[jolouliles]

We had some saddleback x boars and kept them through winter killed two weeks ago tomorrow and the fat level was very good not a lot at all.. We were very strict on feeding them..... It was our first time too. We did let them run outside  in a penned area and come in when they pleased...

[Tamsaddle]

I should really like to learn from Mr. Pig with all many more years of experience than me exactly what he feeds his Saddlebacks and what age they go to slaughter.   On the whole I have found our Saddlebacks come out less fatty than the Tamworths, all of whom get exactly the same feed rations at our place, lots of space to run around, and unknown amounts of woodland roots etc. to dig up and eat.   Our best pig ever was our first Saddleback x GOS cross (boar) who grew much faster than his sisters, went to slaughter at 6 months 1 month earlier than them and had only 18 mm fat.    Next year I am planning to do the pound-per-month rule up to 4 months and after that up it gradually to a max of 5 lbs a day (2.3 kg) whatever age they go to slaughter.    I had not heard before of Leghorn's comment on cutting down for 2 weeks before slaughter - is this a common practice?
Like Novice, my pigs never look plump when I send them off - but then I can never feel their backbone either.   They just seem very solid and hard all along the backbone, not fat, and no amount of pressing would make it feeleable I dont think.    Tamsaddle

[YorkshireLass]

More from curiosity than a practical suggestion, but in the depths of my memory there is something about using ultrasound on fat lambs, with the aim of improving feeding/breeding to get the carcass just right.

Ahh seems to be a Signet thing http://www.signetfbc.co.uk/documents/content/sheepbreeder/factsheet_10_ultrasound_scanning_sheep.pdf

Anything similar happening in the commercial pig world? Any useful results to filter down?

[robert waddell]

depends on the slaughter house used  they do a backfat probe and this is recorded on the e aml  but from memory it is on the commercial pigs  as they are paid plus or minus on backfat and weight
interesting as well the commercial graders (the people that go round selecting pigs for slaughter for the commercial producer) are mostly women and this is on a hand eye coordination  again from somebody that was considering b and b for pigs

[Mel]

i don't want to start the old argument that commercial pork is inferior  to traditional pork       it is still farmers that are producing them 
30-40 mm is an inch to an inch and a half  that is alright if you can use the fat but just imagine that on bacon the public would not buy it as they perceive it as being to much and have heard comments from the buying public on this (i don't sell to the public)
yep that that little band in the fat  a change of environment or feed maybe leghorn could expand on this and tell you the age that happened at
so the exercise guff does not work either with feeding pigs from your experiences eve 

i don't want to start the old argument that commercial pork is inferior  to traditional pork       it is still farmers that are producing them 
30-40 mm is an inch to an inch and a half  that is alright if you can use the fat but just imagine that on bacon the public would not buy it as they perceive it as being to much and have heard comments from the buying public on this (i don't sell to the public)
yep that that little band in the fat  a change of environment or feed maybe leghorn could expand on this and tell you the age that happened at
so the exercise guff does not work either with feeding pigs from your experiences eve 

That little band of fat,the pigs went at around 7 months,when I first got them,I fed them weaner meal,or the tiny pellets,it was giving them the runs and under advice,they went on to Heygates sow rolls though mixed this with veg and fruit.However,they seemed to be fattening too quick,so for breakfast,they would have a sack of carrots and just a small amount of rolls,afternoons the same but even more veg and fruit than rolls,I have to admit that they also had some bread,but not too much.

The boys were always really active and fast.However,in the last 4-6 weeks,the fruit and veg supply ran dry so they only had the rolls,I think this is where the excessive band came from-maybe?Again,this was also my first time,so and to be honest,I did not realise regards that new band of growth until you just mentioned it Robert.