“I always say look at a pig as if you are going to eat it,” she says. Irrespective of selected breed, Cronauer emphasizes choosing by conformation. Size-wise, Kunekunes are slower-growing, smaller pigs that tend to be better producers of lard. She also says that both breeds are very friendly. She touts that she can’t think of another breed of pig that grazes as well as these. “They also have an excellent feed conversion rate for a heritage breed and are very tasty and lean.”Ĭronauer is equally enthusiastic about her Idaho Pasture Pigs and Kunekunes. “We find them to be very hearty, sound in feet and leg, easy breeders, great mothers, and easily trained to electric fencing and nipple waters,” he says. Wehlage, meanwhile, is thrilled with his Tamworth pigs. Large Blacks are good on pasture with marginal forage.” “For pigs, they are one of the most docile and easy to manage. “We wanted pigs that would do very well with the kids,” Johnson says. There are key differences and similarities among the breeds. Read more: Can you feed your hogs hay? Sure-here’s what you need to know. Grass hays mixed with properly harvested alfalfa are preferred over timothy. Johnson also prefers to have some clover in the mix. “It’s going to improve their ability to digest.” ![]() “The thing about pigs is anything with more of a broadleaf mixture is going to be better for them,” says Jason Johnson, who raises Large Black pigs on his Lucky George Farm in Iowa. Wehlage has supplied farmers in 28 states with registered Tamworth breeding stock, also selling pork online and locally.Īs long as there is availability, type of grass isn’t as big of a concern. “If you rotate diligently, you can run five pigs on 5 acres, rotating half-acre paddocks every couple of weeks,” he says. You can consult your county extension agent or soil conservation service about your specific needs.īecause of his location, Bill Wehlage of Bacon Acres Farm in Oklahoma requires a larger area for his pigs. A variety of factors influence land requirements. If these areas are available on your property, can they be fenced?įinally, ask yourself if you have enough land that you can rotate pastures to prevent soil erosion. Any area you are considering should also have available water sources for hydration as well as areas where wallows will develop for cooling. Forested areas should have available fruits, acorns and nuts, collectively known as mast. Heritage breeds, such as those mentioned, prefer forest or pasture areas. ![]() If you are convinced that raising pigs is for you, the first step includes assessing your property to assure it’s a viable operation. And the hogs themselves benefit from being raised outdoors on a nutrient-rich pasture. Fans of pasture-raised, heritage-breed pigs claim that their meat tastes far superior to that of pigs raised commercially. You can choose, for example, what vaccinations you will use, if any at all, and how to address deworming.Īnother reason is the improved taste of the meat. Cronauer raises Idaho Pasture Pigs and Kunekunes on her Wisconsin-based White Bison Farm. “You’ve got the ability to raise these pigs the way you want them to be raised,” says Jodi Cronauer, registrar of the Idaho Pasture Pig Registry. One significant lure of raising your own pigs is the amount of control you can exact over what, from feed to medication, goes into your animals. Outside of producing pork for home use or sale, you can also use pigs for clearing brush-filled areas, rototilling gardens during the winter months or even sealing shallow ponds. Popular pasture pig breeds include the Idaho Pasture Pig, Kunekune, Large Black and Tamworth. W hether seeking out a single farming enterprise or a way to diversify your operation, pasture pigs can make great additions to a small farm.
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