About us

Sussex Saddlebacks is a small group of people who have come together to breed and rear rare breed pigs in West Sussex.


The group was set up in 2007 as a social enterprise, with a small number of members (around about 14 families). We come from all walks of life, some with young families and most of us work full time. The work load is shared and we learn new skills all the time – building arks, wiring up an electric fence, showing and handling pigs and much more.

 

                          
                 Cleaning an ark                              Cleaning a water trough                 Some of our children feeding Elsie
 
 
                                                         
                                                      Building a gate                                      Moving pigs  
We operate a rota for feeding and have regular meetings and work days. In return for our hard work we get a share of fantastic free range pork at member’s rates. Most similar groups just raise weaners to supply meat for themselves, but at Sussex Saddlebacks we have chosen to breed our own pigs as we want to contribute to increasing the breeding population of these fantastic animals. We have two sows in our breeding herd.

Our pigs are free range – they are born and live outside and they have permanent access to pasture. They do have lovely straw-filled arks, shade from the sun and wallows to cool down in. We feed them twice a day on good quality pig food, supplemented with fresh fruit and vegetables. Of course they are digging and foraging all day too.

Pigs kept in this way produce pork which is succulent and tasty and makes proper crackling.  We sell a small amount of pork each year, either as whole or half pigs, butchered and packed for the freezer.

 

Our key aims are to:

  • Support the existence of rare breed farm livestock
  • Implement and promote humane animal welfare practice
  • Provide opportunities for knowledge, skills, interests and friendships to develop
  • Promote the involvement of people with learning disabilities