The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: czechmate on January 25, 2011, 06:35:34 pm
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Hi there. I have two gilts which I was earmarking for killing around the end of March. During today, my boar found one of them too irrisistable and broke out, and in, to get to her. She is around 9 months old. How long is it acceptable, after mating, to kill a gilt? My better half says we should just keep her and have the piglets ::) The gilt is a cross breed, and both different breedsa to the boar, so they would be real mongralls :)
Mark
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Mark, real mongrals or not - if raised properly to pork weight they'll taste every bit as good :yum:
But in answer to your question I personally would keep her and let her have them - just from a moral point of view (not sure of the legalities surrounding it, or indeed if there are any ???) this is of course assuming she's been caught. Watch her closely in 3 weeks time for signs of being in season. If she displays the signs of being in season you know for sure that she's not in-pig and so slaughter plans would not be affected. And move her as far away from your boar as soon as possible in case he decides to repeat his adventures tomorrow ;) ;D :love:
HTH
Karen
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Ok, he got both gilts ::) Both now heavily pregnant and due this week. These gilts, then soon sows, are now just over a year (welsh/OSB) and weigh (pregnant) 280 LB. So, after weaning, what will these pigs be suitable for? Only sausages?, or ham, bacon and sausages?
Thanks
Mark
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Personally i'd say the whole lot; we have done this with a youngish gilt and when slaughtered we used her carcass just as we would any other and the meat was lovely.We found we ended up with a nice lean carcass we let her go a few weeks post weaning then had her slaughtered.
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let the piglets draw there mother down (not to the stage she is skin and bone) then fatten her up you will get the best bacon you could possibly hope for all products will be good enjoy :pig:
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Mark, I think you've got a bit hung up on pedigrees! A pig is a pig - it tastes the same whether it has a pedigree like the Queen (or my dogs) or is a mongrel like you and me (assuming you ain't royalty!) and so long as it is reared well. and I'm sure these piglets will be! The same goes for their Mums!
So these will be suitable for all cuts of meat! Your boar has done you a service as well as your girls - more pork to sell for very little outlay! ;) ;D
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Here in France its very common for a sow to be slaugtered after young are weaned as it is supposed to produce the most succulent of pork.
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We sent two 14 months old off a few weeks ago - We've had our usual cuts of meat (joints, chops, sauagemeat etc) and a whole freezer full of the most wonderful smoked back bacon, streaky and smoked ham joints ... ours are crossed and much tastier than our pure breds from last year ;D :yum: :pig:
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Thanks for all the replies guys :)
Loosey - do the chops fit on a plate? :o
Hilarysmum - How long does "after" mean? About 3 weeks to recondition?
Doganjo - Yes, I suppose he has done me a service ;D, its just that it means my herd is a bit oversize at the mo (esp. with the value of feed)
Cheers
Mark
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Some go straight from weaning, others after a couple of weeks to recover. (I dont do this I know many people who do). One friend breeds from every gilt in order to produce this meat.