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  • From: Robert Walton <waltonrp AT gmail.com>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] pigs
  • Date: Sun, 18 Jan 2009 07:48:19 -0500

One strand of electric at nose level will do it. Two might be better.
You have to train them to it when they are young. If they aren't fed
well, I assume it would be less effective, that's the same for
anything.

Not so small an area that they can't relax without thinking about the
fence wire. Maybe 40 x 40. As big as you want it. The only reason I'd
do it small is so that you direct the rooting to that area. Otherwise,
they just root where they feel like it.

Lynda brought up a good point. Think of how you are going to finish
them. Having growing pigs around during the garden season works for
me. That way they can eat extra produce/fruit. At the end of the
season, they can clean up. Acorns are a nice natural, free way to
finish them here. Cleaning up a field of corn is a favorite, also.
I've planted Chestnut and Pecan trees. Hopefully in a few years, the
extras from those will add to my hog finishing feed.

I'm thinking about growing a summer cover crop in a new field this
year by broadcasting soy, peas, mangels, peanuts and what ever else I
find to add to the mix. Then pen the hogs in it in the fall.

I've had to buy hog feed this year in addition to the free acorns.
More you have to buy, the more expensive it gets. Also, don't be
fooled my people saying you can feed a hog of table scraps. Unless you
have a lot of scraps, you need to add to it once they get big and you
are fattening it.

If you are one to get attached to your animals, watch it. Pigs make
better pets than a lot of dogs. They are smart, will follow you
around, roll over, like their belly scratched. It's easy to get
attached.

Rob - Va




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