Author Topic: Boar taint in saddlebacks (Read 3419 times)

Andy1982 · « **on:** May 08, 2011, 08:52:23 pm »

Hi all.

My question is about boar taint in saddlebacks. I have one boar which is 4months old and coming in at about 80lbs. What would be the cutoff time for having him taken away?

Now,because he is not even half weight yet and he is still in with 2 gilts,i am wondering how long i can go without getting the stench. I have read that if you keep the boar away from the gilts that you will get no taint due to lack of hormone in a batchelor pad,but how far away is far away if this is indeed a ture way to stave off the taint.

Thanks in advance

Andy.

Hilarysmum · « **Reply #1 on:** May 09, 2011, 10:42:50 am »

Just my opinion, and there are lots of opinions each as valid. I would send him off at 6 months at the latest if he is in with gilts. Again just my opinion I find its better to separate the boys off from the girls at around 12 weeks and to keep them well away from any females. So far never had boar taint, but thats not to say my system is perfect

Fowgill Farm · « **Reply #2 on:** May 09, 2011, 11:45:32 am »

Agree with HM.
Don't keep meat boars with gilts unless you positively have to.
We have done it twice and got away with it, all pigs went at 22 weeks
HTH
mandy

oaklandspigs · « **Reply #3 on:** May 09, 2011, 03:28:05 pm »

Boar Taint is an unpleasant smell that can be released during cooking pork from boars. Research has shown that 1 in 2 women but only 1 in 7 men can detect this. The occurrence of boar taint is higher in hybrids used commercially than in purebreds, and research shows that housing conditions and diet both affect taint. In commercial herds the rate is low - about 1 in 12.

For those of us breeding the traditional breeds, boar taint is unlikely to be a problem - we usually fatten outdoors where pigs get a varied diet from soil and vegetation, they are from non-hybrid pigs, and we take them off before sexual maturity. Therefore the risk of boar taint is very low.However this subject is regularly raised, and Mr. Pig who posts on this forum has seen it in his herd.

Boar Taint is mainly caused by androstenone, a steroid produced by the males that are sexually active, and by skatole, a by-product of bacterial activity in the gut. As male pigs reach sexual maturity the amount of androstenone increases, and sexual steroids produced by the male also inhibit breakdown of Skatole. Both can then be deposited in the fat of the pig, and it is possible for this to cause boar taint.

The meat of sexually mature boars is more at risk, but as most male pigs are taken off to pork or bacon before the pig reaches full sexual maturity, it is highly unlikely to be a problem. Fully mature (retired) boars are culled and their meat generally goes abroad to be made into Belgium Pate or Italian Salami.

No research on smallholding pigs has been done to our knowledge, but at Oaklands Pigs we generally fatten male pigs (entire boars will grow about 20% faster than gilts) and in many years of selling weaners we know of none of our customers who have come across this problem. Indeed we have on several occasions used 10-12 month old boars to get first time gilts pregnant and then taken the boar off for meat without any issues.

So personally given a choice we would take boars for fattening, and many families want boars, as they would be too tempted to keep a gilt for maybe breeding later on, but know boars will have to go for the chop !