[nessjw]

Just brought my first piglets(full berkshire), picking them up in 2 wks time...a bit worried on the meat selling side..not too sure what route to take..intend to keep 2 gilts back..and a poss x breed with the tamworth or GOS..any thoughts and advice would be great...thanks in advance

[Rosemary]

Hi and welcome. Lots of folk on here who will be able to give good advice. Good luck with your venture.

[JulieS]

Hello and welcome from Devon. 

Good luck with the weaners.......Pigs are wonderful and very addictive 

I have GOS, so sorry can't help with advice about the crossing.  Although being biased I would recommend the GOS!

6 pigs.....that's a lot of meat!!!!  It would be a good idea to start telling friends/relatives/neighbours that you're going to be selling pork and maybe get some orders in that way.

Have you kept pigs before?  If not, it might be a good idea to get some experience with this batch and think carefully about breeding.  If you haven't got a market for the meat you may end up with a lot of pigs before very long.

Have fun and enjoy them 

[Hilarysmum]

Hi go for GOS (then I am a GOS addict  ).  If you are intending to sell the meat, and from 6 pigs thats a lot of meat, as JulieS says make sure you have a market.  Also make sure your costs will be covered, and that you are abiding by all the rules re sales of pork. 

Once you have done so, then consider that you need to add value to your meat, perhaps in the form of sausages, ham, gammon and pate.  Utilise everything including head and trotters.  Anything you throw away is a potential lost income.

If you are new to pigs then please consider waiting a while to breed.  Firstly you will need a good market for the offspring, secondly you will need experience to deal with the sow.  Some can be very nasty when you try to take the babies off them.  Even the gentlest sow can and probably will become very protective of her young. 

Try to go on a good pig keeping course, specifically one aimed at breeding so that you will be aware of the pitfalls and the dangers.  Money spent now could save you much more at a later date.

Above all I would strongly recommend you take deposits on any sales before the pigs go to slaughter. 

Having said all this, enjoy your pigs, they are the most wonderful of animals. 

[nessjw]

Hi, and thankyou all for the replys....out of the 6, like l said 2 will be kept back for breeding..yes a lot of meat..hence why lam in sales woman mode before l have them lol...must say l have had great help from peeps.. l intend to go on a pig keeping course..l have had horses/sheep/chickens before, so used too mud and all!! Pigs are new to me, but exciting as l love them, and as we all seem to be going back to 'old' times and having happy reared meat, it cannot be a bad thing, though we all know we have to at least try and get some costing back, hence the selling meat (needs to be asked)..like....what if any profit per pig etc..l know it will not be much, but if l have happy pigs whilst they are doing what comes naturally, then l am happy..and skint lol

[Hilarysmum]

Hi, sorry I forgot this was on the welcome section rather than pig section and got a bit carried away with my reply.

Glad you are going on a course it will be well worth it, if only for the confidence it will give you in handling your pigs.   

Profit must depend on how fat you let them get, or if not fat enough, how much you pay for your feed, basically what your costs are at the end (always allow 10% more than you have calculated) and how much you sell your meat for. 

If you can sit and read all the pig postings, take notes, you will find things you never thought of to add to your calculations, and somewhere is a "formula" for how much meat you get back. 
Whatever pigs are the greatest animals.  Enjoy. 

[Daisys Mum]

Hi and welcome from the Scottish Borders 

[pottsie]

Good luck with the weaners i picked up my first two Tamworths two weeks ago they are great although a bit distracting, i keep popping back to have a look which seems to last for ages. They seem really easy and love my spare veg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rob.