Pigs
🐖 Pigs
Animal Care Card
Source of: Lard, Pork Broth, Lean Muscle Meat, Collagen-rich Skin
Space Requirements
- Can be raised in smaller woodland paddocks — 200–500 sq ft per pig minimum in a rotational system
- Natural forest foragers, not pasture grazers — they thrive in wooded areas with browse, roots, and mast (acorns, chestnuts)
- Rotational paddocks with electric fencing allow land recovery and prevent soil compaction
Diet
- Omnivores — thrive on food scraps, garden waste, acorns, windfall apples, and surplus dairy (whey, skim milk)
- A base of non-GMO hog feed (16% protein) supplemented with kitchen scraps and forage produces the best lard quality
- Avoid feeding raw meat or pork products to prevent disease transmission
- Free access to loose minerals and fresh water at all times
Water
- Automatic nipple waterers are strongly preferred — pigs will immediately convert open troughs into mud wallows
- 2–3 gallons per pig per day (more in hot weather)
- Lactating sows require 5+ gallons per day
Shelter
- Deeply bedded stalls or A-frame huts with straw or wood chips — pigs build impressive nests
- Protected from drafts, especially for piglets and sows with litters
- Summer Critical: Pigs do not sweat. They require mud wallows, shade trees, or sprinklers to prevent heatstroke above 85°F / 30°C
Health & Routine Care
- Hoof trimming as needed (varies by individual and terrain)
- Worming: use fecal egg count testing rather than routine calendar dosing
- Tusk trimming for mature boars every 6–12 months
- Monitor body condition — ribs should not be visible, but a spine should be slightly palpable
💡 Pro Tip for Quality Lard: The fat profile of a pig is almost entirely determined by its final diet. Pigs finished on acorns, surplus dairy whey, and windfall apples produce exceptionally clean, hard lard that is high in Vitamin D and monounsaturated fat — superior in every way to commodity lard from grain-fed confinement hogs.