Best breed of pig?

[zimmerman]

I am interested in raising pigs for meat and to sell young. In otherwords I would like to breed them. But I would like a kind that grazes a significant part of their diet and is small-medium size (100-300 lbs at maturity). I am thinking kunekune would be the best - I hear they don't root so much and so I could run them in with fruit trees. Any suggestions, pros/cons? Thanks, Z

 

[Cornish Heritage]

I have never seen a KuneKune let alone bred one so cannot give you an opinion on them.

If you are looking for a good grazing pig then Large Blacks are superb. They do/can get big (400lbs +) but not huge like some breeds & they are gentle giants - great mothers too. They do root as all pigs do but not as much as other breeds.

What you need to do is research your market. Look into what is already being produced around you & so something different. Are there Farmer's Markets around you? DO NOT try & compete with the commercial market - you will fail before you even start. You have to create a niche market where folks are happy to pay top dollar for the meat. If possible, take some taste tests or ask folks what the different breeds taste like. Large Blacks are delicious. Red Wattle is also good - someone recently said they taste more like the wild hog.

All the best in your search,

Liz

 

[zimmerman]

Thanks again - I am more familiar with poultry, so like with broilers I can raise, slaughter and sell directly to the consumer without any special licensing or anything. Is it the same with pigs? And how much land will a Large Black root like per day or week or however you measure it? I am interested how much land I would need to rotate one on. Thanks, Z

 

[Diamond Wire Farms]

I raise KuneKunes and they certainly fit your criteria. That being said KuneKune pigs in the US are still pretty rare. The majority of pig sales still involve piglets for breeding stock. There is one CSA in the process of developing a program for Kunekune pork production, but as far as my understanding they are still a couple of years away from offering KuneKune pork on the market. KuneKune pigs have amazing temperaments, and are easy on equipment/fencing, as well as on their owners. Like a lot of heritage breeds, the establishment costs are more expensive than for more readily available and faster growing breeds, but with some research on the available bloodlines it is still possible to make money with a small breeding group by selling piglets to other breeders. If you let me know where you are located I can help you find KuneKune resources near you.

If you are looking for a similar sized and more economical option for pork production consider the American Guinea Hog.

 

[Cornish Heritage]

Thanks again - I am more familiar with poultry, so like with broilers I can raise, slaughter and sell directly to the consumer without any special licensing or anything. Is it the same with pigs? And how much land will a Large Black root like per day or week or however you measure it? I am interested how much land I would need to rotate one on. Thanks, Z

What licensing/permits you need varies from state to state so I can't help you there. You will need to research your own state's laws. I think though if you sell whole animals rather than different cuts then their is not many rules & regulations.

As to how much land would a LB root, that is impossible to answer. Soil type makes a huge difference as does whether it is wet or dry. They root more when it rains as the soil is nice & soft. I am not good at guestimating how much land each pig needs but 1 acre would/should be plenty for a Large Black.

We have 65 acres here, of which 45 is pasture. We are currently running 45 sheep, 17 cows & calves PLUS 30+ pigs. Our pigs numbers fluctuate depending on how many piglets are on the ground but we have 25+ young adult to mature LB's then piglets.

Hope this helps,

Liz

 

[DKRabbitry]

Also... on the market thing... KuneKunes are quite similar to Potbellies in appearance (I know there are a lot of differences, but to the average person, it looks more like a potbelly than a "market hog"). In many areas eating potbelly or "pet pig" meat is a major faux pas! So if you are raising something like that for meat, you might run into issues with selling on the basis that people are against eating potbelly. Then again, you might be in an area where that doesn't matter. Just something to think about.

 

[zimmerman]

Thanks everyone - yes, dkrabbitry, that is a good point, but I don't think I'd have to worry about that around here I can see that becoming a problem in some places though where people are more into "pets".

 

[quiltnchik]

Have you looked at the American Guinea Hog? They are a heritage breed, small and don't root much, so they fit your criteria. Do some research and see what you think. I just purchased my first registered breeding pair and will start having piglets in the fall.

 

[wava1vaughn]

Hi from Ga. For the last couple of years we been raising Red Waddles for the freezer. However our supplier went out of business so we will be looking for a new source. Will probably try a different breed.

 

[zimmerman]

Thanks, do Guinea hogs root the same amount as regular pigs or do they graze more like the Kunekune? And what about Ossawbaw Island, I hear they CAN be as small as 100 lbs, but what is their average?