How to Farm Hogs

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
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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.