[welshlass181]

We went to our monthly livestock mart for the first time today.  We were shocked at how cheap the adult pigs were going for  not that we can house a mahoosive pig but one we saw (a large white/pink one with floppy ears) no idea what breed she was but she could have gone straight to slaughter went for £50.  It has made us think of making a holding pen out of 4 large gates, buying a large sow from mart on a Friday holding her in the pen over the weekend then sending her straight to slaughter on the Monday.  Given us some things to think about but what we've defo found out is that there is no money around here to sell live pigs. 

[loosey]

Much cheaper than meat! Does stress affect the pigs meat as is would with venison? I think that's the main thing I'd be worried about ... go to market, load into new trailer, go to new home, change in diet, start getting settled and then back in the trailer and off to abbatoir.

I think your pen would have to be very sturdy too ... I think most people have rocky starts when new pigs come in, they test the fencing or may not be broken to electric tape etc.

Hope that doesn't sound too negative ... just some of things I'd think of if it were me 

[robert waddell]

there is no money to feed pigs          what age was the pig and what condition was she thin  fat in pig just had a litter    all relevent also what she had been fed on (tainted meat) slaughter/butchery charges   have you had pigs before  4 gates wont hold a pig in  they have to be well secured for a pig weighing in the region of 200kgs    also will there be a pig when you go back to mart or one that you want
not trying to put you of just alerting you to some of the pitfalls        happy pigging

[welshlass181]

The pen i was thinking would be post and rail (or even scaffold poles with wooded posts) with elec fence on the inside and outside (to stop pesky Kunes annoying the newbie) as it would simply be as a over weekend thing.  Nothing has been decided yet and defo no plans being made just simply food for thought.  

I've no idea how it would affect the meat re stress   i am sure there are some ppl on here that will know more than me.  I'm new to piggery hehe

[welshlass181]

She seemed in good sorts but i'm a newbie and i would rather speak to the sellers before i bought anything anyway.  She didn't have saggy teats but i am not sure if that is relevent.  She was nice and calm laying down and getting up for fuss when i knelt down to see her.  There were no cuts or bruises.  She didn't look fat but i am a newb and not really sure about what is classed as fat or not.  Didn't buy and had no intention to buy jst simply went to look

[HappyHippy]

It is depressing when you see the small amounts that pigs sell for at the market. BUT I think it's very much a case of buyer beware at market (different of course if it's a rare breed sale with documented pedigrees etc) you have absolutely no idea what conditions the pig has come from, health status or feeding. It could end up as a costly mistake or the bargain of the year - just depends on your luck 
Private sales of pigs are slightly better in terms of cash, but you'll never get rich with pigs (til the prices change)
Karen x

[white-blazes]

Does the 20 day movement restriction not come into effect?

[bloomer]

doesn't apply for animals going to slaughter I believe!!!

[robert waddell]

if you have pigs on your holding they are held to the 20 day rule after bringing the new pig onto your land any pig can go to slaughter but the remainder are held there unless you are slaughtering them as well

[welshlass181]

The way it was discribed to me was ...... any pig can go to slaughter regardless of the 20 day stand time but they must come back as a product IE meat and not still a live pig.  Thought this was a sort of laymans way of explaining it to ppl.

[robert waddell]

welshlass you have just said the same as myself          how you get a live pig back from slaughter  will need a lot more than Paul Daniels

[white-blazes]

ah right, thanks 

[welshlass181]

Ye i jst said it the way it was said to me lol maybe cos i am a bit thick and dopey hehe i was arguing with a guy who has pigs that he takes to slaughter about the fat that the 20 day stand time does not count if they're going to be killed hehe 1 up to the girlies cos i was right hehe yes i know i am a tad bit sad ..... but still i felt kinda good 

[SallyintNorth]

I have heard a lot of people say that you can taste stress in the meat of any species and especially pig. 

I absolutely believe it to be true; certainly we believe that some of the excellent tenderness and flavour in our own meat (lamb, mutton, beef and pork) derives from the as-stressfree-as-possible last 24 hours.  We use a local small abattoir, take the animals ourselves in our own trailer, normally they are slaughtered within minutes of arrival, the handlers at the abattoir are great and you never see any harsh handling or signs of stress (in handlers or animals!)

However I know that I want it to be true, so I could be self-deluding.  And our pig ended up not being slaughtered till the next day as they had an equipment failure the day we took her in - and the meat tasted fantastic.   (But they would have looked after her well and so even though she'd have been in a strange place for 24 hours she maybe would not have been too stressed by it.)

[robert waddell]

what you do get with stress is little spots of blood through the meat          i think i am right with saying cattle meat gets fired if stressed