bobm
Garden Master
While these Idaho Pasture Pigs sound good to breed / raise, but do they pencil out for total cost of production ( purchase of breeding stock, their feed , housing, management, labor,Vet., medication, depreciation, prorated costs of land, power, water, etc, and TIME ) of a home raised pork chop, ham, or bacon compared to buying a piglet and growing it out to butcher size ? Most of the smaller barnyard anmals ( be it beef, dairy cows, sheep, goats,pigs, etc. do NOT pencil out compared to the standard production sizes. The only ones making any money of a new specialized farm animal is the original developer/ producer who sells breeding stock to anyone that he/ she can convince to buy their new stock. But try to follow their leed and see what happens. If and when you fail to sell any of your produce even close to what you paid for your original breeding stock ...any local auction will sell them at a discount from what a standard bred would bring. Or eat that pig and the cost of that bacon will be quite high. Sharpen your pencil and see for yourself.