Some day we're gonna own some land, yes, we are! And sometime after that, we're gonna want some feeder pigs! So my questions are somewhat theoretical at this point; however, perhaps it will help us estimate how much land we will need. Thanks in advance!
Assuming the following:
4-6 young pigs to be kept
until optimum slaughter weight
main food to come from pasture, with
possible garden scraps
only 1 or 2 acres of pasture available
the objective is that they will root up
this pasture and it will become my
garden the next year; the following
year we'd get some more pigs to
root up an acre for my cutting/market
flower garden
Shade to be provided by mobile "A" frame
plywood houses
Ok, now for the questions:
1. What kind of forage plants would give the growing pigs enough protien/vitamins/etc. Should I plant turnips/mangels or other crops in the field for them?
2. What kinds of suplimental feed should I use if I need it.
3. Instead of actual "pasture rotation", can the pigs be confined by electric fencing and the fence moved a little every few days? If so, how big an area should they have?
4. How many "A" frame houses should I have?
5. Does this even sound like a reasonable idea? (One of the reasons I was thinking of doing this is that we probably won't be able to aford a tracktor for a while, and thought that piggies might both plow up the field for us and also give us a little bacon and pocket money).
Thank you again. And, of course, if you have any other porcine comments, please endulge.
Karla
Pigs vs Pasture Questions
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