# Pigs in cold weather??



## Bacog (Dec 11, 2014)

What breeds do good in cold weather? I am talking to -20 frequently in the winter time. The primary breed I am looking at for the homestead is GOS or Large Blacks but I have no idea how they are in the cold. Thought maybe Mangalitsas too.


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## jk47 (Dec 11, 2014)

i wish i could answer your question but am afraid that were I live the coldest it gets is 50 deg. so I have no knowledge  with cold weather


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## mysunwolf (Dec 12, 2014)

We've found that all breeds do okay in the cold as long as they have adequate shelter. If you look around at the breeds, you'll notice that some tend to get more bristles on them than others, without going full on Mangalitsa. I can attest that Large Blacks do excellently in the cold and have a fairly heavy coating of bristles. 

The best thing we've found is to provide round bales of old hay for them to burrow into. Your pigs will disappear in the evening and reemerge to poop and forage in the morning. 

Certain breeds, like the Yorkshires and other breeds with minimal bristles, do tend to get frostbitten more easily and will also not gain as well because they are putting energy towards staying warm. But in general, all breeds of pigs are hardy. They raise all kinds of pigs through -40˚F Minnesota winters, but I think they tend to put them up in a barn for the worst of the weather.


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