My happy pigs live a blissful life here on the edge of the Cheviots with mixed woodland for our sows and boar to roam about in.
When the sows are ready to ‘farrow’ or give birth they are brought in to the barn to make their nests. Once they are big enough not to squeeze through the fences, the piglets are let out into the runs to trot around happily in the grass, rootling about and feeding from their mother until weaning at around two to three months old.
The pigs are finished on home-grown wheat, barley and lupins which are grown to provide protein. With such a natural approach to rearing, the sows produce around two litters per year with around eight piglets. Much less than intensively reared commercial pigs who are usually only around 12 weeks old when mature.
There’s such a stark difference in quality of life compared to intensively reared pigs that it’s really worthwhile buying happy pig if you can and you can’t get much happier than ours!