that pig are just as playful and smart as dogs. I will do my best to talk though what i have learnt.
you need to chose how much room you wish to give to them and how many you are going to keep. the space they need is up to
you as the legal requirments are a few inches larger that there body
. I will attach a picture of the area i used to rear pigs last time. Also that the area they will be in will become rather muddy and will need a rest after each lot of pigs
about 6mths to break the soil up to reduces the risk of disease.
Firstly if you are thinking about getting some pigs you will need to get "CPH Number" (County Parish Holding). From the
Rural Payments Agency (RPA). Then after that they will provide you with a Pig Herd Number and explain about movement
licences (for tracking transported animals).
Then you need to make sure you have a means of transporting them to the slaughter house. We were lucky enough to get a
trailer for £200 but that was by luck. Also you might have to transport the pigs after to the butchers and they can be iffy
about transport of raw meat eg not on the back seat but might want a cooled van you would have to speak to them about that.
we were lucky in the fact they did deliveries to the butchery everyday so ours was placed on that truck.
You also need to speak to a butcher to arrange what you wish tyo be done.
Then you need to decide what breed you want to get. The price ranges from £25 to £50 depending on size and breed. We went
for 3 commerical landraces cross with somting else (£45) as i know a pig farmer. Also i got one traditional large black for
£30 off of a pig breeder.
You need to sort out fencing for them you can use stock fencing with a strand of barbed wire along the base or two strands f
electric fence but they have to get use to the shocking as they might run thorugh it at first. You also need to get an ark
we were lucky enough to get one from the farm as they dump them as they start to rust it needed a little bit bit of work but
it was fine. you can get arks from about £200 i think.Do not try to build one your self form stuff laying around they will
demolish it. You will need a way of tatooing the pigs for slaughter.
i found rearing them very easy as we set up a automatic drinker off of ball float valve in a barrel. But feed has gone up
alot recently almost £1.50 a bag in 5 months.
ill add more to this later as this was just a quick type up any question just ask
heres a good link
http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/ar ... roduction/
thanks axel
