[daniellestocks]

Hi everyone, just a query id like a little input on please if anyone can help?
We have bought of a good priced young pedigree saddleback boar, his white saddle is a little wide will this effect the markings of any young produced? Altho its not of importance for the young we are to produce, as were only really breeding meat pigs, was just wondering really?
So do bad marks produce bad marks and good marks produce bad and good etc?
Thanks Danielle 

[Mr Pig]

A broad saddle is not a fault as such and providing he meets the breed standard in every other way he should be fine. The wider saddle is supposed to derive from the Essex side of the equation when the Wessex Saddleback and Essex amalgamated in 1967. It will have some influence on his offspring but may well be balanced out by a narrow saddle on the gilt. What you will see is that the piglets in a single litter all vary in the amount of white they carry.

Whilst you are really interested in the meat market, having acquired a pedigree boar, can I suggest that you make a little effort, join the BPA and birth notify all the offspring bred from registered parents? This gives you two advantages - firstly, you can sell the best pigs you produce as pedigree breeding stock for which there is a premium and secondly, every time you birth notify a litter, you can download a meat certificate from the BPA website to support your claims when you sell your meat. According to a recent Trading Standards ruling, if the parents aren't pedigree registered, you cannot legally sell the meat as being from a specific breed so the certificate is a good marketing tool.

[Hilarysmum]

I wondered what the difference was between Essex and Saddleback!

[daniellestocks]

Great thanks, i thought as much
Danielle 

[Daisys Mum]

I have just gotten 2 saddleback boars, for meat only, and while one is well marked the other is pure black! Did wonder if perhaps they are not pure bred. I did not buy them I have just taken them to finish as the were running with there sisters.

[Hilarysmum]

They are probably pure bred, it may just be a throw back to original breeding?  We try to breed Gossies with less spots as that is my particular preference, yet every so often we get a really, really spotty one.   

[Mr Pig]

It is not unusual for an all-black pig to be born in a litter of Saddlebacks and there's no reason to believe he is not pure bred. The incidence was much more common in the old Wessex Saddleback breed before the amalgamation in 1967 and if you really want to find out more, there is an article in a BSBC Newsletter from 2004 regarding a study carried out in the 1940s which can be read at http://www.saddlebacks.org.uk/lutwyche/2%20Saddleback%20Times%20Winter%2004.pdf

[Malc]

An all black or mostly black Saddleback isn't unusual. We generally reckon that from an average litter of nine (bred from pedigree parents), only two or three will have 'show standard' markings. The rest will have bands that are broken or with spots, socks that are too long or they will be mostly black or even mostly pink. It doesn't change the excellent taste of the pork or the fun you'll have working with them.

[Hilarysmum]

And the variations make them so much easier to distinguish.

[Daisys Mum]

Yes for those of you with small children on as in my case granchildren the one with the band is Sam and the black one is Elvis (from Fireman Sam).Lots of people say to me how can you name your animals that you are going to eat but it is agood way to tell which is which. Even the turkeys are all named. Santa, Paxo, Noel and Tinsel,we are having tinsel for Christmas dinner and the others are all orders.

[Hilarysmum]

I name everything, except oddly the two sheep, who we have had for several months now, still havent found the right names.

[daniellestocks]

I named my first two gilts Porky (for the freezer) and Petal (not for the freezer)