The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Rainyplace on March 12, 2008, 10:31:31 am
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Over the last months since I came across this great site, I have read and read and read.. with great enthusiasm and interest about your experiences and interests. Have been contemplating purchasing some weaners for some time and needed the courage to go for it. Having now met some great local folk who have offered to be mentors, I am ready to take the plunge. Have ordered 3 Tamworth weaners locally and hopefully going to collect in a few weeks. Just wondered what your preference would be gilts or boars..and what single piece of advice would you consider to be most worthwhile..my very first post..I'm sure there will be many more....
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You will have possibly read that I adour Tammies so in my opinion a very good choice.
Re gilts or boars - either will be fine. If you go for boars, castrated is better because you can keep them longer and since they are slow growers it means you can slaughter at a heavier weight. If yours are not castrated then you would have to be looking to slaughter at around 8 months old before they are sexually mature. You run the risk of tainted meat if you were to leave it any longer.
If there was a single piece of advice to give you I would say that building a good relationship with your pigs is not only important but very fulfilling for both you and your stock. The Tammy is such a friendly pig and just loves being petted and fussed and will give you back so much as a result of your affection towards it. You run the risk of the 'end' being difficult but in my view I would rather eat meat from an animal that I have adoured and know that it was as happy as could be, than an animal that has not had that sort of quality of life.
Enjoy your Tammies and keep us posted on how you get on.
Kate
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I agree with kate, if you castrate the boys you can also have a mix, with no unforseen problems. I hope you get the enjoyment that I have had from my pigs( which I miss).
carl
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i would keep with gilts personally , and not have to worry about the castration bit :P - (especially with the size of my account at the vets currently!! :D)
As for one piece of advice - keep ready supply of sense of humour :D - and thoroughly enjoy the experience
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I go for either but gilts are probably easier for a first batch. Advice :-\ :-\ :-\ make sure you have several pairs of wellies and waterproof trousers........................they eat both ::) whilst you're wearing 'em :D :D
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true, all mine are ventilated by the pigs.
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gilts, males or castrees, doesnt matter you have tamworths. No difference they are all extremely gorgeous.
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Pigs are fun and easy......compared to sheep that is! We have two gilts, which was fine until we decided we were going to bread from them (now that job is down to me and the more I read about A.I. the more I wish we had a boar :D
Best piece of advice - gather together a new wardrobe of of old clothes (lots & preferably waterproof!!)
A sturdy backside and a good sense of humour are another must. And for goodness sake make sure they can't escape....... :-[ talking from experience.
Enjoy. You'll love it!
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The word 'mentor' is probably the most important - help and advice from experienced hands are priceless.
Make sure you have good fencing, a no-nonsense attitude and a sense of humour - you'll need all three!
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Well, went to see the pigs yesterday. Older than I was led to believe, Tamworths around 5 months and some Berkshires around 4 months, all looked in great shape and was able to ask the owners lots of questions, just need to make that final decision....thanks folk for your comments, all aprreciated.
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If you're wanting to rear weaners to pork weight,then the Tamworths are likely about ready now and the Berkies only have about anothe 2-3weeks before they're ready!! Although I stand to be corrected about Tammies as not reared those before and mybe hey are a little slower growing...but even so. Did they advertise them as weaners? Cos it sounds more like they should have advertised as "finishers" really?
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I'm with Blinkers on this one, I would forego those and have some real weaners you can bond with. HM
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Hi Folks, Heres a quick update, got the pigs, they are about 4 1/2 months, fairly small and I'm told will be ready in about another 4 months. They are soo lovely, 2 tamwoths and a berkshire, took gilts cos of the possibility of boar taint. They are settled in their new home and are very friendly, I could watch them for ages.......will keep you posted on how we are doing. Thanks for help so far.
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Any pics?
Kate
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will get my children to do techy stuff, my limit is logging on/off and email....
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Congratulations on your new arrivals. They are terrible timewasters - we spent ages with the first two. We had to wean ourselves of it or we woudl have got nothing done.
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very good luck with the pigs. This is my second year - I had Heinz 67 variety pigs last year, the farm I got them from was hopeless, no idea which pig had which piglet, and just standard pink - but this year I have gorgeous Tamworths which we successfully moved to their field yesterday (always a breathless moment, I did spend considerable time running around chasing pigs last year as the rain drenched nettles drew all the charge out of the electric fence, happy days!). I have three gilts and one boar, but we plan to slaughter all at 6 months, so I guess we wont be worried by tainted meat.
They are already much more bouncy than last year's pigs, more inquistive and curious. another TAS member said watch for lice. so I am.
no chewed wellies yet, but no doubt it will come!
Kate
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that sounds fab - grat feeling when you get your 1 st ones - this is a piccy of pinky - my first girly!!(http://[IMG]http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk194/guyengley/DSCF0030.jpg)(http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk194/guyengley/DSCF0030.jpg)[/img]
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Lovely pinky and excellent wallow, looks like pig bliss on a hot day. :D
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thanks Dan - yes back in the days of sun!!! alas the whole pen looks like a wallow currently!! :(
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What a beautiful piggly! We have two female GOS weaners Duchess and Queenie who are actually dossing with their brother with friends since we are not quite ready to receive them yet. Due to the awful weather, our move is a little behind schedule, so it is quite refreshing to hear that Guy also has the problem with mud. I personnally cannot bare it and looking forward to moving to a propery that gives us half a chance to get proper drainage in hopefully avoid future mush!
I fear my love affair with Tammies could possibly be challenged when the Gossies arrive since they look so adourable and have such soft hair in comparison to the course hair of the Tammy. I said challenged not lost by the way!
Kate