[Rosemary]

There are two questions in this. We have three registered Tamworth boars aged 28 weeks and destined, shortly for the chop. My chum has two Tamworth gilts that she'd like to get in-pig.

First question - are ours too young to mate with these gilts? The gilts are much bigger than my boys but love always finds a way (or a dip in the ground). Our boys are certainly "frisky" if you get my drift!

If they aren't too young, will using one of them to cover these gilts spoil him for eating?

Thanks in anticipation.

[gavo]

Rosemary,
       The youngest I've seen one of ours "at it" is just under eight months (although he - Tipton - is now one of our stud boars). The latest we've killed (and eaten) a boar is a few days short of a year and with no boar taint - think of the smell a fully mature boar gives off spending a penny and imagine that wafting around your kitchen.....
We'll be killing another one the third week in Sept at 1 year and two weeks so we'll have to wait and see.

Rambling on a bit there is a chap in the States who doesn't worry about his boar ages as he makes sure that when a boar is selected for slaughter that he is first removed to a paddock for thirty days prior from where he cannot see or smell any females.

So in response I cannot see any problem with eating a young boar who has served.

Cheers

Gavin

[Rosemary]

Thanks, Gavin.

Ours are "at it" regularly. I'm not sure if it's the same two every time and whether they always take the same role, so to speak.

When the chappie came to strim the field, as he left, he gave me a wink and said "I think you're going to have baby pigs soon". To which I replied "If so, I will be able to retire 'cos they're all boys".