Pasture Pigs 101: Getting Started With Idaho Pasture Pigs
Learn about feeding, housing, moving, and harvesting Idaho Pasture Pigs!
What is an Idaho Pasture Pig (IPP)?
The Idaho Pasture Pig (IPP) is a unique breed developed by crossing Duroc, Old Berkshire, and Kunekune pigs to create a docile, grazing-friendly pig that thrives on pasture. The breed was introduced in 2012 by Gary and Shelly Farris. Unlike traditional hogs that can root aggressively, IPPs have shorter snouts, allowing them to graze more efficiently without excessive pasture damage.
What is the temperament of an IPP?
Trained IPPs are easy to manage, making them a great choice for small farms looking that desire premium pork production from a medium-size breed. All of our pig are trained to electric wire from birth.
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What is pasture pork like?
IPPs produce high-quality, well-marbled pork with a rich flavor, dark pink color, offering a superior alternative to conventional pork. Their ability to thrive on less grain and more forage makes them a cost-effective option for pasture-based farming.
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What is the average hang weight of an IPP?​
The average hanging weight of an Idaho Pasture Pig (IPP) typically ranges between 180 to 225 pounds. This poundage represents the weight of the carcass after slaughter, prior to butchering into retail cuts. The hanging weight is about 72% of the live weight of the pig.
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Does your IPP need to be registered?
Feeder pigs (individual pigs that are raised for meat) do not need to be registered, but breeder stock should be registered with the Idaho Pasture Pig Registry. Feeder pigs should come from registered stock to ensure that their growth, structure, and temperament are close to the breed standards.
Feeding
As a rule of thumb, feed an Idaho Pasture Pig 1lb/day at 1 month old, 2lb/day at 2 months, 3lb/day at 3 months, and 4lb/day until harvest. I feed soaked peas, a corn-free, soy-free, pasture pig mix, a splash of apple cider vinegar (ACV), diatomaceous earth, and additional minerals (Nexgen 2090) to my pigs. My feed is about 18% protein. Everyone feeds their pigs differently, so there is no need to copy mine, but that information may still be helpful for you as you start out with IPP. I feed my IPP paddocks once per day. Mineral supplements are very important for IPPs. I use Nexgen 2090 as a mineral supplement which I buy online from Tractor Supply. I source ACV from The Honey Store in Fruitland. If my pigs are rooting, I increase their mineral supplement slightly, and it almost always curbs the rooting. I deworm with a garlic protocol about three times per year. I administer 1 oz of garlic powder per day for every 500 lb of live weight. I administer it for a total of 3 days per protocol. If my IPPs are starting to look lean, their hair is not thick and shiny, they're not growing like they should be, or they're getting sick frequently, I administer a garlic deworming protocol. Grandad Farms carries pasture pig feed and offers pickup and delivery options for the Treasure Valley.​
Housing
I build A-frame pig shelters based off of the plans from the IPP registry website. To create shelters that are more visually pleasing and last longer than plywood, I use metal roofing. I extend the frame to match the width of the metal panels so that the metal is not overhanging. Pigs love to rub against every structure in their paddock, so any overhanging metal will be bent and will eventually fall off. In the warm months, I remove the triangle of plywood from the back of the shelter to increase airflow to help them stay cool. I build my shelters on rounded-end 2x4 runners to turn the shelter into a sled. I attach eye bolts so that I can connect a rope handle with carabiners. If you're interested in a mobile pig shelter with metal roofing, and you live in the Treasure Valley, feel free to contact me. My shelters are very mobile, which is conducive to our regular rotations. In the cold months, I add straw to the shelters and make sure that there is always dry bedding.
Moving/Rotating
I keep my pasture pigs on pasture year-round. I utilize the same type of Premier1 electric pig netting for my piglets, sows, boar, and feeders of all sizes. I keep on hand as much netting as my largest paddock so that I can rotate my paddocks. The perimeter of my paddocks are usually 200-300 feet. In the spring and summer, I rotate my paddocks to new pasture every 5-7 days. In the fall and winter, I rotate them to new pasture (snow or no snow) every 10-14 days. In the summer (65 degrees or above), they need a wallow (mud pit) to cool themselves off and detox their bodies. I try to limit the number of wallows in our pasture, so I use a wagon wheel rotation so that I can use 1 wallow per paddock for 4-5 rotations. By the time the temperatures drop below 60 degrees, we fill the wallows with mulch to level out the area.
Harvesting
We send our pigs to the butcher at about 10 months old. We only butcher barrows (castrated males) and gilts (unbred females). A day or two before the butcher date, we park our stock trailer in the paddock and feed them in the trailer until they go to butcher. Feeding them in the trailer makes the loading on butcher day much easier. ​
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If you do not have access to a trailer, but you would still like to outsource the harvest, your best option would be a mobile butcher that comes to your farm for the slaughter and takes the carcass back to their shop for the rest of the process.
I hope that you found this information to be helpful! If you have any suggestions for this page, please contact me at mark@grandadfarms.com.
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Sincerely,
- Mark Ellison
Grandad Farms - your source for non-GMO, corn-free, & soy-free feed
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