Swine

Pigs are some of the most fun animals you can have on your farm.  Along with being a great production animal and providing some of the most delicious meat, pigs can also make a great companion animal and require relative small spaces.

Anyone with a hobby farm would benefit greatly from raising and keeping swine. Whether you decide to keep one for fun, for profit, or for food, pigs are a great addition to any farm. If you are looking to purchase a pig, expect to get one that is around eight weeks old. If you are keeping a pig on your farm for meat, expect to butcher them at around six months old.

Swine prefer to have company around, so more than one pig is recommended. Though pigs have a reputation for being dirty, they are usually only dirty if they are confined to small spaces. Providing your pigs with enough space will ensure they are happy and clean. Pigs also have a reputation as escape artists, so a securely-fenced area is a necessity.

If you are looking to keep pigs for meat purposes, some of the best breeds are: Yorkshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Duroc-Jersey, and Chester White. Most pigs are kept on farms for producing meat, but they are also great companions and will certainly add joy to your farm.

If you are looking to keep them for companion purposes, the best breed is the Kune Kune. In fact, they are the only pig that can survive solely on grass without any other food sources.

Swine come in many shapes, sizes and colors.  Any what type of Hog you want will greatly depend on your own personal preferences.  Pigs can be great escape artists, so having a solid study enclosure is a MUST before bringing even the smallest piglets home.  Additionally, although they grown very quickly, Pigs require lots of food and more attention to their physical needs than other animals.  Unable to withstand harsh climates without some help, they can be much more work during cold winters and hot summers than other animals on your farm!

Check out the listings below to see if you can find the right breed for you!

PictureBreed
berkshire-pigBerkshire:
Origin: Berkshire
Coloring: Black, white
Production: Meat
Breed Note: Around 600 pounds at maturity
chester-white-pigChester White:
Origin: U.S.
Coloring: White
Production: Meat
Breed Note: Need shade during summer months as they are prone to sunburn
duroc-pigDuroc:
Origin: U.S.
Coloring: Shades of mahogany red
Production: Meat, breeding
Breed Note: Least aggressive of all swine breeds
hampshire-pigHampshire:
Origin: U.S.
Coloring: Black, white
Production: Meat
Breed Note: Noted for being well muscled and rapid growers
hereford-pigHereford:
Origin: U.S.
Coloring: Red, white
Production: Meat
Breed Note: Females can get up to 600 pounds while males can reach up to 800 pounds
kune-kune-pigKune Kune:
Origin: New Zeland
Coloring: Multiple
Production: Meat, pets
Breed Note: Only true grazing pig that can feed on grass without any other food source to keep them healthy and keep fattening them
landrace-pigLandrace:
Origin: Denmark
Coloring: white
Production: meat
Breed Note: Sows produce milk that reach lactation at around 5 weeks
large-black-devon-pigsLarge Black (Devon):
Origin: Great Britan
Coloring: Black
Production: Meat
Breed Note: Only British pig that is entirely black in color
mangalista-pigMangalitsa:
Origin: Hungary
Coloring: Multiple
Production: Meat
Breed Note: Grows a thick woolly coat much like that of sheep
meishan-pigMeishan:
Origin: China
Coloring: Multiple
Production: Meat
Breed Note: Do not sweat a lot, so to keep them cool they roll around in the mud
mulefoot-pigMulefoot:
Origin: Unknown
Coloring: Black, white
Production: Meat
Breed Note: Litters average around 5 or 6 piglets
ossabaw_island_hogOssabaw Island:
Origin: U.S.
Coloring: Multiple, most common in black
Production: Meat
Breed Note: Both male and female reach up to 200 pounds
poland-china-pigPoland China:
Origin: U.S.
Coloring: Black, white
Production: Meat
Breed Note: Can drink about 14 gallons of water a day
red_wattle_pigRed Wattle:
Origin: U.S.
Coloring: red
Production: Meat
Breed Note: Normally have 10 to 15 piglets in a litter
tamworth-pigTamworth:
Origin: England
Coloring: Black, red
Production: Meat
Breed Note: Able to withstand very cold climates
yorkshire-pigYorkshire:
Origin: U.S.
Coloring: White to light pink
Production: Meat
Breed Note: Most widely used and distributed breed of pig

15 thoughts on “Swine

  1. Looking for a bread Hereford sow registered.
    Not looking for show stock but more heritage as we are raising meet pigs. Just starting our farm.

  2. I am looking to purchase two female yorkshire pigs to use for breeding could you contact me if you have any

  3. Kenneth Williams

    looking for a small female and a small boar to breed and raise for meat. If you can help me out I would appreciate it.

  4. Kenneth Williams

    forgot to say Berkshire

  5. Hello, I am looking for gloucester old spot feeders 1 or 2. Please email me if you are in the Dane/ Columbia county area of Southern WI

  6. I will be looking for a bread younger Berkshire soon to add to my little ranch.

  7. I will be looking for a bread younger Berkshire pig soon to add to my little ranch.
    Must be close to Louisville Kentucky.

  8. Looking for Kune Kune piglets to raise as pets on small farm . Any info would be greatly appreciated !!!

  9. Looking for Meishan pigs breeding stock.

  10. We are breeders of registered purebred Meishan pigs. We live in northern Indiana near Churubusco. We have a recent farrowing of 7 gilts and 5 boars. We will be castrating the boars within 1-2 weeks so if anyone is interested they should contact us asap.

  11. Ken and Ronda Salge

    We have Meishans for sale!

  12. We have registered heritage breed KuneKune pigs for sale! Breedable pairs available. Find out all their detailed info at http://www.RaisingKuneKunes.com

  13. i am looking for 7 red-waddle feeder pigs… live in st louis area

  14. JOHNNY J cisneros

    looking for hereford hogs with papers let me know if you can help me.

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