New Forest pigs to feast for longer as acorns keep falling

THE annual pannage season in the New Forest has been extended until the Christmas period amid a bumper crop of acorns.

The tradition, which started around the time of William the Conqueror, sees hundreds of domestic pigs allowed to forage for acorns, beechmast, chestnuts and other nuts which can be poisonous to the ponies and cattle that have lived there for hundreds of years.

The verderers, who manage the 70,000-acre forest in Hampshire, said there has been a “particularly heavy” crop this year.

“As the acorns are still falling, it has been decided t o extend pannage because they are very toxic to the New Forest ponies,” a spokesman said.

“We’re not sure why recent years have seen such heavy crops but it is possible it has something to do with global warming.”

Pannage started on Sept 14 this year and normally lasts for about 60 days, although it will now run until Dec 21.

Pigs in the New Forest are also fattened up ahead of Christmas by pannage and leading chefs believe that they produce some of the best ham in the world.

Because of the lack of domestic owners, only an estimated 600 pigs are now turned out for the event, compared to about 6,000 animals that were used in the 19th century.

All the pigs which take part in the process have to be fitted with a ring in their nose which enables them to forage

‘The pannage season is extended this year because the acorns are very toxic to the New Forest ponies’

through leaves and vegetation on the surface but prevents them from damaging the forest with their snouts.

The pigs are thought to enjoy eating the acorns, after spitting out the toxic skins, and it is the only time of the year that they are allowed to roam through the open forest.

Pigs are occasionally seen in the New Forest outside of pannage season because special permission is granted for breeding sows to feast on whatever nutrients they can find.