Business Is Booming For Pastured Pig Breed
Idaho Pasture Pigs (IPP) are reproducing all over the place, with nearly 60 purebred breeders in 28 states. The breed got its start in 2007 and was featured in FARM SHOW (Vol. 36, No. 5) as the perfect pasture pig breed. Founders Shelly and Gary Farris passed the torch to Dave and Jodi Cronauer, breeders and keepers of the breed registry.
“We’ve been raising Idaho Pasture Pigs since 2012,” says Dave Cronauer, White Bison Farm. “We bought some breeding stock early on, then some more, and when Shelly announced they were selling out, we went all in.”
Currently the Cronauers have around 600 head, including all 25 registered sow lines and 12 registered boar lines. The IPP breed combines the meat quality and growth rates of Duroc and Berkshires with the Kunekune snout and good nature. They have erect ears, compact bodies and a good layer of fat for tasty meat, reaching market weight of 240 to 250 lb. in 5 1/2 to 7 months.
“The sows make spectacular mothers, weaning about 8 piglets per litter,” says Cronauer. “They are docile around us, but very protective against predators. We have eagles, wolves, bears, and coyotes in our area but zero predator issues.”
Having spread from Idaho west to Washington state, east to Maine and from Texas to Wisconsin, the IPP have proven to be weather tolerant. Farming in northern Wisconsin, Cronauer farrows everything in A-frame shelters on pasture, even in winter with no supplemental heat. When not used for farrowing, the A-frames provide year-round shelter, including in the dead of winter when Cronauer adds straw bedding.
Other facilities are minimal as he uses rubber troughs for daily watering. The pigs are on fresh grass, shifting to alfalfa/clover/grass hay in the winter.
The IPP were designed to graze with their upturned Kunekune snout. Cronauer reports that his pig paddocks look like they were grazed by horses or bison. In addition to the fodder, he supplements the pasture with about 1 1/2 lbs. of grain per day in a mixed ration with minerals such as selenium. Cronauer suggests that adequate minerals reduce the pigs’ urge to root in the dirt. That said, he recognizes that pigs do get benefits from some rooting. In the winter he warms buckets of dirt he has stored for piglets born on frozen ground.
Cronauer sells breeding stock as well as feeder pigs and pork. As the breed is still developing, only about 10 percent of pigs littered make the cut for breeding status.
“We sell feeder pigs at about 30 lbs., usually 4 to 5 weeks old for about $125 each,” he says. “Our pigs usually go to market at 9 to 10 months after birth. Registered breeding pairs sell for about $800, while a gilt is priced at about $500 and a boar at $400. On occasion, we have bred gilts available for $1,500 each.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Idaho Pasture Pig Registry, White Bison Farm, 5711 Karls Lane, Laona, Wis. 54541 (ph 715 674-2287; idahopasturepigregistry@yahoo.com; www.whitebisonfarm.com; www.idahopasturepigregistry.com).
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Business Is Booming For Pastured Pig Breed HOG EQUIPMENT & IDEAS Idaho Pasture Pigs IPP are reproducing all over the place with nearly 60 purebred breeders in 28 states The breed got its start in 2007 and was featured in FARM SHOW Vol 36 No 5 as the perfect pasture pig breed Founders Shelly and Gary Farris passed the torch to Dave and Jodi Cronauer breeders and keepers of the breed registry “We’ve been raising Idaho Pasture Pigs since 2012 ” says Dave Cronauer White Bison Farm “We bought some breeding stock early on then some more and when Shelly announced they were selling out we went all in ” Currently the Cronauers have around 600 head including all 25 registered sow lines and 12 registered boar lines The IPP breed combines the meat quality and growth rates of Duroc and Berkshires with the Kunekune snout and good nature They have erect ears compact bodies and a good layer of fat for tasty meat reaching market weight of 240 to 250 lb in 5 1/2 to 7 months “The sows make spectacular mothers weaning about 8 piglets per litter ” says Cronauer “They are docile around us but very protective against predators We have eagles wolves bears and coyotes in our area but zero predator issues ” Having spread from Idaho west to Washington state east to Maine and from Texas to Wisconsin the IPP have proven to be weather tolerant Farming in northern Wisconsin Cronauer farrows everything in A-frame shelters on pasture even in winter with no supplemental heat When not used for farrowing the A-frames provide year-round shelter including in the dead of winter when Cronauer adds straw bedding Other facilities are minimal as he uses rubber troughs for daily watering The pigs are on fresh grass shifting to alfalfa/clover/grass hay in the winter The IPP were designed to graze with their upturned Kunekune snout Cronauer reports that his pig paddocks look like they were grazed by horses or bison In addition to the fodder he supplements the pasture with about 1 1/2 lbs of grain per day in a mixed ration with minerals such as selenium Cronauer suggests that adequate minerals reduce the pigs’ urge to root in the dirt That said he recognizes that pigs do get benefits from some rooting In the winter he warms buckets of dirt he has stored for piglets born on frozen ground Cronauer sells breeding stock as well as feeder pigs and pork As the breed is still developing only about 10 percent of pigs littered make the cut for breeding status “We sell feeder pigs at about 30 lbs usually 4 to 5 weeks old for about $125 each ” he says “Our pigs usually go to market at 9 to 10 months after birth Registered breeding pairs sell for about $800 while a gilt is priced at about $500 and a boar at $400 On occasion we have bred gilts available for $1 500 each ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Idaho Pasture Pig Registry White Bison Farm 5711 Karls Lane Laona Wis 54541 ph 715 674-2287; idahopasturepigregistry@yahoo com; www whitebisonfarm com; www idahopasturepigregistry com
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