Raising Pigs/UPDATE HAVE PIGLETS

Probably the easiest livestock we've ever raised in all our years of living this lifestyle. The Large Black Hog. Super intelligent animals, don't have many health issues, convert everything to body mass, not aggressive to work with usually. Just don't pass out in the pen or they may see you as the next meal, lol. I just wanted to expose people to the idea of raising old world types of livestock to keep their genetic diversity going before its lost forever. here are less than 1000 breeding animals left in the United States today.

 

The large Black Hog is definitely a handsome looking hog. The picture immediately put an earwig chant in my head from the dog treat commercial. .... BACON! BACON! I WANT BACON. Do you sell stock to potential breeders?

 

Tac... that is the plan, as well as selling unregistered feeder piglets. Not quite to the selling stage yet but getting there. I will have unregistered stock possibly born as soon as late August. They will be purebred but not registerable due to the breeder not knowing which one of his boars bred the gilt. The registry is super particular about the details.
Sooo... long story short I went and bought a registered boar from a good breeder in VA. He isn't quite 3 months old yet so won't be breeding well for probably at least 6 months.

And yes, the LB hogs are known for their fabulous bacon as well as marbled meat that resembles a good steak. I can't wait to fill my own freezer this Fall!

 

Good luck with your venture. But make sure they don't get loose. Boar destroy the habitat for nearly everything else game wise. That is why the Division of Wildlife want them eradicated.
I hunt them, but have not found one yet, here in Ohio (small numbers here) but places like Texas are being overrun. They are BEGGING hunters to come and take their fill for free.
I DO have a motorized rotisserie waiting for my first pig though....

 

I am not a purist. I know it would not help to continue the breed, but not being registered is no deterrent to me. I will look down here for Black Hog stock. Heritage breeds interest me mostly due to the quality meat on the table. I would be a fool not to recognize that as an excellent breed. I had read about them before and I know they are slower to put on weight than the Big Agri hogs. I can actually trap feral hogs down here in many many places and take all I want. In fact in some cases they will terminate your right to trap hogs on their property if you intentionally release any you have caught.

 

Hot wire at base of post (anti rooting) with 3" offset, 2nd wire at 14", and hog panels
Happy piggies stay inside.

Oh and the key to happy piggies is lots of room to pasture.

bored piggies in a small enclosure more likely to attempt break out.

Give them shade, sun, shelter, water and a tree to scratch up against. Oh, and a kiddie pool. Them suckers love kiddie pools.

 

Oh yeah, I think I'd rather face a mad bull than a mad hog! But you would really not believe the gentleness of this breed in general. Train your breeders from the day you get them. Handle every day, feed well, keep them happy, train them with a feed bucket to follow you. They enjoy being scratched and will come flop down at your feet for belly rubs... quite social.

We don't have a wild boar issue in this area, at least not yet. I'm sure as the wild ones migrate we will have the problem eventually. WV is nearly all woods and farms, about perfect for any hog. As mentioned above, a hog wanting out will get out. Not a big deal if they are used to being grained. My gilts got out last week and my son just called them and shook the bucket... came right back. Make sure to go ahead and feed them if you got them back in with a bucket. If not you won't get them next time.

My whole purpose with this thread is to get people to preserve the genetic diversity still there. Whether its Large Blacks, Red Wattles, or Old Spots, its all worth preserving. Especially now with the PEDv virus wiping out entire breeding farms. We should all be keeping a few pigs if possible.

 

Your link has an error message. As for wild boar.....ALL wild boar in this country are excapees and their descendants. They are not indigenous to the united states, and were brought by settlers. They can all crossbreed. Russian boar, and domestic pigs, and pigs can go feral very fast. It IS a big deal if they get loose. And no matter how gentle they are today, they can and DO eat human beings. (The Mob has been know for some time to feed people they want to disappear to pigs!) The only way to know if a pig has eaten a human is with a DNA test.
People believe alligators are good pets too, until the day they loose a hand.
Pigs ARE smart, and can be trained, but never trust one. They can be deadly.

 

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Correct. "The requested attachment could not be found"

 

Kellory, re-read my first post...it says they will eat you! Blacks can often grow to #1000 lbs, which is why we scratch them with the business end of a hoe! Any livestock has the potential to hurt you. Horses kill more people per year than hogs ever will, yet we all continue to ride. You just have to be vigilant and aware. Hubby had a run in with the bull while ago and I'm surprised he doesn't have him gutted and hanging in the barn for an all nighter. (Happy not to be cutting meat all night). Im really excited about this business venture and love working with all the stock here, but being excited doesn't mean Im naive or reckless. We could get killed working with our pigs, cattle, horses, mules, etc... or I could get hit by a car crossing the street. Ya gotta live life or just sit on the sidelines.... We live!

 

I read it thoughly. All I'm saying is be careful. Never think of them as tame, and don't let them get loose. And good luck with the venture.

 

Kellory, I didn't mean what I said in a rude way so don't be offended. It just seems like my entire life has been spent having men pat me on the head and telling me a girl can't do that. I guess it kind of bothers me, but I think you just felt you needed to warn me so thank you. I do like them, I feed them and scratch them, but its rare that I go in their field, and never alone.

We farm full time so its rare we don't know where the animals are. So far, they have always followed the grain bucket to where we need them. Knock on wood. The 16 yr old is responsible for checking fencelines and letting his dad know where its weak.

What I worry most about is having to notch ears on day old piglets. Any advice on that? The LBHA insists on notching of ears. No tattooing or tagging or branding. How do you keep a 600# sow from eating you alive when her baby screams?

 

No offense taken.

I do not raise pigs, but faced with that problem, I could restrain momma first. Then notch junior.
Were it me, I would use a catchpole (noose on a pole) to tie off one leg of momma to a fence pole or barn timber. Tie off with a quick release knot, and once done with all piglets, pull the knot release from beyond the fence or stall wall.
I would not approach again until momma had assured herself that all was well.

 

Which part of "I do not raise pigs" do I need to spell slower? it IS a method I would try ( might go off an overhead beam or branch) if you have a better method, (as Ross Perot said) I'M ALL EARS.