Quick questions about pigs

[cupman]

I was thinking of possibly getting a few pigs but I had a few questions first.

1) What pigs would be good medium-sized pigs, that will eventually be killed for meat?

2) How much room do pigs need to live happily? Can they free range?

3) How much do you spend feeding your pigs?

Thanks

 

[arabianequine]

Pigs dont need much room per pig. They can be free ranged but I would have some kind of fencing on edge of your property so they don't get loose....this is just so you can catch them when you want and they are pain to neighbors.

It depends what you feed them. Feeding a grower will be more expensive then feeding some scraps and old produce with it. They love bread....I get a basket of day old bread for $3 to $7 depending where I go and freeze it in my chest freezer.

You can look on craigslist for free/ cheap old produce. Give your scraps to them too and any leftovers. I also get pea screenings, wheat, barley, cracked corn, whole corn $5 for a 50 lb bag....but you need a grain grinder if the grain is whole. It swells in their stomach after they ate to much. I usually soak it in hot water if it is whole so they get full as they eat not after the fact. If you know anyone that works where trucks come in loaded sometimes spills happen. I called seeding companies around here and sometimes they sell real cheap or give for free spilled feed.

They love sweets, milk, yogurt. If you can find outdated stuff the store will sell you real cheap and then freeze it. Just dump yogurt in half frozen they love it.

They also love alfalfa but I only give a small flake every other day.

I like Canadian Yorkshires.....they are long and give alot of bacon and chops.

 

[LMEggs]

LOL Guinea hogs are nice medium sized hogs! I've always had Red Wattles or Wattle crosses with berkshires and they have been great! If you don't want them that big just feed them out to only 150- 200 and they won't be as big! the Guineas are becoming a more popular breed for first timers and people that are small pasture farmers they mature out about 200.