ok, so now I'm turning into a hobby farmer. I have 3 Oxford sandy and black weaners coming in a few days. Phoned up deffra today to see what I have to do - to be told their having a little strike!
Any piggy tips welcom - but what if anything do I have to do to keep on the right side of the law?

Cheers

Mark

I'm told you have to have your own herdmark no and tags etc, but if you're buying weaners not breeding it should be simpler. When you get your herdmark you should automatically become a registered pig-keeper so you will be liable for inspections from big brother

Dont let Lumpkin near them.

Dunno about the legal bits and bobs, but I have done a few winters on an outdoor pig unit in my time. Really enjoyed it, but very hard work.

If they are hardy enough, get them outside. As long as they can get out of the weather they seem to do ok. The ones I worked with were newsham pigs, but a slightly hardier strain than the ones they used indoors.

You can get special water toughs that are only a few inches deep that the pigs can get into an roll around, they like those. They need to have access to a bit of straw out side. The consume quite a bit of dirt while they're rummaging and rooting about and need the straw to keep their digestive tract moving, or the dirt settles in the gut and sets like concrete. As long as they have a bit of fresh straw to lie on they eat a bit when they want.

Their huts get really cosy, and if are ever in the dog house, there are worse places to have a kip than with the pigs. That is of course as long as they don;t trample you to ...

I think the outdoor units are put in the crop rotation. The crop gets use of the pig sh*t left behind and you don't get too much disease build up.

Pigs will respect a decent electric fence better than other boundaries.

When you are moving them, keep calm and DO NOT let them past you. You will need a pig board to steer them, but if they think they can get past you they will.

Pigs are great

I know that they taste great fried, roasted, boiled, baked or grilled. Thinly sliced between chunks of fresh bread from the Windmill bakery and amothered with real butter they are the stuff og dreams.

Actually i spent many of my formative years working with pigs, both outdoor reared and indoor. Lovely things they are. Intelligent and tasty.

Thanks for the replies. The legel bit isnt too much. I had a holding No. anyway; phoned the animal wotitzname, spoke to a very helpfull lady, they are sending a pack including my herd No. and movement forms. I was going to give them some straw but didnt know about the problem caused by them eating dirt. I like the sound of those shallow troughs. They will be outside, one of the reasons for choosing OSB s.
Im still looking for a hammer mill - small one, but when I start I will buy feed in a bag.

czechmate wrote:

Thanks for the replies. The legel bit isnt too much. I had a holding No. anyway; phoned the animal wotitzname, spoke to a very helpfull lady, they are sending a pack including my herd No. and movement forms. I was going to give them some straw but didnt know about the problem caused by them eating dirt. I like the sound of those shallow troughs. They will be outside, one of the reasons for choosing OSB s. Im still looking for a hammer mill - small one, but when I start I will buy feed in a bag.

Don't know ugger all really on pigs. But thought that those outside get on better with nut like food rather than the ground up stuff. Expect Pretender can put you right.

SJP wrote:

czechmate wrote: Thanks for the replies. The legel bit isnt too much. I had a holding No. anyway; phoned the animal wotitzname, spoke to a very helpfull lady, they are sending a pack including my herd No. and movement forms. I was going to give them some straw but didnt know about the problem caused by them eating dirt. I like the sound of those shallow troughs. They will be outside, one of the reasons for choosing OSB s. Im still looking for a hammer mill - small one, but when I start I will buy feed in a bag. Don't know ugger all really on pigs. But thought that those outside get on better with nut like food rather than the ground up stuff. Expect Pretender can put you right.

Yes, the pigs I worked with out doors were all fed on very carefully formulated food that was in a massive pellet, about the size or your thumb. It was then augered along the fence line. The pellets were meant to be fed on the ground and stood up to it well. I guess you could feed them meal in to troughs. The troughs would need to be cast or something like concrete that is heavy, or the pigs will just have them upside down and probably eat them too.

Wooden hurdles are better than metal. The don't rust and will give a bit when pigs try to root them up with their snouts and push against them. They'll need rings in their noses too. You might find the water troughs will with little stones. For some reason they seem to like to pick them up and rattle them around in their mouths, then drop them in the water, dunno why

They get a bit stroppy when they have young too

You're not planning on making any money are you? You won't

The Pretender wrote:

You're not planning on making any money are you? You won't

Oh i don't know, Bongo's mate int dun tew bad....

yes, but they have got about 22,000 sows. they do have some outdoor herds with Berkshires, and one with gloucester old spot IIRC - for the waitrose trade. pigs take a lot of management on a big scale, but just having a few for sausages will be a bit of fun. providing they dont get a disease. they are buggers for getting diseases. keeping outdoors and having a decent diet will keep them well. pigs get bored so make sure they have stuff to play with - chains and balls. e.g a disused ballcock keeps them entertained

In laws and also a mate keep pigs,not quite on FH's mates scale they both have around 200 sows indoors and rear all the progeny up to bacon weight.Really enjoy working with pigs as said above they are intelligent and inquisitive creatures,and as FH says make sure they have stuff to play with as they will appreciate it.

SJP wrote:

czechmate wrote: Thanks for the replies. The legel bit isnt too much. I had a holding No. anyway; phoned the animal wotitzname, spoke to a very helpfull lady, they are sending a pack including my herd No. and movement forms. I was going to give them some straw but didnt know about the problem caused by them eating dirt. I like the sound of those shallow troughs. They will be outside, one of the reasons for choosing OSB s. Im still looking for a hammer mill - small one, but when I start I will buy feed in a bag. Don't know ugger all really on pigs. But thought that those outside get on better with nut like food rather than the ground up stuff. Expect Pretender can put you right.

I have fancied having some pigs for a long while. 2 final things that swung it: Growing a few tates this year, so stock feed spuds, then being bid £71/T for this season barley - most likely movement being down.