[MiriMaran]

Whe you have a litter of piglets what is the difference between registered piglets and birth notified ones?  What do these mean?

[Snoopy]

The thing to do is, when the piglets are a few weeks old, Birth Notify the BPA, this just means that you tell them there was a litter of, say 11, six females and 5 males.

You will not be issued with any pedigree papers, but the birth will be assigned to the sow, and you will be entitled to the eleven pedigrees, should you, or the people you sell the piglets to, want to buy them.

Then, when it comes to selling them, if customers only want them for meat (say the five males) then you do not need to pay for the pedigrees, but they still count towards the litters that your sow had delivered and reared.

If you wish to breed from the girls, then send off for the pedigrees for the ones you are keeping, or selling as pedigrees.

Hope this helps

Julie

[Mr Pig]

I would go further than Snoopy. The Birth Notification is the first stage of the registration process and must be completed by the age of 8 weeks or before mixing with other pigs - whichever is the sooner. Part of this process is permanent ear marking - preferably tattooing or notching according to the breed.

To do this the breeder must be a member of the BPA (or British Lop Pig Sy for Lops) and must have registered a herd prefix.

Thereafter, any (or none) of those piglets can be registered pedigree. However, any breeder should carefully and thoroughly evaluate each piglet against the Standard of Excellence for the breed and ONLY register pigs that fully meet that standard in full. The others should be kept or sold for meat production and the breeder can download the BPA Meat Cert for all birth notified pigs. Poor quality pigs that are registered and bred from do nothing for the future viability of the breed concerned and pedigree breeders must take responsibility for their breed's long-term benefit.

Rant over.

[Snoopy]

There you go - I just concentrated on why the different papers and not the full
story, sorry Mirimaran 

Now you have it from the expert, who leaves nothing out - will be more thorough in
the future 

[Snoopy]

An addition

On our Pedigree's we always state the BIRTHS

i.e.  If a British Saddleback gives birth to 15, but only 11 survive, we record this on the pedigree to keep the information correct.

Some breeders who we have bought a lot of pigs from have always stated the same number born as reared - which I find quite unbelievable. 

[Snoopy]

I don't know what breed of pigs you have Mirimara, but check out the breed standard.

Also - I hate ear notching, although you have to do it with some breeds, we don't do it with others - and therefore an Ear Tag, although not as permanent as notching or tatooing, will suffice.

[Mr Pig]

Sorry to disagree Snoopy but for BPA pedigree pigs, the only alternative option to notching or tattooing is DOUBLE TAGGING and then only with written permission from the BPA. Lops are tattooing only.

[Snoopy]

Quote from the BPA website

Birth Notified Pigs can be identified with ear tatoos, ear notches or ear tags.

Registered Pigs must be identified with ear notches, ear tatoo's or double tags - one in each ear.

It is recommended that every pig registered should have two forms of identification recorded on the BPA database.

www.britishpigs.org.uk

[Snoopy]

Mirimaran - With you asking the difference between the paperwork
does this mean that you have bought some more piggies - if so
what breed did you go for?  Or are you still just looking 

We had three baby Tamworths born this week - Gilts first litter -soooo cute

Julie

[Mr Pig]

Snoopy - I agree that the BPA website tends to contradict itself but can I suggest you also view - http://www.britishpigs.org.uk/birthnotify.pdf particularly the explanation box on the left about three up.

[MiriMaran]

Brilliant thanks for the info.  We won't be getting any more pigs until the Spring so it was curiosity more than anything else.  We are toying with the idea of breeding in 2011.  We want to decide which breed to breed with and get weaners of that breed next Spring to find out what they taste like (gosh that was a cumbersome sentence!).

After seeing Billy Berridge's pigs I have fallen for OSB, but we are still undecided.  We are not sure if breeding somthing that is relatively rare will be more limiting or whether we would find it more rewarding than breeding say GOS or Saddlebacks.  Lots to mull over!

[Snoopy]

Well its all down to personal choice - I never saw anything special in OSB - basically think someone crossed a Tamworth with a Gloucestershire at some point 

Thing is, there a bit addictive, we started wanting Gloucestershire Old Spots, then I liked Tamworths, then Joe liked Saddlebacks, now we have all three, it starts off as a couple of pigs then - well - grows.

Still love to see Gloucestershire Old Spots out in the field with their babies following them though - beautiful picture

Good luck in finding whats best for you in 2011

[gavo]

Have to say if you look at the correct markings of an OSB there is more to their ancestry than just those two breeds,also having seen the cross you mentioned it does not look like a true OSB.Also having eaten many breeds i feel that OSB is one of the best ,succulent full of flavour and amazingly lean for a traditional outdoor breed.Also a fantastic laid back attitude,making them great to keep.

[Snoopy]

Yes - All those traits above are true - as thats what they inherited from their
Gloucestershire Old Spots Side of the family 

 

[gavo]

Can't honestly say they did i think most of the traits came from the other breeds. NOT that i'm biased or anything i just don't like GOS i'm afraid.