Help Pig Sunburn

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Roughlee Handled

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Re: Help Pig Sunburn
« Reply #15 on: June 23, 2009, 16:05 »
No its yawning.   It was taken at 06:19 this morning.  I woke them up when I went to feed them.
Stuart


Dont worry I am just paranoid duckie.

If I get the wrong end of the stick its because I have speed read. Honest.

Blar blar blar blar snorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre.

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Ayla

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Re: Help Pig Sunburn
« Reply #16 on: June 23, 2009, 16:12 »
Thanks everyone for your answers -

All of our pigs *love* getting rubs too & they'll lay down so we can give their bellies a good scratch too - we had no idea when we started this that they'd be so much fun.  :D

I've heard of the pig oil so we'll have to see if we can get it around here - no one else seems to be doing pigs so the merchants/shops tend to be low on supplies.

Suppose I should do a bit of introducing seeing how I've finally stumbled upon an active forum for smallholding pig raisers -

My husband & I have a number of acres that're quite rough & in desperate need for some grading/plowing/deweeding & planting.  So, we started looking into various animals to help us w/ the grunt work.  Hubby has lots of experience w/ cattle & sheep but they were both too much initial cost so we started looking into pigs & goats.  

Long story short, we now have 5 pigs, 3 chickens and 2 goats, and everyday we're looking at more land they've helped us recover & root up.  Along the way (and we've only been at it for 6 weeks now) we've completely fallen in love w/ the pigs (but not enough to forget they will ultimately be filling our freezer) and we're thinking to breed the sows to replace & grow our herd.

We've been keeping everyone completely outside but the pigs & chickens have shelters.  We're feeding the pigs a mixture of maize, soya & pig nuts, along w/ whatever veggie kitchen scraps & drippings we can manage.  Everyone's gaining weight slowly, but they look fantastic (with little/no back fat) and we're in no hurry anyway.

Our only problem thus far (other than the inevitable escapes from the pens & munching through the veggie garden) is the skin condition I described in my first post.  Fingers crossed it keeps up that way.

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Roughlee Handled

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Re: Help Pig Sunburn
« Reply #17 on: June 23, 2009, 16:20 »
Try an electric fence unit.  Mine have never escaped from behind this.
I went for the 3 wire permanent fence but you could try the two wire fence and electric fence rope.

found here
http://www.rutland-electric-fencing.co.uk/PageAnimalSwine.aspx
Pig oil is also used by horsey people to combat mud rash on horses in the summer so you could try an equestrian supplier.   

Photos please.

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Roughlee Handled

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Re: Help Pig Sunburn
« Reply #18 on: June 23, 2009, 16:23 »
Yes I know the fence looks low but in my limited experience a pig cant jump. Least not that high.

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Ayla

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Re: Help Pig Sunburn
« Reply #19 on: June 23, 2009, 16:39 »
Try an electric fence unit.  Mine have never escaped from behind this.
I went for the 3 wire permanent fence but you could try the two wire fence and electric fence rope.

We have electric now - problem was before we had it set up.  The young boys never challenged the pallet fencing, but the big ones had a great time pushing it around.  Now the electric keeps them in most of the time.  This also allows us to move their pens around when they're done "wrecking" the land for us.

Fortunately we don't have any neighbors, so if they do get out it's only our crop which suffers   :ohmy:

Photos...I'll do what I can but I don't have many online

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SMD66

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Re: Help Pig Sunburn
« Reply #20 on: June 24, 2009, 11:28 »
We have done our pigs a wallow, shallow hole + water = mud, natures sun cream!
we tried sun cream when they were piglets, it's easier to put on while they eat.  Our pig supplier thought it was highly amusing!

As for fencing, we use electric tape as they see it easier than wire.  2 strands 6-8 and about 15-18" high.  We run ours off an old car battery that just needs an over night charge every few weeks.  Once the pigs are used to it they wont even cross where it was when you move it!

We took our first batch to slaughter 2 months ago, not a nice job, but at least they had a really good life, and the pork is excellent.  We are 1st time pig keepers and I know how many questions we had and sometimes felt a bit stooopid asking more experienced larger scale keepers so , although we are not that experienced, if I can offer any advice please ask.  :)
piglets 1.jpg
Music self played is pleasure self made
Samantha :)

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SMD66

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Re: Help Pig Sunburn
« Reply #21 on: June 24, 2009, 11:34 »

  We're feeding the pigs a mixture of maize, soya & pig nuts, along w/ whatever veggie kitchen scraps & drippings we can manage.  

Did you know it's illegal to feed anything that's even been in your kitchen?

We were advised to feed no  more than 4 lb pig growes pellets per pig per bay split into 2 feeds.  It did seem a small amount but they thrived and had just the right amount of fat at 7 1/2 months old when they went to slaughter.  We do give them treats from the allotment, last winter they had falllen apples etc too, but be very careful about things from in the kitchen, you might get yourself into trouble.

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Roughlee Handled

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Re: Help Pig Sunburn
« Reply #22 on: June 24, 2009, 11:54 »
We have done our pigs a wallow, shallow hole + water = mud, natures sun cream!
I only put sun cream on there ears. They are "middle whites" breed and they have a wallow I still have to put suncream on there ears because pigs do not like getting there ears wet, and therefore do not get mud on there ears. You will be ok with your saddle backs though.  We only feed ours vegetable waste raw.  Nothing cooked. And defo not animal products because of BSC. Mine are fed ad lib and do not look fat.

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SMD66

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Re: Help Pig Sunburn
« Reply #23 on: June 24, 2009, 12:06 »
Hello Roughlee,
have you had any go to slaughter yet?  Our 4lb a day ration was advised by our local pig supplier, I have read in 2 different books though that they recommend 4 1/2 lb or 6 lb.
I would be interesed to know how yours slaughtered out with ad lib feeding.

We had between 9 mm and 11 mm back fat on our 1st batch and food costs were between £55 and £70 per pig, (one went before the others cos she was massive!)
As we sell the some of the 1/2 pigs we kept an eye on costs.  We are not in it to make a profit necessarily, but also don't want to make a loss.

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Roughlee Handled

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Re: Help Pig Sunburn
« Reply #24 on: June 24, 2009, 12:48 »
Hello Roughlee,
have you had any go to slaughter yet? 

Nope these are my first pigs.  Just doing what it says on the bag and what my mate that I got the pigs off of told me.  They have a quarter acre plot to run around in, and they do run around. We are swapping half a pig for a whole lamb. Just to give us some variety. How much is your feed per bag and what are you feeding them on?

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SMD66

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Re: Help Pig Sunburn
« Reply #25 on: June 24, 2009, 13:06 »
we feed BOCM Pauls pig rearer pellets, (446)  It is £6.60 per bag.  Our pigs don't have 1/4 acre, but they have a good sized plot and run about a lot too. 
our costs worked out thus;
weaner, £35
food (7 months)  £55
Slaughter, £15
Butchery, (including cured meats)  £55  = £160
We sold 1/2 the pig for £80. 
Our other 3 took 6 more weeks to come to slaughter weight so cost more.  We are putting our prices up for the next batch!
Samantha

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Ayla

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Re: Help Pig Sunburn
« Reply #26 on: June 24, 2009, 13:44 »

Did you know it's illegal to feed anything that's even been in your kitchen?

I agree it is illegal to feed them swill, which is any meat-based or cooked scraps.  What we feed them are the cuttings off of our vegetables & fruits or any bruised veggies we can't eat.  We also give them any bread loaf ends (what doesn't go to the chix) and tea bags/coffee grounds (which they *love*).  We also rinse off our plates w/ a bit of water & all these drippings go into the pig bucket to keep things interesting.

Basically anything that could've gone to the compost (minus anything mouldy) is now going to the pigs.  If they don't like something (they're not overly fond of orange peels, for instance) they leave them & they eventually get dug into the dirt - thus speeding up the compost process.  But it's all natural and above ground.  We notified the Dept of Agriculture we'd be doing this when they came to inspect our property and they were satisfied.
« Last Edit: June 24, 2009, 13:47 by Ayla »

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SMD66

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Re: Help Pig Sunburn
« Reply #27 on: June 24, 2009, 14:08 »
If Dept agriculture are happy then who am I to argue?  :)

We were told tho that if it's been in the kitchen then you can't feed it to pigs.  I know the new rules are a bit of overkill since the foot and mouth outbreak was caused by feeding swill to pigs, but they are just trying to 'make sure' I suppose.

I am still a bit unsure about rinsing the plates into the pig bucket, if there has been meat on the plate them surely there may be a risk, and you are rinsing cooked food residue which I would have thought would constitue swill.

I was told by our pig supplier that if local animal health and welfare/trading standards get wind of anyone doing they type of things you are doing then it is noted on your records and may cause difficulty at the slaughter house.  I don't know how true that is, and if they have okayed it with you then hopefully it wont be a problem for you.

Ultimately it's your choice and your pigs.  I am a bit over cautious and I just wouldn't want to be the one to cause another outbreak of foot and mouth so abide by the rules to the letter.

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poppies

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Re: Help Pig Sunburn
« Reply #28 on: June 24, 2009, 14:13 »

  We're feeding the pigs a mixture of maize, soya & pig nuts, along w/ whatever veggie kitchen scraps & drippings we can manage.  

Did you know it's illegal to feed anything that's even been in your kitchen?

We were advised to feed no  more than 4 lb pig growes pellets per pig per bay split into 2 feeds.  It did seem a small amount but they thrived and had just the right amount of fat at 7 1/2 months old when they went to slaughter.  We do give them treats from the allotment, last winter they had falllen apples etc too, but be very careful about things from in the kitchen, you might get yourself into trouble.

agree If DEFRA  find out you are feeding teabags coffee grounds etc you will be in a lot of trouble, these rules are made for a reason, you really should'nt feed anything that has been in the kitchen because of cross contamination thats one of the way's foot and mouth starts

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Roughlee Handled

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Re: Help Pig Sunburn
« Reply #29 on: June 24, 2009, 14:47 »
Ayla is in Donegal Ireland so things may be different over there i.e may not be subject to the same rules and regulations that we are in the UK.


 

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