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Pannage is an English legal term for the practice of turning out domestic pigs in a wood or forest, in order that they may feed on fallen acorns or beechmast. Pannage is no longer carried out in most areas, but is still observed in the New Forest of Southern England, where it is also known as "Common of Mast". It is still an important part of the Forest ecology, and helps the husbandry of the other New Forest livestock – pigs can safely eat acorns as a large part of their diet, whereas excessive amounts may be poisonous to ponies and cattle.
The minimum duration of the New Forest pannage season is 60 days, but the start date varies according to the weather – and when the acorns fall. The Court of Verderers decides when Pannage will start each year. At other times the pigs must be taken in and kept on the owner's land, with the exception that breeding sows (known as "privileged sows") are by custom allowed out, providing that they return to the owner's holding at night and are not a nuisance.
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