Pig moving, easier said than done

I spent way too much time worrying about the pigs escaping their pen all summer. Apparently once pigs grow accustomed to a place, they are very reluctant to leave it (although they always seemed to be faking us out with their chewing and digging). Why I did not know this before now is a mystery but a lesson learned for my novice pig-raising family. And one we are not likely to ever forget.

Yesterday our friends brought their livestock trailer over to our house to pick up the pigs and bring them to the Cumberland Fair. We purposefully did not fed the pigs breakfast so we could entice them with food to lure them in to the trailer.

L. tried grain.

Then bread rolls.

But no, the pigs were not fooled and refused to get near the trailer.

Then L. tried to coax them out the door with her pig board (white boards are used to direct pigs, which you often see at fair shows since pigs can not wear halters like other livestock).

She couldn't even get them close.

Then L., along with three adults armed with boards, tried to maneuver the pigs out the door.

But the pigs still could not be "coaxed" to leave.

So out came a couple of large, thick pieces of plywood to move around to close off parts of the pen as we worked the pigs toward the trailer.

After a slow start and several nimble escapes, the adults finally made this tactic work for Pulchra. But Titus, the big lazy guy who L. called her "snuggle bug" all summer, showed his true colors. We had a bugger of a time getting him out the door.

Have you ever had a 260 pound pig throw himself at the board you have braced with your arms and legs, and then crack the thick board across them?

No? Well let me tell you, it will leave you with a few bruises and some very sore knees.

After 45 minutes of manhandling and lots of disturbing piggy screaming, we did manage to get them into the trailer and off to the fairgrounds.

Once at the fairgrounds, the pigs required more manhandling to get them OUT of the trailer. But once out, they walked in to their pen without much more trouble (they were likely as exhausted as their human counterparts were).

Everyone was a little worse for the wear (pigs and the Almeida family) but Pulchra and Titus are now settled in to their new temporary home.

Here's a look into the early approach to getting the pigs in to the trailer.



Things started out calm and easy, which is when the above video was shot. But when it became clear that things were going to get ugly, I told G. to put away the camera and pick up a board to help. And trust me, it was better that we didn't get those high-pitched piggy screams on video. They were very disturbing and unsettling. No, it's better that part was not recorded, though I doubt my crew will forget this experience anytime soon.