New Pig to be.

[PFSfarmer]

Next year we plan on adding pigs to our small 14acre farm. We are thinking at the most 3pigs. Buy as piglets and raise to breed, sale, and butcher.

We are in South HOT Central HOT Texas. Did I mention it is HOT down here? We have like 9 months of summer, 1 month for fall, 1 for winter, and 1 for spring.

First thing we do in picking any animal is how well it does in the elements and in our case how well it will do in the Hot South Texas sun? Next we look at temperament and how well they do with kids? Then we check into maintenance and can they take care of themselves if need be? Another thing we look at is investment, return, meat, feeding, habits, profit, etc., What are we talkin money wise? Finally can they birth young effortlessly and disease resistant?

We are lookin for a breed that best meets the above requirements. We are very interested in the Large Blacks or Red Waddle hogs, but we would like to hear others input, suggestions, and thoughts to go along with our research to best help us make the right decision in our situation.

 

[Cornish Heritage]

Welcome, welcome to BYH

A little confused as you first say you want three pigs to raise for meat & then you go onto say you want them to be good breeders?

I don't envy you down in that heat. It was hot enough here this past summer in southern MO but I am glad now of cooler nights! Anyways back to pigs. We have raised both the Red Wattles & the Large Blacks & currently raise only Large Blacks. Both breeds will adapt to the heat as long as you provide them with plenty of shade & water to wallow in. Both breeds are hardy. We personally prefer the LB's but both have good mothering instincts & both taste good!

Raising them on pasture is the best for both these breeds. They do not do well in confinement. You will need to supplement with some grain. We like to keep our breeding stock slim, not like skeletons but in good healthy shape. We feed 3-4lbs of grain a day plus some milk. Once the grass is gone we do supplement with hay.

I think the Large Black boars are more "dog like" than the RW's but that may have just been our RW's. Our boars are big softies & love to be scratched etc as do the sows. We have young children here & they are in & out of the pastures all the time. We never have to worry about them.

Both breeds do have taint so if you are wanting to raise the males for meat I would advise castrating them. We have eaten boar meat - some folks think it is the best, personally we disagree

Hardy & healthy - absolutely!

Whichever breed you purchase it is going to take a lot of input before you recoup any money! Registered Large Blacks are usually more expensive than Red Wattles. Our LB Breeding Pairs start at $850 & go up to $1200 depending on the lines purchased. Feeders (castrated barrows) are $150 each. If you are purchasing breeding stock check out that the breeder is legitimate & make sure the piglets are registered. Both the LB's & the RW's have excellent, timely registrars so there is never any excuse for a breeder saying they do not have the paperwork yet.

You will need to to market your pigs. Folks will not generally come knocking at your door. We sell all over the USA but that has not happened overnight - it has taken time & a lot of hard work. Check out your Farmers Markets - see what competition is around. These pigs are rare breeds therefore you need to create a niche market. No good trying to sell at the local sale barn!

Pastured pigs are the best - they are happy, content, hardy, a lot less work etc but you have to love them all the same & be ready to eat them. Our kids always ask us who we are eating at the dinner table not what!

Hope this helps,

Liz

 

[PFSfarmer]

Great information!!

I guess the 3 pigs was confusing. I shoulda been more specific. 1 male 2 females and keep them for good and do the rest with the piglets they produce.

I understand invest now and return maybe a ways off, but as long as their is a return I'm good with that.

I am starting to lean on the Large Blacks. Dog like huh? That would be interesting. Free ranging the pigs for a few hours a day seems fine to me, but they will have to be pen up over night. Unfortunately we get the occasional pack of wild dogs to deal with and it aint country out here no more. Not to mention barb wire aint gonna keep them in. Probably have to build a portable pen.

3-4lbs of grain per pig, per day?

Breeding pair $850 to $1,200. Sounds good. You pay for what you get. I assume that is with papers? Maybe I can manage to change our summer vacation plans to MO. You personally know any LB breeders in Texas?

I know I will get the market deal done over time.

Who and not what at the dinner table..... I aint got no problem, but my kids?........

Thanx for the reply.

 

[Hillsvale]

We raise tamworth which are easier to get than large black here but I will comment on the pasture portion,

in Nova Scotia we have bear, coyotes, bob cat... lots of big critters and our pigs and highland cattle have access to their pasture all night... not much out there that will mess with a set of horns or a cranky mommy sow...

You will need electrics regardless.

Welcome to backyard herds.

 

[PFSfarmer]

Thanx for the reply.

My main concern with putting them up at night is they may wonder off. Long time ago there was no traffic on our road and now it is a car every 2-5min 24hrs a day along with the property only has barb wire all around it. To go back and put another wire all round would cost a lot of money. If I had to guess I would say all 4 sides would be around 4,000 ft long. Our property is almost square with straight sides which is the lucky part. So it is about 1,000 ft per side.

So with that said is where I came up with the portable pens / electric fence.

 

[Bossroo]

I have heard and saw on TV that your part of the country has quite a few wild/ feral pigs running around. These pigs are rappidly expanding their range in Cal. too , as in just about 10 miles from my ranch near Fresno, Cal.. One pig owner near my ranch had 3 sows in a pen, a feral boar destroyed that pen's fencing and ran off with them. How are you preparing to keep your female pigs from being bred by one of these feral boars, or stollen by them? Also, the amourous feral boar just may want to pick a fight with your breeding boar, what then?

 

[PFSfarmer]

Thanx for the reply.

The idea is there, but not a lot of thought into it yet and that is another reason I want to put them up at night. Also to my knowledge I have only noticed them on my property once since all this has been going on and do believe that the issue is not what it was. With the traffic out here now I also think it has drove them farther away from me. There is still some large chunks of property around, but the traffic is out of this world. We used to have deer, turkey, hogs, coyotes, etc. In fact when I was little and my grandmothers house next door there was a coyote that used to come and sleep on the back porch, but now we be lucky to even hear them. I have seen videos of guys in helicopter with automatic weapons just dropping them like crazy trying to get rid of them. I have also seen people catch them and raise them. To be honest with you they run a close race with a skunk as far as smell. I got friends that catch them and OMG they stink. In fact probably smell better dead.

I can probably build some sort of pens to keep our new pigs in at night without worry, but any ideas or suggestions are welcome!

 

[Royd Wood]

I have heard and saw on TV that your part of the country has quite a few wild/ feral pigs running around. These pigs are rappidly expanding their range in Cal. too , as in just about 10 miles from my ranch near Fresno, Cal.. One pig owner near my ranch had 3 sows in a pen, a feral boar destroyed that pen's fencing and ran off with them. How are you preparing to keep your female pigs from being bred by one of these feral boars, or stollen by them? Also, the amourous feral boar just may want to pick a fight with your breeding boar, what then?

PFS - dont worry about feral pigs as the predicted pork shortage next year will ensure every man and his dog will be out there huntin wild pigs

 

[PFSfarmer]

LOL!

You seen the pork shortage also? It is a crock to raise prices. That is why we are trying to get the old farm back going. If not completely self sustaining at least as close as we can over the next few years. A little here and a little there we will get it done. Besides its good for our kids and that makes it all worth while!

 

[Cornish Heritage]

Not to mention barb wire aint gonna keep them in.

Barbed wire is the WORST fence for fence - in fact it is downright dangerous! The pigs do not respect it & can really tear themselves up. We made a vow when we moved here that we would rid the farm of all barbed wire. We are not done yet but are getting there.

I know Royd was being funny when he said not to worry about the feral pigs but you really do need to down there in TX. If your sow's in heat those wild boars will come in & fight with your boar - day or night! We train ALL our pigs to electric fence but our perimeter is either woven wire with one strand of electric on the inside OR it is Hi-Tensile Woven wire. We do not have feral pigs in this ares yet but they are coming.

Secure your fence & that will stop the dogs & alot of other wildlife. Not only that wild animals spread disease so you want to eliminate as much as you can. Hi-Tensile is actually not that expensive to install but it does take time.

Once those pigs are older, predators should not be a huge problem. I don't like to shut them in at night especially in the heat as they spend most of the heat of the day resting & will head out in the cool of the night & early morning to graze. We have NiteGuards every 100ft around our perimeter & that stops our predator, the coyotes.

Yes all our breeding stock is registered. All the culls get sold as feeders. Feeder boars are castrated & the cull gilts are kept here to be raised for meat so that there is no backyard breeding going on.

3-4lbs of grain per pig, per day?

Yep!

You personally know any LB breeders in Texas?

Yes I do In fact there is a breeder that is downsizing RIGHT NOW & is open to offers. Good stock - been to his farm. PM me or email me privately for more info if you are interested.

Thanks,

Liz