[ScotsGirl]

We have 3 boars which are coming up for 6 months old.  I am sure the bloke who sold them to us said kill at 7 months for pork and 9 months for bacon.  I am worried because one of them smells, well a bit like a dirty bloke's undies (not that I go around smelling them!!)
 
Is this normal or is it taint and will it affect meat?  Having sniffed all pigs I think it is only one of them.
 
What is the ideal weight to get rid?  We want a mix of gammon and pork.  We're using the tape measure method as a guesstimate of weight.

[Tudful Tamworths]

I'm surprised he sold you boars when you specifically said you wanted to raise some for bacon. Boars from traditional breeds are normally not kept on beyond six months - by which time they have reached "pork weight". This is because of the risk of boar taint. Running them on to heavier weighs increases the risk, as they are maturing sexually.
 
Now this is a can of worms, because some people can detect boar taint, some can't. Also, it's less prevalent in some breeds than others, and can be affected by a whole host of things, including age, cleanliness of surroundings, environmental conditions, feed, etc. I've written a piece on this subject for the November issue of Country Smallholding magazine.
 
Personally, I wouldn't worry about it at this stage, but I would get those pigs away asap. You can make bacon and ham out of younger pigs - the only downside is that your rashers of bacon may be smaller because the "eye" of the meat in the loin is smaller.
 
Good luck and let us know how you get on. Email me if I can be of any help: tudfultamworths@hotmail.com
Liz

[robert waddell]

pigs have a smell of there own as do sheep and cattle   washing them can eliminate it     but if they are intact  and riding each other they will start to develop boar taint 

[Sylvia]

Scotsgirl, I sent an OSB off last year at six months and cured the middle as bacon (Lill's recipe) and it was lovely with a lot of meat on it

[Bionic]

Sylvia,
I don't suppose you have a pic of your OSB just before it went to slaughter?
Mine are booked in for 19th Sept and will be just over 27 weeks but I am concerned that they aren't big enough
Sally

[Daisys Mum]

 
I am sending my 3 osb's and 2 saddleback boars tomorrow at 27 weeks and like you I was not sure if they were big enough but my local pig farmer who is taking them for me and also butchering them had a look and said that they were ready. I will take some photos this afternoon and try to put them on tonight. Most of them will be having bacon made from their middles.

[Bionic]

Thanks Daisys mum

[NicAlford1234]

Hi,

Last June I sent two OSB boars off at 9 months and a half (give or take  ). The larger came back for a hog roast, which was delicious!  and the other one is in the freezer, which we are loving! I started to panic, but there were no signs of boar taint from either of them, but as Robert suggested, I hadn't seen them riding each other. They hadn't been castrated.

HTH
Nic 

[Daisys Mum]

 
Not had much luck with the photos managed to get one to load so hope this helps.I will let you know the weights when I have them.

[Bumblebear]

Howe many "stock fencing squares" high are they?  Just curious to compare with my Berkshires

[Bionic]

Hmmm, yours does look a bit bigger than mine. Well I always knew one of mine was smallish. Anyway, they are going soon whether they are upto the weight or not.
thanks DM
Sally

[Berkshire Boy]

Come on people don't make this more complicated than it is, measure them then you will know the weight.Simples

[Bionic]

Berkshire Boy, mine get measured every couple of weeks thats how I know they are below what I think should be the correct weight. Having said that, as these are my first, its still good to compare to others.
Sally

[Berkshire Boy]

Sally, if they are under the weight you want hold them back a while. The abattoir won't mind if you change the date.

[Berkshire Boy]

Also get a bit fed up with the scaremongering about boar taint. Yes it happens but rarely especially in rare breeds.