The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: wellies on August 12, 2011, 06:06:09 pm

Title: What age is too old to be sausages
Post by: wellies on August 12, 2011, 06:06:09 pm

This is probably a really daft question but is it Ok to send a sow to slaughter and be made into sausages or do they need to be much younger? I have only sent our weaners (obviously once big enough  :)) before and was just wondering if we could send our sow too when she stops breeding. Gosh I've just read that and it sounds terribly harsh  ???

Title: Re: What age is too old to be sausages
Post by: robert waddell on August 12, 2011, 06:19:49 pm

not a daft question at all         you will get a hell of a lot of sausages she could be 250-350 kilos    check and make sure your slaughter house can take that size of pig        if she is to fat trim it and render it down      makes good lard  or soap  :farmer:

Title: Re: What age is too old to be sausages
Post by: HappyHippy on August 12, 2011, 07:19:27 pm

The loin would also make really good, decent sized bacon  ;)
I don't think you sound harsh - sensible, realistic and planning ahead more like.
As Robert has said though, check which slaughter houses near you can deal with a large carcass and also factor in butchery charges for 200Kg plus of pork. If you're not doing it yourself, it could easily run to a couple of hundred pounds  :-\
HTH
Karen  :wave:

Title: Re: What age is too old to be sausages
Post by: JulieS on August 12, 2011, 08:27:11 pm

We butchered a 4 year old sow for someone recently.  Around 275kg of sausages and 20kg of bacon from her.

Title: Re: What age is too old to be sausages
Post by: Hopewell on August 12, 2011, 10:55:42 pm

Someone whose father had kept pigs for years told me that the best bacon comes from a sow that's had a litter. Never actually tried it but there is often something in the old country wisdom.