We asked, and you answered. Ohio farmer Felicia Krock wrote in to tell us all about keeping the Large Black breed of pigs!
There are fewer than 500 registered Large Black hogs
in the United States. We chose this breed for its docile personality. We continue to raise them for their parenting skills.
We keep our animals in family units that consist of a boar and usually one to two sows. We want to allow the parental duties to be shared, and they are.
The boar will stay with the piglets while the sow is out grazing, taking a break or just getting a sip of water. I can’t say enough about their attentiveness to their offspring.
Read more: Considering raising pigs? Hogs are perfect pasture animals for the small farm.
There is a difference in raising the animals on pasture (as we do) and raising them in confined lots. Large Blacks can get lazy and choose not to move around and then they become obese.
We prefer to have our Large Blacks roaming our acreage working the fat throughout their muscles to produce a beautifully micro-marbled meat.
It also keeps them happy and healthy!
—Felicia Krock, Triangle K Ranch, Kenton, Ohio
Tell Us Why You Love Your Breed
Do you have a favorite breed of livestock that you think is the best? Tell us about it. Are Tamworths the best pig to keep? Are Jerseys your pick for a hobby farm cow. Or are Orpingtons the chillest farm chicken?
Email us your thoughts (~250 words) and a photo of you and your livestock to hobbyfarms@hobbyfarms.com (subject line: I Love My Livestock!). We’ll publish our favorites in upcoming issues.
This article originally appeared in the March/April 2022 issue of Hobby Farms magazine.
