Hi,
How old will they be when you butcher them?
How old will they be when you butcher them?
Holy pig... I must be crazy.
- Thread starter Brunty_Farms
- Start date
Hey Jeff! long time no see . . . you've been busy haven't you!!! lol!
funny thing is I have spent the last month researching hogs, breeds etc. Not getting any this year, probably next, and not going commercial when I do, but I did find that there is a big difference in breeds that do well on pasture and ones that do better confined. Soooo just wondering what you picked and why. are you going to butcher them all or breed some? are you pasture feeding only or supplementing? more details plz!
funny thing is I have spent the last month researching hogs, breeds etc. Not getting any this year, probably next, and not going commercial when I do, but I did find that there is a big difference in breeds that do well on pasture and ones that do better confined. Soooo just wondering what you picked and why. are you going to butcher them all or breed some? are you pasture feeding only or supplementing? more details plz!
I would not let them go from confinement to the entire pasture. I would build a small pen outside your barn that is hard reinforced with pallets or hog panels etc and electric inside. I would run at least two strands. One a few inches up from the ground (which will also work on them now and will help deter digging under the fence later on) and the other at their nose level at the time you put them out. If they stick their head under the wire and it jolts the back of their head or their ears they will bolt forward (hence the need for the reinforced pen.) Once they have spent a week in the small pen they should be trained to the wires and will want no part of them. Then they will be ready for the larger pastures. The wire there should be at the same levels. Personally I like a third wire up a bit higher so they will have one at nose level when they grow some more. I would rather spend a little extra on fencing than spend any time at all rounding up wanderers--especially a bunch that size.
Quote:
Just out of curiousity , you guys have seen your pigs run straight forward into the fence when shocked? I put mine out and watched em to make sure they would respect my fence, not one of them ran forward into the fence when shocked. they got shocked on the snout, the top of the head, under the chin and every one of them flipped backwards or sideways when shocked.
Not saying a pig wouldnt run forward but just wondering if anyone has seen them just charge the fence when it shocks them. cause none of mine did.
Just out of curiousity , you guys have seen your pigs run straight forward into the fence when shocked? I put mine out and watched em to make sure they would respect my fence, not one of them ran forward into the fence when shocked. they got shocked on the snout, the top of the head, under the chin and every one of them flipped backwards or sideways when shocked.
Not saying a pig wouldnt run forward but just wondering if anyone has seen them just charge the fence when it shocks them. cause none of mine did.
Quote:
If you are going to name them you just have give the the right kind of name. Good names for piggies are: Porkchop, Hambone, Bacon, Roast, Tenderloin, etc. For Turkeys I like: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Leftovers, etc. Cows should be named: Hamburger, Ribeye, Stewie, T-Bone, etc. And of course chickens: Casserole, Stewie, Roaster, etc.
Doing it like that helps you keep your focus. You can still take really good care of them, be entertained by them, and enjoy them--You just have to remember why they are there in the first place. They are good food. They sustain you life. But unlike the meat you bring home from the grocery store these animals have a good and happy life and their meat is much healthier for you to feed your family. They are well cared for and never have to want for food, water, shelter, and safety like their feral cousins.
Even children won't ususally have a problem with this if they are told in a matter of fact way from the beginning that they are cute and fun but they are not pets and when they time comes they are going to be on the table. Besides which those really cute little piggies very quickly grow out of their cuteness. By the time they are six or seven months old you won't be wanting to keep them around any longer.
When I was five and six years old we raised rabbits for meat. I had no problem petting the little ones in the afternoon and having fried rabbit for supper. Yum Yum!
If you are going to name them you just have give the the right kind of name. Good names for piggies are: Porkchop, Hambone, Bacon, Roast, Tenderloin, etc. For Turkeys I like: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Leftovers, etc. Cows should be named: Hamburger, Ribeye, Stewie, T-Bone, etc. And of course chickens: Casserole, Stewie, Roaster, etc.
Doing it like that helps you keep your focus. You can still take really good care of them, be entertained by them, and enjoy them--You just have to remember why they are there in the first place. They are good food. They sustain you life. But unlike the meat you bring home from the grocery store these animals have a good and happy life and their meat is much healthier for you to feed your family. They are well cared for and never have to want for food, water, shelter, and safety like their feral cousins.
Even children won't ususally have a problem with this if they are told in a matter of fact way from the beginning that they are cute and fun but they are not pets and when they time comes they are going to be on the table. Besides which those really cute little piggies very quickly grow out of their cuteness. By the time they are six or seven months old you won't be wanting to keep them around any longer.
When I was five and six years old we raised rabbits for meat. I had no problem petting the little ones in the afternoon and having fried rabbit for supper. Yum Yum!
- Thread starter
- #46
Quote:
I see that you have been too! You've been missing in action.... had us all worried.
On the pigs, breed really doesn't matter too much unless you have A LOT of land for them. Even just two pigs can make an acre paddock look like a tornado went through it. It's amazing how much damage they can do to a pasture. My best management tip right now, is letting them have a piece of pasture or a garden and just let them tear it up. After they are done, plow and replant seeds for a pasture. Woods are definitely the way to go with pigs. However I don't have any woods... so I'm out on that.
According to Natures Harmony Farm their Ossabaw (sp?) pigs have won the duration test with their pastures / wooded lots. I have to say, after listening to their podcast I'm a fan of their farming model. I was a critic over the last couple of years but I understand to an extent what they are trying to achieve. Very noble but I respectfully disagree with a lot of things. However, their pig model is pretty interesting so check them out. They eat pretty much what they find on pasture / woodlots and convert that to muscle easier than the commercial breeds. I think one of their traits is converting pasture better, while not disturbing the ground too much. Do keep in mind that NHF's pigs get the whey from the cheese making process, a great idea... but the pigs are not 100% sustained from the land that they live on, so you want to look for some source of fat / protein. But they are raised without any off farm inputs since the cows that produce the milk are fed 100% grass. I mean, I guess you could include fuel and small things like that but for the most part they are raised on a closed circuit. Another plus with Ossabaws is the fact that NHF says they do not have to interact with the birthing. Which I think is awesome because without the gestation crates a lot of pigs do die. I think they lost like 6 out of their berkshire piglets the last time one had a litter. The ossabaws have like 4-6 piglets and near perfect mortality rate. I know all of this because they have a podcast that I listen too. Even though I disagree with a lot of things, it's extremely informative. I don't know what Tim did before becoming a farmer but was surprised that they have only been at it for 4 years. His knowledge in marketing, and the business side of farming is spot on. Which is extremely lacking in sustainable agriculture at the moment. The bottle neck in farming I guess, because so many farmers have what it takes but don't know how to market their products. I started when I was 13 but after 11 years I finally have figured it out... LOL. I'm not sure their age, but what they may lack in experience with farming they make up with business smarts. Anyhow... check out their podcast... it's pretty cool.
What I go for... I raise a lot of commercial breeds of animals on our farm. Except for the Katadins everything is a commercial type breed. The turkeys, layers, meat chickens, and the pigs. Why? Well first off for me it's not about being the most sustainable farm, it's about raising wholesome food for customers. It's about giving them an alternative to the status quo, all while making a profit so I don't have to rely on savings, investors, or bank loans to survive like many farms across America. For pigs I raise profitable breeds that do extremely well on pasture. They may not be the best fit for the pasture but they will eat anything they find including roots, bugs, tree bark, leaves, acorns, grass, ect. With this they get feed all the time, so when they are hungry they eat... when they are bored they go and dig in the pastures... when they are hot they wallow in the mud / water hole that they make or hang under the trees. Two totally different models and both work, for the individual wanting to put pork in their freezer you have more flexibility on what you choose. Because the Ossabaw pig doesn't have good carcass qualities in my opinion. They are small, 200 pounds at best and they have a very rich flavor that is off putting to some customers.... but at the same time it's a delicacy to others. Now a hampshire, duroc, yorkshire, ect will have the opposite. They will be 275 - 300 pounds when ready to go the butcher. More meat, means more customers served, and more profit. *I sound like big ag when I talk about profit but it's the bottom line. Because if you're not profitable you don't exist for very long. The thing is, is finding that balance that meets not only profit but the customers needs and the animals needs as well.
So yes, we do supplement a great deal of their diet with grain, however they get a lot of pasture as well and they do need to be moved regularly if you do not want to devastate an area. The breeds we use are crosses and their blood can be anything from hampshire, duroc, or yorkshire. I have two sows now that we are keeping for breeders that are a little over a year old and weigh about 400 pounds. I would like to keep about 5 females out of this next litter and one male. I have 20 piglets of one line, and 4 of another. So I will keep 5 of the best females out of the 20 and the lone male will come out of the 4. This will give me three separate bloodlines to work with over the next 4-5 years before I need to check for inbreeding depression which I will then have to source out another male.
But we intend to get about 5 pigs a month in from here on out to make sure we have a steady supply all summer. Hopefully by September we will be breeding are own. But to sum it up, for me commercial breeds work. Overtime I can select for certain traits that fit my model better. But for someone looking for a pig that does extremely well on pasture.... I would look for something else. The commercial breeds require a ton of land to make efficient on pasture / woodlot.
I see that you have been too! You've been missing in action.... had us all worried.
On the pigs, breed really doesn't matter too much unless you have A LOT of land for them. Even just two pigs can make an acre paddock look like a tornado went through it. It's amazing how much damage they can do to a pasture. My best management tip right now, is letting them have a piece of pasture or a garden and just let them tear it up. After they are done, plow and replant seeds for a pasture. Woods are definitely the way to go with pigs. However I don't have any woods... so I'm out on that.
According to Natures Harmony Farm their Ossabaw (sp?) pigs have won the duration test with their pastures / wooded lots. I have to say, after listening to their podcast I'm a fan of their farming model. I was a critic over the last couple of years but I understand to an extent what they are trying to achieve. Very noble but I respectfully disagree with a lot of things. However, their pig model is pretty interesting so check them out. They eat pretty much what they find on pasture / woodlots and convert that to muscle easier than the commercial breeds. I think one of their traits is converting pasture better, while not disturbing the ground too much. Do keep in mind that NHF's pigs get the whey from the cheese making process, a great idea... but the pigs are not 100% sustained from the land that they live on, so you want to look for some source of fat / protein. But they are raised without any off farm inputs since the cows that produce the milk are fed 100% grass. I mean, I guess you could include fuel and small things like that but for the most part they are raised on a closed circuit. Another plus with Ossabaws is the fact that NHF says they do not have to interact with the birthing. Which I think is awesome because without the gestation crates a lot of pigs do die. I think they lost like 6 out of their berkshire piglets the last time one had a litter. The ossabaws have like 4-6 piglets and near perfect mortality rate. I know all of this because they have a podcast that I listen too. Even though I disagree with a lot of things, it's extremely informative. I don't know what Tim did before becoming a farmer but was surprised that they have only been at it for 4 years. His knowledge in marketing, and the business side of farming is spot on. Which is extremely lacking in sustainable agriculture at the moment. The bottle neck in farming I guess, because so many farmers have what it takes but don't know how to market their products. I started when I was 13 but after 11 years I finally have figured it out... LOL. I'm not sure their age, but what they may lack in experience with farming they make up with business smarts. Anyhow... check out their podcast... it's pretty cool.
What I go for... I raise a lot of commercial breeds of animals on our farm. Except for the Katadins everything is a commercial type breed. The turkeys, layers, meat chickens, and the pigs. Why? Well first off for me it's not about being the most sustainable farm, it's about raising wholesome food for customers. It's about giving them an alternative to the status quo, all while making a profit so I don't have to rely on savings, investors, or bank loans to survive like many farms across America. For pigs I raise profitable breeds that do extremely well on pasture. They may not be the best fit for the pasture but they will eat anything they find including roots, bugs, tree bark, leaves, acorns, grass, ect. With this they get feed all the time, so when they are hungry they eat... when they are bored they go and dig in the pastures... when they are hot they wallow in the mud / water hole that they make or hang under the trees. Two totally different models and both work, for the individual wanting to put pork in their freezer you have more flexibility on what you choose. Because the Ossabaw pig doesn't have good carcass qualities in my opinion. They are small, 200 pounds at best and they have a very rich flavor that is off putting to some customers.... but at the same time it's a delicacy to others. Now a hampshire, duroc, yorkshire, ect will have the opposite. They will be 275 - 300 pounds when ready to go the butcher. More meat, means more customers served, and more profit. *I sound like big ag when I talk about profit but it's the bottom line. Because if you're not profitable you don't exist for very long. The thing is, is finding that balance that meets not only profit but the customers needs and the animals needs as well.
So yes, we do supplement a great deal of their diet with grain, however they get a lot of pasture as well and they do need to be moved regularly if you do not want to devastate an area. The breeds we use are crosses and their blood can be anything from hampshire, duroc, or yorkshire. I have two sows now that we are keeping for breeders that are a little over a year old and weigh about 400 pounds. I would like to keep about 5 females out of this next litter and one male. I have 20 piglets of one line, and 4 of another. So I will keep 5 of the best females out of the 20 and the lone male will come out of the 4. This will give me three separate bloodlines to work with over the next 4-5 years before I need to check for inbreeding depression which I will then have to source out another male.
But we intend to get about 5 pigs a month in from here on out to make sure we have a steady supply all summer. Hopefully by September we will be breeding are own. But to sum it up, for me commercial breeds work. Overtime I can select for certain traits that fit my model better. But for someone looking for a pig that does extremely well on pasture.... I would look for something else. The commercial breeds require a ton of land to make efficient on pasture / woodlot.
excellent summary thanks for sharing. I'm going to just get two to use for breeding with the thought that between us/friends/family we will never consume more than 4 a year. I think I am planning to get a speacialty/heritage breed that I can sell the others for a premium to heritage/homesteaders. going to do the same with two beef cows and a dairy cow. . . as soon as we move to a bigger place lol!
I agree with what you say about marketing. I have a degree in Business and in Marketing; and it hurts to watch hard workers make such huge mistakes. that's the reason so many Restaurants and Art galleries go out of business, not that the product is bad but that a mind trained for creation is rarely trained for business/sales/marketing. Same with farming. You do an outstanding job doing both; you came to business through farming, that Tim guy came to farming through business; much to learn from both. especially for people who are new to both. We were actually having this discussion over breakfast this morning; my 18 year old daughter was expressing her desire to have a small working farm and wondering if it could be made to at least break even, I told her about you and to check out your web site
I agree with what you say about marketing. I have a degree in Business and in Marketing; and it hurts to watch hard workers make such huge mistakes. that's the reason so many Restaurants and Art galleries go out of business, not that the product is bad but that a mind trained for creation is rarely trained for business/sales/marketing. Same with farming. You do an outstanding job doing both; you came to business through farming, that Tim guy came to farming through business; much to learn from both. especially for people who are new to both. We were actually having this discussion over breakfast this morning; my 18 year old daughter was expressing her desire to have a small working farm and wondering if it could be made to at least break even, I told her about you and to check out your web site
Do any of you have pics of your fences?
I am getting pigs this spring and would like to see if my fence is similiar to your fences.
Thanks,
RIRs
I am getting pigs this spring and would like to see if my fence is similiar to your fences.
Thanks,
RIRs
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