# Who has Micro-Pigs



## ambyglam (Nov 16, 2009)

Does anyone have any micro-pigs... I so want one...but I would like to know from someone who has an adult one how good they are as a pet?


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

I don't but have the email addy of somebody who has had them for over 5 years if you would like me to pass it on? : victory:


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## ambyglam (Nov 16, 2009)

That would be great!

Thanks muchly

xx


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

You have a pm! : victory:


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Please don't get a single pig. They are herd animals. You will also need to be DEFRA registered and have a CPH number.They are livestock just like any other pig. You cannot take them off your property at all without you fill in a movement licence in triplicate and send the various copies off. Pigs are very hard work indeed. It's not like getting an unusual sort of dog.
You need also to check your deeds to see if you are allowed to keep livestock there and find a livestock vet to treat it and vaccinate it against erisypalus <sp> and blue tongue. You have to feed it special food and giving it meat or any scraps is highly illegal aswell as dangerous.

http://www.thepigsite.com/articles/?Display=1153

http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/movements/pigs/documents/new_owner_guide.pdf


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## Fat-Ferret (Nov 27, 2009)

fenwoman said:


> Please don't get a single pig. They are herd animals. You will also need to be DEFRA registered and have a CPH number.They are livestock just like any other pig. You cannot take them off your property at all without you fill in a movement licence in triplicate and send the various copies off. Pigs are very hard work indeed. It's not like getting an unusual sort of dog.
> You need also to check your deeds to see if you are allowed to keep livestock there and find a livestock vet to treat it and vaccinate it against erisypalus <sp> and blue tongue. You have to feed it special food and giving it meat or any scraps is highly illegal aswell as dangerous.
> 
> http://www.thepigsite.com/articles/?Display=1153
> ...


 
They will be vaccinated before they are sold as babies from a breeder - Defra registraion and CPH is merely a formality, and as for filling a in a movement form, thats no big deal either!

Now...Diet, there is nothing special as you put it, It is illegal to feed meat as it is with any pig.

Simples! :whistling2:

Not as scary as you made it look


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## ambyglam (Nov 16, 2009)

You can actually get a 'walking permit' if you can prove that the way you walk your pig is in no way shape or form likely to transfer any bacteria or diseases from 'farm to farm' as I live in the town I think its quite safe... oh and before you jump at me for that...I have a garden, and some of my neighbours have chickens...so its not really an issue!

As for meat... I am vegan, so I think we are quite safe there, as there isnt even going to be the risk of cross contamination from meat on chopping boards!


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## sophs87 (Jan 25, 2009)

May sound like a stupid question but.... Why cant you feed pigs meat... i thought they ate anything? :blush:


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## ipreferaflan (Oct 8, 2009)

sophs87 said:


> May sound like a stupid question but.... Why cant you feed pigs meat... i thought they ate anything? :blush:


Because they get a taste for it and then kill people. Deadly serious (not really)


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## ambyglam (Nov 16, 2009)

sophs87 said:


> May sound like a stupid question but.... Why cant you feed pigs meat... i thought they ate anything? :blush:


contamination from unnatural source... meat nowadays is a load of crap filled with chemicals and hormones and rubbish...unless of course you just eat free range organic, then its not quite as bad. Eating this kind of things for pigs increases many problems but the easiest way to describe it is.. 
cow eats cow = mad cow disease! 
people eat mad cows = CJD

Now you wouldnt want such a thing happening to your pet pig now would you!


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## Frase (Jul 13, 2009)

Micro pigs...adult size is like knee hieght to an average person, it AINT really all that micro really is it eh? I thought all pigs got that kinna size to be honest.


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

fenwoman said:


> Please don't get a single pig. They are herd animals. You will also need to be DEFRA registered and have a CPH number.They are livestock just like any other pig. You cannot take them off your property at all without you fill in a movement licence in triplicate and send the various copies off. Pigs are very hard work indeed. It's not like getting an unusual sort of dog.
> You need also to check your deeds to see if you are allowed to keep livestock there and find a livestock vet to treat it and vaccinate it against erisypalus <sp> and blue tongue. You have to feed it special food and giving it meat or any scraps is highly illegal aswell as dangerous.
> 
> http://www.thepigsite.com/articles/?Display=1153
> ...


 
Thats not strictly true, you don't have to fill in the full movement license everytime they are taken off your propety. You can get walking license which you can apply from from DEFRA, you just need to tell them the route you will be taking and how long etc.


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

ambyglam said:


> You can actually get a 'walking permit' if you can prove that the way you walk your pig is in no way shape or form likely to transfer any bacteria or diseases from 'farm to farm' as I live in the town I think its quite safe... oh and before you jump at me for that...I have a garden, and some of my neighbours have chickens...so its not really an issue!
> 
> As for meat... I am vegan, so I think we are quite safe there, as there isnt even going to be the risk of cross contamination from meat on chopping boards!


You can't actually feed even any scraps at all, meat or not, even stuff like peelings that have been peeled in the kitchen. We used to peel our veg outside so we could give them the peelings, then they used to get fallen fruit from the trees too.


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## ambyglam (Nov 16, 2009)

farmercoope said:


> You can't actually feed even any scraps at all, meat or not, even stuff like peelings that have been peeled in the kitchen. We used to peel our veg outside so we could give them the peelings, then they used to get fallen fruit from the trees too.


isnt that the same as not putting kitchen peelings into your compost bin...cos your not meant to do that either.

However in a vegan kitchen I dont see how there can be any problem at all... whats going to happen... I may cross contaminate a carrot with an apple?

The reason you cannot use kitchen scraps for most things is incase they have been contaminated with anything from the meat industry!


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## sugarbunny891 (Feb 10, 2009)

I wonder if this has anything to do with the article in the mail a few months ago?


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

ambyglam said:


> isnt that the same as not putting kitchen peelings into your compost bin...cos your not meant to do that either.
> 
> However in a vegan kitchen I dont see how there can be any problem at all... whats going to happen... I may cross contaminate a carrot with an apple?
> 
> The reason you cannot use kitchen scraps for most things is incase they have been contaminated with anything from the meat industry!


No, you cannot give ANY scraps at all, weather they are from a vegan house-hold, a fruit and veg shop or anywhere else! They dont turn up magically in your kitchen, they may have been sold to you from shops or places that sell any animal produce, or sourced from somewhere which does.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Fat-Ferret said:


> They will be vaccinated before they are sold as babies from a breeder - Defra registraion and CPH is merely a formality, and as for filling a in a movement form, thats no big deal either!
> 
> Now...Diet, there is nothing special as you put it, It is illegal to feed meat as it is with any pig.
> 
> ...


I don't think the CPH and herd number are 'merely' a formality. It's serious stuff. They have to know who has what and where. And actually the diet for micro pigs is special. They need a low fat diet, one sold specially for pot bellied pigs, if they aren't to become unhealthily fat.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

ambyglam said:


> You can actually get a 'walking permit' if you can prove that the way you walk your pig is in no way shape or form likely to transfer any bacteria or diseases from 'farm to farm' as I live in the town I think its quite safe... oh and before you jump at me for that...I have a garden, and some of my neighbours have chickens...so its not really an issue!


 Just out of interest. Are you aware how strong pigs are? They will simply break through normal wooden fences. Are you also aware that they need their feet trimming reguarly? And that they will turn over most water containers. But then since they must have access to water all the time or end up with damaged kidneys, this can be a problem. Have you got somewhere you can turn into a mud wallow? Pigs need this. And are you aware that you may have a garden now, but you won't have a garden 3 months after getting a pig? All pigs rootle and even a micro pig will plough your garden quickly and turn it into a morass when it rains. I'm not jumping at you. Merely pointing out the realities of keeping livestock as pets. Since you also live in a town, I really do think you should check your deeds for a covenant. Most town places have them barring livestock. Be a real shame if you got a pig because you want one, and then found out that you can't keep it, and someone else has to pick up the pieces and find a home for it. It's another fad like pot bellied pigs were 20 years or so ago. They are fetching justr as high prices as pot bellies did back then. And look at how many ended up slaughtered when the novely wore off and when people's gardens ended up looking like the trenches in the first world war. The same thing happened with kune kune pigs. High price, everyone wanted on, and now people can't give them away.

{quote]As for meat... I am vegan, so I think we are quite safe there, as there isnt even going to be the risk of cross contamination from meat on chopping boards![/QUOTE]
You are not allowed to feed anything which comes out of your kitchen, at all. No peelings or anything else.
If I sound like I'm trying to put you off. I am. Too many townies want to keep livestock as pets without fully realising the implications because after all, being townies, they've never seen one, never known anyone who kept them so just don't understand what they are really like.


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## vetdebbie (Jan 4, 2008)

Frase said:


> Micro pigs...adult size is like knee hieght to an average person, it AINT really all that micro really is it eh? I thought all pigs got that kinna size to be honest.


LOL you've never seen an adult pig have you? I mean some adult pigs can get to a quarter of a tonne in body weight. And they are more like waist height.


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## ChloEllie (Jul 18, 2009)

vetdebbie said:


> LOL you've never seen an adult pig have you? I mean some adult pigs can get to a quarter of a tonne in body weight. And they are more like waist height.


lol i was thinking that.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

vetdebbie said:


> LOL you've never seen an adult pig have you? I mean some adult pigs can get to a quarter of a tonne in body weight. And they are more like waist height.



To give an indication. When I recently took my 2 pigs to the abattoir. One resulted in 185lbs of meat and the other 190lbs. Allow a further 35lb for things like intestines and bones and you can see that they are fairly hefty creatures and they were only 7 months old. I used to breed Gloucester old spots and my old boar measured easily 9 feet from snout to tail and stood higher than my waist.
Pigs aren't all sweetness and light either. They get grumpy. With a grumpy Gloucster old spot, if you don't end up dead, you'll end up pretty badly chewed. Micro pigs are the same as my big Gloucster old spots in every way except size. I wish they weren't sold as pets as invariably I see them ending up suffering at the hands of owners who think that pigs are cute little things as per fairy tale books and 'Babe'.


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## quilson_mc_spike (Dec 27, 2008)

fenwoman said:


> Just out of interest. Are you aware how strong pigs are? They will simply break through normal wooden fences. Are you also aware that they need their feet trimming reguarly? And that they will turn over most water containers. But then since they must have access to water all the time or end up with damaged kidneys, this can be a problem. Have you got somewhere you can turn into a mud wallow? Pigs need this. And are you aware that you may have a garden now, but you won't have a garden 3 months after getting a pig? All pigs rootle and even a micro pig will plough your garden quickly and turn it into a morass when it rains. I'm not jumping at you. Merely pointing out the realities of keeping livestock as pets. Since you also live in a town, I really do think you should check your deeds for a covenant. Most town places have them barring livestock. Be a real shame if you got a pig because you want one, and then found out that you can't keep it, and someone else has to pick up the pieces and find a home for it. It's another fad like pot bellied pigs were 20 years or so ago. They are fetching justr as high prices as pot bellies did back then. And look at how many ended up slaughtered when the novely wore off and when people's gardens ended up looking like the trenches in the first world war. The same thing happened with kune kune pigs. High price, everyone wanted on, and now people can't give them away.
> 
> {quote]As for meat... I am vegan, so I think we are quite safe there, as there isnt even going to be the risk of cross contamination from meat on chopping boards!


You are not allowed to feed anything which comes out of your kitchen, at all. No peelings or anything else.
If I sound like I'm trying to put you off. I am. Too many townies want to keep livestock as pets without fully realising the implications because after all, being townies, they've never seen one, never known anyone who kept them so just don't understand what they are really like.[/QUOTE]

take fenny's advice on and dont get a pig!!

pigs arent what you see on the telly... i was contemplating them once upon a time spoke to fenny and now i couldnt thank her more as my staffy dog would have nowhere to play as she likes to play in the garden if she did whilest we owned pigs she would have to be bathed every time she came in from the yard,,, pigs arent what people think fenny has owned and may even continue to own poultry for many many years take on board what she says,,, some town guys like myself will say " its more hassle than its worth" x


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Here are the Kune kunes I used to have. Their paddock was all green and lush when I put them in. This is how it looked 2 months later. Your garden will be the same.You can't see the huge holes and mounds there were under the leaves. A proper moonscape it was and Kunes are not much bigger than micro pigs. These were around 4 months old in this pic.


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## quilson_mc_spike (Dec 27, 2008)

pam the little black one on the far right is adorable! x


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## ambyglam (Nov 16, 2009)

quilson_mc_spike said:


> Too many townies want to keep livestock as pets without fully realising the implications because after all, being townies, they've never seen one, never known anyone who kept them so just don't understand what they are really like.


I grew up in the country...lol

see how people on forums presume too much about ppl they know nothing about!


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

fenwoman said:


> They are fetching justr as high prices as pot bellies did back then. And look at how many ended up slaughtered when the novely wore off and when people's gardens ended up looking like the trenches in the first world war. The same thing happened with kune kune pigs. High price, everyone wanted on, and now people can't give them away.


+1. Wasn't long ago that 'micro-pigs' were fetching £1000+ as they were the pet to have, then the prices dropped because nobody would buy them at that price, and now the prices continue to drop because _everybody_ wants one. We looked into getting a couple recently but decided against it due to the stupid prices put on them to line the breeders pockets. We were quite prepared to have the garden turned into a mud bath and have a wallow dug out, feed specific diets, pay for vaccines, pay for feet trims etc (hense getting in touch with that guy) but I point blank refused to pay so much money just for it to line the pockets of somebody wanting to make a quick buck. 



ambyglam said:


> I grew up in the country...lol
> 
> see how people on forums presume too much about ppl they know nothing about!


How so?


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## bevis892 (Feb 25, 2008)

i keep 6 micro pigs and do breed them.i have always asked the same price of £150 which just about breaks even the food bill.last year it was difficult to sell the babies and then a few months ago could have sold about 50 plus in the space of a few days (most of them would have been house pigs).this was due to all the publicity in the press about what lovely little (teacup) house pets they make and the celebs new designer pet.what a load of crap!!!!!!!!!!!! they could'nt even resemble a bucket in size if you tried.they are so strong and destructive.they have a terrible body odour.to keep them contented and full they are expensive to feed.all the paper work is head work if you want to keep the council happy.neigbours complain about smells and noise.and they love to escape and go for a wonder down the road.but if you have the proper space, enough time and can afford to keep them properly they are lovely.


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## Morgan Freeman (Jan 14, 2009)

bevis892 said:


> i keep 6 micro pigs and do breed them.i have always asked the same price of £150 which just about breaks even the food bill.last year it was difficult to sell the babies and then a few months ago could have sold about 50 plus in the space of a few days (most of them would have been house pigs).this was due to all the publicity in the press about what lovely little (teacup) house pets they make and the celebs new designer pet.what a load of crap!!!!!!!!!!!! they could'nt even resemble a bucket in size if you tried.they are so strong and destructive.they have a terrible body odour.to keep them contented and full they are expensive to feed.all the paper work is head work if you want to keep the council happy.neigbours complain about smells and noise.and they love to escape and go for a wonder down the road.but if you have the proper space, enough time and can afford to keep them properly they are lovely.


 
Any pics?


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

ambyglam said:


> I grew up in the country...lol
> 
> see how people on forums presume too much about ppl they know nothing about!


pssst I was generalising. Did I say:" You are a townie, you don't know what it's like to keep one because you've never seen one?"


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

LoveForLizards said:


> +1. Wasn't long ago that 'micro-pigs' were fetching £1000+ as they were the pet to have, then the prices dropped because nobody would buy them at that price, and now the prices continue to drop because _everybody_ wants one. We looked into getting a couple recently but decided against it due to the stupid prices put on them to line the breeders pockets. We were quite prepared to have the garden turned into a mud bath and have a wallow dug out, feed specific diets, pay for vaccines, pay for feet trims etc (hense getting in touch with that guy) but I point blank refused to pay so much money just for it to line the pockets of somebody wanting to make a quick buck.


 Give it 3 years and you'll be able to pick them up for peanuts if not for free to good homes as people with more money than grey matter buy them for their tiny gardens, then get really fed up with them as they tie you more thoroughly than a dog or cat would. There are after all no boarding kennels for pigs and it'd be almost impossible to run such a thing because of the 30 day standstill if a new pig comes onto your property. In a few years, all those people will be wanting to offload their pigs and the glut will mean low low prices.


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

fenwoman said:


> Give it 3 years and you'll be able to pick them up for peanuts if not for free to good homes as people with more money than grey matter buy them for their tiny gardens, then get really fed up with them as they tie you more thoroughly than a dog or cat would. There are after all no boarding kennels for pigs and it'd be almost impossible to run such a thing because of the 30 day standstill if a new pig comes onto your property. In a few years, all those people will be wanting to offload their pigs and the glut will mean low low prices.


Exactly. Due to not having enough space for a 'farm' pigs (what's left of our garden is only roughly 650sq.ft) I'd love to have 'mini' pigs once the prices have dropped, but for now the price isn't justifiable. Shame they can't be eaten at the end of the year like 'farm' pigs really!


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## purpleskyes (Oct 15, 2007)

They keep kune kune pigs at college, we have 3 piglets running around at the moment they are great fun. :flrt:


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

LoveForLizards said:


> Exactly. Due to not having enough space for a 'farm' pigs (what's left of our garden is only roughly 650sq.ft) I'd love to have 'mini' pigs once the prices have dropped, but for now the price isn't justifiable. Shame they can't be eaten at the end of the year like 'farm' pigs really!


 Haha. That's why I keep 'farm' pigs. I have the pleasure of them when they are little and cute, then in 4 months time when they have outgrown their space and becoming a bind, they go off 'on holiday' :lol2:


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

LoveForLizards said:


> Exactly. Due to not having enough space for a 'farm' pigs (what's left of our garden is only roughly 650sq.ft) I'd love to have 'mini' pigs once the prices have dropped, but for now the price isn't justifiable. Shame they can't be eaten at the end of the year like 'farm' pigs really!


You can, just like you can eat Kune-kune pigs! Actually tastes just the same, just a little more fatty, but then you would expect pigs that have been reared at home to be more fatty, its the best part anyway! lol


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

farmercoope said:


> You can, just like you can eat Kune-kune pigs! Actually tastes just the same, just a little more fatty, but then you would expect pigs that have been reared at home to be more fatty, its the best part anyway! lol


You taking the p**s? My brother would eat a kune-kune/mini pig in one sitting!! :lol2::lol2: 

But really, if we have the space (or we can bribe the awesome owner of the land we fly the hawks on to lend us some land :flrt might look into getting a kune-kune or two (not literally, we'd always have at least two) next year and slaughter them for xmas. ty : victory:


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

I know of several pepoplel that raise cooneys for meat, and eat them fine. you do get quite a bit of meat off of them and they are good for the person with the smaller room


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

farmercoope said:


> You can, just like you can eat Kune-kune pigs! Actually tastes just the same, just a little more fatty, but then you would expect pigs that have been reared at home to be more fatty, its the best part anyway! lol


 You should have seen the layer of fat on Ant and Dec Coupie. It was a good inch thick. Must have been all the goats milk they got daily. I keep it and make lard from it to have on a bit of toast for my supper.Is it called lard over here or pork dripping? Whatever it's called, chop someonions very fine, fry off until crisp and brown, add to liquid fat in roasting tin, pour into a pot and put in the fridge. It's yummy.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

LoveForLizards said:


> You taking the p**s? My brother would eat a kune-kune/mini pig in one sitting!! :lol2::lol2:
> 
> But really, if we have the space (or we can bribe the awesome owner of the land we fly the hawks on to lend us some land :flrt might look into getting a kune-kune or two (not literally, we'd always have at least two) next year and slaughter them for xmas. ty : victory:


if you find someone willing to let you have a bit of land to rent, don't ssip about with kunes, buy a couple of rare breed weaners at 8 weeks old, keep for 3-4 months and then take to slaughter. Do you have an abattoir nearby? If you buy weaners in June, they should cost around £40 each, you'll get to take advantage of the apple harvest in Spetember, a few weeks before slaughter and if you feed loads of apples, the pork will taste delicious. There is a big danger with kunes and other cute looking small pigs, that you get too attached to them. Personally, if you're going to spend £40 and the slaughter fee is the same, why not just get a pig which will kill out at 120lbs instead of one which will only kill out at 60lbs? It'll cost the same to feed and to slaughter but you'll only get half the meat. With your own pork you can try making sausages which is dead easy, or even smoking your own bacon which again is simple. Get 2 weaners, send to slaughter, sell one as half a pig to 2 people and the money you sell them for, covers all your outlay so in effect, you get all your pork for free.:2thumb:


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

farmercoope said:


> I know of several pepoplel that raise cooneys for meat, and eat them fine. you do get quite a bit of meat off of them and they are good for the person with the smaller room


 My adult kunes were nearly as big as my 6 months ready for slaughter pigs so you don't save that much space.


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

farmercoope said:


> I know of several pepoplel that raise cooneys for meat, and eat them fine. you do get quite a bit of meat off of them and they are good for the person with the smaller room


An ex-breeder we know used to tell us that kune-kunes tasted like dirty water so never really thought of them as meat pigs tbh. Then again he never did answer whether he'd actually tried one himself before...:whistling2:



fenwoman said:


> if you find someone willing to let you have a bit of land to rent, don't ssip about with kunes, buy a couple of rare breed weaners at 8 weeks old, keep for 3-4 months and then take to slaughter. Do you have an abattoir nearby? If you buy weaners in June, they should cost around £40 each, you'll get to take advantage of the apple harvest in Spetember, a few weeks before slaughter and if you feed loads of apples, the pork will taste delicious. There is a big danger with kunes and other cute looking small pigs, that you get too attached to them. Personally, if you're going to spend £40 and the slaughter fee is the same, why not just get a pig which will kill out at 120lbs instead of one which will only kill out at 60lbs? It'll cost the same to feed and to slaughter but you'll only get half the meat. With your own pork you can try making sausages which is dead easy, or even smoking your own bacon which again is simple. Get 2 weaners, send to slaughter, sell one as half a pig to 2 people and the money you sell them for, covers all your outlay so in effect, you get all your pork for free.:2thumb:


That's true, how much room would a couple of say Gloucester Old Spots need? The person I have in mind for asking about land keeps pigs himself, so he's pretty used to having his land messed up and knows what pigs are like! There's an abbatoir roughly 6 miles from us, so approx. 8 miles from the potential land. :2thumb: And we are usually at the farm feed shop at least every 2 weeks and they sell pig food also so that wouldn't be a problem. 

Thankies both :2thumb:


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## Fraggle (Feb 24, 2008)

fenwoman said:


> You should have seen the layer of fat on Ant and Dec Coupie. It was a good inch thick. Must have been all the goats milk they got daily. I keep it and make lard from it to have on a bit of toast for my supper.Is it called lard over here or pork dripping? Whatever it's called, chop someonions very fine, fry off until crisp and brown, add to liquid fat in roasting tin, pour into a pot and put in the fridge. It's yummy.



that sounds absolutely gross!!!! :lol2:

then again, it turns my stomach when people have the skin from chicken or the crackling from pork- i'm the kind of person that trims lean bacon before i'll even consider eating it, haha!!!

i wish i lived on a farm. i'd become overun though, cos i wouldn't have it in me to take any of my animals to slaughter. maybe i should get a children's farm when i win the lottery instead of a proper one, eh?


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## farmercoope (Aug 19, 2008)

That sounds yummy Pam!! We call it lard here but its often sold as pork dripping, etc. 
I used to have it with bread loads!

I have tried Kunes and havn't ever experienced any dirty water taste, just sweet pork


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

LoveForLizards said:


> An ex-breeder we know used to tell us that kune-kunes tasted like dirty water so never really thought of them as meat pigs tbh. Then again he never did answer whether he'd actually tried one himself before...:whistling2:


someone I know who ate kune kune told me that the meat tasted 'muddy'.





> That's true, how much room would a couple of say Gloucester Old Spots need? The person I have in mind for asking about land keeps pigs himself, so he's pretty used to having his land messed up and knows what pigs are like! There's an abbatoir roughly 6 miles from us, so approx. 8 miles from the potential land. :2thumb: And we are usually at the farm feed shop at least every 2 weeks and they sell pig food also so that wouldn't be a problem.
> 
> Thankies both :2thumb:


Why not just ask the chap you know to rear 2 pigs for you? The laws can be flipping dire when it comes to moving pigs. theres a 30 day standstill if a pig comes onto the holding so if he went out and bought some pigs, just as yours were ready to kill, you wouldn't be able to move yours to the abattoir.
I kept my 2 pigs on no more than about 30 feet by 30 feet. It was in effect a big sty/ Deep straw bed which I kept topping up, a raised ark, an area for them to dung in and food and water at the opposite end. You only keep them for 3 to 4 months so they don't need acreage.


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

Here's a pic of the new boar that arrived at work this week. This is an adult German micro pig boar......


.....believe me, there is no way you would be taking this guy for a walk.....he might take you though.....

Just to give an idea of size...


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

bothrops said:


> Here's a pic of the new boar that arrived at work this week. This is an adult German micro pig boar......
> 
> 
> .....believe me, there is no way you would be taking this guy for a walk.....he might take you though.....
> ...


 Not teeny tiny like people imagine them to be eh? I'd say bigger than a labrador too. Any idea what he weighs?


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

fenwoman said:


> Not teeny tiny like people imagine them to be eh? I'd say bigger than a labrador too. Any idea what he weighs?


Not a clue - will find out tomorrow though!


Cheers

Andy


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## Grond (Jun 17, 2008)

fraggle said:


> that sounds absolutely gross!!!! :lol2:
> 
> then again, it turns my stomach when people have the skin from chicken or the crackling from pork- i'm the kind of person that trims lean bacon before i'll even consider eating it, haha!!!


The fat/skin/crackling is the best bit! You don't know what you're missing.......


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

Grond said:


> The fat/skin/crackling is the best bit! You don't know what you're missing.......


 
Too bloody right! Hear hear!


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

fenwoman said:


> Why not just ask the chap you know to rear 2 pigs for you? The laws can be flipping dire when it comes to moving pigs. theres a 30 day standstill if a pig comes onto the holding so if he went out and bought some pigs, just as yours were ready to kill, you wouldn't be able to move yours to the abattoir.
> I kept my 2 pigs on no more than about 30 feet by 30 feet. It was in effect a big sty/ Deep straw bed which I kept topping up, a raised ark, an area for them to dung in and food and water at the opposite end. You only keep them for 3 to 4 months so they don't need acreage.


That's true, we could do. He's got a lovely big pen suitable for a fair few pigs and houses and he lives just across the road from them. They also get fed surplus strawberries (The pigs live on a fruit farm) and apples as well so I imagine they taste lovely. :mf_dribble: And as he breeds his own they wouldn't need moving farm to farm if we had a couple of his piglets!



Grond said:


> The fat/skin/crackling is the best bit! You don't know what you're missing.......


Hear hear! :mf_dribble:


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## ambyglam (Nov 16, 2009)

Grond said:


> The fat/skin/crackling is the best bit! You don't know what you're missing.......


an increased chance of developing heart disease?


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## Grond (Jun 17, 2008)

ambyglam said:


> an increased chance of developing heart disease?


Get some excercise then you won't have a problem.......:whistling2:


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

ambyglam said:


> an increased chance of developing heart disease?


 I eat a very high fat diet. I hate lean meat. Yet when I had my cholesterol levels tested recently, they were within normal range.
I have to have my cholesterol levels tested every so often as there is heart disease in the family. My own father died from a massive heart attack only 2 months after his 60th birthday after suffering clogged arteries for years.
The reason I eat high fat but haven't got high cholesterol levels is
a/ I eat a healthy diet with low salt and all cooked from scratch
b/I do exersize daily
c/I have no central heating so my body burns the calories to stay warm.

in the olden days, farm workers ate a very high fat diet. Breakfast bacon was mostly fat with hardly any lean, yet heart disease was virtually unknown and one of the reasons was no central heating, lots of veg in the diet and hard physical excersize.
To be frank, if you ate lean meat, drenched in salt, smoked 20 **** a day and sat on your bum all day in a stuffy overheated house, you are just as likely to end up with heart disease.


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## Nix (Jan 23, 2008)

You haven't lived until you have been charged at by sow with piglets...


Hmm micro pigs - latest fad. Coming from the country this seems like a really bad idea to me. Pigs are highly distructive, can be extremely grumpy (although I did know some lovely friendly ones - they were even more friendly on the dinner table - mmm) and definitely aren't as cute in person as everyone thinks. You would be suprised how much room they need and certainly aren't a house pet - get a dog! Not to mention the smell they can generate - phew!

But hey, if you have enough room, are happy to have a stinking mud pit, do all of the paperwork and pay all the vets bills don't let me stop you! In my opinion anyone can have any pet they want (subject to the law) as long as they look after it properly!


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Nix said:


> You haven't lived until you have been charged at by sow with piglets...
> 
> 
> > I have lived!!:lol2:
> ...


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