House pig

[Giles1]

Always avoided anything to do with pigs from pre college days,during college,(possibly why I just got a pass) and ever since.However someone has decided a weaner to fatten for the freezer might be a good idea.What is needed admin wise,licenses,tagging,movement books etc? The building it would be in has wooden stable partitions,concrete floor, and stone walls with lime mortar holding them together which I strongly suspect would become a pile of rocks and dust in no time.Personally I would rather chop my own head off with a blunt chainsaw than get a pig,but I have to be fair and find out whats involved before saying no.Hopefully a huge pile of paperwork plonked on the desk will deter further discussion.We are in Scotland so probably have a different system to the rest of the UK.
Thanks in anticipation..........

 

[phillipe]

Piece of cake ,holding number, movement notice ,ear tags,plenty if nuts and water,and your away

 

[phillipe]

Oh and one more thing ,pigs are better with company ,so 2would be better

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Always avoided anything to do with pigs from pre college days,during college,(possibly why I just got a pass)

Are you David Cameron...

 

[Pilgrimmick]

Seem to recall someone saying mixing pigs with sheep/cattle on same holding invites more inspections and is not worth it for small numbers, cannot remember the specifics, so hopefully there are some better informed folk out there.

 

[Giles1]

Are you David Cameron...

No,I'm caught between a rock and a hard place, or a pig in a poke rather than a ......

 

[Giles1]

Seem to recall someone saying mixing pigs with sheep/cattle on same holding invites more inspections and is not worth it for small numbers, cannot remember the specifics, so hopefully there are some better informed folk out there.

This is what I like to hear,had enough inspections without inducing more.

 

[Giles1]

Piece of cake ,holding number, movement notice ,ear tags,plenty if nuts and water,and your away

Stop making it sound so damned easy.............

 

[TripleSix]

We've 4 sows turned on 30ac of Intake running with a boar.

All pigged outside, only lost one piglet.

They graze and forage, hardly need any food, ringed to stop them rooting.

 

[Goatherderess]

We have had between 2 and 8 weaners each year - they are lovely! Such fun and full of beans. Just get 2 if they are for home meat and the only thing I would advise is when the rains start, get them into nice straw barn. Mud and pigs is horrible for everyone including the pigs.

 

[Old Boar]

You will need to register your holding number to have a pig herd number. You can then register and do any movements on line https://www.eaml2.org.uk
Get gilts if you can - and two or more - so that you dont have to worry about how big they get.
You will also need to buy a deck chair so you can enjoy watching them. A pig produces a lot of meat, so make sure you have a large empty freezer.
Be aware they are very lovable and you will get fond of them, and go and have endless chats with them (they are good listeners too), so be sure you will be allowed to send them to slaughter in a few months before you buy them!

 

[Danllan]

This is what I like to hear,had enough inspections without inducing more.

Hasn't Scotland got that special 'Swine Law' about placing a deposit with the local slaughter-man and council in case of escapes? I think it was the reason pigs never caught on so much up there. And I think Her Sturgeoness is rather keen on only allowing Euro-standardised pigs from November this year, all others to be slaughtered by Hogmanay. Add on to these the new UK-wide Pig Retention Certification and you must have reasons enough to convince anyone that they'd be mad to start keeping pigs now. Trust me, I used to be a lawyer... .

 

[Paul E]

Get a spider pig!

 

[Dry Rot]

If you are thinking of planting a new lawn, an escaped pig will remove the old turf for you over night, regardless of the size of the area. And pigs with ringed noses might not be able to root much in old woodland but they can certainly manage fine in soft earth. (Is it really still legal to ring pigs?).

I've just sprayed the docks (again) where I used to keep pigs ten years ago. Tried everything to get pigs loaded when I got fed up with them. Finally got the boar loaded by chasing it around the field with the MF135 and shunting it up the backside every time it stopped. Eventually, the penny dropped that the only safe place was in the trailer. Phew!

 

[Giles1]

So we have now gone from one pig to two and they should be gilts,straw plus barn,deckchair,the Swine Law,Pig Retention Certificate,ex-lawyers fees for advice,extra risk of inspection,now we are getting somewhere.........Does actually sound fairly straightforward so far ,unfortunately.
Triplesix,we have a pack of dogs that terrorise anyone walking past the house down our farm tracks and there are lots,the thought of a Basset,two collies ,three JRT's and a couple of outdoor pigs all chasing after American tourists for a pat is quite appealing.How do you keep the things inside the fence?Always thought they were escape artists and fairly destructive with it.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

Our place had pigs. They trashed the base of those buildings they were housed in so much I had to take them down. @Giles1 I'd seriously consider lining the walls or a block pig-sty before you lose your stone work.
SS

 

[Dry Rot]

Do the females in your family have horses? Horses hate pigs. If not, might be worth getting a few (horses, not pigs).

 

[mo!]

Do the females in your family have horses? Horses hate pigs. If not, might be worth getting a few (horses, not pigs).

Pigs would be cheaper and smell better.

 

[phillipe]

So we have now gone from one pig to two and they should be gilts,straw plus barn,deckchair,the Swine Law,Pig Retention Certificate,ex-lawyers fees for advice,extra risk of inspection,now we are getting somewhere.........Does actually sound fairly straightforward so far ,unfortunately.
Triplesix,we have a pack of dogs that terrorise anyone walking past the house down our farm tracks and there are lots,the thought of a Basset,two collies ,three JRT's and a couple of outdoor pigs all chasing after American tourists for a pat is quite appealing.How do you keep the things inside the fence?Always thought they were escape artists and fairly destructive with it.

Leccy fenc

 

[phillipe]

What about the smell,?











The pigs will get used to it ,
I'm leaving