Has anyone ever raised pigs?
I am thinking about getting a couple pigs. I have limited experience with horses and cattle, but I want to know if I'm getting in over my head with pigs.
What advise can ya'll give me?
What advise can ya'll give me?
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Don't. Don 0 -
Have you seen my kids?[:o)] 0 -
Better have some tight fences. 0 -
We use to always have one around in the spring and summer. Come fall we had lots of sausage, canned meat and cured hams. You'll need to put a ring in their nose, if not they'll root under a fence or pen and run away. 0 -
...Had them for FFA through high school and a couple years after. Ran a feed mill for a few years. What do you need to know? I used woven wire fence, with one hot wire on the inside, 12" off the ground. 0 -
Have a good fence. But what are you looking for, bred guilts or feeder pigs? Feeder pigs would probably be easier to raise with out a whole lot of work. 0 -
I did for FFA a couple years ago. you'll need some strength and a good fence. Overall, not too tough. 0 -
Yup. Back when I was a teenager, we had 150-200 most of the time. I have not owned one since. Does that tell you anything? 0 -
MY DAD HAS ONE OR TWO EVERY YR FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER. HE ALWAYS BUYS A COUPLE OF WEENER(S) RIGHT AFTER THE FIRST GOOD SNOW. THAT WAY HE CAN KEEP'EM IN THE HORSE/STOCK TRAILER UNTIL THEY WHERE 100LBS, OR COME SPRING,THEN HE WOULD PUT THEM OUT IN A PEN. JUST REGULAR OLD TEE POSTS AND FEILD FENCE. THEY NEVER DID ROOT OUT OF THE PEN AND RUN OFF. THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN BROKE OF THE ROOTING BY THE TIME THEY CAME OUT OF THE TRAILER? SURE WHERE/ARE TASTY 0 -
Man, raising pigs must be hard on the hearing. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by tapwater
...Had them for FFA through high school and a couple years after. Ran a feed mill for a few years. What do you need to know? I used woven wire fence, with one hot wire on the inside, 12" off the ground.
Never too much fence for em from what I hear. Major pains, and
smell bad.0 -
quote:Originally posted by woodshermit
Man, raising pigs must be hard on the hearing.
[:D][:D]0 -
Well this has already been said, But i will say it again. Make sure you have very strong fences.
If you don't you will be chasing pigs all over the countryside.[:D]0 -
I will look around for my ring pliers. 0 -
What do you actually wish to know? 0 -
Oh, Forgot to mention. Be sure you have ear plugs when you go to take away thier manlyhood.[;)] 0 -
I would do feeder pigs. I got a 15'x8' pen I can use for them.
I was wondering about feed and such, and if there is any special vet care involved with them. I would keep no more than 2 at a time and as soon as they got to size they would become tasty meals.0 -
Gonna really save money raising them your self. Feed them out and then have them butchered and packaged to your specs. Yep, only gonna cost you a little more than double then just going to the store and picking up some bacon. Don 0 -
Lots cheaper to go to the store for pork.
BW0 -
Probly true, but I can't buy whole pig to roast over an open pit from the local Bi-Lo market![:D] 0 -
You could probably find a local farmer who would sell you a whole one if you looked around.
You're going to have to raise them to be around 220-230 pounds to be fully developed. Some people go larger, but you are apt to increase the fat level if you do, so you need to decide how lean you want them to be.
The feed conversion in decent confinement facilites will run 3 1/2 pound of feed per pound of gain. You can beat that with topflight equipment, but open pen feeding will likely raise it to around 4 pounds of feed per pound of gain.
You are going to need to mix ground corn and bean meal at a variable rate as the pigs get older. Start with around a 20% protein mix, and taper off to about 12-15% as they get older. The lower protein will cost you less, but don't cheat when they are small or you will just increase the time it takes to raise them to maturity.
They can grow an average of maybe 2 pounds a day when they get larger, but will grow much more slowly when they are first weaned. You can get them weaned as young as maybe 4 weeks old, but I'd try for at least 6 to 8 weeks of age and/or maybe 40 plus pounds, or you're going to need special feeds.0 -
With the invasion of wild pigs around here,one would think that some of the farmers/ranchers would welcome someone responsible like me on to their place to take some out,but,HELL NO!
Most don't want the liability and the rest want to charge a lease fee that makes it too expensive.
I do have a place to hunt them though and a 30-40 pounder is great on the grill.[:p][:p]
BW0 -
quote:Originally posted by git_r_done
Probly true, but I can't buy whole pig to roast over an open pit from the local Bi-Lo market![:D]
No, but you can buy a whole pig from a farmer for a very reasonable price.
Ben0 -
Nasty filthy animals! 0 -
No bigger than your pen is 2 would be pushing it. Just feed them plenty of grain (cracked corn) with protien pellets. They should also be on full feed. Also with good fresh feed, make sure they have got good clean water. About all you would have to vacinate them for would be erosyhillis, but most generally this is already done in feeders before they go to sell. In your small pen I would ensure they have fresh bedding every other day or so to help control oder, and if it is rainy, a good dry place to lay down may prevent pnuemonia and ring worm. If they should get ring worm you will see it on their bellies. Usually to clear this up is again, fresh bedding and spray down their bellies with iodine. For pneumonia it's good to have some kind of anti-biotic around like PEN-G. Usually you go by wieght, and I would always just about overdose them to bring them back. Treat as needed. If they should need a booster you can give them a shot of vitamin B12. This will make them hungry and more eager to eat. Cut off all medication 90 days before you plan to butcher so the meds have a chance to get completely out of their system. I know I have mentioned several medicines, but as long as you keep their pen clean and dry you shouldn't need the extra. One other thing since you have heat down in the Carolina's. On hot days make sure they have shade and pleny of air and fresh water. Heat will give a hog a heart attack quicker than anything else. Market wieght is 240 to 260 lbs. Hope this helps. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by dcon12
Gonna really save money raising them your self. Feed them out and then have them butchered and packaged to your specs. Yep, only gonna cost you a little more than double then just going to the store and picking up some bacon. Don
Bingo in the ballroom!
They are good for a few laughs from time to time...0 -
I raised a few and kept track of the grain we fed em. then I checked local auction prices near here they were selling for about what I paid in feed at the same wieght, I started getting them from auction and sending them to the butcher , in fact they picked em up for me almost the same price and I didnt have to mess with em. only way to go. I even started getting a few guys together and buying two or three at a time and splitting the costs 0 -
quote:Originally posted by git_r_done
I am thinking about getting a couple pigs. I have limited experience with horses and cattle, but I want to know if I'm getting in over my head with pigs.
What advise can ya'll give me?
Stay away from pigs. They're nasty, smell horrible and simply eat, crap, and wallow in it.0 -
If you could see their rooms you would say I have three of them right here in my home. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Locust Fork
If you could see their rooms you would say I have three of them right here in my home.
I understand that![:D] I allready have 2 going by that standard.[;)]0
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