When a pig has attitude

[Baymule]

I load all my pigs with boiled eggs, never have a problem. They load themselves. I crush a couple of eggs in the door, drop a couple more halfway in, then a nice pile in the front of the trailer. Works every time.

 

[farmerjan]

Years ago when I had 10-12 sows and was selling feeder pigs other month... I would back the old 53 flat bed truck with the racks on it, up to the ramp and started feeding the pigs up in the truck.... took about 2-3 days before they realized they could run right up there and eat... besides they were "kids" so it was fun to run up there.... Got to where I could just call them and they would be on the truck waiting on me... Made it so easy to load a load of 20-30 pigs in about 10 minutes flat, come sale time....I always felt just a little guilty that they would do it and then I was not going to let them back off... but they were ready to be weaned and the sows were definitely ready for a break after 8-10 weeks.

 

[Nommie Bringeruvda Noms]

Just like a dog and it's food bowl, or a cat and the can opener, any animal accustomed to seeing you with whatever vessel (bucket, bowl, scoop...) you carry their chow to them in will typically follow that vessel anywhere - including if you toss it up into whatever vehicle you need to load them into. If you have to sacrifice the vessel, then so be it - far better to replace that, than go about the rest of your life missing a limb or two.

 

[CLSranch]

I remember riding the younger pigs when I was a kid. Then mom had to tell us one day that you know they can rip your leg off.

 

[Nommie Bringeruvda Noms]

I remember riding the younger pigs when I was a kid. Then mom had to tell us one day that you know they can rip your leg off.

Yup. And their legs are better on my dinner table, than the reverse!

 

[Ridgetop]

Definitely what everyone says X 10! Eat the mean one. Or if you can't bring yourself to eat your own hog, advertise a freezer hog - "bring your own trailer" and sell.

We had a mean hog once - Devil Pig - talked about him on my journal. Was never so glad to see anything loaded on the slaughter truck!

All large hogs can be dangerous, mean ones are not worth taking a chance with.

If you still have brambles to clear, try a couple of meat goats. They will eat the brambles and the hogs will root out the rest. Then put the goats in your freezer too.

 

[Ron Bequeath]

Except for a pet, a barrow is useless for anything. If you have one that is aggressive, butcher is the ONLY ALTERNATIVE. You will not socialize a hog at that size. If you get caught, all it takes is one bite by them that draws blood, and you will be lucky to get out with your limb, or alive.
They are animals like @Jesusfreak101 says.... they do not reason or think of loyalties.
As @Baymule asked... what breed are they and what is the purpose for them? Pigs/hogs make great "tillers" for the garden, and they can have great dispositions for pets..... but they are still governed by animal instincts. 2 are company, 3 can be a crowd....

 

[Ron Bequeath]

First, I'd like to clear up a problem I've had for the last 5 years. What is a barrow? I am 70 years old and have raised hogs for many more years then I care to count. Presently I have 9 sows, 2 boars, 2 neutered males and a weiner. As a child I was taught that a sow is one that has had piglets, a boar was an active male, a gilt was a female that has not had piglets yet a barrow was a intact male not used for breeding, and a shoat is a neutered male. And a weiner is a piglet under 3 months. In cattle a cow is a female having calf, heifer is a non bred female cattle, bull is an active male and a bullock is an inactive male and a steer is a neutered male.. shall we go to horses, chicken, sheep, goat or any other animal. A neutered males name is not similar to the male of the species. I live in an area that boarders 2 Amish communities if you go into their community an ask to buy a neutered pig and say you want a barrow you get an intact male. You ask for a shoat you get a neutered male. It seems that this present day group of " farmers" like to invent new "wheels" just to get people to think they know something. Don't get me started on chicken tractors. We use to call them runs and they even had wheel. Back to mean and cantankerous pigs. You want a friendly pig. Anything other than that should go to market. Pigs are omnivors they will eat anything dead, dying, or injured. That includes human flesh. I have a Julianne boar who avoids me becauss another human was mean to him, and although my American guinea hog boar is a gem I never ever take my eyes off of them. Trust them is not in my vocabulary. Animals are animals. They need to be treated as such. They don't belong in the bedroom. A dog may be taught to guard the inside of the house against preditors animal and human, but leave the pigs outside. And yes here it comes from the potbelly pig owner. Sorry I have 5 potbelly sows...outside.

 

[Baymule]

For me and probably most here, a barrow is a neutered male pig. I prefer barrows, but this year, I have 3 boars. And I agree, pigs belong outside and don’t turn your back on them.

 

[farmerjan]

Guess that it depends on the part of the country you are from/grew up in. A barrow has always been a neutered/castrated male hog in the north east where I grew up. Shoat is weaned up to about 100 lbs. I guess different areas use their own terminologies, but every dictionary and reference I have found is that a barrow is a castrated male. Shoats refer to the size, from weaned pig to anywhere from 50 -100 lbs, again, different sizes fit the definition according to different areas.