These are our four Berkshire Piglets, exploring the pig pen. When we moved here the area that is now the pig pen was trees and brambles, now its a couple of trees for shade and some sturdy fencing. Because Rock HQ is on a slope, OK steep hill, things are at different levels and flat ground is at a premium. They are a few feet below the garden and have dug deeper, the previous pigs kept undermining the original fence and making a break for freedom. Our son phoned one evening last year asking if the pigs were supposed to be in the lane heading for town. Another time I was sitting in the garden enjoying the sunshine when I realised I was being watched by two escapee pigs who had dug another tunnel and were making the most of the pond facilities. Quite how the fish survived having 250 kgs of pig swimming with them is beyond me.
We are often asked if it is cost effective keeping your own pigs. Simple answer is no. The pigs cost £35 each to buy, probably £130 each to feed, then £25 to £45 to have them killed, depending on the weight and how you want them butchered, not including any tagging costs, transport costs, medicines should the pig get ill, it all adds up to a tidy sum.
I heard a farmer on the radio yesterday saying he lost £23 per pig he sold to supermarkets. Things have to change, the days of cheap food are passing by.
Aside from the cost there is the labour, obviously ours is given free to Rock HQ, but it takes time to train the pigs to run into the back of the van and sit quietly while I drive them to the abattoir. The rewards though are huge, having pigs on the smallholding for me makes it complete, there is something about them. One of these we are going to keep as a breeding sow, so hopefully, Tiny, as she is named will become tame, enjoy our company and be a docile gentle pig. Otherwise she will join the others on the bar b que.
Which is now cooking my supper.
Life's great isn't it!
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