Pigs
We added piglets to our farm in 2004 as temporary residents. We refer to them as "temporary" because they are only here for about six months. We purchase Tamworth piglets at weaning from a farmer who raises them without antibiotics or vaccines, and we raise them on pasture until they weigh about 200 pounds, at which point they are sent to the processor to become pork.
We chose Tamworths because they are a rare breed of pig from England and are noted for their delicious pork. They are also an old-fashioned breed that is considered “unimproved” by modern livestock standards. That means it does well on pasture, although it does not gain weight as fast as modern breeds.
Our pigs are never given vaccines or other medications, and we have never had a pig get sick. If a pig did ever become ill, we would provide it with appropriate care. They can eat as much grass as they want, because they are kept on pasture, and if they root up all the grass, we provide them with hay. Of course, they have a shelter so they can get out of the sun and the wind when they want. In the fall, we provide them with acorns from our burr oak trees, which they love. They are also fed conventionally-grown corn and/or oats -- organic when we can purchase it locally -- fresh milk from our goats, eggs from our chickens, and scraps from our kitchen. However, they are NEVER fed pork or any food that contains artificial ingredients. Depending upon the season, they may also eat a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables from our orchard or garden.