[robert waddell]

can only speak for Britain here
in the British commercial herds they don't do castration because they are signed up to freedom foods which does not allow what they refer to as mutilation  which includes tooth clipping tail docking and castration this also involves the rspca and the sspca    if they grew quicker with no nads on they would be doing it

[arl]

Boar taint, i have been a butcher for over 20 years and i can honestly say the only time i have noticed any taint is in commercial indoor whatever fed pork that had fishmeal included in their diet for the higher protein.My osbs are outside,fed sow rolls cabbage leaves,potatoes,grass cuttings and any legal food i can scavenge.I have taken boars to nearly a year old to see if they have been up to standard and when not i have butchered them and i would challenge the most delicate tastebuds to detect any taint,
Arl

[JulieS]

I send my boys off at 7 - 8 months and never had any problems.

[FrostyM]

Just a quick question. Does your abbatoir have a butchering service? If yes, it is very convenient. If you are not squemish it is worth trying to butcher uour own. Hard work but very satisfying and you get exactly the size joints you want.

Luckily enough the abbatoir and butcher are all the one operation so that is convinient. Although I would have interest in butchering my own as well but I will probably be leaving that for a year or two. I used to do a little "butcher" work in a supermarket I work in, although it was pretty much just slicing steaks off joint of meat and that kind of thing.

If keeping for bacon, as I'm sure you are aware, best go for the girls as opposed to boys 

I was planning on going for gilts, I have read up a few different views on boar taint but I decided that to be safe I would steer clear of boars altogether. Thanks for the heads up 

Pleased to hear you're getting Tamworths!

Mine (outdoor all year round) go for pork between 5 and 6 months, and for bacon between 8 and 10. Don't forget, however, that you can make bacon from any age pig. Baconer just means bigger. The only differences are 1) in the "eye" of the bacon rasher (i.e. the amount of muscle - the meaty bit in your rasher); 2) the amount of fat you'll get.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.
Liz

Thanks for the advice, I am still hoping that my butcher might be able to do them at some time in December but if I cant I might just bring them to him in late November depending on their size. And after I read about Tamworths I felt there was only one choice for me. I would consider breeding them at some stage but I think I will learn to walk before I try run 

[Fowgill Farm]

Simples! If you're worrting about booking your pigs in for december DO IT NOW! I book my Xmas pigs in the minute they are born usually 1st week july, this reserves my slot with the butcher/abbatoir and he knows when he goes to his diary to book others or his own in mine are already there. I just add 24wks onto the birthdate and book in from there normally 1st/2nd wk dec.HTH
Mandy