Heritage Hog Blog

The Farmer’s Manifesto

Image via Wikipedia On a hog farming discussion forum I posted my opinion that too many folks were selling their pigs and pork at too low of a price. They were doing this because someone else was selling theirs low. My opinion was they had not properly calculated…

Heritage pork for sale in 2011!

Image by Getty Images via @daylife We are developing our heritage pork business! Lots of customers ask about getting pork from us. We are not yet ready to provide that but we are building our commercial herds. We recently purchased several Large Black sows from a friend here…

Lots of Pot Belly Piggies!

We found a guy who was being overrun by Pot Bellys and got a bunch of them, so now we have lots of little piglets running around! If you want a perfect pet pig, or pork in a small package, contact us! We have litters from different parents…

‘Traditionally Farmed Gloucestershire Old Spots Pork’

GOS pork is now protected in the European Union by a new regulation. Similar to labels such as “organic”, GOS pork in the EU can now carry a label that protects not only the pork but the manner in which it is raised. In short, any pork that…

Show your hogs!

We’ve just added a photo gallery to this blog so that you can show off your pretty pigs to the world! So go on, grab your camera, tell your piggy to “say cheese” and share his handsome face with us!

Boar in a Barrel

So this morning I picked up a book that I’ve had laying around about how to raise hogs (c’mon, we all have at least one…). It was detailing different ways to restrain hogs and I almost fell out of my chair when I read this: “A very large…

FDA draft guidance on use of antibiotics in livestock

The FDA just issued a draft guidance document concerning the non-medical use of antibiotics in livestock. They basically are stating that antibiotics should only be used when livestock need them and that all such use should be under the guidance of a veterinarian. The fear is that the…

Baby GOS!

Have you seen anything cuter than this?

Humane treatment is not a recent idea

If you read this blog or our website you know that I am an ardent supporter of humane farm animal treatment. Not only is it the moral thing to do; it also contributes directly to the farm’s bottom line.

Heritage Cross Piglets!

We crossed our Gloucestershire Old Spot (GOS) boar with our Hampshire / Duroc cross sows and now have 19 piglets ready to go!

The Myths, and Facts, about “Heritage” Pork

Google “Heritage Pork” and you will find a lot of blogs, news articles and websites that profess the wonders of “Heritage” breed pigs. The claims about these pigs lead to a lot of wrong impressions and expectations.

How to cook meat.

When asked recently the best way to cook pork: All meat is best cooked low and slow. Beef, pork, chicken, fish, yer neighbor… And if you cook it low and slow then never put a sugar based sauce on it before it is done. Sugar caramelizes and tastes…

When should I book a butcher appointment for my pigs?

“Since this is my first time raising pigs for butcher I am a bit unsure of calculating the amount of time to get them there. The pigs were born mid Feb, and according to my measurements they are about 65 lbs right now. If they grow at the same rate, it seems to me it will take another 3.5 months and that seems quite long.”

My semi-helpful response:

GOS wins Cochon 555 in Atlanta

So in addition to winning the judge’s votes at the Des Moines Cochon 555, a Gloucestershire Old Spot has won at Atlanta! Click here for more info.

Meanness in hogs is man made.

A person stated that a pig had bit her bottom. It didn’t hurt her, really just a nip, but she was worried that it might indicate the pig was going to be a problem. Although most people told her it was just curiosity and to not worry about it, a few people said that pigs were just “mean” animals and should never be trusted.

My response was simple. “I’ve never had a mean pig. And I could take any mean pig and make him docile in a couple of weeks. Meanness is man made.”

GOS wins Judges votes in Cochon 555 competition!

We all know that heritage pork tastes better than anything that comes out of a modern breed. But, which heritage breed pork tastes the best? According to the judges at the recent Cochon 555 event in Des Moines it was the Gloucestershire Old Spot.

Interesting facts about litter size

A quick review of the literature reveals:

Red Group GOS Are Coming! — Update: They are here!

Exciting news! We have arranged to get a new breeding group of Gloucestershire Old Spot (GOS) pigs!

List of Heritage Hog Breeds

Loosely defined, heritage hogs are those relatively distinct breeds that were present and can be traced back to the period before industrial farming. But which breeds can be considered “heritage”?

“Pasture Raised” versus “Pasture Fed”

I have noticed a lot of folks who describe their livestock as “Pasture Fed” and wondered just what this meant as compared to “Pasture Raised”. Surely “Pasture Raised” means that they live on pasture, or in the woods; in a natural environment. Aren’t pasture raised hogs also pasture fed? So why the need for a second descriptor?

It’s Spring!

We were finally able to get some of our livestock out on spring pasture. This has been a long, cold winter. It’s important to let the pasture have some growth before letting your herd graze and we have been very impatient waiting for that to happen so we…

Moe feeding her kids! — Video

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Ever seen a spotted striped pig? — Video

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB1P79q7Qf4

What are Hampshires?

Foundation Breed for Many Modern Pigs! “Hampshire” pigs were the first American pig breed. They originated in southern Scotland and Northern England from a cross of two old English breeds. Those pigs were imported into America between 1825 and 1835 from Hampshire County in England, thus gaining their name….

Which sex should I raise for pork? Boar, Gilt or Barrow?

We often get this question and there is no one answer. Our preference is to raise barrows for meat.

Should I give my piglet an injection prior to travel?

Recently a person on another board asked a question that is a common concern. You may have heard that a pig should be given an antibiotic injection prior to travel to help ward off “travel sickness”. I thought this question and my response might be helpful to readers…

Can a pig be kept as a pet?

I received a wonderful email from a woman whose son just got a Large Black pig as a gift. I thought her question and my advice might be helpful to other folks, so here are her questions and my response.

The advantages (or not) of artificial insemination

I’ve received lots of calls lately from people wondering whether they should buy a boar to breed their gilts or use artificial insemination (AI). This is a really good question because AI may be the best solution for many people. It works very well for commercial pig breeders and can save considerable amounts of capital. But before you make the commitment, you should also know the problems that may occur.

Can I raise pigs?

This is a question we get all the time from people considering whether to raise their own pork. It is natural to think that raising pigs is hard, or that it takes a special building or constant care. The truth is that pigs are one of the easiest farm animals to raise; if you let them, they will take care of themselves.

Planting a little extra for the pigs

Hi everyone! With a foot of snow on the ground, what do you think we are doing on our farm? Why, planning the garden, of course! Yep, spring fever has hit hard…

How to keep pigs warm in the winter

We’ve just had the coldest spell in 13 years here in the Ozarks. It was in the single digits during the day and double digits below zero at night.

What makes a good shelter for hogs?

Port-A-Huts are the best solution I have found. I was able to get three used ones on Craigslist for $100 each. Port-A-Hut.com.

Hoop houses made from cattle panels and tarps are about the easiest and cheapest shelter you can build. You can google “livestock hoop houses” and find lots. This was our first shelter and worked well until our goats learned they could climb them. Then, they didn’t last so long…

Selective early weaning

For the past ten years many factory hog farms have started weaning their piglets as early as 14 days, a process called Selective Early Weaning (SEW). The reasons for this include a reduction in bacterial infection rates and earlier transition of a sow from farrow to breeding. The downsides of SEW include higher piglet mortality, lower initial growth rates and higher expense in feeding and management strategies.

Why is my boar pushing me around?

What you are seeing is a natural behavior from a boar who has been treated kindly and thinks of you as a friend. He is playing with you; his game is to determine who is the most dominant. The problem is that this play can get dangerous for you.

“I lost a few new born piglets. Is this normal?”

Each sow is different and each piglet is different. The only way to improve the numbers is to go through more farrowing and gain more confidence. You will lose some; it happens and it is natural.

Can my pig eat that?

I recently saw a post on another blog that started something like this: “I am going to let my pigs clear out my garden soon and was wondering if that was okay. It has been overrun by pokeweed and, although I’ve tried to pull it all, there is just too much for me to remove. So, I thought I would let the pigs do it for me!”

What Does it Take to Raise a Pig?

It is natural to think that raising pigs is hard, or that it takes a special building or constant care. The truth is that pigs are one of the easiest farm animals to raise; if you let them, they will take care of themselves.

What Are Gloucestershire Old Spots?

The Gloucestershire Old Spot is a meaty animal with a broad and deep body and large hams. It’s bacon is half meat making it incredibly tasty. And the marbling; oh, the marbling!

What Are Large Black Pigs?

“Large Black” pigs was the name given to these all black pigs when they were developed in England in the 1800s. With its lop ears and long body, the Large Black became a staple on small farms due to its very gentle nature, ability to live off the land and produce large litters. It is also very cold hardy requiring little or no shelter. Unfortunately, it’s black coloring almost doomed it to extinction.

Why Does Inbreeding Matter?

As a group of rare pig breeders, we have reached a stage where we have a large enough population of Large Black and Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, dispersed across North America, to be more selective in our breeding programs. In the past you were lucky just to get a breeding pair; now there is enough diversity, and documentation of that diversity, for us to be more concerned with the health of the genetics of our breed. To be responsible breeders we need to now include the amount of future inbreeding in our herds as much as any other factor.

About Heritage Hog Blog

Image via Wikipedia Heritage Hog Blog is a place where people who raise heritage hogs, and people who have an interest in saving endangered hog breeds, can meet and discuss these wonderful animals! This blog features tips and advice from the people at Homegrown Acres, a small, family…

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Homegrown Acres – the folks behind Heritage Hog Blog

Welcome! We are Helen and Brian Wright, owners of Homegrown Acres and authors of Heritage Hog Blog! Homegrown Acres is a family run, sustainable small farm in the Missouri Ozark Mountains. We have rare, heritage Large Black and Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs; raised on pasture and treated humanely. We can provide breeding singles and pairs from our many distinct bloodlines. 5% Discount for Active Duty and recently separated U.S. Military...

The Farmer’s Manifesto - September 3, 2010
Heritage pork for sale in 2011! - August 22, 2010
Lots of Pot Belly Piggies! - August 19, 2010
‘Traditionally Farmed Gloucestershire Old Spots Pork’ - August 10, 2010
Show your hogs! - August 10, 2010

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