pigs

Pig Update – keepers and eaters

Earlier this week the 4 Tamworths turned 6 months old so I started to think about a special pig blog update. This batch of pigs has not featured heavily in the blog so it would be good to rectify that a little.

It’s definitely time for a weigh-in as the 2 “eaters” will be heading off to the butchers later in the summer and I’ll need to plan ahead for that. The 2 “keepers” need to be monitored as well though so that they are in good condition when we want to get them in-pig towards the end of Autumn.

Cause for concern

Last night one of the “keepers” suddenly showed signs of being ill with reduced appetite – she ate but left the feed trough before finishing – and uncharacteristically lethargic when compared to the 3 others – ambling instead of running.

The other 3 were oblivious to all of this and they happily cleared any extra left overs from the feed trough without batting an eye.

Fortunately she ambled over to me and was quite happy to lie down for a scratch which meant I could have a closer examination. To my untrained eye there was nothing obvious and no flinching when I checked everything I could think of at both ends as well as the feet and legs.

It’s only at times like this that you realise how lucky we’ve been with no major health incidents for any of the 3 batches of pigs we’ve had. Of course, they were all weaners in the past and only kept for 4-5 months so if looked after correctly there’s not much that can go wrong.

Now that we’ve decided to keep some for breeding we’ll have them for years to come and will need to be much more aware of the potential problems. It’s always best to keep alert to any signs of illness and if possible prevent anything rather than treating it.

As luck would have it, this morning she appeared to be on the mend with an improved appetite and a little more spring in her step. Not fully back to normal but a definite improvement from last night which is good.

Weigh-In

Once they are all busy at the trough, the task of measuring is made much simpler although you do have to take into account the fact that their heads generally stay down in the food which can affect the length measurement.

As these were all tattooed by the breeder we can easily identify them by the last digit from the ear and that saves us from the temptation of giving them names.

Keepers

No. 7

  1.0m heart girth x 1.02m long
 (1.0 x 1.0) x 1.02 * 69.3 = 71kg

No. 8

  1.06m heart girth x 1.06m long = 82.5kg
 (1.06 x 1.06) x 1.06 * 69.3 = 82.5kg

Eaters

No. 6

  1.02m heart girth x 1.03m long = 74kg
 (1.02 x 1.02) x 1.03 * 69.3 = 74kg

No. 9

  1.05m heart girth x 1.02m long = 78kg
 (1.05 x 1.05) x 1.02 * 69.3 = 78kg

On reading back through old posts here for the previous set of weaners I find that we sent the 3 Oxford Sandy and Black boys off at about this weight last year. On reflection that was too early but they had got a little more boisterous and hadn’t had the snip either so we were nervous about keeping them for too long.

Luckily this years Tamworths are all females and I’ve decided to grow the “eaters” on to 90kg or perhaps even a little over that. This should mean that we get some good-sized cuts to turn into bacon plus the roasting joints might be a little larger.

Assembling a new pig ark

As part of the preparations for pig breeding in the future, it was clear we needed some more quality pig accommodation. So far we have only kept weaners for a few months at a time and never any through the winter.

The best of the arks that we inherited on moving here – a double skinned, insulated tin ark – has proved invaluable so we ordered another one just like it. Although that’s not to say that the other slightly rusty ones won’t be pressed into summer service when needed.

After a little puffing and straining the delivered pallet was unpacked and the various pieces moved to what will become the pigs next home. A quick glance at the instructions was all that was needed initially before making a start.

There were only a couple of minor false starts when the instructions weren’t too clear but these problems were easily resolved by taking a look at the existing old ark we have. It’s not exactly the same construction because at a rough guess it must be around 20 years old now but it’s close enough to be of some use.

Once the first roof layer was on it was time to get the insulation layer in place before adding the second roof layer. At this point the problems started to appear with the pre-drilled holes not lining up in all the various parts that I was supposed to bolt together.

Most problems could be resolved with a little fudging and some judicious use of the hammer but as it neared completion there were some which were obviously never going to work. Some longer bolts and a little careful drilling soon dealt with this and the final covering was properly fixed.

Once all the construction work was finished and the tools had been packed away it was just a matter of throwing a load of straw in the house so that the pigs could make their own bedding arrangements.

Although I’m pleased with the results of my efforts I’m probably more proud of my pigs who simply followed at my heels during the transition between pens. There was no hassle, no chasing runaway pigs, just a calm orderly stroll through the woods from one pen to the other!

The residents moving in to the new house

One third of the way through 2015

There has been some good progress with many parts of my original plan for 2015 but as always there is much more that I would like to get done. Mostly it is time that is the issue but increasingly there is also the question of money as well unfortunately.

Now that we’ve made the decision to have a go at pig breeding, it made sense to get all the required equipment in place. This became much more important after the recent wet weather when we saw exactly how much mess 4 pigs can make.

Even though their current enclosure is far too big for just the 4 of them, some parts of it are becoming very well-worn and are desperately in need of a rest.

I thought about covering up the bare patches with something but when I tried that the other day with grass cuttings from the lawn the pigs just turned it into an afternoon snack!

The newly fenced pens are all ready to go so we will be assembling a shiny new pig ark in one of them and then moving the pigs over as soon as possible. More on this in a separate post because it turned into a major undertaking!

We still need to decide which 2 gilts will be kept for breeding over the longer term and that won’t be easy. It’s hard to tell them apart now without trying to differentiate based on particular aspects of their conformation which are better for breeding purposes.

Cattle

We’re still waiting for our first foray with cattle but have at least made the decision on what we will be getting. In the end we chose to get two 3-year-old Dexters that have calved before which should mean future calving will be less problematic.

They have also been running with the bull over the last few months and should be in-calf but this means a slight delay while the pregnancy is tested to determine a predicted calving date.

There will no doubt be a flurry of bovine pictures to replace the excess of porcine pictures in due course!

The Tamworths are settling in well

Sometimes it seems to have been much longer but the latest batch of pigs have been with us for almost a month now. In fact they’ve just turned 3 months old and are settling in very nicely.

Their home in the original pig pen has held up fairly well despite their best efforts to trash the place. Luckily we planned ahead and already have another couple of pig pens that can be used so that we can rest the current one when needed.

I’ve even identified a corner of the current pen which has been so well turned over already that I might fence it off and plant some veg there but I’ll definitely need to investigate electric fencing first!

I’ve noticed that it always takes a week or two for new arrivals to adjust to their surroundings but they eventually figure out that they can trust the people who bring the food each day.

Now they’re always keen to see people at any time of day but the morning and evening visits with the green bucket of feed seem to be their favourite.

There is still the fairly tough decision to be made – which two of them will be kept for breeding and which are destined for the freezer. I’ve already been firmly told that no more than 2 can be kept but luckily this choice can be put off for a bit while I watch their development over the coming weeks.

At some point though the two “keepers” will need to be formally registered with the breed society. This is vital for the longer term “master plan” which is to eventually have a go at breeding pedigree Tamworths but that will only start towards the end of this year.

And so it begins again with pigs

Saturday morning shopping is not normally one of my favourite pursuits and I’m not normally eager to set off on such trips.

However yesterday was different with an eager, early start preparing our slightly underused trailer for a trip to the northern end of Northumberland to collect our new pigs.

The accommodation had been sorted out in the past week and everything was in place ready for their arrival.

Our choice of Tamworth pigs is mostly because they are hardy pigs who can easily manage living outside all year round. They are also full of character and are officially a rare breed so we’re helping on that side too.

Last year’s 3 Oxford Sandy and Black pigs were an interesting trial with a different breed but our first weaners were Tamworths and I was probably hooked on day one with them!

This time around we have bought 4 weaner gilts with the idea of keeping two for long-term pedigree breeding. These are a little over 9 weeks old and even to my untrained eye they look pretty good – bright-eyed and alert.

The breeder had already marked out the two likely contenders to keep for breeding next year. They are all birth notified for their pedigree records but apparently official pedigree registration is only necessary in order to breed pedigree offspring in the future.

We will take a few weeks to see how they develop before deciding which ones to register. The only concern is that we may eventually decide to keep them all because we can’t choose between them.

After a very blustery first night in the North Pennines, they were up bright and early for their breakfast. They seem quite happy with their new surroundings even though they are just a bit too short for their feed trough. Needless to say they manage just fine by climbing in with the food!

Fencing works completed

As a result of having such excellent weather last weekend there has been some great progress made with the final work on the new fencing.

After being held up by the recent snow here, the contractors finally came back about a week ago to put the finishing touches by adding the stock mesh to the fencing for the pig pens in the woods.

Unfortunately it turned out they hadn’t quoted for adding the (absolutely essential) bottom strand of barbed wire to the pig pens. Other than that the finished fencing looked really good.

Now that the snow is clearing I was able to get to grips with taking down the old fencing that was no longer needed. It was cheaper to do this work myself rather than getting the contractors to do it.

Of course it also gave me a reason to use possibly the greatest invention ever – fencing pliers. Is there nothing that this tool cannot do?

Since this older fencing included quite an impressive (and perhaps unnecessary) amount of barbed wire, there was plenty to be carefully salvaged and re-used on the pig pens.

While dismantling it I realised that most of the old fence posts probably wouldn’t have lasted much longer anyway. Nearly all of them just fell over soon after the stock mesh was removed.

Apart from a few extras like drinking troughs and feeders that still need to be bought, everything is about ready for the new arrivals. They are expected to arrive around Easter which I notice is just 6/7 weeks away now!

The intervening time will be used wisely though by reading up on keeping cattle and especially calving or maybe thinking about longer term plans like winter feed for example. Having had two lots of weaners before I’m far more relaxed about taking on the pigs though.

Preparations have started

As part of the preparations for the planned new livestock arrivals, we arranged for a fencing contractor to come and make some changes to existing fencing in the back fields.

I’m sure I might have been able to do this work myself but the professionals are definitely quicker and the results are probably a lot stronger than my amateur efforts would have been.

The initial results in the back fields are pretty impressive for a single days work too but as they have the heavy equipment that obviously helps speed their work up.

The chickens will probably appreciate the extra space but to be honest this change wasn’t made with them in mind, it’s mostly to protect the solar panels.

Also the extra space we’ve claimed around the chicken houses by moving that fence line is already set aside for planting some fruit trees anyway!

When the fencers return this week they will be adding some new fencing in the woods to create two extra secure areas for pigs. Each new pen will be smaller than our original pig space (which we are keeping in place) but the extra pens will give us the ability to move different sets of pigs between them when needed.

For the moment when the picture below was taken the woods were calm and peaceful – that has no doubt changed in the meantime so I’m looking forward to seeing the results…

Further updates on the fencing – and the new livestock arrivals – will hopefully be available very soon!

Making plans for 2015

Since the second half of 2014 has been disrupted by the day job and other distractions, it’s gratifying to now make a start on plans for next year. There are so many ideas and possibilities that it can sometimes lead to a sense of paralysis if I’m not careful.

Here is a rundown on the most likely possibilities for next year but I provide no guarantee that any or all of these will actually happen – that’s the beauty of planning ahead, there’s plenty of time to change my mind!

Pigs

After some memorable experiences raising two sets of weaners since the middle of 2013, the next step for us is to get a couple of gilts with a view to using them as breeding sows. These might also be accompanied by a couple of weaners just to provide some more pork for later this year.

The theory goes that if we raise the breeding sows from a young age then we should be completely at ease with them (and vice versa of course!) when they reach maturity. A full size adult pig will be a new experience for us so I hope they will be at least slightly friendly by then!

Cattle

New for 2015 will be a limited and hopefully gentle introduction to keeping cattle. The plan is to get a Dexter cow and calf but that depends on the available stock from local breeders as we’d rather buy privately and fairly local if possible.

I’m still not convinced that I will be able to look a calf in the eyes and then still take it to slaughter when the time comes but there’s probably only one way to find that out for sure!

Growing

The plans for vegetable growing during 2015 are coming together slowly but surely. There was a brief moment when the idea of getting a polytunnel was seriously considered but that is probably not a good idea just yet. I have to recognise that there is only limited spare time with all the other activities planned around the day job.

The emphasis this year will be on increased quantities but from a more limited range of varieties. I’m particularly interested to investigate ways for storing the harvest either through freezing, drying or simply packing away in a cool, dry place.

Machinery and Equipment

Of course introducing larger livestock will mean much more heavy work is needed so that could prove to be the tipping point to convince me to get a compact tractor. Perhaps even a brand new Siromer if I can find the money – at least getting a new one should mean that it lasts for years

Obviously the tractor will need all the usual attachments – whatever they are – so I foresee many happy hours browsing the websites looking for bargains!

New Year, New Opportunities

There’s a lot to think about and lots of money to be spent if all plans go ahead so it’s definitely wise to do some proper planning before going ahead.

Finding the balance between planning things and doing things is not as easy as I first thought but I like to think that I’m getting better at it over time.

The pigs are ready and I think I am too

The traumatic exercise of ear tagging has been dealt with this morning. Although if I’m honest it was only traumatic for me in the end as the pigs barely noticed it.

All the necessary paperwork in in place and the movement has been registered through the relevant website. I mustn’t forget to take a paper copy with me though.

The trailer has been readied and loaded with straw for the journey. I’ve not had enough practice with reversing it as usual but I’m sure it’ll be alright. I even managed a dry run with one of the pigs so we know that loading shouldn’t be a problem.

We’ve managed to arranged things so that we finished the last bag of pig food today as well so there’s none going to waste. We still have something to put in the bucket to help entice the pigs into the trailer if they won’t go in of their own accord.

There was just one last job this evening but now the final weigh-in has been completed and the results are in…

2legs
1.08 * 1.02 ^2 * 69.3 = 77.9kg

Lefty
1.06 * 1.04 ^2 * 69.3 = 79.5

Righty
1.07 * 1.0 ^2 * 69.3 = 74.2kg

The first pair of weaners differed in weight by 10kg or more but this time all 3 seem to be much more evenly matched. A little harder to photograph perhaps as they didn’t want to stop moving for their picture to be taken. They were either following me around too closely or chasing each other.

The larger one last time was around 80kg so they appear to be about right on schedule given the rough estimated weight. I had hoped to book them in a week later but the abattoir was too busy on that date so it’s lucky that they’re at a reasonable weight.

As a parting gift, here is a short video clip from a few weeks ago which shows how entertaining they can be… Despite the fact they sneak up behind you when you least expect it!

The clock is ticking for the pigs

I realise that there haven’t been as many blog posts about the 3 weaners this year when compared to the 2 Tamworths we raised last year.

This is no reflection on the current trio who I have to say are equally as entertaining as the original two. However it’s more a reflection on the lack of time in each day for everything that could be done.

Now seems a suitable time to add a brief update on their progress and also outline the plan for the next phase.

The 22 week weigh-in

According to my estimate the pigs have reached 22 weeks now and should be ready to take off to slaughter around the second week of August.

I’ve not forgotten the handy calculation for pig weight from metric measurements that I used before but I’ve included it below for my own reference::

Heart Girth ² x Length x 69.3 = weight (in Kgs)

I’ve used the best figures I could come up (they don’t stand still for long!) and as luck would have it two of them were pretty much the same size which helps a little. Unfortunately the measurements are only very rough because it’s a little harder to do that accurately when there are 3 pigs and the 2 that aren’t being measured are trying to eat your wellies or your trousers!

As with the first set of weaners we haven’t given the pigs “pet” names but for convenience they are identified by the colouring on their back legs as mentioned in an earlier post.

Two Legs / Lefty

Heart Girth (measuring around the body just behind the front legs) = 0.94 m

Length (measured from between the ears to the base of the tail) = 0.99 m

Approximate weight is: (0.94 ² x 0.98 x 69.3) = 60.6 kg

Righty

Heart Girth = 0.92 m

Length = 1.00 m

Approximate weight is: (0.92 ² x 1.00 x 69.3) = 58.6 kg

Conclusion

My understanding is that they should be between 60-70Kg live weight by around 6 months old because they are a slower growing rare breed and particularly considering that they are outdoor reared pigs.

Based on these figures everything seems to be going according to plan so far and they look to be on course for the target weight by the due date if all goes well.

There are a few more steps to negotiate before we can crank up the sausage making machine again so now is the time to do the planning. It’s better to make the plans now rather than when we return home after collecting 3 pigs worth of pork from the butchers!

No doubt there will be some outdoor reared, free-range, rare breed pork available for sale at very reasonable prices in due course!