Oh what a litter...

Our fresh new litter of nine piglets are staying snug with mom and doing very well.  Very soon our new mother will have her hands full keeping track of them all and keeping them close.  She's been a great first time mom, making a nice nest for her little ones and leaving the sheltered area where her piglets are only to eat and drink. 

This Duroc/Spot mix mother was bred artificially by Dave in February.  The new litter's father is a full-blooded Tamworth boar named Rusty from Shaffer's Gold Rush, so our new litter is half Tamworth and quarter Duroc and Spot.  We look forward to watching them romp, squeal, and play in the field as they start to venture outside.  This is one of the reasons why I love having all of our animals on pasture instead of inside a stall in the barn.  There's nothing like seeing them run and chase each other, or run after their mother in the field.  Soon they learn how to hide behind and inside the shelters, or in holes dug by the adult pigs rooting around, and ambush their siblings as they run by.  I'm sure they will have us laughing or shaking our heads all summer long.  I just can't imagine all the excitement that will come our way when there are multiple litters running around in the pasture chasing each other.  I have no doubt that they will keep their mothers and us on our toes as we try to contain them. 

There's one more at the bottom of the piggy pile.