Idaho Pasture Pig FAQ

There are several reasons why the Idaho Pasture Pig has been received so warmly by many farms and the homesteading community. Listed here are some simple facts about this pig breed that will shed some light on why it’s been so popular today.



What do you do with pasture pigs in the winter?

In the colder months, we often fill their shelters full of hay bedding to keep them warm and have something to snack on. They like hay almost as much as they enjoy fresh green grasses and mud holes in summer. Three to four full grown Idaho pasture pigs fit very comfortably in our custom built A-frame shelters where they remain warm and cozy even during the coldest of winter's nights. Do to the fat layer pigs have, they actually do better in Winter's cold then Summer's heat. The A-frame shelters we build not only protect them from cold winter winds but also the burning hot sun of Summer if they are in open pasture with no shade trees.


Do IPPs dig large craters like other pigs?

Idaho pasture pigs have gained popularity across the country do to there “grazing nature,” and ability to thrive on little more than grass and yet still provide delicious marbled pork surrounded by beautiful white lard. Their short upturned snouts make them better grazers and less prone to rooting large holes than other breeds of swine. They truly enjoy eating grass. If your IPP is making large holes in the pasture it typically means it is lacking something it requires in it's diet. Usually a mineral or two depending on where you live.


How big does the IPP grow to?

Idaho Pasture Pig boars mature to about 350 to 450 pounds. Sows to about 250 to 350 pounds. With a diet consisting primarily of grass, the pigs will mature to a butcher weight of about 225 to 250 pounds in approximately 10 months. Altho their mature weight is less than many other breeds they still grow just as quickly to butcher weight as most breeds of swine. Litters grown out durring Spring and Summer cost less to raise than other breeds that are only grain feed.


How many piglets do Idaho Pasture Pigs have?

The average litter size for an IPP gilt (first-time mom) is five to seven with the average litter size of a full grown sow is eight to ten piglets.


How long does it take to grow out an IPP to butcher size?

Feeders can be ready to harvest in as little as 8-10 months, weighting from 250-300 pounds.


How many litters do Idaho Pasture Piggs have per year?

The IPP is the same as other breeds of swine. They are very productive breeders. Pregnancies last just under four months. So a female IPP can have 2 to 3 litters in a one year period and each litter consists of 5 to 10 piglets. You want to time your breedings so farrowing ocures in early Spring so there is pleanty of grasses available for the weaner pigs in your pastures.


What breeds did the Idaho Pasture Pig come from?

The IPP comprises the Duroc, Kunekune and Berkshire pig breeds. The Idaho Pasture Pig was developed with one primary goal, to becoming a “true” grazing pig that will mature to butchering size in 8 to 10 months. See: Idaho pasture pig genetic background


Are IPP sows good mothers?

IPP sows have great maternal instincts. First time moms can typical produce a litter with six or seven piglets. That number increases to 8 – 10 piglets as the sow matures. These smaller litter sizes are actually a bit of an advantage. The sows aren’t as depleted as other breeds are with larger litter sizes. They don't have any special requirements when pregnant. Idaho Pasture pig sows don’t need creep feeders or farrowing crates to protect their young. They are simply good moms. Unlike most other pig breeds, IPP sows are gentler and friendly by nature. You can actually get close and take care of them when they are farrowing. When the pigglies come to you to play and investigate, mom doesn't mind unless you make them squeal. Then she will "charge" to the rescue.


Does the Idaho Pasture Pig only eat grass?

The Idaho Pasture Pig's diet is primarily grass, but all pigs need lysine, which can only be found in grains. Because of that, the IPP is not 100% grass fed. Only 10% to 20% of the pig’s overall diet needs to be made up of the minerals and grains that their bodies require.


What is a good setup for raising Idaho Pasture Pig on grass?

We like rotational grazing. Moving the pigs to mostly grass paddocks during Spring and early Summer. Then onto silvopasture during the heat of Summer. Back to grass in the Fall to finish out before butchering. Breeding sows and bores go back to silvopasture in the late Fall and Winter to forage for nuts, grubs, berries and fruit. We feed extra grain during the cold winter months until the grasses begin growing again in Spring. Rotational grazing gives the land a rest. It’s good to have the ground disturbed but not over grazed. In addition to supporting the overall health and well being of my pigs (and other animals) through diverse forage, this system also provides an economic incentive. More diverse food sources reduce the feed bill and also provide food in lean times, as tree-based systems can buffer better against long-term drought or even excessive rains. Grasses grow on a bell curve, they often peak in early summer and production is lower during July and August. Rotational grazing is also beneficial in the managing of parasites.

Also see: Idaho pasture pig genetic background

Pig Terminology and Defanitions

IPP: Is an abbreviation for “Idaho Pasture Pig”.

Idaho Pasture Pig: A breed of pig established from the combination of the Kunekune, Duroc and Berkshire to develop true pasture grazing tarts.

Hog: The primary definition of a hog is "domesticated pig" raised on a farm. It sometimes refers to wild swine, including feral pigs and warthogs.

Hanging weight: Weight of a pig after the carcass has been cleaned and either scalded or skinned and gutted. Head can be left on or off depending on the butcher and how the animal was dispatched. Typically hanging weight (sometimes referred to as wet weight) is 72% of the live weight.

Live weight: Weight of the pig on the hoof, meaning pig is weight alive.

Barrow: A male pig castrated before puberty.

Gilt: A female pig that has not produced a litter of piglets yet or is being grow out as a finishisher or feeder pig to butcher.

Boar: An intact male pig, over the age of six months typically used for breeding.

Stag: A male pig castrated later in life, an older boar after castration.

Sow: A female pig that has given birth.

Suckling pig: These are piglets that are still nursing but are culled early in order to provide one whole small meal, typically for special occasions. Many pig farmers will use this practice for runts of the litter in order to save money on feed and only grow out the best of the litters.

Sounder: A sounder is a herd of feral hogs primarily comprised of one or more adult sows and one or multiple generations of offspring. A sounder is the primary social unit among feral hogs. One or more mature boars will spend time with a sounder when trying to mate with a sow but then will move on searching for another sow.

Piglet: A newborn or very young pig also referred to as a shoat.

Shoat: A young hog and especially one that has been weaned.

Litter: A group of young newborn pigs is called a litter.

Farrowing: The word farrow means to give birth to piglets.

Swine: Any stout, cloven-hoofed artiodactyl of the Old World family Suidae, having a thick hide sparsely covered with coarse hair, a disk like snout, and an often short, tasseled tail. Now having worldwide distribution and hunted or domestically raised for its meat and other products.

Suidae: A family of non-ruminant artiodactylous mammals consisting of the wild and domestic swine but in modern classifications excluding the peccaries.

Weaner pig: A pig that is currently weaned from the sow, weaning can be done at various ages according to farmer’s preferences, anywhere from 4-8 weeks typically.

Warthog: An African wild swine, Phacochoerus aethiopicus, having large tusks and warty protuberances on the face.

Wild boar: A wild Old World swine, Sus scrofa, from which most of the domestic hogs are believed to be derived.

IPP Babies	Nursing IPP Piggies