[HappyHippy]

Poppy, Petal, longtail and stumpy are due to be tagged early jan and booked in for jan.......mixed feelings about that

If they're going to slaughter I'd wait until the day before they go to tag them, otherwise you might find you've got to do it twice  
How you feel is totally understandable, after all you've looked after them and built a bond. Take heart from the fact that they've had a better life with you than they would have had in a commercial set up and be proud that you've produced your own pork (which will be the best you've ever tasted)
Good luck when the time comes.
Karen

[sarha]

kjohnson34

I have just written a reply...a very long one and it has dissapeared!! Oh well!!

You will get lots of invaluable advice on this forum....I'm a new pig keeper/weaner rearer and I have loved every minute of it!!

Go for a breed you like...you will have to look at them everyday!!! Thats why I chose saddlebacks...they look lovely. Can't wait to taste meat. Will prob have different breed next time, probably a X rather than a pure breed...just to compare. Cost? we paid £40 each for ours. Feed around £8 - £9 a bag. Scats pig grower pellet works out cheaper as 25 kg bag and if you buy 5 or more bags you get £4.50 discount. These are local feed merchants to me. I would love to get feed for £6 a bag!! I had acces to other feed...maize silage, soya meal, potatoes ( cooked on camping gas stove in my garage to comply with regs) lawn clippings, veg scraps etc. They like willow for some reason!

We fenced off part of our paddock with stock netting and a strand of barbed wire about 6 inches from ground on the inside of fence. It has stopped pigs escaping and we have had no injuries. Alot of people disagree with this fencing arrangement but it has worked for us and with and sysytem their are pros and cons...its what works for you and what you have available to keep costs down.
My hubby built and ark using 2 8x4 pig ark corrugated sheeting, 18mm ply for front and back, plus 4x2 timber for support bits...purlings i think they are called! We have a stream running along perimeter of paddock so fenced off section for their water/wallow. It has worked very well for us.

Definietly go and see a few breeds before you commit. Make sure you get holding numer before you collect pigs, then you can get herd number when pigs arrive. Also come on here often for really good advice and their are lots of people who can help with rules / regs etc regarding pig keeping. Internet is also very useful!!

Above all.....have fun, enjoy your plannin and when you get them....enjoy your pigs!! Good luck

[Eve]

"pay at least £50".... Sounds like the advise of a seller to me.

Not at all! With the costs of pig feed, medication if necessary etc selling them cheaply means something eventually has got to give. Prices are lower the more rural you live, of course, but there's a limit to that. Last thing I'd ever be persuaded by is a low price. If the prices for weaners are too low, the breeder doesn't make anough money and gives up - when people stop with pigs, they mostly quote the feed prices.

Talking prices, kjohnson, if it all goes well this year you may be able to have a few more pigs next year to sell the meat from (when selling half pigs there is a large difference in price depending on where you live!) and you may be able to cover all the costs from what you sell, meaning you get your own 2 freezers full of pork free!

The bacon is divine, btw, and making air dried ham is easy! 


 

[Eve]

Talking feed, they love bananas!

Eve 

[pikilily]

Here some more info-
I just got most of my two back from the butchers.
So, I measured and calculated their live weight at about 70kg each. Their combined dead weight was 114kg.
Of that 32 kg is still with the butchers for curing - gammons and bacon.
I have just packed away
4 gigot joints
4 x 1/2  rolledshoulders
2 x full rolled shoulders
2 x 1/2 rolled belly
2 x 1/2 flat belly
3 x  ribs
2 x packs of loin
2 x shanks
8 x (2) pack bone in ribs
8 x  (2) pack bone out ribs
4 trotters.....ergh i didnt want them....what the h*ll do i do with them!!!
...and 15kg minced meat - for sausage making tomorrow.

Phew!!! - the dogs are going crazy, and the cat was trying to squeeze himself under the kitchen door.

Not sure what you can do with the above info but, it may give you an idea of what to expect, perhaps. Actually I might paste this into another topic and ask for other folks info on their butchering preferences. I just asked the butcher to give me variety.
... so he sang me a lovely tune 
Emma T

[robert waddell]

i think your maths is wrong 70kilos each liveweight yet over 140 kilos of meat something is wrong and no head mentioned

[robert waddell]

sorry it is my maths thats wrong iwas adding when it should have been subtractinit is usually30 per cent of the live weight inc the head in the dead weight

[pikilily]

114 total dead weight,

subtract 32kg for cured meat still at the butchers
today i brought home 15 kg of minced meat and what is listed ....no didnt want heads back!

sorry maybe didnt write it clearly before  ,  either that or i have been diddled.
cheers Emma T

[pikilily]

n' a'nover fing!!
LOL.
.... i may have underestimated how much they were live weight.
Emma T

[waterhouse]

lactulose and exlax (made the chemist chuckle wheni explained what it was for)

I bought the whole stock of lactulose from Boots on Piccadilly for the horse and got a very old-fashioned look...

[Eve]

I bought acidophalus in Holland & Barret to make salami's... apparently they normally sell it to old ladies who can't go to the loo?! 

[kjohnson34]

Hi all I live in rural warwickshire so not sure who lives round my way to give advice on prices, would love to have a few more next year if it works, I have 13 acres so  space is fine

[Eve]

I'm in Hertfordshire and the half pigs cost £175, but it's less further to the west and north, sometimes considerably less. There are a few more posts about pricing on this forum. Make sure that you have all your costs covered and a bit extra. Usually fattening 3 pigs means 1 freebie for your freezer.

[pointy]

I have kept a record of all costs for my 2, purchase cost, feed, hay, slaughter and butchering. I then have a cost per pound, some pork is worth more than others plus the extra time and work for curing, smoking, packaging etc.,

I am looking at a) covering costs plus at least half a pig for the family. All of this will not cover all your start up costs for mincers stuffers slicers packaging but over time........

I have also started a customer base.........well at least its a plan and hope shines eternal 

[kjohnson34]

Is there anyone in warwickshire that can give me any idea of prices like  feed, slaughter  and weaners