Terms To Know:
Swine: All pigs and hogs.
Gilt: Young female pigs of any age before the second pregnancy.
Sow: Older females who have had litters.
Boar: Breeding male pig.
Barrow: Castrated male pig.
Pigs: Younger swine weighing fewer than 120 pounds.
Hogs: Swine weighing more than 120 pounds.
Piglets: Newborn swine.
Farrow: To give birth to piglets.
Sounder: Small, matriarchal groups of two to six sows and their young.
In the past, the pig was often referred to as the farm mortgage lifter. Farmers could have a ready source of cash in selling feeder pigs, market hogs, or breeding stock in a relatively short amount of time. The pig’s quick growth from birth to market size is around six months, and large litter sizes (eight or more per sow) saved many farmers from missing farm payments or from going hungry. Pigs also could eat many kitchen discards, such as leftover whey from butter making, food scraps, and excess vegetables or those not suitable for table use, thus saving on feed costs.
Like most areas in agriculture, large-scale commercial farming has completely changed the face of pig rearing. The majority of pigs raised in the United States are raised in complete confinement in huge barns. Sows are typically penned in small crates so their piglets will not be crushed when she lies down. This strict confinement of sows throughout most of their reproductive life has raised animal welfare issues surrounding raising pigs in total confinement.
However, by raising pigs in confinement, diseases such as trichinosis have been virtually eradicated from the pork supply in the United States. The disease was a major public health concern for hundreds of years. Pigs become infected with trichinosis by eating rodents or soil contaminated with the roundworm Trichinella spiralis. Humans become infected through eating raw or undercooked pork from a pig that had trichinosis. Confinement rearing with proper manure removal and rodent control has made the U.S. pork supply free from trichinosis. By keeping the sanitation and disease control standards of confinement rearing in mind, it is possible to successfully raise pigs on a small-scale basis. Pigs may no longer have the ability to lift the mortgage — given the high cost of land versus the low price per head of pig — but they can be a reliable source of modest income and protein for a small-scale farmer. If your goal is to provide enough pork for your family, two feeder pigs raised to market size will meet your yearly needs.
Feeder pigs, or pigs weighing around 40 pounds, can be purchased directly from breeders or through shows and auction barns. They are generally fairly cheap, from 50 to 90 cents a pound, and can be raised to butcher weight (225–250 pounds) in five or six months. Housing needs for feeder pigs are minimal. A pen with outdoor access makes an ideal spot to raise a few feeder pigs. A concrete pad — at least in the feeding and drinking areas — will make it easier to clean and sanitize when getting new pigs. Pigs will need shade in the summer and a shed or a barn in the winter.
Breeds
Pigs originated from wild boars in Asia and Europe. Wild boars look nothing like today’s sleek, large pigs. Rather, wild boars have long noses, sharp, prominent backbones, and rough hair for coats. Selective breeding by humans now gives us a pig that has a higher rate of weight gain per pound of feed fed than the wild boar. Prior to the 1970s, pigs were bred to produce large amounts of lard (fat) or bacon. Now, pigs are bred to have a long carcass that is lean with a high proportion of lean muscle to fat. A pig’s snout is usually long and is used for foraging and digging in soil. They have an excellent sense of smell and have been trained to find truffles in Europe.
Pigs have canine teeth called tusks that grow quite large unless they are clipped. The eyes are generally small, and the ears can either be erect or floppy. Pigs also have a thick body and short legs. Pigs’ hair, or bristles, is coarse, and they have a small tail. Commercial pig farmers will clip the canine teeth and tails of piglets to stop them from fighting and biting tails. Pigs can range in size, from an adult potbellied pig weighing around 120 pounds to huge boars weighing well over 1,000 pounds. You will want to aim for a pig that falls between these two extremes — a good weight is in the 300–400 pound range for breeding sows or around 225 pounds for a slaughter hog. Litter size can vary between and within breeds. A small litter is one in which fewer than nine piglets are born; a medium sized litter is between nine and 13 piglets; and a large litter is when more than 13 piglets are born to each sow.
There are seven breeds of pig commonly raised in the United States. The white breeds (Chester White, Yorkshire, and Landrace) are known as very good mothers and raise large litters of piglets. The other four breeds yield meaty yet lean carcasses. A medium-sized, full-grown sow weighs 300–350 pounds. A medium-sized, full-grown boar weighs 400–450 pounds.
Berkshire: This breed originated in England. They are medium-sized black hogs with white feet and white face spots. The face is dished (or slightly concave when viewed on profile), with a medium-length snout and erect ears. They produce a good-quality, meaty carcass.
Chester White: The Chester White breed was developed in Pennsylvania. These are medium sized, solid white pigs. Their ears flop forward. They usually have large litters and are good mothers. The Chester White boar is very aggressive.
Duroc: This breed is distinguished by its red color. They have long, floppy ears. The Duroc is known as a productive breed that produces large litters. They grow quickly and are very efficient at turning their feed into muscle.
Hampshire: The Hampshire breed originated in England. These pigs have a black body with a white ring encircling the body behind the front legs, forming what looks like a belt. They have erect ears and a lean, meaty carcass.
Landrace: This is a breed developed in the United States. They are white with long bodies and have very long, floppy ears. Sows have large litters and make excellent mothers. They have the highest post-weaning survival rates and the highest number of piglets weaned per mother.
Poland China: Despite its name, this breed was developed in the United States. The breed is usually black with white spots. They have short, floppy ears and produce meaty carcasses.
Yorkshire: The Yorkshire is another breed originating in England. They are usually white but can have black spots on the body. They have long bodies with short snouts and short, erect ears. Sows of this breed raise large litters and are good mothers.
Housing and Equipment
A typical pig setup includes a three-sided shed with the opening facing toward the south or east to take advantage of sun and to protect against prevailing north and west winds. A concrete pad can run from the shed to give the pigs an area to get sunlight, fresh air, and exercise. The shed should be bedded, and typically, the pigs will pick an area of the concrete to use as a toilet. However, you do not need a pen or a concrete pad to keep pigs. Properly constructed fences surrounding an area of underbrush can provide a safe, summer place for pigs. Fences can be constructed of wood, woven wire, hog panels, or electrical fence wire. Pigs love to root and will use their noses like a shovel to dig under fences. Digging down into the ground to place a string of chicken wire and installing boards along the base of the fence line can curb this practice. Remember, a small pig can wriggle through the small 3-by-3-inch gaps, and a large, 225-pound market pig can rip down fences, so your pen must be sturdy to keep the pigs at bay.
A simple, V-shaped plywood hut or even a piece of plywood nailed up against a building can provide shelter from rain and sun during the summer. During winter, in areas of the country that typically get subzero temperatures and blizzards, a sturdy shed with a good roof and solid walls will need to be provided, as pigs are susceptible to frostbite. A 12-inch-deep straw bed will allow your pigs to build nests to provide themselves with further insulation from the very cold temperatures. Monitor the bedding carefully, and remove soiled and wet bedding promptly to avoid buildup of ammonia fumes. In both summer and winter, the shelter should remain dry in wet weather. Young pigs that weigh 40 pounds should be provided with 4 to 6 square feet of shelter space. Larger pigs weighing close to 250 pounds will need 12 square feet of shelter space.
Pigs can be quite rough on equipment and like to chew or play with buckets and pans. Water can be provided in rubber pans if you only have two or three pigs. If you plan to raise more pigs, livestock fountains made of tough, molded plastic are available but will need to be installed by a plumber. These are typically square with raised sides with a shallow water trough formed on the inside.
Nipple-type waterers can be attached to a hose that is connected to a water hydrant or faucet. The hose and nipple will need to be secured to a wall or board attached to a post to prevent the pigs from destroying the hose. There are many types of feeders for pigs available. Most of these feeders can be filled with feed through a bin situated on top of a base. The feed will then feed down into openings at the base of the feeder where the pigs eat. These range from small, heavy-duty plastic feeders that hold 10 to 20 pounds of feed to large, metal feeders that hold more than 100 bushels of feed.
Feeding
A pig has a simple stomach — much like a human’s. They thrive on high-energy diets with moderate levels of protein and low amounts of fiber. This is usually provided through the use of grain-blend diets called concentrates. Young pigs and those pigs being fed for slaughter are usually given all the feed they can eat at all times. They will also need fresh, clean water available at all times.
Pigs raised in confinement systems will be fed solely a concentrate diet. Those pigs under 125 pounds are given a starter ration. Those more than 125 pounds are given a growing ration. These rations can be purchased at grain elevators or through farm stores. Gilts, sows, and boars are usually fed 5 to 6 pounds of concentrate once a day. When lactating, sows and gilts may need extra feed to keep their body weight up, especially if they are feeding a large litter.
Young piglets will begin sampling their mother’s food when they are a few days old. You should provide them with a space so they can have access to their own food without the mother’s eating their feed. This can be accomplished through boarding off a corner of a building and allowing a 6-inch gap at the bottom for the piglets to walk under. Piglets can be weaned from their mother from 6 to 8 weeks of age, or when they reach 15 pounds. Pigs raised on pasture should also receive concentrate feed. Sows should be fed 2 pounds of concentrate a day, while gilts should be fed 3 pounds a day. When the sow or gilt is feeding piglets, they should have 2 ½ to 3 pounds of 15 percent protein concentrate per 100 pounds of body weight. Piglets can be placed on their own separate pasture after weaning at 6 weeks of age. They should be given free-choice access to concentrate while on pasture.
All pigs can be fed vegetable or fruit scraps from the garden or kitchen. However, it is illegal to feed pigs intended for sale to the general public meat or meat scraps. This rule stems from past disease outbreaks among the United States’ swine herd being caused by feeding these foods to pigs. Meat and meat scraps can harbor viruses and bacteria that can cause disease in pigs.
Pigs on pasture
Pigs can be successfully raised on pasture. Grazing pigs will have natural access to vitamins and minerals found in the soil and pasture plants. Typically, these are supplemented in feed mixes purchased at feed stores, but quality does vary depending on supplier. They need less pasture per pig than typical pasture animals. Pasture raising pigs eliminates many of the negatives associated with confinement rearing such as tail biting and manure accumulation, which leads to better sanitation. The best pasture forage for pigs is alfalfa or clover mixed with grass. The legumes will add needed protein, and feed costs can be up to 20 percent less for pasture-reared pigs than those reared in strict confinement. Plan to stock the pasture at 10 pigs per acre to minimize overgrazing. Another rule is to not pasture the same land two years in a row in order to break the transmission of parasites.
During the summer grazing season, pigs will need shade. Simple shelters with just a roof will provide the pigs with just what they need. Each pig should be allotted 25 square feet of shelter. Use bedding in the shelter to let the pigs make a nest for resting. The shelters should be portable (e.g., built on skids) so you will be able to move the shelter to new grazing paddocks as you rotate your pastureland. Feeders and a source of clean, fresh water will be needed in the pasture. Water can be brought out daily or a hose can be pulled out to the pasture. The fences surrounding the pasture should be woven wire or three strands of electrified wire. Check the fences daily to prevent pigs from wandering through a break in the fence.
Reproduction
Gilts will be ready to breed when they are around 1 year of age or 225 to 250 pounds. They will come into heat at around 6 months of age, but if bred then, their litter size will be small, and the piglets will likely have a poor immune system. Female pigs will come into heat every 21 days until they are bred. Most sows can farrow two times a year. Many people like to breed gilts for the first time in the fall so they will farrow in the spring during warmer weather. Pregnancy lasts 112–115 days, with 114 days being the average. Most sows will have large litters of 8–12 piglets.
Farrowing
A pig should give birth in a clean, dry spot in a heated barn if the temperature is below 50°F. If you are not using a farrowing crate, the pen should be well-bedded with a thick layer of straw so the sow can nest. A farrowing crate is a tubular structure in which the sow is placed. She can stand up and lie down, but she cannot turn around. Both sides of the crate are lined with a space where the piglets can escape from the sow but still nurse. The farrowing crate prevents the mother from accidentally lying on her piglets, which is a leading cause of newborn piglet death.
You should check your expectant sow every few hours, starting a day or two prior to the expected birth date. After the piglets are born, their navels should be treated with 7 percent iodine to prevent entry of disease organisms into the piglet’s body. This can be sprayed onto the navel, or the navel can be dipped in the solution. If you have more than one sow farrowing at the same time, you can equalize litter sizes if one pig has a larger litter than the other. Transfer the bigger piglets to the new mother, who will accept them as her own. All piglets should nurse as soon as possible after birth in order to get the necessary colostrum, which will transfer antibodies against disease from the mother to the piglets.
On the first day of life, the needle teeth should be clipped. These sharp teeth can cut the sow’s teats, leading to cases of mastitis. The tails can also be docked at this time to reduce incidence of tail biting, a common problem in pigs raised in confinement. The tails are clipped using a same side pliers, leaving a tail stub of ¼-inch long. A shot of iron is necessary if the piglets are raised on concrete (dirt or soil will provide pigs with iron), as they are generally deficient in iron. An injection of 150–200 milligrams of iron dextran is given in the neck. Male piglets not intended for breeding should be castrated the first week of life.
Health
If sows are housed as a herd instead of in individual pens, pigs will live in small, matriarchal groups of two to six sows and their young. This group is called a sounder, and within the sounder two sows may pair up to feed and sleep together along with their young. Young boars will stay with the groups until the dominant boar in the group forces these young boars to leave. The young boars may form a loose group, but they tend to become more solitary as they get older. Newborn piglets also form a pecking order at the teat. As soon as they are born, they will latch onto a teat, which will remain theirs as long as they are nursing. The sow will vocalize to call the piglet to nurse; the piglets can distinguish between their mother’s call and another sow on the same day they are born.
Pigs that are crowded into pens, as occurs in confinement situations, will fight and be aggressive to form a feeding pecking order. They may also cannibalize weak or injured pigs. Tail biting, or aggressively biting the tail of one pig, is also a common behavior, which leads to injury or death by infection. Allowing pigs adequate space in pens and making sure each group of penned pig is around the same size will help prevent problems. Younger pigs may also nip at their caretakers’ legs. Sows and boars can also be aggressive toward humans, so be especially vigilant around sows with newborn piglets.
Diseases
Most diseases are transmitted to pigs by a contaminated environment. Feces carry a majority of the disease organisms, either from other pigs or from wild or domestic birds, rodents, and animals. A clean, dry environment that is well-ventilated will pay dividends in disease prevention. The recommended core vaccinations for pigs include leptospirosis, parvovirus, and erysipelas. For sows and gilts it is recommended they also receive an E. coli and atrophic rhinitis vaccination. Consult with a local veterinarian for other vaccinations recommended in your area.
Scours: Scours, or diarrhea, is a big problem with baby pigs, with E. coli causing most cases. A piglet with scours will have a watery, yellow-colored stool. Piglets 1 to 4 days of age, at 3 weeks of age (when immunity from the mother begins to wear off), and at weaning are most susceptible to scours. Treatment consists of orally administered antibiotics. As soon as you notice young pigs scouring, they need to be treated immediately to prevent death.
Transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE): This disease causes severe diarrhea and high death rates among young pigs. It is caused by a coronavirus, and there is no vaccination or medication available to eradicate the virus. Signs of TGE in young pigs include vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, dehydration, and death. Older pigs affected with TGE will lose their appetites, have diarrhea, and appear unthrifty (thin with rough skin and poor growing). Treatment involves good nursing care by providing plenty of water and force-feeding.
Swine dysentery: This disease is caused by the bacteria Brachyspira hyodysenteriae and affects primarily young pigs. They will have bloody diarrhea, but death losses are low. Treatment is usually given through antibiotics in the feed.
Atrophic rhinitis: Two bacteria, Pasteurella multocida and Bordetella bronchiseptica, cause this disease. The bacteria live in the nose, causing inflammation and atrophy of the nasal passage tissues. This leads to signs such as sneezing, bloody noses, and in severe cases, destruction of the nasal tissue leading to nose distortion. In young pigs it can also lead to eating difficulty, loss of appetite, and pneumonia. Treatment consists of injecting affected pigs with antibiotics and using antibiotics in the feed. If a case does appear in a herd, there is a vaccination that can be given to the entire herd.
Erysipelas: Erysipelas is caused by a bacterium, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, which frequently causes sudden death without signs. Other signs of erysipelas include a diamond-shaped rash, fever, lameness, loss of appetite, and infertility in boars and sows. Treatment is through injecting penicillin and medicating the feed with penicillin. You can prevent erysipelas with a vaccination obtained from your local veterinarian.
Leptospirosis: This disease can cause abortions in breeding sows. It is caused by a bacterium, Leptospira, of which there are five main types causing disease. Sows may also show such signs as loss of appetite and fever with a severe infection.
Parvovirus: This virus causes reproductive failure in gilts and sows. The embryos or fetuses may die, fetuses may become mummified, piglets might be delivered stillborn, or piglets may be born weak. It is the most common cause of infectious infertility in the pig.
Parasites
The most common internal parasites to infest swine are roundworms and whip worms. A pig with a heavy parasite infestation might appear unthrifty, rub its tail due to irritation, become thin, and have diarrhea. Younger pigs are affected more severely than older pigs due to their smaller size. A sample of stool should be taken to your veterinarian if you suspect your pigs have worms. This way, they can identify the type of worm so the most appropriate dewormer can be given to your pigs.
A good practice is to regularly deworm your pigs. Young pigs can be dewormed a week after weaning and then a week later. Sows should be dewormed one month and then two weeks prior to farrowing. If the pigs are on pasture, pastures should be rotated every year to break the life cycle of the parasites. Lungworms can also be a problem on pasture-raised pigs. The lungworm eggs are passed to the pig through eating earthworms. The worms migrate to the lungs, causing coughing, labored breathing, and a decreased appetite. Young pigs may develop pneumonia. External parasites such as lice, mite, and mange will cause skin problems. The affected pigs are treated with an insecticide. Their living quarters should also be treated to kill eggs and parasites living in cracks and crevices.
Case Study: A Pig’s Life
Barb Eller
Eller Family Farm
12722 350th Street
Onamia, Minnesota
320-532-4946
1-800-323-1361
Barb Eller came back to the farm she was raised on after working as an Army Nurse Corp. officer for 20 years. She began by raising beef and chicken for the family’s use in 1997 for the flavor of free-range meat and because of her concerns with meat and poultry safety. She farms according to organic tenets although the USDA has not officially certified her as organic. In 2002, Eller began a small farm enterprise, “marketing to local folks and family members with the mission to improve the health of my local community by providing all-natural meats,” she said. She direct markets all her hogs and does not use the conventional market system.
Eller started raising pigs by purchasing feeder pigs and raising them on pasture. When she started to have trouble finding local, quality feeder pigs, she did her research for the best pasture pigs and selected the Tamworth breed. She started with two gilts and raised 24 hogs. Her plans for next year are to breed four gilts and farrow two litters per gilt. She breeds her gilts using artificial insemination, and this is one of the top three time-consuming tasks on her farm.
The other time-consuming chores are farrowing and pasture rotation and renovation. Eller spends about 30 minutes a day caring for the pigs in the winter and about 15 minutes a day in the summer doing routine hog chores. The direct marketing chores take a good deal of time as well. Most of the meat is sold directly to consumers, although she is now exploring selling at local farmers’ markets.
For Eller, the best aspect to raising hogs is the fact that hogs are intelligent and are very personable animals. Give a hog a good pasture and water and they can be quite self-sufficient. Her worst experience in raising pigs was getting a batch of mycotoxin-contaminated feed, which resulted in the death of one pig and a bunch of sick pigs at weaning time. Eller’s organic feed supplier tests the feed for mycotoxins and delivers fresh, mold-free feed directly to her farm.
“Raising pigs would certainly be a good family project if they knew what they were doing or had a close-by mentor to help and consult,” Eller said. “Certainly, the earlier the child is introduced to the pigs and they to the child, the better. Working with the pigs should probably wait until the child is steady on their feet and has learned the concepts of safety and respect. I helped feed the livestock as soon as I could walk, but always under the watchful eye of a parent or sibling. I was raising hogs by age 6 and knew which end to stay away from — and how to get up quickly when knocked down.”