Recent content by M.L. McKnight

If you're new to pigs then I'd suggest that you make a 32' X 32' pen using cattle panels and t-posts. 2x4 wire, chicken wire and even a single strand of electric wire have all been known to keep hogs in but I have yet to find one that can break out of a cattle panel pen. Panels are $18-$20 and...

Farming is a 24/7 365 job that is more of a lifestyle. Dragging yourself out of bed when you'd be better off in it is part of it.

Puppies, little pigs and babies are all tied for 1st place. Baby goats are a close second.

Sure thing

Losing little pigs can be a bit hard the first time but we've all been there, its just part of it. I bet with your next batch you'll do everything you can to avoid it happening again and will learn quite a bit. Hold those pigs upside down and they'll be less likely to squeal until you get them...

Hang 'em high and feed the coyotes.

Good job with your litter! I was tickled pink with my first batch on the ground so I know the feeling. Your sow will turn from the cute cuddly pet pig she was into a four legged land shark of a beast when those pigs get to squealing (my Red Wattle sow nearly got me a time or two with her first...

I have zero trouble selling my pigs, I could have litter sizes of 100 and still not have enough! People are always going to eat pork and they fit nicely in your own freezer too. Durocs actually make decent mommas, I'd suggest that you cross it with a Chester White or a Landrace. That would make...

If you have a pig that only gives you 3-4 pigs then it will most likely be a younger gilt that didn't have a healthy pregnancy. Most breeds are going to give you 8 pigs per litter on average. You could look into mini pigs and see what they'd give you in terms of litter size if you are wanting...

I'm pretty tardy to the party here but I will offer my two cents. I don't have any sheep but I can tell you what I do with my boar. I have a registered purebred Berkshire that I offer for stud. I did my homework and found a boar that I felt would impact my herd and he wasn't cheap so I price his...

Pig feed isn't really bad for goats, it is usually just made of stuff that goats don't need. Acidosis may become a problem if they eat too much and corn isn't really good for bucks but if your herd is just being true to their kind, sneaking out, scaling walls and inventing new ways to give you a...

Give a good dog an hour and scoop it up with a shovel.

I keep mineral salts blocks in with them at all times. The tubs are the ones with the cottonseed meal, feather meal, minerals and molasses binder. I picked up one at the COOP, put it in the bucket of my tractor and dropped it off in the pasture. So far so good. I had to make sure that I didn't...

I have raised my cattle on grass and have been satisfied with the results. My bulls get a touch of feed on occasion but other than that I like raising grass-fed beef. A buddy of mine swears by mineral tubs, I know that they will cease being "grass fed" once I plop a tub in the pasture for them...

8. a trailer or pen to haul them in 9. an old tire, basketball or bowling ball for them to play with 10. a sturdy syringe and 14 gauge needles 11. a bottle of durapen 12. a few books on raising hogs so you can get different takes on the joy of it all 13. a few old feed books 14. the number of a...