[daveh]

Our two large black pigs, Sooty and Sweep have gone to meet their maker. Or should that be 'sausage maker'. They were bought as weaners at eight weeks old and slaughtered at seven months. The pigs came back as two sides with trotters still on and one side having the head attached. I estimated that Sooty, the bigger pig, to have a live weight of 210 - 220 pounds using the heart girth times length calculation. However, she weighed out at the abattoir as 191 pounds without her innards. Does this sound right for my estimated live weight? Sweep had a dead weight of 159 pounds. Sooty is destined to be turned into bacon and Sweep is already pork. A butcher friend kindly cut the pigs and gave a master class as he went. It was great to be able to give feedback on the different cuts we wanted for pork and bacon as he progressed.
 
We have previously kept Oxford Sandy and Blacks who were a bit faddy in the food department steadfastly refusing to eat carrots. However they did eat cabbages and brussel sprouts thus proving that pigs don't read books which state that pigs love carrots and hate brassicas.  The large blacks would eat anything even settling down in the evening for a chew of a house brick they had unearthed.
 
The big question is what breed to keep next spring. OSB or LB? I'm undecided.
 
Regards, Dave
 

[kja]

why not try a different rare breed when we set out we tried pretty much all the rare breeds, we even tried some rare breed x's but much preffered the pure breed pigs you know just what your getting. we now breed and show british lops the reasons we opted for this lovely breed was they are one of if not the rarest of the breeds they are calm and best of all they make for fantastic pork & bacon with their long backs and great hams.

the second favourite was the osb we had over 30 of them whilst some of the breeds we never had twice 

what ever you choose i am sure you will enjoy the keeping and eating.

[Berkshire Boy]

You should give Berkshire a try you won't be dissapointed.

[darkbrowneggs]

I've kept quite a few varieties over the years. 
 
I think Berkshires have a lot of character.  Nice pigs to keep, and good meat as well.  Middlewhite or Middlewhite x Welsh might just have the edge in succulence, but the Berkshires were always trouble free and nice pigs to have around.

[Fowgill Farm]

Large Blacks are on the danger list so if you rear them you will be helping LB breeders, if they don't have a market for them they become more endangered.
Mandy

[kja]

Large Blacks are on the danger list so if you rear them you will be helping LB breeders, if they don't have a market for them they become more endangered.
Mandy

i would echo mandys post the RBST list for the most risk breeds are British Lop, Large Black & Middle White in that order all these breeds are vulnerable and with out pig rearers help will become endangered we cant breed if we have no outlet for the off spring.

[Sylvia]

I had a couple of Berkshire weaners a few years ago and they were the only pigs that I found really hard to send away. They are as friendly and matey as Kunes and would walk around the fields with me just for the sake of my company

[Bumblebear]

I have to agree with the Berkshire comments and are really regretting choosing them as our first pigs because they are just so lovely.