Iron Age Pigs
Our Iron Age pigs are bred by interbreeding male wild boar with Tamworth/ Gloucester Old Spot cross sow. The young retain a lot of wild boar characteristics and appearance; piglets are born with stripes and when fully grown are dark brown and hairy with long snouts which are highly effective at rooting the ground! Because of the domestic traits in this hybrid the sows tend to be productive, the piglets grow quicker and there is no need for a dangerous wild animals licence.
Our pigs live outdoors all year and the young are raised within their family unit. Iron age pigs can vary in shades of brown but can often look very similar to wild boar, although they tend to have bigger ears, slightly shorter snouts, rounder backends and longer bodies. The piglets are nearly always stripey and the meat is dark and flavoursome. They are a good alternative to wild boar.
Our Ironage pigs never need veterinary attention and thrive in the outdoor environment. Stock fencing with wire mesh is quite sufficient to keep them in, but an electric wire at ‘snout level’, helps to protect the fence from the pigs rooting the ground close to the it.
Originally we bred our Iron Age Pigs to root up the grassy sward and prepare the ground for tree regeneration. This worked well and the pigs were excellent rotavators!
Today we breed Ironage pigs for their tasty meat which we sell from the farm. Our slaughter house is just 15 miles away and once butchered the different cuts of meat are sold frozen.
We always have breeding stock and growers for sale too.
The Iron-age pigs transport well and delivery can be arranged.