[white-blazes]

Our pigs are now 5 months old.  Is there an ideal time to take to slaughter, or is it just whenever you feel like it?

thanks

[loosey]

What breed are they? Are they male or female? Our boys go off at 6 months to limit the chance of boar taint. Some large breeds are ready to go sooner. We kept some females back last year and have just sent them off at 12 months ... bacon from them is wonderful! 

[Beewyched]

More to do with weight than age - also if you want pork joints etc or just sausages  

[white-blazes]

Thank you, they are both boys, and are, according to the breeder Gloucester Old Spot x Leicester White but there isn't a spot to be found on them (perhaps this is normal).

We don't know what cuts to do yet to tell the truth, it's our first time.

[Beewyched]

Aw sweet.

I can't comment on the breed - only have wee Kune Kunes - but they look very content & healthy.  I believe anything between 65-80kg is the usual for the one-way trip

Probably better to talk to a few butchers about the cuts a while beforehand - your abbatoir may have a butcher linked to them or recommend one. Also, try a few of the piggie folks on here in your area - they may be able to recommend too.

[white-blazes]

Thanks B, hubby is a softee at heart

Without sounding stupid how do you weigh pigs?

We're taking them to an abatoir in Denbighshire, as being on Anglesey, there's not a great deal of choice and Denbigshire do the whole job.

How do I find out who on here is in my area, as locations aren't shown are they? Or am I beingthick again

[Beewyched]

Ah, yes the weights - sorry.  There is a thread on here where HappyHippy gave a link to a site with this - you will need a tape measure & get length by girth (try doing a search on here) will try & find it for you.

You can find where TAS members are by clicking on their name, but not everyone puts theirs on here - you could try a post & see who replies - there's got to be a few out there, even if they are hiding 

[Beewyched]

Actually found the instructions typed -up on here by a couple of helpful folks - search "weighing pigs" or "measurement" & they should come up.
HTH

[Bionic]

I'm going a bit off the subject here and I don't yet have my smallholding so no pigs, but I have been told that when you take your animals to a slaughter house you don't always get your own carcases back. I am horrified at the thought that I might put in a lot of hard work ensureing i know what my animals eat and then get someone elses in return. Is that really the case?
Sally

[white-blazes]

Thanks B, I will search now.  Wasn't sure if it was a tape around their bellies as we do for horses

Bionic, that can't be right surely

[robert waddell]

bionic this has happened  to others   it looks like they are still intact     depends on the size of hubby i would say 60-70 kilos

[Hilarysmum]

Bionic it happened to a couple of different friends of ours.  If you slap mark your pigs on both shoulders and both hams and check the carcasses when you collect you will have no problems. 

[Fowgill Farm]

We measure behind the front legs around the chest. When the tape reads 40" they're ready to go. This is at approx 24 weeks. Our pigs are GOS.
HTH
Mandy 

[white-blazes]

We measure behind the front legs around the chest. When the tape reads 40" they're ready to go. This is at approx 24 weeks. Our pigs are GOS.
HTH
Mandy 

Thanks Mandy 

[white-blazes]

We measure behind the front legs around the chest. When the tape reads 40" they're ready to go. This is at approx 24 weeks. Our pigs are GOS.
HTH
Mandy 

Measured them today, they are 32 inches around their girth, and are about 23 weeks now, so a bit small yes?

Looking at my photo above, do they resemble GOS x LW ?