The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Pigglewiggle on March 02, 2009, 02:38:03 pm

Title: Thanks for all the advice
Post by: Pigglewiggle on March 02, 2009, 02:38:03 pm: Hi everyone,
Thank you to everyone for the great advice, we now have pig's ! We have 2, 9 week old Oxford, Sandy & Black boys. Its great, we collected them in the end in a hastily built wooden crate in the back of our car, due to a lot of problems with trailers and our land rover deciding to develop a misfire the morning we were due to collect them.
Was an easy ride home, they seemed to enjoy car travel and were very quiet and not at all smelly !

Next problem I can forsee is my partner trying to prise me off them so he can take them to the abattoir in a few weeks time, not looking forward to that at all, but it has to be done. I just have visions of us in 15 years time still with the pigs in the garden...

Best wishes to all

Debbie
Title: Re: Thanks for all the advice
Post by: Rosemary on March 02, 2009, 02:48:25 pm: Just DON'T give them names!
Title: Re: Thanks for all the advice
Post by: Pigglewiggle on March 02, 2009, 03:34:46 pm: Uh Oh too late :'(
Title: Re: Thanks for all the advice
Post by: carl on March 02, 2009, 03:43:49 pm: We had our first pigs 18 months ago and named them. It made it harder to take them to the abattoir. Last night we had a pork shoulder from the freezer for dinner, it had its tattoo on and a scar. we knew it was Gremlin, our boy pig, it felt a bit strange scoring the skin and rubbing oil in. But once it was cooking and the smell was drifting around outside it all changed . It tasted delicious, and i toasted Gremlin with a glass of red. I have three more porkers ready to go now, no names no pack drill. It is hard to avoid becoming very attached to such wonderful creatures. Enjoy them for the time being, but try and disengage closer to the end. :pig: :'( . Focus on the well cared for Pork that will taste like nothing you've ever bought.
Title: Re: Thanks for all the advice
Post by: HappyHippy on March 02, 2009, 04:25:28 pm: We didn't plan on giving ours names - but the kids got involved and before we knew it 'Rasher' and 'Sausage' ;) had been decided on !
I'm the biggest softy in the world and did get attached - but I think you DO become attached, even if it's just in the 'we gave them a good, happy life and they were well cared for' kind of way. I didn't know if I'd be able to go through with it at the end - but I did (and there wasn't a tear in sight, well not in sight of any of the guys at the abbetoir anyway!) and although I don't eat a lot of pork I have eaten ours and have to say it's worth it in the end.
You'll be fine :)
Title: Re: Thanks for all the advice
Post by: sausagesandcash on March 02, 2009, 04:50:45 pm: WHy don't you just breed 'sausage' and 'rasher' and then eat the offspring? You'll have to wait a bit longer, but you might'nt feel as bad
:farmer:
Title: Re: Thanks for all the advice
Post by: Hilarysmum on March 02, 2009, 05:33:51 pm: I have lost count of the number we have taken to the abattoir, yet each has had a name, its always hard, thats what being a good smallholder is about. We care.
Title: Re: Thanks for all the advice
Post by: Hilarysmum on March 02, 2009, 05:34:29 pm: ooops sorry that was not meant to sound didactic, I meant that it doesnt matter if you do or dont name them, its still hard, because we care.
Title: Re: Thanks for all the advice
Post by: gavo on March 02, 2009, 10:19:48 pm: Hello,

We would keep our OSB boys until at least 11 months before slaughter. It adds to the flavour and means you get more for your freezer. Just watch your toes ! our ones are terrible nibblers !

Cheers

Gavin
Title: Re: Thanks for all the advice
Post by: Rosemary on March 03, 2009, 10:04:58 pm: Our slaughter house would have a heart attack at 11 month old pigs. First thing they always ask when I phone to book them in is "not too big, are they?". Second thing is, "what kind are they?" and a groan when I tell them Tamworths.
Title: Re: Thanks for all the advice
Post by: carl on March 03, 2009, 10:29:48 pm: I rang the slaughterhouse today, to book my three in and thay are quite laid back. I told them they were`spotty, hairy and getting big and they said fine, the polish lads will sort them out. just need to confirm butchery details and they'll be off next monday. I'll go back and pick up the carcasses and drop them off later in the week for butchery. seems a bit industrial having put all that effort into giving them a good life, but you can't eat pork without doing it.
Title: Re: Thanks for all the advice
Post by: Hilarysmum on March 04, 2009, 07:48:02 am: It always feels a bit odd at the end doesnt it.
Title: Re: Thanks for all the advice
Post by: gavo on March 04, 2009, 11:27:23 pm: Hello,

I guess we're lucky over here. Our Abattoir has no weight limit so we don't have to worry - so long as it's not bigger than a cow ! (they do sheep, pigs & cows)

Cheers

Gavin
Title: Re: Thanks for all the advice
Post by: carl on March 05, 2009, 01:48:57 pm: Just think of the size of those joints, mahoosive sunday dinners.
Title: Re: Thanks for all the advice
Post by: Rosemary on March 05, 2009, 09:23:12 pm: Ours does cattle but I think it's the tank that they use for dehairing or something that's not big enough. Does that sound plausible?
Title: Re: Thanks for all the advice
Post by: carl on March 05, 2009, 09:27:52 pm: Ah, that would be the piggie version of back,sack and crack waxing. ( excuse the french). mine moaned a bit last time round about bristley pigs, but he doesn't turn business away.
Title: Re: Thanks for all the advice
Post by: gavo on March 05, 2009, 11:09:07 pm: Ours did try to skimp on the process and skin them. However we soon put him straight, after all a skinned carcass isn't too good when it comes to crackling. Now he scalds and scrapes them.

Gavin