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Permsteading.com • View topic - Keeping Berkshire Pigs

Keeping Berkshire Pigs

Grow some food and stuff!

Moderator: matt walker

Re: Keeping Berkshire Pigs

Postby pa_friendly_guy » Tue Feb 12, 2013 1:44 pm

How old is he now and how old will he have to be before he meets " The Girls " :) You had said several months at least. From his size I was not sure how old he actually was at this point. I hope that he is not rude to the Ladies like your other Boor was awhile back. ;) I am sure he will be a Gentleman around your well bread Ladies, :D
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Re: Keeping Berkshire Pigs

Postby Lollykoko » Thu Feb 14, 2013 12:41 am

George, can you do anything to protect the trees from frost/freezing?
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Re: Keeping Berkshire Pigs

Postby George Collins » Thu Feb 14, 2013 2:52 am

May not need to. The forecasted temperatures have been moderated somewhat.

According to Youngblood, "They'll be a'ight."

Guy, the recommended age at first mating for a boar is seven months. Mr. Bingley is now two months old.

Linda and Lou are now ~6.5 months old. They should be ready to breed any time now. The way it was told to me is that it's best to let gilts cycle once before breeding them. That means that in the next couple months or thereabouts, they should be ready to go.

Gestation takes just shy of four months. If a suitable boar can be found for their first mating, Mr. Bingley should be just about hitting his stride and ready to step up to the plate when they are ready for their second mating.
"Solve world hunger, tell no one." "The, the, the . . . The Grinch!"

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Re: Keeping Berkshire Pigs

Postby pa_friendly_guy » Thu Feb 14, 2013 2:31 pm

Glad the fruit trees will be a'light. That is always a concern for me here in Pa. We will often get a warn spell that will start the bud swell or maybe even put the apples in full bloom before a frost. Last year I thought I would loose the whole apple crop. We had a very warm spring and the apples were in full bloom, them we had 3 frosts and it snowed once. I was shocked when I had an apple crop. The trees must have set fruit before the frost and snow.
We will all wait for July to see how things go with the Pigs. I am sure that Mr Bingley will be more than happy to do a good job for you.


PS I was tempted to make some inappropriate comment about how as a Young Man I would have jumped at the chance with 2 beautiful young woman, ;) but at my age now I am more like the distinguished old gentleman who was talking with a Gorgeous young model, she seemed fascinated by his knowledge, his manners, how interesting he was. So because she was so taken with him she offered him super sex. The old man thought for awhile and then replied, " I'll take the soup " :lol:
[ If you don't get it the 1st time say it out load, :D ]
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Re: Keeping Berkshire Pigs

Postby George Collins » Sun Apr 14, 2013 1:42 pm

About a month ago, I made contact with a gentleman that lives anly a few miles frim my house that raises Berkshires. So happens that he has a boar of the appropriate size to aervice Linda and Lou when the time comes. Even luckier, he had a young boar that he had reserved for a buyer who never showed that he agreed to sell to me. This is Mr. Brewer and he is destined for the table:

Image

He currently resides in a pen next to Mr. Bingley. Their first meeting was hilarious. Mr. Bingley and Mr. Brewer put on a show as they share a common side to their hog panel pen. They were posturing, foaming at the mouth, and very vocal.

Mr. Bingley though has, to my eye, far superior genetics and my choice of him as a boar was strongly confirmed by seeing him and Mr. Brewer side by side.
"Solve world hunger, tell no one." "The, the, the . . . The Grinch!"

"If you can't beat them, bite them."
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Re: Keeping Berkshire Pigs

Postby George Collins » Tue Apr 23, 2013 3:32 am

Mr Bingley is still a few months out from meeting Linda and Lou. Fortunately, there is a fellow within driving distance from where we live that has a registered Berkshire boar. He was agreeable to let Mr. Barry White come over to "visit" with Linda and Lou. Here is their first meeting:



So far, Mr. Barry White has hit no home runs but it's not from a lack of trying. Seems that Linda and Lou are just a little on the shy side . . . so far;)
"Solve world hunger, tell no one." "The, the, the . . . The Grinch!"

"If you can't beat them, bite them."
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Re: Keeping Berkshire Pigs

Postby mannytheseacow » Thu May 02, 2013 1:30 am

Is there a formula for how much to feed pigs or supplement the pasture? These little critters always seem hungry!

I'm also curious what you use for feeders, they waste a lot too!
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Re: Keeping Berkshire Pigs

Postby George Collins » Thu May 02, 2013 3:06 pm

Today we moved Mr. Bingley and Mr. Brewer to a new pen. During the transition, they temporarily shared a common space in "the bump pen." Having shared a common fence for some weeks now, I'd a thought they'd have finally been happy to share a common pen.

Not so much:





None of the more spectacular moments were caught on film. When they each latched onto one-another's jaw, I quickly separated them.

Even though Mr. Bingley is the smaller of the two, I believe he would have been the ultimate victor.
"Solve world hunger, tell no one." "The, the, the . . . The Grinch!"

"If you can't beat them, bite them."
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Re: Keeping Berkshire Pigs

Postby George Collins » Thu May 02, 2013 4:00 pm

Manny, from what I understand, a pig is incapable of fully digesting and this realizing the full nutritional value of more than 7 pounds of feed per day. As for a formula for knowing how much to feed in addition to being on pasture, I don't know. However, my best guess is that as long as they are gaijin weight at an acceptable rate, their rations are sufficient. When our hogs are eventually turned loose on pasture (when our trees are big enough to handle the pressure), I will likely use a few sample pigs to judge the growth of the herd. If the growth rate is insufficient, I will like supplement. How much to supplement though is likely going to have to be a judgment call made at the time.

As for water, if you do a search in this forum for a thread titled "Youngblood makes a Hog Trough the Old Timey Way" you will see the way trough currently used for our larger hogs. As for feeders, I currently use large plastic discs that originate as tops for some protein blocks my father gives to his cows.

The waterer is awesome. I need a better feeding system. One day I will likely invest in a hog feeder like Joel Salatin uses. If I get a big enough operation going, and once my fruit trees are on line, I will likely use the same types of waterers that Salatin uses also.
"Solve world hunger, tell no one." "The, the, the . . . The Grinch!"

"If you can't beat them, bite them."
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Re: Keeping Berkshire Pigs

Postby matt walker » Thu May 02, 2013 10:33 pm

Epic battle there George, I would have been nervous.

Looks like I'm going to be raising three Tams again this year. My friend is going to carry all the costs and I'll raise them here on my land in return for a side. I should have them here in a week or so. Might be time to follow your lead on the watering trough George.
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