Any one got pigs?

[Nicos]

What breed mudpies?

[Aberdeenplotter]

Found this on another forum, Next Door are keeping Pigs.. - Page 2 - Advice - Digital Spy Forums

"Because of foot and mouth disease you need a licence to keep pigs.

Does your neighbour have a licence - they should have registered the pigs with defra. They can't move them , or sell them without informing defra.

And they could quite easily be prosecuted - if your properties are in close proximety and the smell very strong - for creating an odour nuisance . There was a case recently in my area where a pig owner was prosecuted for excess odour from his piggery."

I'll post anything else I see but I intend checking things out with Defra once I've had a good root around on the net.

[Aberdeenplotter]

see also

Can i keep a pig in my allotment if so what kind? - Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers

[Aberdeenplotter]

now the most informative site I've found Smallholding - getting started in Scotland | Fife Smallholder and as it was updated as recently as 4th February 2012, it's pretty well if not totally up to date.

In Scotland at least, things are very very tightly regulated so far as relating to keeping "farm" animals.

[taff]

I'd imagine you'd have to check French regualtions for keeping pigs, but for general all-purpose keeping info, downsizer is quite good for info.

[Aberdeenplotter]

I'd imagine you'd have to check French regualtions for keeping pigs,

I think that is the bottom line for Nicos Taff

[Nicos]

Yes indeed we will be checking those out

We just want to find out as much as poss about animal husbandry- best conditions poss with least chemical input. ....and of course which are the best breeds for a beginner to start with.

I've spent most of the day gooooogling and picking up tips on fencing,types of supplimentary feed,natural wormers...lots of basic tips which can be applied to either the UK or France.
Then I need to go into more depth about French regulations.

I might yet be able to put myself off the idea- but I hope not!

[Aberdeenplotter]

Stick with it until it's impossible missus. . Although pig muck stinks,the pigs themselves are incredibly clean beasties, are very intelligent and usually very friendly. (Our own muck stinks too ). Keep us posted please.

[taff]

Also, if you can get hold of a pig in a day vid from river cottage, that's quite informative on how to butcher a carcass, and what you can do with it.

[VirginVegGrower]

I doubt there will be lots of silly regulations in France as they seem to be much more into their agriculture there than we are here. On Raymond Blanc's TV programme they had a woman who kept a certain breed of pig for the quality of the pork. I will rewatch it (such hardship) and report back. Packington Pork, near me keep the Tamworths and funnily enough they are between Tamworth and Lichfield. The meat is sublime.

[Hilary B]

If you can find a copy of "the book of the pig" by Susan Hulme, it's great! Probably out of print, but you might find one on a secondhand books website (or ebay). It really does cover everything about pig keeping from the POV of someone going into it as an escapee from the rat-race.
For a non-intensive system you definitely want something off the rare-breeds list. I'd go for Spots in preference to saddlebacks, but most of the older breeds are suitable, If you can get hold of a Cornish Lop, I reckon they are better still, but might be hard to find.
Berkshires make good pork, and are usually placid, but not as placid as the floppy-eared types (they say it's because they can't see as much with their ears flopping over their eyes).