BGFF’s FAQs | Colorado

FAQs

Do you sell pigs?

Yes. We sell pigs of all ages; please contact us for availability.

Are all of your pigs registered with the American Berkshire Association?

Yes. Every single pig on our property is registered.

What age do you wean piglets?

All of our piglets are weaned at 6-8 weeks of age.

Do you sell Berkshire pork?

Yes. Please refer to our store page. We sell halves, wholes, cuts and boxed samplers, currently available in Colorado only. 

What is a gilt, sow, barrow, and boar?

Gilt: A female pig that has never had a litter of piglets.Sow: A female pig with at least one litter of piglets.Barrow: A male pig that has been castrated (no testicles).Boar: A male pig that still has testicles. They are the ones used to breed females and usually aren't suitable for meat consumption. Most of the time, boars have a "musky/urine" smell or taste in their meat. Our boars typically get this smell or taste by the time they are 4 months old. Some people don't mind the flavor, my husband—Kirk, being one of them.

Do you give antibiotics, steroids, or hormones to any of your pigs?

We never give any antibiotics, steroids, or hormones to our market hogs. These are hogs that are meant to be butchered for meat consumption.

Occasionally, we have given antibiotics to our breeding stock in cases like pneumonia, leg injuries, abscesses or difficult gilt/sow deliveries, where we had to help pull piglets.

Do you feed grain to your pigs?

Yes. All of our pigs are fed with wheat and roasted soybean ration every day that we personally grind right here on our farm. They also have access to pasture in the warm months and alfalfa, oat, and wheat bales in the winter months.

How old are your pigs when you begin to breed them?

Our pigs are typically between 8 and 9 months old when we first breed them. At this age, they are  usually over 300 lbs.

Are your pigs nice and social?

Yes. We spend many hours throughout the year with our pigs. They are very social and have excellent dispositions.

Do you vaccinate any of your pigs?

Yes. All of our piglets are given Fostera® Gold PCV MH when they are 5 weeks old, and our breeding females and breeding boars are given Parvo Shield L5E to help ensure bigger, healthier litters.