Storey's Guide to Raising Pigs

by Klober, Kelly

• ISBN13: 9781635860429
• ISBN10: 1635860423
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2018-12-25
• Publisher: Storey Books

Summary

Stressing the importance of sustainable and environmentally friendly farming practices, farmer Kelly Klober provides expert advice on making any size hog operation more efficient and profitable in Storey’s Guide to Raising Pigs. The most comprehensive book available on the topic, this fourth edition features the most up-to-date practices, illustrated with color photography. Both beginners and experienced farmers will find all the information they need to select, house, care for, breed, and butcher pigs, along with marketing advice.

Author Biography

Kelly Klober is the author of Storey’s Guide to Raising Pigs and has raised purebred hogs on his Missouri farm for almost 40 years. He writes, speaks, and consults on many small-farm topics, including farmers’ markets, breed preservation, chicken health, and sustainable practices.
 

Table of Contents

Preface
 
1 An Introduction to Raising Hogs
Hog-Farming Trends * Modern Pork Production * Hog Myths * Talkin' Hog * Thinking Hogs * Identify Your Markets          

2 Breeds Tried and True       
Choosing Breeding Stock for Small Farms * Modern Swine Breeds * Why Purebred Hogs Instead of Hybrids? * Choose a Breed Type to Match Your Farm * Pigs as Pets
 
3 Raising Hogs for the Family Table 
The Facilities * Essential Equipment * Buying a Pig or Two * Feeding Hogs * Bringing Your Pigs Home * Swine Finishing
 
4 Home Butchering and Pork Processing    
Slaughtering the Hog * Breaking Down the Carcass * Butchering * Putting Away the Pork * Preserving Pork * There’s Pork in This? — Pork Recipes
 
5 Fitting and Showing Hogs              
Showing Market Hogs * Showing Breeding Stock
 
6 The Hog Business               
Running a Manageable Operation * How Many Hogs for Success? * Know Your Market * A Shift in Feeder-Pig Production * Show Pigs * Farrow-to-Finish Production * Finishing Hogs * Breeding-Stock Production * Direct Marketing Your Own Pork * What about Organic? * Contented Hogs * Lean and Green
 
7 Preparing for Your Herd    
The Drylot * The Pasture * Fencing Choices * The Range House * Farrowing Structures * Housing for Sows with Nursing Pigs
 
8 Selecting Breeding Stock               
Shopping for Livestock * Performance Data * Gilt Selection * Boar Selection * Bidding Decisions
 
9 Managing Your Breeding Herd                 
Bringing in the Boar * Bringing in Gilts * Breeding Gilts * What's Best for the Boar * Gestation * Farrowing * The Pig at Birth * Caring for the Newborn Pig * Postfarrowing Sow Care * Care for Nursing Pigs * Weaning * Growout
 
10 Hog Health Care               
A New Vulnerability * Breed Your Way Back to Vigor * A Health-Care Philosophy * Just the Basics * Veterinary Care * Injections * Parasite Control * Swine Ailments and Illnesses
 
11 Managing Your Hog Operation               
Record Keeping * Marketing Hogs * The Hog Industry: Today and Tomorrow
 
12 Day-to-Day Life with Hogs                       
Movin’ Hogs the Easy Way * Managing Information * Do It Right the First Time * Take Time to Scratch Their Ears * Goals * Every Pig Is Precious * Buying at Auction * Hog-Farm Fashion * Hog People
 
Epilogue        
Appendixes
   Hog Anatomy
   Reproductive Information
   Record-Keeping Templates                 
   Sample Calendar Year for the Diversified Small Producer
Resources                     
Glossary                     
Metric Conversion Charts
Index