Pigs, hogs, swines, piglets, boars, barrows – call them what you like. The fact of the matter is, hogs are one of the best animals you can have on your survival homestead. They don’t take up a lot of space, and they can be a solid meat source in good times and bad.
Pigs are, pound for pound, one of the most difficult livestock species to keep contained. They aren’t quite as nimble as goats, but what they lack in agility they make up for with brute force and relentless determination. Pigs are notorious for putting weak fences to the test, and the ones that they can’t push … Read more
If you’re thinking about bringing a herd or flock of animals onto your homestead, you’ll have a lot of work to do before that day arrives. The biggest job is figuring out how much space they’ll need and if you’ve got enough for them to live comfortably. When it comes to raising pigs, they are … Read more
Pigs are some of the most popular animals raised for meat around the world. A fixture of factory-level farming, there are an increasing number of homesteaders and small farm operations that have taken to raising them, and also in a free-range setting. Free-range pigs tend to be happier and healthier, and yield pork of far … Read more
Keeping animals on your homestead safely and efficiently is mostly a matter of keeping them contained. With very few exceptions, if your animals aren’t properly housed, they will wander off and get into trouble, get hurt, or get lost. Different livestock require different approaches, and so when it comes to pigs specifically, you’ll have your … Read more
When you imagine a tough, self-sufficient animal, what do you think of? If you said “pigs,” you and I are of the same mind. Pigs have always struck me as animals with incredible perseverance and hardiness. But, what you might not know is that pigs are actually pretty sensitive to their environment, specifically weather conditions. … Read more
If you’re raising any animal to slaughter for meat, you already know that timing is everything. This is especially true for pigs. From birth and farrowing to final finishing, you need your pigs to pack on the pounds and be ready for market by a certain age if you want to maximize profits and also … Read more
More than any other livestock species, pigs eat the widest array of foods. Their reputation precedes them, I guess: they can eat nearly anything, including meat, fruits, and all sorts of vegetables. But even though pigs will eat nearly anything, there’re still a few things out there that they shouldn’t have, or they should have … Read more
Pigs are a study in contrast. The great thing about them is that they have such a varied diet they are easy to feed compared to other kinds of livestock that are strictly herbivores. Plus, it’s always in your best interest to feed pigs enough food so they grow big and grow quickly. Not difficult, … Read more
Pigs are omnivores, and among all of the common livestock animals, they certainly have the most wide-ranging diet. They eat meat, grains, dairy products, fruit, and of course vegetables. Vegetables actually play a pretty important role in the diet of most domestic pigs, but despite the big appetites they can’t eat quite every veggie there … Read more
Pigs need the right kind of diet if they’re going to grow quickly and stay healthy. But sometimes, it’s good to give your pigs a special treat. Something that will make them feel good, keep them happy, and give them a little bit of energy. And as you know already, they can eat all sorts … Read more
I think it’s time for everyone to come clean. One of the great temptations in life is giving your pets and other animals under your care a treat that they just shouldn’t have. Maybe it’s something really good that will upset their stomach. Maybe it’s just too rich and fattening for them. Whatever the animal, … Read more
If you’re thinking about getting some pigs of your own, you need to know that they typically enjoy a highly varied diet. And if you’ve kept a herd for any length of time, you knew that already! Pigs really do eat just about anything and everything, and that naturally includes a big variety of fruits … Read more
I don’t care what anyone says: there is no more delicious food on Earth than peanut butter. It’s a little sweet, a little savory and absolutely filling. It also happens to be surprisingly nutritious! So, there’s no contest that peanut butter is the ultimate food for people, so says I, but is it okay for … Read more
Did you know that pigs eat meat? It’s true, they do, and though they aren’t purely carnivores like some other animals pigs really like to tuck into any meat they can get. And, believe it or not, pigs have even been known to eat bones. I mean eat them entirely, not just gnaw on them! … Read more
Much of the time, fruit isn’t something that our pigs should have on a regular basis. Though pigs are omnivores and can eat almost anything, fruit, despite being natural and healthy, is a bit too sugary for them to eat all the time. Nonetheless, it can still make a great treat for them or a … Read more
Out of all the different livestock species people commonly keep, I think there’s no question that pigs enjoy the most varied diet of them all. They get all different kinds of feed, grains, meat, and of course fruits and veggies. And speaking of fruit, you’ll often hear folks caution against giving livestock citrus fruits in … Read more