Free Range Pigs

[yellow]

Does anyone out there have any experience in raising free range pigs?
What type of pasture is required? What type of supplemental feeding is required? Do you know if one can make any money at this or is it just any way for farmers to blow there cash that they don't have?

[cowman]

I'm really reaching back here! When I was a boy my father raised pigs in what would have to be called "a pasture system". I'm not sure how many we had...probably 3-4 hundred. We planted about 10 acres of oats and barley and let them in this pasture about the end of june. We also had about 3 acres of turnips(which was usually this huge weed patch) that they went into in Sept. There was always full self feeders of ground barley in front of them.
They had their babies in little houses about 8 by 8 ft. I don't think they had any babies in the winter. We always had a barn full of weaner pigs in the early winter.
I believe it was fairly profitable. The reason my dad quit this whole deal was because the pigs ate up his new truck! We fed the separated milk from the cows to the weaned pigs. I'm sorry if this is pretty sketchy as it was close to forty years ago.

[nfunk]

I don' have experience with pasturing pigs, but the following sources may prove useful in your searching.

There is a guide book at this site “Hogs your way”…the link is a little funny, but on the error page if you click on the find it box beside the shown url – you should get there. It is newly posted (April 2002) and compares conventional and hoop/pasture production systems. It seems fairly comprehensive, has some economic comparisons and also a detailed reference list if you are looking for more detail in a certain area.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/livestocksystems/components/DI7641.html

I also spoke with someone at the research farm for Iowa State University where Mark Honeyman does work outdoor pasture systems for hogs. He may indeed have some other good information or could direct you to other sources. He can be reached at the number or email below. Mark responds to producer calls regularly.

Mark Honeyman at Iowa State University. His telephone number is 515/294-4621.
Or email at: honeyman@iastate.edu


These other links may also be of interest to you.

http://grassfarmer.com/pigs/gunthorp.html

http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/ansci/g02360.htm

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PasturedPigs/messages