Subject: Re: forage for pigs
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they will eat grubs and worms and snakes too. and supposedly will eat carrion, although I never tried that 
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Subject: Re: forage for pigs
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Low-tannin acorns (probably not a complete list): Quercus agrifolia - Coast Live Oak Q. bicolor - Swamp White Oak Q. kelloggii - California Live Oak Q. macrocarpa - Burr or Mossycup Oak Q. muehlenbergii - Chinquapin, or Yellow Chestnut Oak Q. muehlenbergii x Q. macrocarpa - hybrid sweet acorn Q. chrysolepis - Canyon Live Oak Sue |
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Subject: Re: forage for pigs
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I second the sunchokes. Acorns! Apparently there are some varieties of acorns that have very low tanins. And, supposedly there are places in france where the pigs eat almost nothing but acorns and the hams from those pigs sell for $500 per ham! |
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Subject: Re: forage for pigs
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| jeruselum artichoke (sunchokes) are supposed to be a favorite. | |
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Subject: Re: forage for pigs
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I've heard they like legumes, acorns and other nuts, fallen fruit, sweet potatoes and forage beets. Somewhere, I read that pigs on forage should be moved to a new area each year, and not returned to the original pasture until the third or fourth year. They also need strong, tight fences, and they are good rototillers. And that's all I know about that. Sue |
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Subject: Re: forage for pigs
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nuts including acorns. acorn raised pigs are considered a delicacy from my understanding. we have tons of pecan trees and my daughter and Iwould spend hours collecting pecans to give the pigs. fyi they can be VERY destructive. there are ads on craigslist sometimes with people offering to pay others to come hunt the feral pigs that are destroying their land. it seems because they will eat just about anything they go feral very easily especially here in the south. it takes very few generations for pigs to become 'wild' with the wild characteristics changing such as face shape and coloration. everynow and then you get to see stories of the hogzilla type. (some of which are exagerated of course) which are thought to be pigs that have fairly recently gone feral (generation wise or individually) or crossed with one of our freakish domestic pigs. sorry a little off topic. http://img236.exs.cx/img236/6355/Java.jpg |
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Subject: forage for pigs
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Do I even have to ask? do they like just about everything? I was talking to Cheryl the Pig Lady yesterday, and she says they really like thistle after the frost, they smack on it like gum. Any other faves? |
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