The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: HappyHippy on January 30, 2012, 11:16:09 am
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I'm weaning my OSB x KK piglets today - 8 weeks and a bit old.
Poppy has been an absolutely fantastic first time mum, really done her piglets incredibly well without losing too much condition herself. I was worried, especially as she was a bit younger farrowing than I'd have liked - she just beat me to it (or rather the boar did ::))
She's definately ready to wean I think as she's refusing to lie down and feed them, though she did oblige me this one last time so I could get some photos :thumbsup:
I'm going up to take her out to the field for a bit of peace now and will get in with the piglets later for weighing and more photo taking (she's been quite a protective mother ;))
I'm really itching to see what weights they are because they look massive compared to anything we've had before (the Kunes at the same age were between 17Kg and 23Kg) These little guys are even bigger than Tamworth weaners we bought in last year :o
Anyway, hope you like the photo's - you can just about see mum under the pile of piglets ;)
Karen :wave:
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They are looking great Karen :love: :pig: :love:
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Love the piglets ( you just can't help it can you!) . :pig: Would love to have some piglets, but just not got the time at the moment. Something to look forward to in the future though and in the mean time will just enjoy seeing the pics of everyone else's. :pig: :pig:
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HH They look right little monsters, well done Poppy, not surprised she's had enuff of them they're huge.
Lovely pics.
Mandy :pig:
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They've done you proud Karen. Lovely little pigs :pig:
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Cracking pigs, Karen :thumbsup:
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Little corkers! :love: :pig:
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Lovely looking piglets Karen. Well done to Poppy :thumbsup:
Sally
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Thanks for all your comments - they are the prettiest piglets born at Yonderton to date - FACT. I am of course completely biased and have been happily lying in the pig pen for an hour with them, being nibbled and scaring the beejesus out of them when I got nipped by accident :o :D :D :D
Weighing was entertaining - they were a tad to large to fit in the nifty sling/bag arrangement I normally use on my recently aquired weigh scale, so we had to improvise a bit ::) The weight on the scale (for one of the medium sized ones) read at 39Kg - but he was wriggling a bit, so I have my doubts as to exactly how exact that is - but they are definately over the 30Kg mark.
Now, while that's all well and good (pretty bloody fantastic I'd say ;) ;D) it does make me wonder even more about whether dear Poppy did actually delay her farrowing by around 10 days...... this would account for the fact of them being so much bigger & heavier than the Kunes wouldn't it ??? So being the pernickity, OCD type female that I am ::) :D I'm currently waiting to find out how much a piggy DNA test is going to cost me ::) :o but it's the only way I'll know without doubt if they were fathered by Syd or our young upstart 'Randy Red' (I still have my doubts about his fertility)
No doubt I'll let you all know the outcome :thumbsup:
I have 3 boars still available from this litter, ready to collect from 4th February.
Just drop me a pm
Karen :wave:
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well done Karen that is heavier than the hamlops or pure Hampshire's if they continue there growth they will be finished at 16 weeks just a pity they are cross bred you would have had some show winners there
how much feeding are they getting to achieve that growth rate :farmer:
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Thanks Robert !
Mum plus 8 piglets have been getting 18lbs a day (split into 2 feeds) between them for the last 4 weeks - I reckoned she was managing to hoover 14 of that for herself ;) Before that they were on 14lbs a day. They get haylage ad-lib but that's been about it feed wise.
As for the growth rate, I hope it will continue - but as the father was a Kune and we've not had this cross before I don't know for sure :-\
We're keeping 2 gilts for ourselves (they are a little smaller than the boys) so will be able to report back and might even let you have a taste at the end ;) :-*
I'm gutted it wasn't a pure bred litter :( As you know, that had been the plan ::) But we're hopefully getting her down to Cath around the end of February (July gilts for next year :thumbsup:) so it'll be interesting to see how pure OSB's compare to these ones.
You could always buy one and raise it yourself Robert ;) I'll give you a good discount :D :thumbsup:
Karen x :wave:
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Well done Poppy they are huge!! ;D
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sorry Karen i will pass on anything that has got kunnie in it we had enough of them before both breeding and raising them
now eating them that is a plan ;) ;) :farmer:
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we can not even match that weight ??? ??? with our per hampshire and pedigree cross breeds :wave: :wave:
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Gaw blimey Karen - and I thought my OSB x Saddlebacks were doing well at 20.5 - 23kgs at 8 weeks - and she only had 5 to rear!
(BTW, my largest weighed 50kgs at 16 weeks. They're doing well!)
You've mentioned before, Karen, that the KKs' early growth is spectacular... It will be really interesting to see what Poppy produces with an OSB boar later this year.