Author Topic: Boar taint? (Read 2754 times)

white-blazes · « **on:** May 09, 2011, 12:37:23 pm »

Can you explain to a newbie, what exactly is it?

I know I should be ok, having two males, but often hear about it.

darkbrowneggs · « **Reply #1 on:** May 09, 2011, 01:52:47 pm »

I only ever bought in weaners and got them up to suitable slaughter weights, but I always had 2 or 4 boars, and never had any problems with boar taint. Or any behavioural problems either, and I have kept quite a few different breeds, though mostly the traditional ones

I presume boar taint, means an unacceptable level of male "pigginess" which becomes apparent in the flavour of the meat. As in if you slaughter a ram during the breeding season, when they are smelling exceptionally "rammy" Can't explain better, but you probably know what I mean. Think of a men's gym

Or adolecent boy's synthentic shoes - get the "nasal" picture ....

All the best
Sue

white-blazes · « **Reply #2 on:** May 09, 2011, 02:42:49 pm »

Thanks Sue for a wonderful explanation

oaklandspigs · « **Reply #3 on:** May 09, 2011, 03:25:04 pm »

Boar Taint is an unpleasant smell that can be released during cooking pork from boars. Research has shown that 1 in 2 women but only 1 in 7 men can detect this. The occurrence of boar taint is higher in hybrids used commercially than in purebreds, and research shows that housing conditions and diet both affect taint. In commercial herds the rate is low - about 1 in 12.

For those of us breeding the traditional breeds, boar taint is unlikely to be a problem - we usually fatten outdoors where pigs get a varied diet from soil and vegetation, they are from non-hybrid pigs, and we take them off before sexual maturity. Therefore the risk of boar taint is very low.However this subject is regularly raised, and Mr. Pig who posts on this forum has seen it in his herd.

Boar Taint is mainly caused by androstenone, a steroid produced by the males that are sexually active, and by skatole, a by-product of bacterial activity in the gut. As male pigs reach sexual maturity the amount of androstenone increases, and sexual steroids produced by the male also inhibit breakdown of Skatole. Both can then be deposited in the fat of the pig, and it is possible for this to cause boar taint.

The meat of sexually mature boars is more at risk, but as most male pigs are taken off to pork or bacon before the pig reaches full sexual maturity, it is highly unlikely to be a problem. Fully mature (retired) boars are culled and their meat generally goes abroad to be made into Belgium Pate or Italian Salami.

No research on smallholding pigs has been done to our knowledge, but at Oaklands Pigs we generally fatten male pigs (entire boars will grow about 20% faster than gilts) and in many years of selling weaners we know of none of our customers who have come across this problem. Indeed we have on several occasions used 10-12 month old boars to get first time gilts pregnant and then taken the boar off for meat without any issues.

So personally given a choice we would take boars for fattening, and many families want boars, as they would be too tempted to keep a gilt for maybe breeding later on, but know boars will have to go for the chop !