[Chris Burr]

Just got my first proper batch to slaughter - 17 Saddlebacks( I know quite alot!).  \But I have a good list of friends all wanting pork for the freezer.  All were accounted for!

Could not weigh them before slaughter as I don't have any scales.  They were heavy enough trying to get loaded up! Thought they would be heavier dead weight than have ended up with.  I was expecting around 60kg but have come out at between 45kg and 35kg.  They are also leaner than I expected having probed at between 7 and 9. So many 'experts' have told me not to overfeed and make them to fatty.   I think high street butchers like to see them at 10-12 but not much more although a rare bread meat business said anything up to 20 was good for rare breed

The butcher I am using has suggesting turning the whole lot into various flavour sausages as any joints will be relatively small.  Perhaps the absence of fat will also mean they Will not roast too well? 

I have had plenty of takers for ordering half and quarter pigs.  I do not want to supply meat that does not cook well as this will turn customers off.  Some will love sausages I am sure. Others, will I suspect be disappointed with just sausages.  Has anyone got any suggestions as to jointing that will work for a smaller lean pig?  I'd like to try and combine at least some joints and sausages.  Has anyone else faced this problem?  I'd welcome some advice please.

[lill]

Hi Chris,
Yes your pigs do seem to have killed out quite light, but as you did state you had no way of weighing them. Be honest with your customers and tell them the weight and then let them decide. Explain to them that they could have all the carcase turned into sausages with smaller joints but please give them the choice as by doing that they will come come back to you for more rather than just giving them what your butcher recommends. I do my own butchering to my requirements and have a weigher so i can get the live weight then take off approx 25-30 kilos for waste. I do hope that this helps.

[robert waddell]

i was going to suggest smaller knifes but that might not be appreciated

17 pigs takes some feeding and i can see how you cashed them in you just have to stick in there and try and get there weight up next time  at the weight you have killed them they do put weight on at a surprising rate
next time try either lops Hampshire's Duroc or gos or crosses of them
an alternative is to just slaughter some at a time 3 or 4 and let the others grow on a bit

[SallyintNorth]

Chris,
Most people I know complain that home-reared pork is (a) too fat and (b) the joints are too huge - so if you were in my neck of the woods I could tell you quite a few people who might like to try some of your lean, small pigs!

Personally I like bigger joints with a decent covering of fat (12mm min) as I think you can get meat which is too lean and doesn't develop the flavour.  But I suspect I am not in the majority (tho' I probably am on this site!)  My butcher looks for 12mm and not much more on pigs he buys in.

Karen must still be struggling with her internet connection, or she would already have posted this link
http://www.thepigsite.com/articles/541/weighing-a-pig-without-a-scale
to the Pig Site's article on weighing a pig without scales.  Too late for you this time, but at least it'll help you next time.

[tizaala]

Hold some meat back and turn it into Palma ham , that would work well for leaner animals, + you'r adding value to the product.

[Chris Burr]

Yes thanks.  I really appreciate your advice.  I'm learning!

I have a lot of phone calls to make, I agree that giving people the choice is important.  I think a lot of the young families will love sausages and probably actually prefer them.  My three boys get through loads!

3 of the batch were GOS x Saddleback.  [We had to hand rear as they were rejected by mum! (That was hard work at the start!....but rewarding!) ] However now at 6 mths old these had seemed to have put on weight quicker.   The saddles were 8 months so should have been up to weight but obviously were not!  I did not apprec iate that the weight loss was as much as 25-30Kgs.  I was feeding them loads and they had loads of extra apples and free ranging for acorns etc.

I will see if I can get some reasonably priced weighing scales.  However I'll try the alterhative method too. (Ta for the link)

I take the point on Palma ham.  No sure I'm quite ready for all that involves.  I have an immediate need to satisfy those who are looking forward to some yummy pork.

I have 12 more GOS x Saddleback  at about 8 weeks too and they are going really well.  Overall they do seem to look a better more solid pig.  It maybe a coincidence but the ones that come out all black seem to really motor!"

The pure saddlebacks all seem very long legged to me.   Perhaps I should enter one in the Grand National!

I have another of saddlebacks due any day,  It will be interesting to see  if I get the same formation.  I had half a suspicion that the boar and 2 gilts sold to me could be related even though they told me they were not. Perhaps this could also have some influence?

[Greenerlife]

How old were your pigs when they went to slaughter?  I have had saddlebacks that went at 6 and a half months and they weighed in at 65-75 kg after feeding them the standard amount.  Can't believe that an abbatoir wouldn't question the weight?  You don't need scales at all - just a tape measure. 

[Pasture Farm]

Chris where abouts in country are you ?

I would gladly loan you some scales if your near me. Failing that do you know how to measure them for approx weights?

[Chris Burr]

Greenerlife

When you say 65-75Kg is that the killed out weight?  I think mine were 60-70Kg live but once gutted etc were 35-45Kg apparently.

I beleive I have been feeding them well on a good feed, (Marriages  No2 cube). and they have also had a nice large fresh field to forage in for acorns apples etc.  I had wormed them regularly too so I am sure that was not an issue either.

I can only assume that I must need to feed them more as My saddleback boar and 2 sows, although not registered, are of pretty good form.

Thanks all.

[Berkshire Boy]

Hi Chris,
For the 17 growers you should have been feeding at least 40kg a day that gives them 5lb each per day. Foraging in the field is no substitute for feed, they have to eat an awful lot of roots and apples etc to make much difference to their rations.

[Greenerlife]

Yes - I was talking dead weight as returned by abbatoir.  My boys were overly fatty, and I think that saddlebacks are prone to it if they don't take exercise (like me!).  It seems you may have to rethink the volume of feed for next time around?   Don't know how old your lot were though.  I know that my butcher said that the runt of my last lot (who still weighed in at 55kg deadweight) was hard work to butcher.  Apparently, fatter pigs are much easier to butcher - so perhaps your butcher doesn't want the hard work?

[TheCaptain]

If they weighed between 60 - 70Kgs at 6 months then I would say you've done a pretty good job - that's what I aim for in the girls, a bit more for the boys as they go on to be 'baconers' so I aim for 80 Kgs with them. My last two were 64 Kg (Female) and 82 Kg (male), and were perfect (even if I do say so myself...)

[tizaala]

I killed our first (GOS X DUROC) gilt yesterday, she was 11 months old and tipped the scales at exactly 100 killos live weight.

[Chris Burr]

Thanks to all for your comments suggestions.  All successfully butchered but they were small40-45kg killed out.  I am sure that I have not been feeding them enough!  However the resultant pork and suasages have come out really well if a little lean and not attractive to butchers/trade.  I have had great reviews from my customers. I had a local company make me some great suasages which have been very poular.  However I clearly do need to get a bit more fat on them for next time.

I am worrying now about the economics as I'm paying £350kg a tonne (in 20Kg bags). ( buying by the tomme from Marriages) I believe I will be making a big  fat loss!

Thinking about supplementing with by products from local brewery/vinyard.  Mash etc.  Obviously I need to explore this as it may be too acidic and may casue them to scour.  Does anyone know if feeding brewery mash is possible/permissible under the rules please?

Thanks

Chris

[HappyHippy]

Feeding the mash should be fine - a quick phonecall to your local animal health officer will sort it all out for you.
It might be worth restricting the size of the area where they are to try and help them put on weight/fat - too much room to roam means valueable feed is being burned off instead of converted 
HTH
Karen