- Thread starter
- #21
DKRabbitry
Ridin' The Range
As some of you may know, we took in a couple of mini-piglets with some serious issues hoping we could do something about it, but the best we could do for the boys was put them down. We ended up getting their sister too, who is a beautiful little wild piglet LOL (will get photos soon, she is also a potbelly mix)
We came across these little ones in an effort to find a boar pig to breed with my potbelly, Pinkerton Buttspots. We intend on using mini breed pigs on our farm to help with tilling, to graze on the pastures we have, and provide meat for our table. Little pigs just sound like the ideal addition to round out our livestock. In researching potbellies, and how they will suit my needs, I came across loads of other information on small pig breeds and why they were developed and why they suited small farm or villiage life so well. It is really interesting thinking about the past and how these animals were developed to fit the needs of people.
In that research, I came across a new breed that I have never heard of, the American Guinea Hog. Reading about these rare pigs just made me fall more and more in love with them. Sure, I can find potbellies around here a dime a dozen, but I decided that since I am getting quite serious about pigs that getting AGHs would be more rewarding in the long run. Working with others to preserve and better a breed that I feel is really an important part of america's history and life on the small farms. I am trying so hard not to dive into this blind, I have been reading a lot and talking with breeders and trying to get a feel for this small breed of swine and, I am not affraid to admit I am thoroughly smitten
The game plan is to get a registered boar AGH piglet this next weekend that we will breed to Pinkerton this year, to get some growing out for meat, then later purchasing a registered gilt or two.
What does this mean for the rest of the farm? Well it means I really need to work to keep the goat herd to 12. That is going to be the hardest I think. I will be keeping 10 does and 2 bucks. Everything else will be sold or put in the freezer. We will also be cutting back even more on the rabbits. We sold all of our giant chins, except for some fryers for our personal use. I am thinking we will be keeping only 7 breeding rabbits. Two champagne D'Argent bucks and three champagne does for purebred stock, and we will be keeping our two 75% NZ, 25% SF (one we don't have yet, as she will be weaned this month) does just because they have wonderful meat genetics and are just really nice rabbits.
Another BIG change is that I really need to quit being so lax with the rabbits. DH wanted to get rid of the rabbits alltogether because we are pouring a bunch of $$$ in food into them and they are not paying us back. We have had a really relaxed breeding schedule and it is showing. We have had problem after problem getting does bred. Finally got a few nice litters out of this new buck, just to have eye problems with ALL of them so I won't sell any. We don't really have regular meat clientele, mostly because we are very nervous about selling dressed rabbits with the way things are today, but also because our breeding schedule has been so sporratic, I don't want to commit and then not be able to provide. Soooo, all this rambling boils down to my New New Year's Resolution. I need to crank down on my farm records, breeding schedules and everything. If I want to get something back for pouring my heart and soul into my farm, I need to get more serious about it. DH and I both work full time right now, so we can afford what we are doing, but eventually I WOULD like to have children and be a stay-at home mother. In which case I plan on supplementing DH's income with what we can from the farm. If/When that time ever comes, it would be a lot better if I already had things organized and set, at leat with the livestock. Putting in 6 acres of hay come spring SHOULD help out a lot... *sigh* I love this lifestyle
We came across these little ones in an effort to find a boar pig to breed with my potbelly, Pinkerton Buttspots. We intend on using mini breed pigs on our farm to help with tilling, to graze on the pastures we have, and provide meat for our table. Little pigs just sound like the ideal addition to round out our livestock. In researching potbellies, and how they will suit my needs, I came across loads of other information on small pig breeds and why they were developed and why they suited small farm or villiage life so well. It is really interesting thinking about the past and how these animals were developed to fit the needs of people.
In that research, I came across a new breed that I have never heard of, the American Guinea Hog. Reading about these rare pigs just made me fall more and more in love with them. Sure, I can find potbellies around here a dime a dozen, but I decided that since I am getting quite serious about pigs that getting AGHs would be more rewarding in the long run. Working with others to preserve and better a breed that I feel is really an important part of america's history and life on the small farms. I am trying so hard not to dive into this blind, I have been reading a lot and talking with breeders and trying to get a feel for this small breed of swine and, I am not affraid to admit I am thoroughly smitten
The game plan is to get a registered boar AGH piglet this next weekend that we will breed to Pinkerton this year, to get some growing out for meat, then later purchasing a registered gilt or two.What does this mean for the rest of the farm? Well it means I really need to work to keep the goat herd to 12. That is going to be the hardest I think. I will be keeping 10 does and 2 bucks. Everything else will be sold or put in the freezer. We will also be cutting back even more on the rabbits. We sold all of our giant chins, except for some fryers for our personal use. I am thinking we will be keeping only 7 breeding rabbits. Two champagne D'Argent bucks and three champagne does for purebred stock, and we will be keeping our two 75% NZ, 25% SF (one we don't have yet, as she will be weaned this month) does just because they have wonderful meat genetics and are just really nice rabbits.
Another BIG change is that I really need to quit being so lax with the rabbits. DH wanted to get rid of the rabbits alltogether because we are pouring a bunch of $$$ in food into them and they are not paying us back. We have had a really relaxed breeding schedule and it is showing. We have had problem after problem getting does bred. Finally got a few nice litters out of this new buck, just to have eye problems with ALL of them so I won't sell any. We don't really have regular meat clientele, mostly because we are very nervous about selling dressed rabbits with the way things are today, but also because our breeding schedule has been so sporratic, I don't want to commit and then not be able to provide. Soooo, all this rambling boils down to my New New Year's Resolution. I need to crank down on my farm records, breeding schedules and everything. If I want to get something back for pouring my heart and soul into my farm, I need to get more serious about it. DH and I both work full time right now, so we can afford what we are doing, but eventually I WOULD like to have children and be a stay-at home mother. In which case I plan on supplementing DH's income with what we can from the farm. If/When that time ever comes, it would be a lot better if I already had things organized and set, at leat with the livestock. Putting in 6 acres of hay come spring SHOULD help out a lot... *sigh* I love this lifestyle
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