[princesspiggy]

just wondering, when looking through adverts for weaners, why there are so many traditional or rare breeds that are xbred with another traditional/rare breed. is it just cos thats the only boar they cud get or is there another reason?

[Eve]

The different breeds have their own characteristics, which some breeders like to combine or experiment with. There is also more choice as you're not stuck with bloodlines and (as you guessed) finding the right sow or boar.
And with a more diverse gene pool can more vigour or stronger growth.

Then again, other breeders or buyers like a pure breed, to keep the breed itself in existence or have a certain look or characteristics. We have so far had pure GOS, but that may not always be the case if supply becomes an issue. Pure breeds can be more expensive to buy, especially when they're registered with the breed society.

 

[robert waddell]

not many smallholders keep a boar it is usually pedigree breeders that keep them the x breeds that is advertised what i refer to are  dolly mixtures and there is some amount of them out there but then again i have British lop x with Hampshire the first in Scotland and the way they are growing it appears to be very good only when they are killed will it be proved if this is the way to go but the hams on them at 4wks old it seams worthwile it all depends on what you like and yes it probably is the only boar that they can get

[princesspiggy]

dolly mixtures - thats a lovely term 

[Blinkers]

Dolly mixtures - love it 

We keep to breeding pure and only charge the same amount as others do for Xbreds.    Without the purebreds, there wouldn't be any xbreds  but yes, people do look for 'longer lenght', 'bigger hams' etc....but its all personal choice and we love trying to breed that 'perfect' purebred....not that we've done it yet, but we have had some crackers that have gone on to be Registered breeding stock. 

[robert waddell]

we keep the tamworths pure also the Hampshire's the lop  was the only lop in Scotland came from south wales just wanted to try crossing with the Hampshire to get an early finished pig without fat(to much) and good hams every breeder thinks their particular breed is the best  for flavour/conformation/fat and finishing early yes not every piglet  birth notified is good enough to breed from which is why we castrate the males if sold entire they could be used for breeding as happens with gilts our hamlops if we sell any weaner's will be expensive compared to others but you save on feeding them the Hampshire's well thats something else

[oaklandspigs]

We have 12 diferent breeds, but just Saddleback and GOS boars, so x-breed many of them.

Crossbreds can be great fun, for instance our middlewhite crossed with our saddleback boars throws what we call "Saddlewhites" - look like saddleback, but with very prick ears and "middlebacks" a lop eared middlewhite!

But apart from the fun, you can get what is called "Hybrid Vigour" - that is the offspring of two purebreds can grow faster than either purebred would, so you get a faster growing, quicker maturing pig.

If you are just doing meat, then no reason not to try some crossbreds - as many of our customers do - you can get some truly individual pigs - each looking unique!

[robert waddell]

what you have is refereed to as blue greys large white/saddelback middle white/saddle back British lop/Hampshire all produce similar progeny the meat is the end result irrespective of breed or cross or pedigree possible i am biased towards the Hampshire what is infect a hybrid pig however some breeders have introduced other breeds into the pure breeding programme

[princesspiggy]

well, i never realised they would grow faster, i thought hybrid vigour mean they were healthier. would xbred weaners be priced same as purebred then if going to be fattened?

[robert waddell]

no it depends on buyer and seller

[littlemisspiggy!]

i have a xbreed pig called 'DOLLY' so i guess she is a 'dolly mixture' lol...she is a gos x duroc and is a fab girl we have her in with our gos x kune kune boar (PERKY) at the mo....so we'll see what we get soon!!

[Hilarysmum]

Oddly our large black cross GOS have not grown as fast as the pure bred GOS.  Same feed etc.   I dont have a lot of experience of breeding large blacks, are they normally slower growing?