The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: artscott on August 21, 2012, 09:59:46 am
-
Our first two weaners have worked hard over the summer digging over the ground but they are now big enough to retire to the freezer.
However we don’t have a freezer yet and I was wondering if anyone could tell me how much space a butchered pig takes up in freezer? Chest freezers seem to come in about 9, 13, 17 and 24 Cuft and I have been considering 17cuft model as I plan to have lambs next year too but not sure if I am going large enough or too big.
Thanks Angus
-
You can't go too big, only too small. How much space your pigs take up will depend on how much processing you do. Boned out joints take a lot less room than whole legs for example.
-
Get the biggest freezer you can. Keeping pigs is addictive and if friends and family get a taste then they might want some in future. We have just packed out our John Lewis chest freezer with pork and Hogget. Then some bits and pieces of pork from our " bacon pigs" is taking up a drawer in another freezer! And we still have the bacon from 2 large blacks to put somewhere! :o :o
-
Echo what Hughsey says, bigger the better if you can keep it full all year.
I have a big Phillips up right (don't ask me the size i'm a girl :innocent: its as tall as me and about 4ft wide) and it JUST holds one porker and sausages so aim big if you've two to get in.
HTH
mandy :pig:
-
Don't forget when getting a freezer you want to consider where you store it, as domestic freezer aren't as good when kept in an out house. Also a chest freezer is more economical than an upright freezer although an upfright freezer is easier to sort out.
We use a Vestfrost
-
Chest freezer is the way we will go, stored in a stone outbuilding. We are in NE Scotland so doesn't get hot in there even in the middle of summer.
We have been looking at the vestfrost range too, light commercial seems to make more sense and cheaper than domestic models.
-
Don't know if this picture might help. This is a whole Oxford Sandy & Black, butchered into joints and chops, but not boned. She was about 65kg deadweight at about 8 months old - bigger than I would normally take Tamworths to.
I've got two 12ft Vestfrost chest freezers - bought one full price for about £450, I think, and the other on eBay for about £50. Also got an upright, about 4ft tall - again off eBay, for about £30.