# Pasture size for LB pigs



## ourflockof4 (Aug 31, 2012)

I know bigger is always better, but what you consider an appropriate pasture size for Large Black hogs? We currently have 2 gilts that we would like to breed next year. I probably wont be making the pen until next spring, but need to have a rough idea of size so I don't have to redo any of the fencing I put up this fall for our cattle. The area that I have in mind is about 1/3 of an acre, mostly pasture with trees along the south line. Is that going to be a large enough area that they will have enough to graze on. or should I plan on going bigger? If they graze this down I could always let them out in one of the other pastures as long as they dont root too bad.


----------



## Cornish Heritage (Aug 31, 2012)

Large Blacks are not known for their rooting - they normally graze like cows. If at all possible you should rotate them. A couple of options & thoughts:

1) Create a Tic Tac Toe board with their living quarters in the center square & then rotate them in the other eight sections. 

2) A wagon wheel with their living quarters in the center & spoke sections coming out of there. We personally have one of our ponds divided up like this, sort of. 

ALot of times water/access is best got to at the top so then keep that area for feeding & divide the bottom of the pastures into 4 or 8 sections. 

Pigs are smart & once they know electric fence is there they do take a while to persuade through it. 

Three wires of polywire works well with the gate holders on each opening so you can open the sections easily. 

Rotating really helps your pastures. Due to the number of different pig herds we have here we do not rotate as much as we should & our pastures suffer for it. With only one herd it is much easier. 

Liz


----------



## ourflockof4 (Sep 2, 2012)

Thanks Liz. I"m not to the point yet where I'm starting to lay out their pasture, but you do have some very good ideas there. Right now I'm getting ready to put some more fencing in for the cattle and just want to make sure I have a big enough area for the pigs.


----------



## fair weather chicken (Sep 3, 2012)

just an idea, but it seems that i read in a salatin book or somewhere that if you use wooden gates then pigs will go thru easier.


----------



## Cornish Heritage (Sep 3, 2012)

> Right now I'm getting ready to put some more fencing in for the cattle and just want to make sure I have a big enough area for the pigs.


We run our pigs with cows & sheep - all get along fine. The only the sheep cannot fun with the pigs is when they are lambing.



> just an idea, but it seems that i read in a salatin book or somewhere that if you use wooden gates then pigs will go thru easier.


I have read that also but have no idea how they are fixing their gates. They need to be firm. The pigs love to rub against gates & so if they are not fixed firmly they will lift them up or push them over. When you hinge a gate for pigs you have to have the hinges facing each other - top one facing down, bottom one facing up. If you do not a pig will just lift the pig off its hinges. And yes we have learned this from experience. We have a LOT of gates here on our permanent fence & on our polywire fences we use the electric gate hooks so the pigs & all other animals do know where the gates are. 

Liz


----------

