[robert waddell]

following on from another thread that touched on the subject  and the article searched by oaklands  the intensive outdoor reared pigs that forms the bassis of the report are reported as weighing 7.37 kilos at weaning and .26 kilos less without iron injection
sooo i checked the weight recording that we do on our piglets now assuming that intensive pigs are weaned at 6 wks a comparison of first the British lop x Hampshire 9 piglets  weighed from 15 lbs -24 lbs and the Hampshire's at 6 wks 10piglets averaged from 10 kilos-18 kilos(22lbs-39lbs)
we don't inject iron to piglets but do ensure that earth is available to them    now do any other pig breeders inject and weight record there piglets(the weigh crate is accurate) any comments either positive or negative are welcome

at the meeting of the SPKA that will take place on the 17th of April at our farm both sets of piglets will be on view as will the weights and the dates



as a foot note i wonder if the basil baird is the same family that had had a huge amount of pigs just outside Edinburgh?

[HappyHippy]

T'was me that mentioned it - just Oaklands could remember where it was 
I did give iron last time round (got a present of some from a friend), this time haven't (because I was told about the clump of earth thing too) BUT I haven't recorded weights either time (naughty me but it's the KK's - not 'proper' meat pigs  )
I am going to do a sample of my own, with -v- without iron once the next lots of piglets arrive and weigh them at birth, weaning and make sure I keep one of each to slaughter weight to see if there's any marked difference with continued development.
But I definately thought the article was worth reading and gave a bit of food for thought.
Karen