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Years ago, people have found that
their pigs could help clear the forest lands. Pig raisers use to run
swine through the forest to eat nuts and seeds in the fall (a tradition
called "masting") at that time, they noticed that the pigs were digging
up the soil and destroying even the tough briars and other
fast-spreading bushes in a matter of weeks.
Farm pigs can even bring giant rocks
to the surface. They would destroy and eat roots systems that couldn't
be broken up without a bulldozer. Pigs can even unearth large
trees and stumps, if there is food hidden in deep holes near the
roots.
Pigs can almost feed themselves by just clearing a harvested garden.
Thereafter, a well-turned, manure, vegetation-clear land that can be
used as a lawn, garden, pasture or whatever
Hog-tilling is also helpful in
rough, rocky brushy land where human clearing is extremely
labor-intensive or requires expensive machinery
However, for this procedure to work, the pigs must be confined to their
work are (about 20x20ft for 2 pigs)
It would take about 2 or 3 weeks to complete clearing the field.
However, in my opinion, pigs should not kept in 20x20 size pens
permanently, this will end up being a "mud hole", unless a plan is to
rotate them.
However, this procedure is not always easy to set up, especially if the
land is hilly or covered with thick undergrowth
Some people do ring their pigs (put a ring through their nose) to
prevent them from rooting. My personal opinion, I think it is
cruel.
Keeping a pig on cement (my opinion)
is cruel, because pigs love rooting and mud baths. Pigs use mud
baths to cool off in the summer.
Actually, pigs are clean animals. They generally do not defecate
or urinate in their house. I use to keep straw in their house, and it
was always clean. I hardly ever needed to change it.
Pigs are afraid of electric. I can remember when I took down their
electric so I could move them to a new and bigger pen, they would not
cross where the electric was. It took me two days to get them to cross
where the electric fence was.
Obviously, a strand of electric wire should be kept at the bottom. but,
it is important to keep the ground under electric wire clear of weeds,
otherwise, the electric wire could short out and quit working. I
personally would recommend two strands of wire. one near the
bottom, and one 12" or there about.
Also, there are "hog panels" that are sold in 16ft sections of welded
steel rods which should be attached to steel fence posts or heavy wood
posts, which both should be dug deep enough to they can't be pulled out.
putting some cement in the fence hole would secure them more.
Depending on the stability of the fence, I would still recommend putting
a strand of electric near the bottom.
Pigs are very strong animals and break through a fence.
when I had the Judy's piglets. (used for meat)
a couple of them broke through the fence.
One thing you don't want to do, is chase your pigs that roams off your
property. The young pigs I had, got out, went to the people next
door, and rooted up some of their property.
Most people won't be too happy from a neighbors pig destroying their
property.
More pictures and information on
Judy and Dave the Pigs |
Dave and Judy |
Dave |
Dave when he was young |
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