Hi Robert
No they are not in pig yet as they are too young, they will be AI in April. We then have to wait at least four weeks before we bring them over which will be May/June and when the dutch vets will let them go. Obviously we have taken advice on this from them. The piglets will be due September (ish). Then obviously it will be eight weeks later when we can sell them. Not a good time to sell them but nothing we can do about that. Yes I agree I am possibly counting my chickens, its a worry believe you me that something goes wrong and I lose the piglets. However I was sounding the interest out not actually going to be taking orders as that is tempting fate. With any new venture it is always a worry in case it falls flat but when you have potentially 30 piglets to feed, it is more of a worry. I know to a farmer like yourself, unless you can see a valid commercial reason for bringing them over, it would not make sense. But there is no commercial reason other than recouping my money back and of course hopefully make a little profit but although this is normal business sense, some people on here seem to think i shouldn't be thinking of profit. I can only say to that, their business must be running at a loss if they don't think profit is a good thing. Ithink and hope that there will be interest in them but I don't have a clue how they will sell initially or in the long term. It could take off or it could fall flat on its back. I will be guided by the interest as to what I do with them in the long term. As far as my comment was concerned about I don't care a fig about the reasons why they are not be kept or whatever by the Chinese, is becuase it really isn't relevent to what I have planned. I am not planning to take over the pig production world, I don't think they will be bought as pets, although you know as well as I do that people often end up keeping pigs as pets becuase they don't have the heart to slaughter them. I have had good mileage I agree, hopefully when they come over I will be getting alot more, becuase lets face it, as a pig they are unique and I fully expect some smallholders to buy one or two to go alongside their other pigs as one post suggested. I am going to have to work hard at marketing them thats for sure. And of course I do want them sold asap to allow me to recoup my costs. As you say the traditional breed market is struggling but can you honestly think the meishan will take over from some of our loveliest breeds, I think not. So on that front, I don't think anyone should worry. i do think as well that there are people out there no matter how much you hate it or disagree with it, cross traditional breeds to experiement with the meat. We ourselves have experimented for our own consumption crossing our own breeds, the mangalista with the large black was exceptionally tasty. But please don't think by that comment I am advocating trying to dilute the traditional breeds, I am merely saying it goes on and will go on regardless of whether the meshian is in this country or not.
Why would there be more confidence in a pig that came direct from china, in fact according to one post, there is a disease worry possibly attached. Years ago - sorry not sure of the date, 25 meishans came over to Europe from china (similar to some of our breeds who were crossed with asian pigs) and the majority of meishans in europe are descendants of theose 25. Don't shout at me if I am a bit wrong there as I was told by the breeder in Holland that fact. The US is still using meshian seman in some commercial herds although as one post put it, it is declining, however we know the pig industry to be driven by need and fashion, one breed is in vogue one day but not the next hence the reason we lost some of our traditional breeds. I know it is hard to take on board and understand reasons behind bringing them over, but its a case of I want try my own meat from them, have a play with the lard and fat as in experiment not playing with it
and generally keep them as they are really nice pigs. I don't think the fact they are ugly comes into it, the middle white is not exactly a pretty pig and that sells. If people are taken by them they will buy them regardless of what they look like or indeed because of what they look like.