[Bumblebear]

We've just had our two butchered (more about that in another post) and one of the pigs especially came back with too much stubble on it to eat all that wasted crackling!  The edges of a couple of ears are as hairy as they went in which means I can't use them either.  I'm pretty peeved to say the least.  Am I being unreasonable to expect them to come back "clean". They were Berkshires.   

[Bumblebear]

An example....

[SallyintNorth]

I doubt you'd notice that in proper crackling, to be honest.  But no, I don't have anything like that much hair left on my pigs - Saddleback x.  Did you tell the abbatoir they were hairy pigs when you booked them in?

[kja]

i have had coloured pigs back with visable hairs left i never looks nice the head area is always the worst.

this is the main reason coloured pigs are not favoured by butchers / buyers in markets and slaughterhouses are not so keen on killing them.

as sally said they would hardly notice on a white breed.

[nelson]

Our Berkshires come back as clean as a whistle, even the heads. I would be peeved . Can you speak to them and ask why?

[ZacB]

Would be interested to hear what Berkshire boy says about this - is it the breed
We have butchered two large blacks recently and you wouldn't have guessed they were black pigs.
Thanks nelson - you answered my query while typing 

[The Woodsiders]

We have had a similar problem recently, I asked the question at the abattoir and was told that this time of year the hair is thicker due to the winter coat and the paddles can`t cope with the removal completely. Which abattoir did you use? We have never had this problem before.

[Bumblebear]

We used Howards in Norfolk. He was saying they shaved them but would have cleaned them up better if we had a kill and cut    I said to them that basically I'm not 100% happy eating crackling with stubble in it so joe public wouldn't be and a butcher definitely wouldn't be able to sell it like that (we have been asked to supply a local butcher with 2 next time  ).  Also, I couldn't understand why some areas were as smooth as a whistle. 

However would they cope with mangas or kunes?

[Berkshire Boy]

I  have had a pig back with a little stubble but nothing like your pictures. The majority of the pigs I have slaughtered are this time of year and they come back clean. I don't understand what difference having a kill and cut should make, mine are just kill and go off to a butcher and they are fine.
Someone did tell me once that you can get a bit of stubble if there are swirls in the coat but that should only affect a very few pigs and I think that was the reason for mine.

[Bionic]

I had 2 OSB's done. I haven't noticed any hair but then I never asked for the head back.
Sally

[Bumblebear]

The pictures I have posted the stubble is on the skin/crackling.  Most of the joints are at least 75% stubbly.  Time to look for another abbatoir me thinks.

[kja]

BB we have used howards in the past and never had any problems like yours  we have had the odd hair left as was the case when we used gagens & hellets. black hairs show worst of all.

did you talk to james he is usually very helpful they really do have a good reputation for service.

having said that we are trying another new slaughter house in the new year (we just love their sausages)

we use howards for the cattle because they will hang longer than most around here.

we will have a selection of british lops in march if you want to try a white rare breed 

[Mrs Snoodles]

We only have ever had a tiny amount of stubble left on the skin and have put through a fair amount of coloured pigs. I would find what you have been given, unacceptable.  I would contact the slaughterhouse and complain. you pay them to do a job and they haven't done it properly.     We've put pigs in at all times of the year, never had a skin being thicker type of comment from our chaps.

[kja]

We only have ever had a tiny amount of stubble left on the skin and have put through a fair amount of coloured pigs. I would find what you have been given, unacceptable.  I would contact the slaughterhouse and complain. you pay them to do a job and they haven't done it properly.     We've put pigs in at all times of the year, never had a skin being thicker type of comment from our chaps.

i think markcott was refering to thicker hair on the pigs due to the time of year rather than thick skin.

[The Woodsiders]

thats correct it was thicker hair, funny though we never had a problem from the last 2 sets of pigs that were overwintered, hope this was just a one off as we are very happy with the service we get from the abattoir normally.