WhiteMountainsRanch
Loving the herd life
I'd like to know more about this breed. 
Anyone have experience with Berkshires?
- Thread starter WhiteMountainsRanch
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Cricket
Ridin' The Range
They are supposed to be well-marbled and flavorful. Mine are half Berk. and half Tamworth. The sow that looks more Berk is a whole lot more mellow than the Tam-looking one. I met my boar's sire, who was all Berk and he was VERY mellow and friendly.
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WhiteMountainsRanch
Loving the herd life
Cool! Good info, thank you! The more I research this breed the more I like them.
fair weather chicken
Chillin' with the herd
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we're looking into getting some berk's this spring. my biggest question is do they graze or root up when on pasture?
Royd Wood
New Member
Berkshires are great for the small pork producer/ farmer and have been promoted quite well in recent years to local markets.
They are easy to handle and the Berkshire is popular with restaurants but ask yourself when was the last time you saw it in a butcher shop?
You really must be ready to market you own pork if you decide to keep this breed.
I find they end up too fatty even when controling their diet compared to my Large Blacks and Tamworth, as with LB's dont use commercial pig feed on the Birks.
We have a few L B / Birkshire crosses who will be gone in a couple of months so we will see how that turns out but they look good right now.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Edit - do they root ??? yes they do as do most pigs, Hampshires and Tamworths are able to plough a few acres in no time.
If your thinking of a pasture pig op then it must be electric fence otherwise they will be gone
They are easy to handle and the Berkshire is popular with restaurants but ask yourself when was the last time you saw it in a butcher shop?
You really must be ready to market you own pork if you decide to keep this breed.
I find they end up too fatty even when controling their diet compared to my Large Blacks and Tamworth, as with LB's dont use commercial pig feed on the Birks.
We have a few L B / Birkshire crosses who will be gone in a couple of months so we will see how that turns out but they look good right now.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Edit - do they root ??? yes they do as do most pigs, Hampshires and Tamworths are able to plough a few acres in no time.
If your thinking of a pasture pig op then it must be electric fence otherwise they will be gone
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- #6
WhiteMountainsRanch
Loving the herd life
Great! Thanks for chiming in!
I really like this breed, the other breed I am looking at is the Guinea Hog.
I think I like this one better because I read they can get to normal 250 pound butchering weight in 6-9 months whereas the Guinea Hog will only be 100 pounds and may take 12-14 months; has this been your experience?
Yes we will do our own processing at home and plan on using electric fencing.
I really like this breed, the other breed I am looking at is the Guinea Hog.
I think I like this one better because I read they can get to normal 250 pound butchering weight in 6-9 months whereas the Guinea Hog will only be 100 pounds and may take 12-14 months; has this been your experience?
Yes we will do our own processing at home and plan on using electric fencing.
Royd Wood
New Member
No chance of growing them in 6 to 9 months to 250 lb unless on commercial feed then it will be the fattiest pig on the hook.
9 to 12 months more realistic. The Berkshire is a slow growing pig so if you think you need a faster growing hog then look at other breeds not heritage types
How many are you thinking of getting and on how many acres - whats your weather like ?????
9 to 12 months more realistic. The Berkshire is a slow growing pig so if you think you need a faster growing hog then look at other breeds not heritage types
How many are you thinking of getting and on how many acres - whats your weather like ?????
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- #8
WhiteMountainsRanch
Loving the herd life
We definitely want to go with a heritage breed pig, it doesn't really matter if it takes longer, I just figured 6-9 months was better than 12-14.
Oh, and a thought: if we are doing it ourselves we would probably want to do them on the younger/ lighter side, just for ease of handling.
We have never done pigs before but we were thinking of starting with two feeders/ weaners/ whatever you call them to see how we like it/ how they grow/ how the butchering is... and after they are processed just get two breeders, one male one female.
We are in the foothills of San Diego; No snow, light rain a little in the winter, and hot dry summers. We are all dry lotted here. The pig pen would be approx 75' x 75', I could divide it or adjust as needed.
Never really figure on having more than the two adults and the females litter.
Oh, and a thought: if we are doing it ourselves we would probably want to do them on the younger/ lighter side, just for ease of handling.
We have never done pigs before but we were thinking of starting with two feeders/ weaners/ whatever you call them to see how we like it/ how they grow/ how the butchering is... and after they are processed just get two breeders, one male one female.
We are in the foothills of San Diego; No snow, light rain a little in the winter, and hot dry summers. We are all dry lotted here. The pig pen would be approx 75' x 75', I could divide it or adjust as needed.
Never really figure on having more than the two adults and the females litter.
Royd Wood
New Member
So pleased you are keen on heritage breeds and the Appleyard ducks you have look fantastic.
I always end up suggesting Large Blacks to everyone and after taking a peek at your wonderful website and seeing what your up to, I'm thinking they will fit in very well at your place.
Why LB's
Very docile and easy to handle including the boar.
If you have good pasture they will graze not root unlike most other breeds but if you run out of grass then they will dig up just like the others.
If your unfortunate to have pigs get out then you tend to find the LB's at your back door or close by, others (Tamworth's / Hampshires from experience - long story) will be gone (in our case 4 farms away)
Great mothers (like most heritage pigs) with plenty of milk and a good number of piglets from 8 to 12
The real bonus is they do well in a plus 40 to minus 40 (104 to minus 40 ) with no sunburn.
One last one to consider is they dont tend to eat or hoover up baby chicks, ducklings, lambs, kids like some others.
Take the time to look at this wonderful pig breed before deciding and we have 4 LB sows due any time so keep a lookout for posts on here.
I always end up suggesting Large Blacks to everyone and after taking a peek at your wonderful website and seeing what your up to, I'm thinking they will fit in very well at your place.
Why LB's
Very docile and easy to handle including the boar.
If you have good pasture they will graze not root unlike most other breeds but if you run out of grass then they will dig up just like the others.
If your unfortunate to have pigs get out then you tend to find the LB's at your back door or close by, others (Tamworth's / Hampshires from experience - long story) will be gone (in our case 4 farms away)
Great mothers (like most heritage pigs) with plenty of milk and a good number of piglets from 8 to 12
The real bonus is they do well in a plus 40 to minus 40 (104 to minus 40 ) with no sunburn.
One last one to consider is they dont tend to eat or hoover up baby chicks, ducklings, lambs, kids like some others.
Take the time to look at this wonderful pig breed before deciding and we have 4 LB sows due any time so keep a lookout for posts on here.
- Thread starter
- #10
WhiteMountainsRanch
Loving the herd life
Thank you for the kind words Royd!!!
I actually was looking into the Large Blacks, and they were my first choice. The reason I was steering away from them is because I have read they can get up to 1200 pounds and I just didn't think we had the room for such large pigs... would a 75' x 75' pen be big enough for a couple of these? I could probably do a small adjacent pen to keep a couple of the babies for meat.
We don't have any pasture on our 10 acres, just individual pens. And we don't have grass or any other forage. Most of Southern California is dry lots.
Will you be selling some of your babies? Are they shippable to California?
I actually was looking into the Large Blacks, and they were my first choice. The reason I was steering away from them is because I have read they can get up to 1200 pounds and I just didn't think we had the room for such large pigs... would a 75' x 75' pen be big enough for a couple of these? I could probably do a small adjacent pen to keep a couple of the babies for meat.
We don't have any pasture on our 10 acres, just individual pens. And we don't have grass or any other forage. Most of Southern California is dry lots.
Will you be selling some of your babies? Are they shippable to California?
