# What happens if you don't worm your pigs?



## cARRIE (May 11, 2002)

I've been buying my pigs from a Amish market. I've butchered my pigs 6 different times and nevr wormed mine. What happens if you don't worm them. Mine have been fine. Maybe the Amish do it before I buy them at 8 wks old. Thanks so much cARRIE


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## bumpus (Jul 30, 2003)

If the pigs have all the feed they want it may no mater 
They may have been wormed and maybe not, when you bought them.

You can by a pig wormer that you put in their water at most feed stores.


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## Steve in Ohio (May 10, 2002)

What happens is they don't gain weight as fast,so feed conversion goes down.We shoot for about 1.6-1.8 lbs of gain per day.Also if you use the livers you may see spots,which in my case makes them un-saleable.So we use a wormer that mixes with the feed and use it once when the pigs are about 60-75 lbs.


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## Snowdancer (Sep 23, 2002)

I've never wormed my pigs and each time they are butchered the inspector says he's never seen such nice clean livers.
Of course mine are on pasture and they have a really big area. Plus I clean the area everyday and use plenty of barn lime on all areas where feces was removed.
Each year we rotate pastures so this years pigs are not on last years pastures.
This years go to the processor the last week of Oct, they started out as 22# piglets on June 1 and as of yesterdays measurements they are all at or slightly over 300# each!

I've been raising hogs for 24 yrs now plus my dad -a long time hog farmer never wormed either. Good pasture & housing management wiil work but it is very time consuming.
For those who don't want chemical wormers you can mix Diatomaceous Earth in with their grain.


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## bumpus (Jul 30, 2003)

What is Diatomaceous Earth :?: 

And why ad this earth what does it do.


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## MoBarger (Mar 5, 2003)

DE isused as a preventive wormer for many livestock -- including people! 
"This is a geological deposit made up of the fossilized skeletons and tests of siliceous marine and fresh water organisms, particularly diatoms and other algae. These skeletons are made of hydrated amorphous silica or opal. When crushed, they break up into tiny pieces of glass'' (so tiny that the material feels like talcum powder). This is easily picked up by the hairy bodies of most Insects. whereupon it scratches through their protective wax layers; and they also absorb some of this material. the result being that the insects lose water rapidly . dry up and die Further protection is provided by the powder's property of repelling many insects. A similar principle probably accounts for the fact that birds frequently take dust baths, presumably to rid themselves of parasites. "
from http://www.eap.mcgill.ca/Publications/eap4.htm


Note that there are 2 different kinds -- one that is treated with heat and one that is not. The heat treated folks use in the filters for swimming pools; unheated is used in feed.


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## DMC_OH (Nov 4, 2003)

My last two pigs i didnt worm and turned out ok. But my husband's grandpa gave his pigs coal ( NOT char coal) but just coal and it wormed his pigs and they eat it up like candy. i know because my husband has given some to my pigs and you have to break it up so they can eat it. hit it with a hammer or something. I get mine from my from my land.I am sure you can find it at strip minds. if you have questions please ask me if i dont have the answer i will ask my husband or my father n law I am sure to find an answer.


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## Mike in Pa (May 29, 2002)

I've heard of the coal thing before too ... from a local farmer ... he fed it as additional minerals though. Said they just chomped it right up!


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Digging up an old thread here.. I was just talking to someone the other day as my pig was chomping on an old piece of coal it dug outta the ground. I think someone must have used to dump ashes in the garden area. A neighbor said one person who lived here years ago burned coal. I've found a bunch of it over time digging around the yard.. 

Anyway, he said the coal was a great wormer for pigs.. OK, cool, something natural to use... Next question is, how often and how much would you feed your pig to keep the worm free?


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## gerold (Jul 18, 2011)

My feeders and pigs that will be breeding stock i deworm once at 10-12 weeks old before they are sold. (Ivermectin paste 1.87%) 

Any stock i buy i deworm and keep in the pen and deworm again in 3 weeks. I keep new stock i buy penned for 45 days.

My breeding sows,gilts,boars i deworm every 8 mos.

I have to much invested in my stock to go with guesses. 

Best,
Gerold.


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## Muleman (Nov 8, 2013)

Just something to think about, if you have a vet close by and you have a good relationship with them. You can take fecal samples periodically and worm according to actual parasites present. This is how some people do in other animals. This way you are not worming, just to be worming, and you can also guarantee you are using the right wormer for the particular parasite you have. Just another way to go about it.


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## barnbilder (Jul 1, 2005)

Microscope with a 5, 10 and 40 x lense set and a copy of Veterinary Clinical Parasitology is a much better value than the vet. If worms are present they will shed eggs. If no eggs are present no wormer is needed. Fecal samples are incredibly easy to do. Pretty neat about the coal. I know that in areas with natural crude oil deposits hogs like to wallow in the oil, presumably as an insect repellent. They eat an incredible amount of dirt and minerals if they can get to good ground.


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## Muleman (Nov 8, 2013)

bb, my vet does it for me free. But I do agree if a person has the interest and funds to buy the book and a microscope it would be a good investment. I have the book, always intended to get a microscope, just never have. I am only a few miles to the vet, and have a good relationship with him, so he will run them for free for me.


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## ZEUS (Nov 28, 2014)

Snowdancer said:


> I've never wormed my pigs and each time they are butchered the inspector says he's never seen such nice clean livers.
> 
> Of course mine are on pasture and they have a really big area. Plus I clean the area everyday and use plenty of barn lime on all areas where feces was removed.
> 
> ...



So I can raise say a couple of pigs a year on a one acer pasture like maybe goats? Won't they dig under the fence and get out? Do you keep them in a stall at night? This is very interesting.


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## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

as a matter of course I as the generations before me have always given pigs some coal to eat . as many non chemist farmers have sais "Thars somthin in it they need and it helps em grow " I; also heard that baby piglets will eat the coal and break the neddle teeth off allowing the sow relief to let them nurse more ibelive in both giving a hog a large area to gather natural vitamins and in giving them a shovel of coal along with a couple wormings with commercial wormers ,heck i even will pour a pint of burnt motor oil down its back to prevent lice .and have always had great fast growing pigs i just make sure that in the last couple months of their lives only good clean feed is fed ,and no chemicals wormers are needed .my reward has always been gormeit quality meat returned from the butcher


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

OK.... I revived an old thread here.. .I hope someone reads this part... Everyone is replying to the OP... I knew I should have started a new thread.. 

My question is, using coal for worming.. how much, how often? I do thank you Arnie for your answer.. a shovel full huh? how many pigs are you feeding that to?

I've got a scope.. I can check fecal samples myself.. I am just curious if anyone does use coal, and if so.. amounts?

As far as an area for my pigs, as soon as the rain lets up, I will be expanding my area.. 32x32 feet.. Momma and 3 piglets..


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## Muleman (Nov 8, 2013)

Sorry, simi. I guess I missed it too!! 
I am going with a shovel full for a few!!! 2 shovels if more than a few!!

That seems pretty scientific to me, hope that helps?


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

LOL.. Yep.. Seems pretty accurate and scientific to me... More than I would have thought though... Sounds like you really can't over do.. I was thinking more than a lump or two crushed would be too much..


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## Muleman (Nov 8, 2013)

Honestly, I am kinda interested in a little more info on this myself. I had never heard of it before? Lots of things I have never heard of though? I would assume it is one of those things like a mineral deficiency, where some how the body just knows how much is enough and they will only eat so much and stop?


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

I just found this... Not about using coal for worming, but more about weight gain.. Looks like you wanna avoid soft coal.. 

http://www.journalofanimalscience.org/content/10/2/543.full.pdf


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## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

i don't think the old timers were using the coal as a wormer 'but more as a mineral supplement and like I they often used what they had and hoped for the best modern wormers had not been invented ,kerosene and pine tar were also used as medication on cuts and bruses . most homes in the appilachion area were heated with coal so it was available : mine still is ; and give a hog a shovel of coal and it will eat some all along . pour some used moter oil down their backs and it drowns the lice put a couple rings in there nose and they wont root out under the fence . but ivomec and DE ,work as wormers, as well as an electric wire to keep them from rooting out i have also heard of feeding them a chaw of chewing tobacco as wormer but i haven't tried that


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## Philosaw (Mar 3, 2014)

arnie said:


> as a matter of course I as the generations before me have always given pigs some coal to eat . as many non chemist farmers have sais "Thars somthin in it they need and it helps em grow " I; also heard that baby piglets will eat the coal and break the neddle teeth off allowing the sow relief to let them nurse more ibelive in both giving a hog a large area to gather natural vitamins and in giving them a shovel of coal along with a couple wormings with commercial wormers ,heck i even will pour a pint of burnt motor oil down its back to prevent lice .and have always had great fast growing pigs i just make sure that in the last couple months of their lives only good clean feed is fed ,and no chemicals wormers are needed .my reward has always been gormeit quality meat returned from the butcher



I too use oil on occasion for insect control and general skin health, but I would not use used motor oil as it has carcinogens that may or may not penetrate the skin. New motor oil would be worrisome as well as it is loaded with additives that I can't see being good. If you want to use oil, mineral oil is cheap and does the trick.


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## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

and thank goodness for ivermedicin . cureing the lice and mange troubles . poor men have poor ways as the old saying go's . I in my youth would often see a poor farm dog soaked in burnt or used motor oil to cure it of the mange lice or fleas and the infamous hog oilers are now sold at antquie stores as yard art you are likely correct in leaveing many of those old ways where they belong mutch to the comfort of our livestock yet better not to completely forget these old ways .as they may come in handy one day .


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

I got coal layin around all over the place here, and if I want, I can drive a bit up the road, and there's an exposed seam along the highway... 

I got green crude coming straight outta the ground, and got a couple hundred barrel tanks on my property... I guess I'm all set to do it the old way.. 

The hog farmer I got mine from said he feeds his coal as a wormer, and he's never had any worm issues..


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## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

watch out for a old coal burning stove you could be heating your garage or shop for free to


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Kinda been watching for one Arnie, but I do have an old Batcave stove I was planning to put in there once I get the building built... Nice old wood burning stove with a fan in it.. All my wood is free too... OK.. well.. not exactly.. I still gotta pay my land taxes it comes from.. LOL..


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