Pigs can be farm-raised on a commercial scale for profit, in smaller herds to provide fresh, homegrown meat for your family, or to be shown and judged at county fairs or livestock shows. Characterized by their stout bodies, short legs, snouts, hooves, and thick, bristle-coated skin, pigs are omnivorous, garbage-disposing mammals that, on a small farm, can be difficult to turn a profit on but yield great opportunities for fair showmanship and quality food on your dinner table.
Breeds
Pigs of different breeds have different functionalities—some are known for their terminal sire (the ability to produce offspring intended for slaughter rather than for further breeding) and have a greater potential to pass along desirable traits, such as durability, leanness, and quality of meat, while others are known for their reproductive and maternal qualities. The breed you choose to raise will depend on whether you are raising your pigs for show, for profit, or for putting food on your family’s table.
Eight Major US Pig Breeds
Yorkshire—Originally from England, this large white breed of hog has a long frame, comparable to the Landrace. They are known for their quality meat and mothering ability and are likely the most widely distributed breed of pig in the world. Farmers will also find that the Yorkshire breed generally adapts well to confinement.
Landrace—This white-haired hog is a descendent from Denmark and is known for producing large litters, supplying milk, and exhibiting good maternal qualities. The breed is long-bodied and short-legged with a nearly flat arch to its back. Its long, floppy ears are droopy and can cover its eyes.
Chester—Like the Landrace, this popular white hog is known for its mothering abilities and large litter size. Originating from crossbreeding in Pennsylvania, Chester hogs are medium-sized and solid white in color.
Berkshire—Originally from England, the black-and-white Berkshire hog has perky ears and a short, dished snout. This medium-sized breed is known for its siring ability and quality meat.
Duroc—Ranging from solid colors of light gold to dark red, the strongly built Durocs are known for their rapid growth and ultra-efficient feed-to-meat conversion. This large breed is also hailed for its tasty meat.
Poland China—Known for often reaching the maximum weight at any age bracket, this black-and-white breed is of the meaty variety.
Hampshire—A likely descendent of an old English breed, the Hampshire is one of America’s oldest original breeds. Characterized by a white belt circling the front of the pigs’ black bodies, this breed is known for its hardiness and high-quality meat.
Spot—Known for producing pigs with high growth rates, this black-and-white spotted hog gains weight quickly while maintaining a favorable feed efficiency. Part of the Spot’s ancestry can be traced back to the Poland China breed.
Housing Pigs
Keeping your pigs happy and healthy and preventing them from wandering off requires two primary structures: a shelter and a sturdy fence. A shelter is necessary to protect your pigs from inclement weather and to provide them with plenty of shade, as their skin is prone to sunburn. Shelters can be relatively simple three-sided, roofed structures with slanted, concrete flooring to allow you to spray away waste with ease. To help keep your pigs comfortable, provide them with enough straw in their shelter and an area to make a wallow—a muddy hole they can lie in to stay cool.
Because pigs will use their snouts to dig and pry their way through barriers, keeping these escape artists fenced in can pose a challenge. “Hog wire,” or woven fence wire, at least 40 inches high is commonly used for perimeter fencing. You can line the top and especially the bottom of your fence with a strand of barbed or electric wire to discourage your pigs from tunneling their way through. If you use electric wiring, you may have a difficult time driving your herd through the gate. Covering the gate with non-electric panels using woven wire, metal, or wood can make coaxing your pigs from the pasture an easier task.
Feeding Your Pigs
Pigs are of the omnivorous variety, and there isn’t much they won’t eat. Swine will consume anything from table and garden scraps to insects and worms to grass, flowers, and trees. Although your pigs won’t turn their snouts up to garbage, a cost-effective approach to ensuring good health and a steady growth rate for your pigs is to supply farm grains (mixed at home or purchased commercially), such as oats, wheat, barley, soybeans, and corn. Cornmeal and soybean meal are a good source of energy that fits well into a pig’s low-fiber, high-protein diet requirements. Use non-GMO varieties of corn and soybean to raise organic pork. For best results, you should include protein supplements and vitamins in farm grain diets.
As pigs grow, their dietary needs change, which is why feeding stages are often classified as starter, grower, and finisher. Your newly weaned piglets make up the starting group, pigs 50 to 125 pounds are growing, and those between the 125- and 270-pound market weight are finishing pigs.
As your pigs grow, they will consume more feed and should transition to a less dense, reduced-protein diet. You should let your pigs self-feed during every stage. In other words, allow them to consume the maximum amount they will take in a single feeding. Letting your pigs self-feed once or twice a day allows them to grow and gain weight quickly.
Another essential part of feeding is to make sure you provide a constant supply of fresh, clean water. Your options range from automatic watering systems to water barrels. Your pigs can actually go longer without feed than they can without water, so it’s important to keep them hydrated.
Common Diseases Affecting Pigs
Just like with humans, pigs can build up their immune systems by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet and plenty of exercise. Being sure your pigs have space to roam, a clean living environment, and nutrient-rich food will go a long way in keeping your livestock healthy. You can help to prevent the most common pig diseases from affecting your herd by asking your veterinarian about vaccination programs. Common diseases include E. coli—a bacteria typically caused by contaminated fecal matter in the living environment that causes piglets to experience diarrhea. Many people advise to vaccinate female pigs for E. coli before they begin farrowing. Another common pig disease is erysipelas, which is caused by bacteria that pigs secrete through their saliva or waste products. Heart infections and chronic arthritis are possible ailments the bacteria cause in pigs that can lead to death. Some farmers inoculate pregnant females and newly bought feeder pigs to defend against this prevalent disease.
Other diseases to watch out for are atrophic rhinitis, characterized by inflammation of a pig’s nasal tissues; leptospirosis, an easily spreadable bacteria-borne disease; and porcine parvovirus, an intestinal virus that can spread without showing symptoms.
Q: Should I vaccinate my organic pigs?
A: In the United States, vaccinating pigs against common diseases is allowed—and even encouraged—when raising pigs for certified organic pork. However, many diseases can be prevented by providing your pigs with quality feed, a clean environment, enough natural light, and opportunities to exercise. When pigs do become ill, they should be separated from the other livestock to prevent disease from spreading.
