What pig breed should i get?

Baymule

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We have been here 3 years and I am on feeder pigs #3. We bought 2 full grown hogs off Craigslist for $75 last year, kept them 36 days, feeding them soured corn, and took to slaughter. That was one heck of a fantastic deal!

Feeder pigs #1, we bought 3 Large Black/Berkshire cross weaned pigs. They yielded a lot of meat, we were happy. They were in the (now) garden and rooted craters in it. They gave me the creeps, always tried to get behind me. I never went in there without a length of pipe to make them keep their distance.

Feeder pigs #2 were 3 Red Wattle feeder pigs. I never got the creeps from them. They were on about an acre and they dug craters. They walked down saplings by straddling them, and ate the tops off. They were friendly but not pets. We couldn't get a slaughter date that wasn't months away, so we had a neighborhood slaughter party and did them ourselves. Meat was very good.

Craigslist pigs. Over a year old, a boar and a sow of unknown mixed breed.

Feeder pigs #3 are 2 Hereford hogs boars. They are growing very nicely, have pellets 24-7 and a plastic barrel with a hole cut in it, where I dump their soured corn. I have given up on giving large areas to pigs because unless you MOVE them often, they utterly destroy it. I now have a dedicated pig pen and shelter. We have 8 acres, horses and sheep, so cannot range the pigs all over the place.

Are you wanting to raise feeder pigs or get a boar and several sows? If you are just starting out on pigs, I highly recommend buying feeder pigs. It will let you get your feet wet without the commitment of keeping hogs all year around.

Personally, I like heritage hogs. I like keeping those genetics alive and the best way to save a heritage farm animal is to eat it. I am quite happy to support local hog raisers by buying feeder pigs from them. I just look on Craigslist.
 

RollingAcres

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@Ducklover2 I'm going to follow along and "piggy back" (pun intended ;)) off your post here if you don't mind.
I know some day down the road we want to get some pigs for meat. That's great info from @Baymule , a good starting point for us "pig novice".

Any idea how much the pigs weigh roughly when you first got them? $75 each or for both? I have seen on Craigslist up here, for piglets, they are around $80 - $100, $150 for feeder pigs.
 

OneFineAcre

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@Ducklover2 I'm going to follow along and "piggy back" (pun intended ;)) off your post here if you don't mind.
I know some day down the road we want to get some pigs for meat. That's great info from @Baymule , a good starting point for us "pig novice".

Any idea how much the pigs weigh roughly when you first got them? $75 each or for both? I have seen on Craigslist up here, for piglets, they are around $80 - $100, $150 for feeder pigs.

We did some feeders last year and 2 were $50 each and weighed about 50 lbs.
And, the person we got them from had one left that was the runt and weighed about 35 lbs so she gave him to us. So, I actually got 3 for $100 total.
 

Baymule

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I have bought all our pigs from Craigslist, I just wait on a good deal to come along. I have to pass up a lot of good deals too. Recently there was a finished gilt for only $100!!! But with 2 boars in the Pig Palace and pen, I sure couldn't toss her in there. Besides the freezer is full, I have one of the pigs sold and half of the other one, so didn't need her. But that sure was a sweet deal.

I now have the BEST set up for raising pigs. I love my "window" that I can feed them through and hog nipples! What a marvelous invention!

I paid more for these Hereford hogs than I really wanted to, but I adore Hereford hogs, they are beautiful, and I have wanted Herefords ever since I saw pictures of them some years ago. I know I can't eat eye candy, but they sure are finishing up nice!

When you get ready for pigs, just watch Craigslist. The good deals are out there!
 

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