Posted in Homestead Barnyard
As usual, I never get these up on the proper day but with the new little one, I try whenever I can and I've got a good topic. Since we are doing it, I thought pigs would make a good post!Pigs are most useful creatures, in my opinion. Two pigs raised per year provide a great deal of products and services for our homestead:
- A couple of hundred pounds of high quality pork chops, ribs, pulled pork, bacon, and sausage for our table.
- A year’s worth of high quality fat in the form of lard.
- A convenient consumer of our surplus and failed dairy products.
- Free labor for tilling new ground and cleaning it of roots and tubers.
And a great deal of entertainment to boot!
There are many ways to raise pigs on the homestead. We have chosen to purchase feeder pigs, or rather, just-weaned baby pigs. They can be had in our area for $30 to $60 a piece, depending on breed, age, and demand. Lately, it seems they are getting a bit harder to find as more and more people are returning to home-raised foods.
Whether to purchase gilts (young females), boars (un-neutered males), or barrows (neutered males) is another choice you will have to make. We chose to purchase gilts this year to avoid the entire issues of neutering or not. There may be problems with boar taint in un-neutered boars. The procedure to neuter them is painful for the animal but does reduce the chances of taint. If you are interested in this issue, I suggest you visit Sugar Mountain Farm’s Blog. Walter has done extensive research on the issue of boar taint.
Our pigs are raised on the ground. We believe this is the healthiest way to raise pigs. Contrary to popular legend, pigs are not “dirty” and don’t, if given a chance, wallow in their own excrement. Even in a relatively small area, our pigs select a spot as their “bathroom”. They do not root, rest, or eat in that area. Pigs raised outdoors on the ground do need access to water so they can wallow. Wallowing keeps their skin clear of infections, prevents sunburn, and cools the pigs.
We gradually expand the pigs’ area as they get larger and work up the existing ground. We keep them contained with electric wire. Electric wire is very effective as long as the fence charger is fully functional. The wires should be gradually moved up as the pigs grow. Electric wire also affords opportunity to move the pigs to areas we want tilled.
What, how, and when to feed is another question. We have chosen to purchase a custom mixed feed from our local feed mill. It is roughly 12% protein. The recipe is:
600 lbs cracked corn
50 lbs peas
100 lbs crimped oats
50 lbs alfalfa
50 lbs wheat bran
enough molasses to keep the dust down
The original recipe called for 35 lbs of a vitamin/mineral mix, 25 lbs of lime, and 25 lbs of salt. We found these additional items ended up in the bottom of the feed bowl uneaten and so eliminated them this time around. Since our pigs have access to the dirt, we figure they will get what mineral they need from there.
Our pigs also get excess skim milk, buttermilk, whey, and eggs. According to Morrison’s Feeds & Feeding, skim milk, along with corn, makes very good pig grub. And the pigs love it!
When and how to butcher is the final concern when raising pigs on the homestead. Last year, our pigs went to the butcher at 5-1/2 months of age. They were around 150 lbs live weight. This is officially called “BBQ size”. They were very tender and tasty although the cuts were small and there was very little fat for sausage and lard. This year we started earlier and plan to raise our pigs to at least 200 lbs. They will be 8 or 9 months old. We would like to have plenty of sausage and bacon for our Christmas visitors.
One day we plan to butcher our own pigs. This will give us more flexibility on cuts, skinning, etc. For now, it is convenient and cost effective to take them to our local custom butcher.
Raising any animal is a learning experience. It is always nice to visit, experiment, and talk to someone else who has done it before. So don’t be afraid to jump in there and try raising some pigs on your own homestead!
Kristin Hoffman homesteads with her family in the hills of
