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Author Topic: suggestions for 2 pigs  (Read 3647 times)

sokel

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • S W northumberland
suggestions for 2 pigs
« on: June 19, 2013, 08:32:03 pm »
I have 2 GOS gilts that shouldn't be here  ::) they are now 11 months old and due to lack of freezer space in any of the 4 freezers we where unable to send them away when they should have gone. We did have space planned  untill my sisters big freezer packed up so everything ended up in our freezers  ::)
Any suggestions on what the options could be for them as never had pigs this age before .
I am wondering if it would be worth selling them then get a couple of weaners  and make sure there is room in the freezers before they are ready at the end of the summer
breeding from them isn't an option as after last winter I don't want to be rearing weaners over the winter again
Graham

bloomer

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • leslie, fife
  • i have chickens, sheep and opinions!!!
Re: suggestions for 2 pigs
« Reply #1 on: June 19, 2013, 08:37:51 pm »
other than freezer space they should be looking good for bacon  ;D ;D ;D




sokel

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • S W northumberland
Re: suggestions for 2 pigs
« Reply #2 on: June 19, 2013, 08:43:04 pm »
They are looking great , the 1 we kept for ourselves earlier in the year tasted out of this world but I really don't have space to put the meat from them and another freezer is not ideal as we have 2 in the house and 2 big ones  in the garage  ::)
Graham

Hassle

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Lincolnshire
Re: suggestions for 2 pigs
« Reply #3 on: June 19, 2013, 10:19:31 pm »
lots of sausages speak to friends and you might find you have sold loads and only need to find room for 10 kilo in your own freezer

benkt

  • Joined Apr 2010
  • Cambridgeshire
    • Hempsals Community Farm
Re: suggestions for 2 pigs
« Reply #4 on: June 19, 2013, 11:00:31 pm »
Yep, sausage them all except for the hams which you could air cure for 'Parma ham' without using freezer space (and maybe bellies for bacon?). Sausages seem very easy to sell and you should get a decent return on the feed that's gone in to them. We do this with the odd half we have left over if we've got an odd number of members taking halves and it works pretty well.

HappyHippy

  • Guest
Re: suggestions for 2 pigs
« Reply #5 on: June 20, 2013, 08:54:38 am »
If it was me, I'd get the loins cured and sell as bacon (or bacon steaks - cut thicker than bacon  ;)) If you want streaky bacon then do the bellies too. Getting the back legs cured and air drying is a good idea too (saves on freezer space) and I'd get everything else minced and turned into sausages & burgers (might even be worth keeping some just as mince as well - we're getting more and more folk asking for it too)
BBQ boxes with a mix of sausages, burgers and bacon steaks should go well at this time of year  :thumbsup:
HTH
Karen

norfolk newbies

  • Joined Nov 2008
  • Grantham
Re: suggestions for 2 pigs
« Reply #6 on: June 20, 2013, 10:39:38 am »
Hi
We have hsd, in the past, an 11 month GOS old gilt done and flavour was best ever. But she went for all the usual stuff joints, sausages, bacon etc, so no issues with the meat, but I can see that the freezer space might be an issue. COuld you not try to sell as half or quater pig packs?
 
We have also recently sent off a 5 year old sow and got LOTS AND LOTS (>180kg) sausages and sausage meat (to reduce butchering costs for skins). We split this into herby ( lincolnshire) and plain. ( and we have kept the tenderloin - HUGE but gorgeous  :) ).
We have found, as others have said, that people who would not take a half or quarter pig will take sausages (and bacon) -usually due to having smaller amount of freezer space.
We are also advertising sausagemeat to go into burgers/ meatballs and bolognese and have had a pretty good take up of both so far. Note that we have not got rid of it all yet ( only started on Tuesday!) and have borrowed some freezer space from customers ( rent = extra sausages!).
As an aside we were not pro-active in marketing sausages as we were not sure how they would work out; as it was they are fine, no difference in texture and not much in taste from younger pigs. But if you know that your gilts are going then pre marketing should help shift without the freezer.
 
Jo

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: suggestions for 2 pigs
« Reply #7 on: June 20, 2013, 11:42:01 am »
I've had a gilt at around 10 months sent off for bacon; we had as much of the carcase cured as we could, and it was good stuff.  The joints we did have as pork were delicious, maybe cook just a little slower and longer than a 6-month old porker. ;)

I've sent you a PM about a possible local co-marketing arrangement... ;)
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Small Plot Big Ideas

  • Joined May 2012
  • North Pennines, UK
    • Small Plot Big Ideas
Re: suggestions for 2 pigs
« Reply #8 on: June 20, 2013, 03:44:18 pm »
I might be interested in taking some meat as I have a fair bit of freezer space at the moment - I'll have to check with the boss but maybe as much as half a pig? I'd also definitely be interested in taking some meat that we can use for practice at making sausages!

sokel

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • S W northumberland
Re: suggestions for 2 pigs
« Reply #9 on: June 20, 2013, 09:34:35 pm »
Thanks for all of the reply's
Sally I have replied to your PM
Someone is coming tomorrow to have a look at them and may be taking them both home  :fc:
Graham

 

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