Rooting question

MikahMom

Exploring the pasture
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
Messages
45
Reaction score
0
Points
22
Is there any way other than putting in a nose ring to keep pigs from rooting too deep in the ground? I read that you should not put a ring in a breeding boar's nose as rooting is part of their foreplay with the sow... We have our pigs on a grass (for now hehe) lot and would prefer if they didn't turn their entire pen into a mud pit :p





____________________________________________________
Proud Owner of 2 Shire Horses, 2 Yorkshire Gilts, 1 Duroc Boar, 3 Nigerian Dwarf Goats, 24 Australorps, 1 Irish Wolfhound and 2 Australian Shepherds :)
 

chunkydunk

Exploring the pasture
Joined
Nov 28, 2009
Messages
37
Reaction score
0
Points
22
There is not one that I know of.I dont put them in just because I know that the ground will recover.But if you find out a way let me know. Well actually you could put them on concrete. Thatll work.
 

Beekissed

Herd Master
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
3,634
Reaction score
5,546
Points
453
Location
mountains of WV
I've heard they don't root as much or as deeply if they are on large pastured areas and have plenty of feed and things to do. I don't think there is any way to prevent deeply rooting if they are in a penned area.

You can run electric about 6 in. off the ground inside the perimeter to keep them from rooting out or rooting the fence posts loose.
 

freemotion

Self Sufficient Queen
Joined
May 19, 2009
Messages
3,271
Reaction score
22
Points
154
Location
Western MA
Many of us raise meat animals so as not to contribute to the cruelty of the industry....if that is your reason, let 'em turn their pen into a mud pit! Rooting = happy piggies! And a beautiful spot for a garden next year....
 

Drk_wlf

Chillin' with the herd
Joined
Aug 2, 2010
Messages
40
Reaction score
0
Points
27
Location
Plattsburgh, NY
We planned on our pig rooting so we put her in an area we plan on planting next year. We have only had her about a month and already she has dug up her whole pen and all the nasty rocks that normally give us so much trouble when we try to roto-till. I would like to adventually put her on pasture but for right now she seems happy with her pen. I tried giving her horse toys to play with but she still prefers rooting. Her area is about 250-300 sqft, I was told you need 150 sqft per pig minimum.
 

ohiofarmgirl

Overrun with beasties
Joined
Jun 17, 2009
Messages
689
Reaction score
2
Points
89
would prefer if they didn't turn their entire pen into a mud pit
oh golly me.. nope i think you are fighting a loosing battle. remember that they root to find food. so they wont just eat the grass like grazers.

they'll also root to make a wallow - if you havent seen that already, that will be their next project
;-)

like everyone else we put our pigs where we wanted them to root up. we had a huge patch of poison ivy and thats where they are. and they are eating it all . last years pigs did the same thing and they got just about all of it.

might as well get them to do some work for you. an old timer told me that if you have stumps you want taken out that you should drill hole in the stumps and fill with corn.. the pigs will dig out the stumps trying to get the corn.

good luck!
 

Poupoulles

Chillin' with the herd
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Messages
20
Reaction score
1
Points
27
Location
Mount Airy, NC
:D
We got two feeder pigs specifically to root up the garden. So we will be moving them every few weeks until they have turned the whole thing! I am sick of rototilling with all the weeds catching in the tines, the rocks flying out, arms going numb... The pigs are not onlly doing this annoying chore for me, but they are also fertilizing and eating all my scraps and best of all making BACON!!!
 

lagerdogger

Just born
Joined
Sep 14, 2010
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Points
6
We've never raised our own pigs but are planning to next summer. We want the meat, but we also want to try to use them as a buckthorn control agent. Our evil plan is to let the piggies root everything up to dirt (buckthorn and the good plants), then move the pen, till and seed, and try to stay on top of the buckthorn. Will this work? How large of a tree can a pig root up?

We would like to contain the pigs with moveable electric fence. Will that work?
 

Latest posts

Top