Is raising healthy pigs your priority? If you want to make sure that your livestock is as healthy as they can be, then these tips are for you.
— This post is courtesy of Survival Life shared with permission —
9 Tips for Raising Healthy Pigs
Healthy Pigs Can Feed Your Family for Months When SHTF
Pigs provide the most widely consumed meat. For this reason, raising them will ensure that you will have food to eat in just a few months’ time. Pigs also present a nice business opportunity as long as you are committed. If you’re a homesteader, you may already have some pigs in your farm, along with chickens and other livestock.
Whether you want to raise pigs for food or for profit, you need to see to it that they are healthy. After all, it is comforting to know that the meat you’re eating came from an animal that has been given the right, balanced diet, proper treatment and shelter. These will also reflect on the quality of meat that you’ll be selling in the market.
We pulled together some tips on how to raise healthy pigs:
1. Buy the Best Pigs
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If you have a garden, buy piglets when the growing season has started. This way you can feed them with leftover crop pickings. By fall or before winter the pigs will also be ready for selling.
2. Buy 8-week-old Piglets
Piglets that stayed with the sow longer do not need starter feed and their immune system is stronger.
3. Build a Strong Pen
Pigs are like mice, they seem to be able to chew through anything except steel. Do some research to keep them from escaping.
4. Take Care of Their Health
Although pigs do not get sick so easily, you still need to make sure that they are vaccinated and dewormed. Keep the phone number and address of your nearest livestock veterinarian just in case.
5. Feed and Water
What’s your favorite food to feed your #pigs? Sound off & let us know! #preppertalk #pigs #homesteading #preppers pic.twitter.com/uTbvJkvfq3 — Survival Life (@SurvivalLF) May 6, 2016
Pigs need feed and water so that they can grow efficiently. Self feeders can be bought or you can build one yourself. Waterers can be costly but are more practical as pigs tend to turn buckets over and play with the container.
6. Don’t Overfeed Them
Giving pigs too much food will make them overweight and sickly. Take the time to research on the breed of your pig and the correct amount of feed they are supposed to consume.
7. Pigs Need Cooling in Summer
Make a mud hole or set up a sprinkler to keep them cool.
8. Study Their Behavior
If you know how a normal pig behaves, you will be able to find out if a pig is sick or injured. You will also know how to treat them.
9. Go Organic
This is optional for good reason. Organic feeds are generally more expensive (sometimes twice the price) than their non-organic counterpart. As a result your pig and its meat will also be pricier come market day.
Do you think your pigs will be healthier after following these tips? Let us know below in the comments!
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Want to know more about pig farming? Read this next:
Adventures in Pig Farming – One Man’s First Hand Experience With What He Thought Were Female Pigs…
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