hog does not want to be there. DH has built a heavy duty ramp out of lumber and you need to have slats across it so the hogs have something to step on or they will just slide back down,then put something that they like to eat in the truck bed( gotta bribe them alittle). Then we use pieces of hog wire or ply wood to use as guides and guide them to the ramp and pray alot. You need to kind of box them in and up the ramp. Good luck as hog are the orneriest farm animal around, but boy are they tasty
Oh and make sure that ramp is not to steep.

 

[mekasmom]

You can easily build side rails from some wood and fencing. Then back the truck up to an embankment where the hogs can walk right on with a small step. Bribe them with food. Close the back of the truck, and rush them to where you need to go.