New bread of tiny pig perfect for self-sustaining farms

By STEVE BROWN

Capital Press

BOISTFORT, Wash. -- The three American Guinea hogs in Justin McClane's pasture are happy to graze on the grass, and McClane is happy to let them.

"We don't spend a dime to feed them," he said. "We just move the enclosure and give them water."

McClane and Abbie Candib bought the hogs as breeding stock and expect to have the next generation of animals ready for slaughter by next fall. Litters number about 11 to 13, he said.

Raising meat for themselves and for an eventual full-diet CSA is part of their plan, he said. They've also got rabbits and a mixed herd of pigs providing meat alongside their diverse array of potatoes, quinoa and vegetables.

The Guinea hogs fit well into small farmsteads. Feeding primarily on grass, they grow to 250 to 300 pounds, McClane said, with a hanging weight of around 75 pounds.

"Of course they're omnivorous," he said. "We slaughtered the lambs and fed them the guts. They just went nuts."

The animals produce a lot of lard, which is a useful part of any self-sustaining farm.

He said he's not worried about predators because the hogs have "a lot of chutzpah," though they're gentle.

"I've never let myself get close to farm animals," Candib said, "but these are different since we'll be breeding them."

The original stock for the breed was developed through adaptation and crossbreeding with Appalachian English pigs to create an American original, according to the American Guinea Hog Association.

One concern McClane expressed was the difficulty in getting new genetics for the breed.

Kevin Hall, president of American Guinea Hog Association in Jefferson, Iowa, said there are between 11 and 15 foundation animals at the base of the gene pool, "with a thousand animals all kind of related. ... We haven't run into a brick wall genetically."

The national association is working with university researchers on DNA testing, looking for what direction to go in breeding, he said. "Guinea hogs are not related to any other hogs in the world. I don't know that we would want to crossbreed. ... Some of us breeders are trying to preserve the genetics of animals we do have."

In 2000, there were 55 or 56 Guinea hogs in the U.S., Hall said. "Now there are 1,000 in the registry. We're trying to catch up with the panda bears. These hogs are more edible than panda bears, as far as I know."

The website lists dozens of Guinea hog breeders across the country, and prices in its classified ads range from $150 to $350 per animal.

Online

http://guineahogs.org