Best thing I've read since @makinstuff's vonu post. That wasn't long ago, but I'm meaning to say this is awesome.
This week we got the news that our farmer is quitting the farm, so we're out of the fresh local pastured meat. We'll be checking local meat shops, but my hopes aren't high. That leaves one option:
I'm trying really hard to talk Melissa into buying a pig. Our plot here is half an acre, and about 0.3 acres would work as our "pasture." I'm thinking kunekune because they supposedly root less and do well on grass.
I have a lot of questions. If I make a mobile paddock out of cattle panels, would that be secure enough? Or would I need to fence my front yard by the busy street? (Yes, in town, no, haven't checked legality and don't care to.) Could a third of an acre support a pig? Two pigs? What else do they eat, besides everything and grass? Would a pen be better for my purposes than urban pasturing? If a kunekune is too expensive (they're kinda popular right now), what are cheaper breeds? Can you eat the "pet" breeds? Thy seem to be available for like $10 pretty often.
Sorry, that's a lot lol. I've got Joel Salatin's Pigness book, and I guess I need to read it.
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cattle panels alone won't work. Pigs put their nose under things and lift it up, no matter what size they are.
If you've read any of my recent pig-related posts you know I'm not a fan of kunes, also keep in mind they are very slow growing. I am afraid I have to keep my Kune over winter simply because he is way to small right now.
I would advice you to take two or three strands of electric fence. Pigs highly respect the spark and are perhaps the easiest animals to keep in. They will touch it once, some twice and won't ever go near the wire again. They are really smart and easy to move if you get them used to it.
Move the pig paddock two or three times the first week you get them and they'll know to follow the wire wherever it is. Right now I have this new six months old mangalica pig and he is NOT trained to move, it took us nearly two hours to get him through the gate while our kune went back and forth from the old paddock to the new area three times already. Once he stepped into the new area he immidiately started to follow the wire, I think he gets it now.
One more think about electric. I don't like netting, I have seen pigs getting their eartag stuck and getting entangled in it. Horrible. I never use electrified netting, not even for the goats (I keep goats in with three wires, four if there are baby goats)
As for the size of the enclosure. Is your third of an acre pasture? or woods, or leftover veggie garden? are you going to feed all the excess garden greens and weeds too? It really depends on what you want with them. If you have old milk even better!
I would recommend getting two pigs but would choose a (preferrably hardy )meat breed. These pigs grow way faster so it is easier to feed them to "freezercamp ready" within the growing season. Unless you want to spend a LOT of money on feed during winter. It's amazing how much 8 month old pigs can eat in a day.
Does that answer some of your questions?
Yeah, it does!
My yard is what I'd consider an oak silvopasture. Good tree cover, but enough sun to have grass on all of it. A few pine trees too.
We've got a good rotation on milk, but could easily up it to use some as feed. How much do they like? What's good butcher weight? I don't necessarily want a pair of 400# animals to maintain, so I'm thinking a smaller breed would be okay with me. But I agree, definitely don't want to worry about overwintering animals either.
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One thing we ALWAYS do first is put a solid physical barrier immediately behind the electric fence. If they go through the fence, get burned, they are NOT going to go back. There's no way we can chase pigs. Photos to show how we set up fencing.
We have 2 on a 1/4 acre turnout and it's fine for them. We do not feed supermarket waste, only organic feed. A good source of lysine is going to be the limiting factor on how well and quickly they grow.
The barrier outside the fence (white stakes to anchor it to ground, not for wire...):
Wire set at pig nose height:
Quarter acre turnout and they don't ruin the space with overgrazing? That's super encouraging! I've got a bit in the back yard inside an existing fence that could probably do well with that.
Do they smell? Are they like chickens, where if it starts smelling funny, just add carbon? Pigs won't jump a low fence? Do you need two like with goats or chooks, or will they do okay alone?
I'm considering pigs because chicken and beef are usually more readily available with grass fed, pastured, organic, etc, but good pork is harder to come by. And because I can't pasture a beef cow on a quarter acre lol.
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This was last year after 4 complete months. They still had over 2 more months to go, before we had Freezer camp. (Note we had taken down the black barrier. We only leave it up for 2 weeks, then store it for next year.)
Our pigs have never smelled. But yes, if there's odor, add carbon.
Our fences were set up for horses/cows, so there are upper strands and always was. But the most important one is the one at nose height. It MUST be kept HOT at all times. Ours test it nearly daily; we know because we hear the squeals when they hit it! You must also check the entire thing daily, as they do root in places and can cover it with soil.
Yes, you should have 2 as they are a herd animal and do better with companionship.
The quality of your meat will depend entirely on how they are fed. Junk from the supermarket (bread, vegs, etc) will affect the flavor and composition of the meat. How fast they grow will depend on the quality and amount of lysine in their food. We count on ours reaching the optimal butchering weight of 200 - 225 lbs in 6 months, no later than October here. That's why we had no pigs this year, they would not have finished by then, but in February instead.
Nice setup! Having 8 week old piglets tossing dirt on the bottom wire can be a thing yes. We raise it as they get a little older but I agree all fences should be checked as part of a daily routine. We use the Gallagher S10 solar panel for years now and even though it should not have a very strong spark we did not have any breakouts. I love these little mobile things. We also have a mobile pig shelter. I still need to put gutters on there to collect rainwater. Winter project.
One thing to add is that pigs can't take heat so they need shade and a mud bath (keeps their skin in good condition). If you pour water somewhere they will dig the hole themselfs but some people use kiddie pools. Note that they will flip over any sort of container even if you put a brick or something heavy in it so make sure to secure whatever you are using.
Oh, yes! I intended to mention the mud necessity and forgot. Thanks for covering it!