The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Zoe76 on January 29, 2021, 09:19:04 pm
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Hi,
I wanted to get a couple of piglets to raise for slaughter. We tend to eat bacon, mince, crackling joints and sausages.
What breed/breeds would you guys recommend me getting to cover those joints?
Thanks in advance.
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You get the same cuts from all pigs. Modern breeds tend to have less fat cover than traditional breeds but if you overfeed a modern it can still be fatty. For bacon and crackling you need some fat. For the cuts you like I would go for a traditional breed and something you can take to a 100kilo so Saddleback or a British Lop so you've got a good deep side for bacon.
Mince and sausage would come from your shoulders and roasting joints off the back legs.
Look around to see what breeds you have locally. You buy weaners or stores. Piglets are still taking milk from the sow.
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Wonderful, thank you.
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My last pigs were Landrace cross Old Spot and my butcher was full off praise on how they had turned out. The did have a small paddock to roam about in and I was careful with feeding as I had not experienced this breed before. Would be happy to have them again.
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As mentioned, you cant beat the taste of traditional pigs but they very easy turn to fat if overfed as we found out ourselves! Upto now we've had tamworth/gloucesters cross, oxfords and saddlebacks. The saddlebacks were the leanest and mildest tasting meat (still way better than supermarket stuff) but for me, a collar of Oxford smoked over a 12hour period is the best thing in the world!!
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We are clearing an area in of woodland to keep a couple of pigs in. We are going to get Tamworth weaners. My question is, is there a prefered time of year to start or is it not important. Any advice would be appreciate. We are in South Wales near abergavenny and apart from the Welsh rain its quite a mild climate here. Thanks.
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Most people buy weaners in the Spring and put them in the freezer for winter. That way they tend to have them through the drier times and have longer daylight hours rather than battling through the cold, wet and darker day. If your land/buildings allow for finishing over winter there isn't any reason why you can't do that and have plenty of burger and sausage for BBQ time.