If you’re raising farm animals, then you might be thinking about adding more to your homestead sometime soon. If you’re already raising pigs, then you might think that sheep will be a good addition.
You can benefit a lot from raising sheep and it makes sense to want some of these animals on your farm. Some people want to be able to raise certain types of animals together to save on space, though.
Are you wondering whether or not pigs and sheep can live together? If you decided to try this, would it present a problem?
Keep reading to learn about whether pigs and sheep can live together. You’ll be able to make a good decision once you have all of the facts.
Pigs and Sheep Need Separate Living Spaces
You shouldn’t be putting your pigs and sheep together because it likely wouldn’t go well. This doesn’t mean that pigs and sheep can’t interact at all, but they should have separate living spaces.
Pigs are omnivores while sheep are herbivores. Depending on the situation, it’s possible that a pig could wind up hurting a sheep.
These two animals also have very different requirements when it comes to what they eat and how they act. Pigs need a muddy area where they can wallow while sheep are going to eat lots of grass.
If you don’t have a lot of space, then you’re still going to want to try to keep the pigs separate from the sheep. Also, it’s never a good idea to introduce a new animal to the farm too quickly.
The pigs and sheep might be able to interact a bit and things will be fine, but you should introduce the new animal slowly. It’s also likely best to supervise interactions to see how things are going.
Your pigs might be mild-mannered and won’t want to hurt the sheep, but this doesn’t take away the fact that animals have instincts. An aggressive sheep could wind up getting hurt by a pig.
Remember That Both Sheep and Pigs Can Be Territorial
It’s also important to consider the fact that sheep and pigs can be very territorial at times. There might be situations where pigs will think that their territory is being encroached upon and they might choose to fight with the sheep.
Sheep can get aggressive under certain circumstances as well. This is why it’s really best to have pigs and sheep in their own areas.
You could raise pigs and sheep side by side and likely have very few problems. It’s just going to be best to have defined spaces for each type of animal so that you don’t have to worry about fighting.
After all, it’d be a shame to lose an animal due to injuries from fighting. There are many situations where fights can break out due to differences between the two animal types.
For example, sheep sometimes try to play by headbutting other sheep. A sheep might decide to do this to a pig, but it’ll see it as a provocation and will start fighting the sheep.
Grazing Sheep and Pigs Together
If you really want to graze sheep and pigs together, then you need to approach things the right way. It might be better to graze them in separate areas, but it can work out if you do things properly.
The trick to finding success is to ensure that there’s enough space. If the space is too small, then it simply won’t work out.
Pigs need to be able to wallow and do what they want to do without destroying everything for the sheep. This means that you’ll need a wide field in order to make things work out.
It’ll be a good idea to graze near a wooded area where the pigs can root around. They like rooting near spots such as this and they also enjoy the shade that the trees provide.
Sheep will be more interested in just eating grass and wide-open spaces. Of course, you’ll need fences to keep the animals in the grazing area as well.
Many farmers graze sheep and pigs together successfully, but you’ll likely want to avoid doing this if you don’t have a lot of space. If they have to graze too close to each other, then it could lead to confrontations.
Final Thoughts
You know a lot more about why sheep and pigs shouldn’t live in the same space. If you’re going to make this work on your property, then you need to ensure that the pigs and sheep have their own living spaces.
Pigs and sheep shouldn’t be sleeping in the same place at night. They need their own areas where they can do what they need to do without coming into conflict with one another.
If you make the mistake of keeping the pigs and sheep in the same spot, then you’re going to see the animals fight with each other. Both pigs and sheep can be territorial for different reasons, and you don’t want your farm animals getting hurt.
Pigs and sheep are very different and they have different requirements. Even grazing the animals together needs to be approached with the right mindset or things won’t work out.
Sheep need grassy areas where they can eat the grass without being disturbed. Pigs like to root around and they need a spot where they can wallow.
If you don’t have a big enough grazing location, then the pigs might ruin the grazing experience for the sheep. Grazing pigs and sheep together will be fine, but they need separate areas that will meet their specific needs.
Before you add a new animal to your property, it’s important to see if you have enough room to house them. If you don’t, then you’ll need to wait until you find a way to expand your property or you won’t have a good time.
Hopefully, this answers all of your questions about pigs and sheep living together. You can raise these animals side by side so long as they have their own spaces and fenced areas, but they shouldn’t be living in the same pen.
I have a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When I’m not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, I’m at home with my wife, two daughters and a dog. Outside of family, I love grilling and barbequing on my Big Green Egg and working on projects around the house. Growing up, I had pet dogs, cats, deer, sugar gliders, chinchillas, a bird, chickens, fish, and a goat.