The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Higgins11 on March 25, 2009, 02:45:26 am

Title: Hampshire
Post by: Higgins11 on March 25, 2009, 02:45:26 am

Just wandering if anyone on here had ever raised any Hampshires. I'm raising outdoors so that may be an issue (don't know) 

Are they leaner than Duroc?

How lean are Tamworths?

Old spots?

I'm breeding to a boar that is a fattier type breed (kinda like a berkshire) and don't want 2 fatty breeds crossed

Title: Re: Hampshire
Post by: Hilarysmum on March 25, 2009, 08:19:49 am

Hi dont know much about durocs, tamworths in our experience are always lean, GOS less so.  The meat does to a large extent depend on how much area they have to run around in and feeding.

Title: Re: Hampshire
Post by: DavidnChris on March 25, 2009, 10:12:04 am

Don't know about the Hampshires but a girlfriend of mine did tell me she had raised a few Hamptons.
Most of them did lean and she prefered the ones that were fat.
Hope this helps.

Title: Re: Hampshire
Post by: Mr Pig on March 26, 2009, 04:26:36 pm

Hampshires are a modern commercial breed from America (don't believe Waitrose propaganda that they are a 'traditional British breed' and as such they will be very lean. Durocs ditto. Durocs have an added problem that they are hard to debristle after slaughter. Tamworths and GOS (and all the rare breeds) are usually only fat due to poor management. It should be entirely possible to keep backfat levels down to around 12-15mm.