Author Topic: Limp piglet (Read 8667 times)

chickenfeed · « **Reply #15 on:** May 24, 2011, 04:10:33 pm »

our hampshires were notched and when someone called to view the pigs they changed their pork order form hampshire to the unregistered saddleback x as they thought the practice was barbaric they were going to contact the bpa with their horror of such a act. i doubt they will hear back from the bpa.

HappyHippy · « **Reply #16 on:** May 24, 2011, 06:05:30 pm »

Quote from: chickenfeed on May 24, 2011, 04:10:33 pm

our hampshires were notched and when someone called to view the pigs they changed their pork order form hampshire to the unregistered saddleback x as they thought the practice was barbaric they were going to contact the bpa with their horror of such a act. i doubt they will hear back from the bpa.

I also agree that it's barbaric, especially when there's bound to be another alternative $:-\$ It's not done for any kind of welfare or management reasons (in the way castration, teeth clipping, tail docking is) purely for ID

What's wrong with an EID tag like sheep ? A tattoo with UV ink in the ear ? (You get UV inks for tattooing humans

)
I wonder, if it's just a coincidence that the Berkshire & Large Black breeds are in decline or if it may be in some way linked to this practice

Given the choice of keeping a pig that you tattoo or one where you cut chunks out of piglets ears .... which would most folk choose ? I say this as someone who has Berkshires, Large Blacks and OSB's and will soom be breeding from them and faced with the question of 'to notch' or 'not to notch' - it's not a prosepct I relish

Karen

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #17 on:** May 24, 2011, 07:09:06 pm »

Soooo... for the uninitiated, what happens to you and to your pigs if you decide not to notch?

lill · « **Reply #18 on:** May 24, 2011, 07:24:52 pm »

We can't be forced to notch, but if we want to show them, then the breed rules must be followed. A tag can come out, a tattoo can fade away, but notching pigs correctly, there is no way of any mix up, (as long as you are able to understand what each notch means). I have been onto the breed reps regarding notching and nothing can be done until the BPA come up with a plan to do away with this barbaric practice.

As long as the pigs are not being shown then tagging them is acceptable.

Berkshire Boy · « **Reply #19 on:** May 25, 2011, 09:16:33 am »

I have Berkshires and was not looking forward to notching when I started breeding. Once I had done it the first time and realised that the piglets don't even flinch when you do it I can't see the problem.
You all seem quite happy to force a plastic shaft through their ear can't see the difference myself.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #20 on:** May 25, 2011, 09:43:46 am »

Quote from: Berkshire Boy on May 25, 2011, 09:16:33 am

You all seem quite happy to force a plastic shaft through their ear can't see the difference myself.

As a person who forces a lot of plastic shafts through a lot of ears, I have to say that sounds like a good point.

Thanks for the explanation, lillian. My only other question is, so does each breeder have their own notch?

HappyHippy · « **Reply #21 on:** May 26, 2011, 03:50:41 pm »

No, the notching relates to the pig Sally - and as far as I know (could be wrong though and would love to be corrected if I am) you can use any shape of notch you want.
Thing is - even though they're notched, they're tagged too

It's just that you can't show a pig that's double tagged according to BPA rules

I really think they (The BPA) need to look at it again SOON and either re-write the rules or come up with an alternative.......... I feel a wee campaign coming on (again !)

Berkshire Boy - when do you notch yours ? My thinking is that under a week in age would be preferable to them being older ? Would welcome your advice

Karen

Berkshire Boy · « **Reply #22 on:** May 26, 2011, 06:36:37 pm »

Hi Karen,
I usually notch by about 3 weeks but you can do it later as long as its before they are weaned or mixed with others. I have one to do thats 5 weeks but its not a problem.
You only cut into the ear 1/8 inch and usually no blood and they don't even flinch. I usually go in the pen and grab a piglet pass it out to my wife who holds it and I notch, over in seconds.
I only notch anything I am going to keep to breed from, sell as breeding or showing I don't bother with the ones going for meat. Its not too bad then as you may be only doing one from a litter.
When you birth notify the litter you are allocated numbers for each of the piglets if I'm only notching one I pick the number with the least amount of notches,it really isn't barbaric once you try it.
Steve

robert waddell · « **Reply #23 on:** May 26, 2011, 07:19:13 pm »

as far as i am aware there are two types of notch V and U it is depandant on the breed
now with the numbers i am under the impresion your birth numbers are a rolling counter and the males numbered before the females so how can you just pick a number that has the least amount of notches

Tamsaddle · « **Reply #24 on:** May 26, 2011, 08:59:12 pm »

If you have 6 male piglets you can choose which one gets which of the six sequential numbers - so use the lowest notch numbers for good pigs worth registering, and vice versa. 19 is a horrible number to do on a Saddleback as it has 4 notches, but 20 has one notch. I'm reluctantly coming round to the idea of marking with notching now - even if I don't want to show our pigs myself, anyone else we sell the pig to might want to do so, then the notching would be essential. It is a relief to hear from Steve that the piglets don't seem to mind too much.

Hilarysmum · « **Reply #25 on:** May 27, 2011, 08:50:53 am »

Our friends imported Large Blacks from UK, whose ears were notched. On the veterinary inspection they got a rocket from the inspector who felt the whole thing was barbaric, and apparently illegal in France. Now that must be a first, France accusing UK of barbaric animal practices.