What does a healthy pig look like?
A healthy pig is alert and curious, comes to feed eagerly, breathes quietly and has a clean, smooth skin. Its eyes are clear, its droppings are formed and it moves without stiffness. Pigs in a group tend to rest together and get up together.
Watch the group before you enter the pen. One pig lying apart, refusing feed or breathing hard is giving you information. Write down what normal looks like for each animal, including appetite, energy and weight gain.
Weather matters to this picture. A pig that is panting in heat or shivering in cold may be reacting to housing, not illness, so check shelter first and then check the animal. Young pigs and pigs recently moved are most likely to show trouble, so give them extra attention in their first weeks.
Which warning signs need a call to the vet?
Call for a pig that refuses feed, has a fever you can feel, coughs, breathes with effort, has watery or bloody droppings, limps, shows skin lesions, vomits, seems dizzy or is found down. Many diseases share signs, so only testing can tell them apart.
Sudden deaths, or several sick animals at once, are urgent. Do not move animals or visit other farms until you have talked with your vet. Do not give any medicine, injections or home remedies unless a veterinarian directs you.
Keep your vet's after-hours number near the pen, and keep a clean, separate space ready to isolate a sick pig.
- Off feed or very quiet
- Cough or hard breathing
- Diarrhea or vomiting
- Lameness or swollen joints
- Skin sores or unusual color
- Several animals sick together
How does biosecurity protect a small group?
Biosecurity means keeping disease out and keeping it from spreading. Buy from a known source, quarantine new pigs apart from the group for the period your vet advises, and do not share equipment or trailers without cleaning them.
Limit visitors, especially people who work with other pigs. Provide boots and handwashing at the gate, and wash up after chores and before visiting other livestock. Keep wild animals and pets away from feed and pens.
Federal and state animal health agencies publish biosecurity guidance for people who keep even a few pigs. Ask your state veterinarian or extension office for the version that applies where you live.
Why do swine disease rules matter to hobby farms?
Serious swine diseases can affect commercial herds far from your farm, so animal health agencies take reports seriously. Rules on movement, testing, identification and feeding food scraps to pigs vary by state and sometimes change quickly.
Ask your state veterinarian's office what applies to a small group of pigs: whether premises registration is required, what identification is needed to move animals and which diseases must be reported. Do not rely on rules from another state or an older article.
If you ever see signs of a foreign or unusual disease, call your vet and the state animal health office right away.
How do housing, feed and water affect health?
Wet, dirty pens, poor ventilation, crowding and heat stress all raise the risk of illness. Keep bedding dry, remove manure regularly and give each pig room to lie down without lying on another.
Feed a diet matched to the animal's age and purpose, and keep it dry and free of mold. Clean water must always be available, and waterers should be checked each day, since a blocked line can cause trouble within hours.
Ask your extension office for feeding guidance, and never feed kitchen scraps or meat products without checking local rules first. Good airflow without drafts keeps the air in a pen fresh, and your extension office can describe what that looks like in your climate.
What records and routines keep problems small?
Keep a page for each pig or group with arrival dates, source, weights, health notes and any treatment your vet directed. Records help you spot trends and give your vet a clear history.
Build a weekly routine of closer checks, cleaning and fence and shelter inspection. A set schedule makes it harder for small issues to slip by.
Review your plan with your vet once a year. Ask what they would watch for in your area, and how your small farm can reduce risk without costly changes. Share notes with anyone who helps with chores, so every person watches for the same signs.
Key takeaways
- Watch pigs as a group and as individuals every day.
- Sudden illness, several sick animals or sudden death means calling your vet at once.
- Quarantine new pigs and limit visitors and shared equipment.
- Ask your state veterinarian about reporting, identification and feeding rules.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Homestead & Small Farm Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.