starting with pigs

[The Hopefuls]

id like to get started with pigs but im not sure where to start

i have a 8x8 concrete and brick built building to use, and i have 2 acres going spare

i heard you need a licence? and obviously i need a abatoir?

i wondered if someone could point me in the right direction so to speak

thanks brooke

[red]

still learning myself.. still not got the pigs yet!

you will need a CPH - which is anumber for your holding.. ie your place.. and you will need a herd number when you get pigs.

best place to start is phone defra and ask them... starts the ball rolling.

also defra has booklets on pig keeping called code of recommedations for the welfare of livestock - pigs - you can download it from their website.. or get a copy sent to you.

you do have to provide rooting material for pigs.. so you will have to provide them with outdoors, and if not actual mud, then straw for litter.

[Thurston Garden]

Hugh F-W has a very helpful DVD called A Pig In A Day With Hugh And Ray - covers everything from selecting a breed to the end product! I have a copy and can recommend it. Andy Case does a good book Starting With Pigs.

As Red says, contact DEFRA for your holding number and herd number well in advance.

I discovered the hard way that two or three strands of electric wire is the only way to keep them in. These three were happy staying behind a single strand:



They do need to be trained on electric otherwise they have a tendancy to barge through it.
It's easily moveable if on plastic stakes and easy/quick to erect & dismantle. It can be quite expensive to buy new but will last for years and years.

Once you find a weaner supplier, I bet they will be able to offer direct help. Pig people are generally nice guys (especially the Scots lol).

[Wortle]

Hi, bet you are away with this now but the accidental smallholder has a good brief introduction and some useful costings on what it took to raise 2 Tamworth weaners, keep and butcher them.

I understand why you cant feed pigs meat or meat products anymore but why no eggs? Also if no eggs that means nowt cooked with eggs in it in scraps eg old custard or similar does it?

[The Hopefuls]

right.... im getting there with your help thankyou

i have a holding number , and a building thats about it so far though

im looking at electric fencing (kits) and now im confused

the only ones i can see are either for horses, or poultry

can anyone reccomend one for pigs?

i have electric in the pig building, so would idealy like to run it off mains

thanks brooke

[Thurston Garden]

I have always used two or three rungs of steel wire supported on plastic posts. that way you can move the fencing easily about once the pigs moosccape the land.

You will also need an energiser (mains or battery) and an earth stake.

It took me a while to work out how to connect it all up! It's easy though. The energiser is connected to the battery (or safely plugged into the mains). There will be two leads off the energiser, one gets connected to the earth stake and the other to the fence. This way, assuming the fence wire is taut and not touching (or earthing out on the ground) there will be no complete circuit. The fence wire is one half of the circuit (+ve) and the ground is the other (-ve).When a pig (or you!) touches the fence, you are also touching the ground and thus complete the circuit and get a shock.

Pigs need to be trained not to barge through the fence when they get their first shock. I set up a training pen as wittered on about here. Once they have learned that the fence is 'jaggy' they wont go near it - so much so that you can exist quite happily imo with one battery and have a few hours without any leccy in the fence whilst the batter is away being charged!

[The Hopefuls]

ahhhh sounds so simple when someone explains, thankyou thurston garden