Can I have one big happy barnyard family???

naturegurl · #1 05/09/06, 10:51 AM

We are in the process of building a big pasture in our backfield. We want to keep our goats and pigs out there. We are planning to build to seprate pens for the goats and the pigs. We have two goats, a pygmy, and a pigmy crossed with an alpine. We have two 400lb pigs. We are planing to get three more piglets and possibly another pygmy or fainting goat. At the barn that we bought the goats from the goats and the sheep were all in one pen. Can goats and pig mix together as well?

Sarah J · #2 05/09/06, 12:12 PM

I would be concerned about the feed in mixing goats and pigs. Right now mine share a fenceline as I'm having the 70 pound pigs till up my garden for me. But they are on full feed with their grain mix...I just know that my goats would get right into that, stuff themselves sick and bloat to death if I tried it.

But my pigs are also only being raised for slaughter in a few more months. I have ZERO clue as to how to go about feeding adult hogs - do they have free-feed, too? Or are they limited? Can you feed them separately?

The goats and pigs seem more curious about each other than anything else, so I don't think they'd hurt each other. Pigs wouldn't be able to get up into the mineral feeders so that wouldn't be a problem. Yeah - I think the issue would be more toward what the *goats* would get into that the pigs need and they don't...

Have you asked the people where you got them about keeping them altogether? Sounds like they had them mixed - what was their success or failure like?

Sarah

mamahen · #3 05/09/06, 02:27 PM

Seems like I read somewhere a few years ago(I thought on this board or maybe countryside??) of someone keeping pigs & goats together that turned out badly. The goat got it's head stuck & the pig attacked it's hind end while it was stuck. Well, you can imagine the rest

midkiffsjoy · #4 05/09/06, 02:43 PM

I've heard about pigs eating dogs smaller than theyselves all my life, some goats might fit that bill, but that's an issue I've been pondering myself. I've had it with mixed fields. My goats and turkeys share a field right now and they were all fine for a while and now the goats run down the turkeys and the turkeys poo in the goats trough in retaliation. sigh. Can we all just get along? giggle

witchysharon · #5 05/09/06, 03:59 PM

i guess i have the same concerns the others have voiced....and if you get another goat that will be with the pigs, I wouldn't get a fainter. if it faints while the pigs are actively moving around or frightened....well....you can picture what could happen if a 400 pound pig steps on a goat

cjg24 · #6 05/10/06, 09:55 AM

Have you ever read about grass fed pigs? You might want to research it. I know it was very acceptable way to raise hogs in Iowa years ago and has made a come back.

naturegurl · #7 05/10/06, 10:14 AM

I have red a little bit about grass fed pigs on this website, according to another member, they need some grain if you want to raise a pig for butchering. If just feeds on grass, it may take awhile for them to gain weight.

coso · #8 05/10/06, 10:17 AM

Pigs will contaminate a water supply as quick as you can put it out, then the goats won't drink it. You would have to seperate for them to eat, most hogs are just fed grain on the ground, goats won't eat it. You feed some grain to hogs even if they are on pasture. Hogs will tear up anything if you leave them in a place long enough root like crazy under fences etc... They would eat a goat if it got down. They would eat baby goats as they were born if not seperated. My .02 is that it's a bad idea.

eulabes · #9 05/10/06, 10:19 AM

I saw a special on raising grass fed pigs in europe. they say it may take longer to get to a good weight, but, the meat is tastier and less fatty.

just a thought. feeding the thing should be tons cheaper too, eh?

trappmountain · #10 05/10/06, 11:51 AM

I have a pet potbelly and 2 pygmy goats. They were raised together and get along great. But I want to stress the potbelly will never be 400 lbs or more. even at 70 lbs he is very strong. I would be worried about the goats getting hurt. They are all just pets and were gotten as babies and feed seperately. They are in seperate stalls in the barn and get fed only in their stalls. Some cracked corn is brought out to the pasture when they are brought out(works as a bribe to get them in the fence) and spread in different piles so there is no fighting for it. I also keep a higher water bucket and a large water dish placed in different areas for them to drink from. They have accepted the pig as part of the herd and play with him as if he is one of them.