The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Daisys Mum on March 29, 2013, 07:10:14 pm

Title: Middle whites
Post by: Daisys Mum on March 29, 2013, 07:10:14 pm
Anybody keep them, what age are they ready for butchering and are they prone to running to fat? Asking as it may be possible that I can get 2 to make up my numbers.
Title: Re: Middle whites
Post by: HappyHippy on March 29, 2013, 07:50:27 pm
I've not kept them, but if you can get some, I think you should  :thumbsup:

They grow quite quick apparently, only prone to fat if you're prone to overfeeding  :innocent: ;) and are considered to be the best pork pig of the traditional breeds (no offence to any other breeds  :eyelashes:)
Plus, they are just the cutest thing ever as piglets  :love: :love: :love: Once fully grown, not so much  :D
HTH
Karen
Title: Re: Middle whites
Post by: Rosemary on March 29, 2013, 07:58:10 pm
Once fully grown, not so much  :D

So ugly, they're cute  :love:
Title: Re: Middle whites
Post by: darkbrowneggs on March 29, 2013, 08:06:19 pm
My favorite flavoured pork.  Very nice to keep but can be prone to sunburn (assuming the weather changes at some point in the future)  :eyelashes:
Title: Re: Middle whites
Post by: Button End Beasts on March 29, 2013, 11:07:37 pm
Yes we kept them. Very tasty, ready for eating at 6 months. Ours were too fat but they were the first ever pigs we kept. So just be very strict with the food, don't go over 4 lbs per day.


They were very cute and funny, especially if they were digging and then they had black faces with 2 beady little eyes peering out at you. And yes they did dig some very, very big holes!


Enjoy!
Title: Re: Middle whites
Post by: Blinkers on March 30, 2013, 11:19:05 am
Excellent pork pigs and can finish at 18-20 weeks (depending on the time of year and the weather we find).   We currently have some and will finish them at 20 weeks.  They are 7 weeks at the moment and look about 10 weeks compared to the GOS and the Berkshires.   Go for them, they need the support and the more people that want to eat them the better.  ;)
 :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Middle whites
Post by: thenovice on March 30, 2013, 12:46:01 pm
Definitely try them. They were the easiest to keep, and the tastiest of all the pigs we have tried. Lots of lean delicious meat, but keep a strict eye, that you don't overfeed them. 2 - 3lb of nuts each a day + grazing. Ready from 5 months on  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Middle whites
Post by: nelson on March 30, 2013, 03:32:21 pm
 :wave: We recently imported an in pig MW sow into France. Really pleased with the litter she had and have kept 1 gilt and a boar which is going for meat. We too are not sure about when to take - 60 kg live weight says the brochure  - they are coming up to 20 weeks now - probably take to 24 weeks. We are feeding them on 3 lb a day and they look trim.


This is a lovely breed to have. We have AI'd the sow and keeping our keeping fingers crossed that she has taken. Looking forward to trying the meat.
Daughter rang me from London to say she had just been out to dinner (what's that!) and her starter was a Middle White terrine - said it was delicious. I think it is great now that a lot of restaurants are naming the breed of pig on their menus.
Title: Re: Middle whites
Post by: Tudful Tamworths on April 01, 2013, 12:01:35 am
They always come top in blind taste tests. Excellent meat. Good for pork or bacon.
Title: Re: Middle whites
Post by: Daisys Mum on April 04, 2013, 12:01:44 pm
Definately getting 2 not going to be ready though when my saddlebacks arrive so going to have to get another ark, but hey ho its only money  :'( :'( . We are going to build our own this time using the Bidgimire one that we have as a template and have found the corragated tin nearby at £33 a sheet.