Wild boar are naturally hardy permitting them to be raised without medication. Health problems are not common, but if they do occur the herd instinctively isolates the sick animal.

With the onset of winter, wild boar develop a thick haircoat that allows them to survive Manitoba winters. Most producers overwinter their wild boar using large round straw bales into which the wild boar burrow for shelter from the wind and cold.

Farrowing females and feeder animals may perform better if provided with small shelters. Wild boar eat substantially less than domestic pigs which accounts for their slow growth rate and lean carcass. Free choice alfalfa should be available along with grain and a protein supplement. If the wild boar are pastured in a large area where pens can be rotated, they will graze and root for insects reducing the need for supplemental feed in the summer. In the summer, two to three acres are adequate for about 20 to 30 animals. About half that acreage is needed for the winter season.

Wire mesh fencing, 4 to 5 feet high, with one to three electric wires on the interior is necessary to keep wild boar enclosed. Because wild boar like to dig, at least one electric wire should be located 8 to 12 inches above the ground. normally wild boar will not challenge a fence providing they have adequate living space. Clean drinking water and an area for summer mud baths should be available. When females are ready to farrow they move away from the main herd and prepare a nest. Usually the sow remains in her nest for a few days after farrowing and aggresively defends her young. Extreme caution should be exercised around sows with young litters.

Too small an area for farrowing sows may contribute to cannibalism. A creep feeding area should be provided once the boarlets start to leave the nest. Young wild boar feeders reach market weight prior to their second winter. This can be achieved through a combination of genetics and appropriate breeding timing-- and, of course, attention to nutrition.