Pigs in woodland and on pasture

In short

• Turning pigs loose in the woods is, in most cases, not allowed today or very risky. First ask the vet and the woodland owner or manager.
• If disease restrictions (for example for ASF) are ever declared, keeping pigs outdoors can be banned outright. Check.
• The safer route: your own fenced land with oaks, grass or clover, with a fence wild boar and feral hogs can't cross.
• Acorns are good energy but low in protein: give grazing, peas or soya meal and a premix with them.
• Pigs that root and feed in woodland pick up Trichinella more easily: always have the meat tested.
• Rotate the run; every section rests for at least a season, better a year, with a crop sown on it.

What's inside

Chapters

1. Woodland, pasture or a run: what's possible today
2. Pannage then and now
3. Rules and permissions
4. Biosecurity on pasture and in woodland
5. Acorns as feed
6. Grazing and clover
7. A rotated run: pigs as a plough
8. Fencing, shelter and water on pasture
9. Parasites and soil on the run
10. A year on pasture
11. Common mistakes
12. Printable checklist

Worksheets

• Permissions and questions
• Grazing, acorn and run calculator
• Run rotation plan
• Grazing and pannage log
• Biosecurity on pasture and fencing costs
• Grazing and pannage calendar