We often receive questions about how our pigs handle both extreme heat and cold. Recently, my great-nephew Finn from North Carolina told his grandmother he was worried our pigs might freeze. The past two nights dropped to 6 degrees, and the pigs stayed inside their shelters until mid-morning each day. But when several pigs huddle together, shielded from the wind and nestled in two feet of hay, they have a surprisingly cozy place to sleep. Well, cozy by pig standards, at least. I hope the video reassures Finn and others that our pigs are as comfortable in their shelters.
The winter weather has me reminiscing about my childhood days on the farm. Back then, our tractors had no cabs, our boots were leather, and most of our winter clothing was cotton. Spending long hours feeding animals or breaking ice off the pond often left us cold and wet. That’s why I don’t complain now, watering the pigs from the comfort of a cab tractor and dressed in today’s water-resistant clothes and boots.
Hoping everyone is safe and warm this evening.
-Leo
23
2
What do you do when it is 8 degrees outside, and you are waiting for the next round of what they say will be "thunder snow"? If you are Layla, our Australian Shepherd, this is the perfect weather for running and playing. The pigs, on the other hand, have yet to come out of their shelters.
11
Last night, Travis came to the farm to help with the evening chores. With so many huts to fill with hay, filling all the waterers, and feeding the boars, it can be overwhelming to handle alone. Today, the work crew—Andrea, Geof, Cody, and Easton—pitched in as a winter storm approached. We rolled two bales of hay against the north side of each shelter and packed them with two feet of bedding for extra insulation. Jon came over at 9 to check on the pigs. As seen in the photos, the pigs are snuggled in for the night. Although it’s only 12 degrees outside, the shelters feel warm and cozy inside.
The forecast predicts daily high temperatures will remain below freezing until next Saturday. Until then, our priority will be to ensure the pigs have plenty of water and that their shelters remain well-stocked with hay. Earlier today, someone mentioned that livestock don’t need water in cold weather. When animals eat hay instead of fresh forage, they require even more water to prevent dehydration and digestive issues. Please remember to take care of yourself while tending to your livestock. If you’re working alone, always let family members or neighbors know your plans.
-Leo
22
Yesterday, we moved the feeder pigs to a section of the pig pasture that we planted last fall. We also weighed the group. Moving them to the coral was quite an experience, and several team members are a bit sore this morning. The temporary coral and the scale cage worked very well. As you can see in the first photo, it was well after dark when we finished for the night. We love the fact that they walked past their feeder to graze.
This morning, I walked the two big gilts down to their new paddock. Like the feeder pigs, they are excited to have fresh forage to graze (second photo). We will put them in with our boar, Woody, early next month.
Several inches of snow and extreme cold are expected to start this Friday, with lows of -3 degrees on Sunday and Monday. Of course, this all depends on the storm's final path.
-Leo
9
