February Pigkeeping course is now fully booked. We are now encouraging clients to book up well in advance of their chosen pigkeeping course dates so as not to be disappointed. Don’t forget the pigkeeping showing weekend in March for a very detailed opportunity to expand on your existing pigkeeping knowledge, breeding skills and show preparations of yourself and your pigs at home.

John

The January litters are of course, still small but we can already weed out those with poor underlines or the mis marked ones.

The Newark and Nottingham show schedule arrived yesterday and I have had a couple a reminders about dates for later shows.

People show pigs for all sorts of reasons. Some just like winning or enjoy the preparation, some enjoy the socialising and of course, it is a great shop window. Not only for your herd but traditional breeds in general.

It can be a bit daunting going to your first show especially showing an animal in an open space without a halter of any kind. However, some basic training at home will go a long way and don’t worry if it all goes pear shaped on the day. It happens to us all and it is great entertainment for the crowd.

There is a great atmosphere amongst the pig people and you will find them very helpful. In fact, we all need a hand at shows at different times: more than one pig in a class and someone will always help you or you might find your self giving someone else a hand. Pig people also like to share making breakfast, getting together for dinner and just generally enjoying a drink in the bar, so you will soon make friends.

If you want to get showing and make the most of an opportunity to pick the brains of a pig judge and successful exhibitor then take a look at our showing course in March. Whether you are a beginner, novice or more experienced you will have an enjoyable and very informative weekend.

We will look at all aspects of showing, different breeds of pig and how to assess them as well as ring craft, equipment and much more.

We learnt a lot from last year’s course and one of our ladies went on to her first show and took home several rosettes.

So, hopefully we will see you in March.

A calendar of shows can be found on the British Pig Association site.

If you are thinking of showing pigs it is a good idea to contact show secretaries now to request a schedule or take a look at show web sites so you can plan ahead.

Read the schedule carefully as classes can vary between shows. Take note of any special requirements.

Find out the closing dates and make sure you return your entries on time. Fill the forms in carefully and give them all the information they require so someone doesn’t have to come back to you.

Make sure your pigs are correctly identified as show stewards will be checking you have taken the pig you entered.

For a really informative and fun weekend covering all you need to know about showing take a look at our showing course in March.

Yes we will have the new arrivals to see and handle which are currently cuddling up to the Saddleback sow in their straw bed.

An Oxford Sandy and Black sow is also ready to farrow and may produce her litter of pedigree piglets before the weekend.

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With all the wet weather keeping the bedding in your arks clean and dry for as long as possible can be a problem. Even with plenty of thought to placing arks on higher, well drained ground the constant rain of the last few months is going to present a problem to any pig keeper with arks outside.

Obviously, pigs will carry mud in on their legs and this will then be left in the bedding. You might need to consider wood bark or chippings to create a clean area outside the door. Even the smallest hole on the roof is going to make a big difference inside the ark and if water is seeping in from the sides and floor it will be a constant battle. No matter how much bedding you use if the ark is leaky and the area around waterlogged your pigs will be cold, damp and miserable.

Whilst straw has good insulation and draining properties it does tend to take on moisture from the atmosphere so you may need to look at alternatives or combinations of bedding.

Don’t be stingy with the bedding. Building up a deep litter in the ark will keep the pigs off the floor, which will be cold and damp, also a deep litter bed generates it’s own heat. OK, there will be more mucking out when it needs changing but it will be worth it.

My friend buys baled reeds and she puts these in the ark first and tops with straw. Again, it creates depth but the pigs still have plenty of straw to bury themselves in.

Old hay (not mouldy) makes good bedding. If you have small bales you can make a carpet tile effect on the base of your ark with the slices as they come off the bale.

Bracken, shavings, sawdust and even old coats or sheep’s fleeces can all help to keep the pigs warm. Not forgetting other pigs; the more pigs the better, as they love to cuddle and keep each other warm.

Fortunately the growing pigs and Saddleback sows have raised beds to keep them dry but their main yard was 6 inches deep. The slurry pit has risen by 4 ft in the last 10 days!

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Fortunately, I have only three hardy Oxford Sandy and Black sows out in the fields up at the top of the hill at Coal Yeat Farm, with good hard access to feed them on every day. They hate the soft mud as their feet sink well into the goooo but they have a dry, straw filled ark to cuddle in and are taking no harm.

The New Year brings new life, as this is prime time farrowing for the January show pigs for the forthcoming show season. I have several Saddleback and Oxford Sandy and Blacks ready to farrow but my sole Lop sow is totally out of rhythm having only recently been weaned.

Both Carole and I are looking forward to the extensive programme of pig keeping courses we have planned for 2012. Not least the three special courses; a showing weekend, butchery course and pedigree pig breeding course.

We look forward to meeting you on one of our pig keeping courses and wish you all a prosperous and piggy 2012.

John and Carole

Carole being an astute lass got straight to the point and asked “What are you wearing today?” To which I replied “More clothes than when I am skiing in Canada at -20C.”

“Well, there you are” she replied “the modern pigs don’t have as much fat cover as the traditional pigs and I bet she’s feeling the cold like we are”. “Hmmm” I replied “she has just been weaned so she is at her thinnest, so you are probably correct. Although she is cuddling up to 8 other sows in their ark, so should not be too cold!”

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So, do I need a pig blanket for this Hampshire pig? Or perhaps I need to feed her more? Or bring in all the sows and the Hampshire boar to the pig yards at Bridgefield Farm?

Yes, I will bring in all the outdoor sows and boars pigs except the OSAB’s, which grow a thick winter coat to repel all the winter elements.

No room at the Inn for these hairy pigs!

It all goes to show that each of the different breeds, traditional and modern and the different types within these categories all require slightly different management in different seasons.

This is stockmanship that can only be gained by experience, although the foundations can easily be laid on one of our pig keeping courses.

Both Carole and I continue to learn more about our pigs every day. It is a never ending journey, one that we enjoy sharing with you all.

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Ensure you lay in more than sufficient feed to tide you over this festive season and into 2012.

Also in cold weather pigs do need more food to help keep them warm, especially if living outside in a single sheet metal ark, which turns into a fridge on frosty nights. If possible keep pigs together so they can cuddle up in one large piggy mass of warmth.

One tip is to put older growing pigs with weaners as the body warmth of the older pigs helps avoid stunting newly weaned piglets in the cold weather. A piggy hot water bottle!