How to Farm Hogs

Using high quality feed and providing hogs room to exercise results in lean pork.

The goal when farming hogs is to raise lean and tender pork. Decreasing fat on hogs makes pork a healthier choice for consumers, thus increasing sales. The younger the hog is when butchered, the more tender the meat. Using high quality feed and providing hogs room to exercise results in lean pork. Choosing the right method for you to raise hogs will depend on your farm acreage, number of hogs, USDA compliance, and whether or not you want the pork to be organic.

Things You'll Need

• Shelter
• Safe pasture or rooting area
• High quality feed
• Nipple waterers
• Hog feeder
• Large animal veterinarian

Instructions

1. Build or provide well-ventilated shelter for the hogs. If you are raising few hogs or have sufficient acreage, portable housing like hooped shelters made of arched metal frames, and a fencing system will work best. A large hog operation requires a ventilation and manure removal system. Separate housing is necessary for boars, gestating and mating sows; sows with litters, weaned, growing and finishing hogs.

2. Install a watering system. Nipple waterers prevent manure and other debris from entering the water system. Keep fresh water available all the time for maximum growth and healthy hogs.

3. Provide large hog feeders that allow 360-degree access to high-protein feed to reduce fighting and injury. Most hog feed is soy-meal based providing high protein content. Constant access to feed is necessary for optimal growth. If the feeder is kept in an outdoor pasture provide a cover to prevent feed loss from rain.

4. Keep fresh litter in the housing to reduce odor. Keep the hogs clean, healthy and allow hogs to root. Hogs with pasture and portable housing may not need litter unless the weather is cold, or if you have a sow nursing a litter.

5. Ask your local large animal veterinarian about necessary inoculations, shipping vaccine for finished hogs, trimming the needle teeth and castrating new litters. Trimming needle teeth and castrating before 24-hours old causes the least stress on piglets and sows.

Tips & Warnings

• Hogs cannot reach their entire body to clean themselves that is why they root in mud.

• Baby pigs require an iron supplement to grow.

• Hogs do not sweat but are cooled by panting, rolling in mud, fans, or air conditioning.

• USDA prohibits use of treated lumber for certified organic hogs in their housing or fencing as hogs may ingest the material.

References

• The Ohio State University Bulletin: Tri-State Swine Nutrition Guide
• Rodale Institute: THE NEW FARM ARCHIVES: Whole-Hog Housing
• Land Stewardship Project: Hog heaven
• National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service: Organic Matters: Considerations in Organic Hog Production
• Country Horizons: Hog Supplies
• Virginia Cooperative Extension: Provision of Water for Swine

Resources

• National Hog Farmer: Curbing Protein Cuts Smell
• Agriculture and Consumer Protection: PROTEIN SOURCES FOR THE ANIMAL FEED INDUSTRY
• Farm Industry News: High-rise house for hogs
• Ohio State University: Basic Show Pig Feeding and Care
• Pork Be Inspired