Looking After Pigs

I have three potbellied pigs in my small smallholding: Dotty, Dolly and Huxley. They are much smaller than your average pig, but they are full of character. Dotty, in particular, loves her bed, and she takes great care keeping her ark tidy, filling it with straw and keeping it clean. I would go as far as to say that she enjoys her bed almost as much as she enjoys her food!

Pigs like to root about for their food, so I try to replicate how they would feed in the wild as much as possible, opting to scatter food rather than place it in feed bowls. In the winter months, when there is snow on the ground, this isn’t always possible, and the pigs like to eat quickly and get back into their arks; however, during the summer months, rooting for food is fun and stimulating for them as well as giving them an opportunity to exercise. In addition to the specialist feed that I give them, I also like to introduce variety in the form of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Hot summer days can be especially problematic for pigs, who are susceptible to heat stress. Pigs do not have functional sweat glands, and they only sweat through the tip of their snout, so it is essential that they are provided with either a natural or artificial ‘wallow’.

Rolling in mud provides the pig with some protection against sunburn, and the evaporation process of either water or mud on the body helps them to cool down.

Make sure you provide plenty of fresh water for your pigs to drink, and don’t be surprised if they climb into the water bowl to cool down on hot sunny days! Using sprinklers and having access to cool surfaces for them to lie on can also be effective ways of keeping pigs cool during the summer months. Watch for signs of heat stress, which might include a lack of appetite, increased panting, or an excessive increase in water intake, and act accordingly.

Adding fruit and vegetables to ice blocks or shallow trays of water is a great way to provide entertainment while helping the pigs cool down.

There are several things you can do to ensure pigs are kept comfortable in the summer months.
Provide shelter from the sun
Provide mud/water holes for the pig to wallow
Provide cool surfaces for them to lie on
Provide plenty of fresh water in several locations around the paddock
Introduce fresh fruit and vegetables to their diet to ensure they are getting all the minerals they need if their appetite wanes
Alter feed times accordingly; for example, try to feed early morning and later in the evening when the sun isn’t as hot
Make sure arks or other housing are adequately ventilated