BlueCoyote 0 Posted January 7, 2008 Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 going to be getting a porker soon..... maybe this week.. or the next time the man has a litter of them anyway... the ones i'm looking at right now will be weened next week. they are a cross between Poland China and Landrace. i've googled those breeds but only find info on one or the other.... nothing about crosses between the two. supposedly long bodied pigs. anyone know a thing or two about these breeds? or any other handy advice about raising them from such a young age? and i plan to go out to look at them this evening or Wednesday.. anything i need to be aware of when selecting one? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FJager 0 Posted January 7, 2008 Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 Are you eating it at some time, don't leave it too long as they get huge very fast and then it is hard to do anything with them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tis TM 8 Posted January 7, 2008 Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 I used to manage a pig farm Blue, lol, you're giving me a run for your money today I gotta go bed now, but will post tomorrow to help Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueCoyote 0 Posted January 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2008 (edited) Tis yeah i'm good for putting people through their paces if nothing else!! and yep this one will be for food. a website i was looking at just now says a cross bred type tends to grow faster than a pure bred.. and what little experience my mom has she says to choose one with an arched back, not swayed.. i suppose that makes sense. as it ages it should be able to support its own weight, right? i should be going out friday to have a look at them and possibly buy one.. i would like two but probably not this time. now, i said above that was planning raising this one for meat, but i'm half way thinking of buying a sow - he has two or three - and keeping it to raise its own piglets, but i may be biting off more than i can chew by doing that right now?? edit.. not buying a FULL GROWN sow... but a female pig... and breeding it later..... Edited January 7, 2008 by BlueCoyote Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Caravan Monster 323 Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 (edited) They grow pure bred Gloucester Old Spots on the farm where I live. There doesn' t seem to be much to doing it small scale. I think they have lost one or two tiny piglets through the sow laying on them, but otherwise 100% survival. There tends to be a big size variation within each litter, but size will be evident if you are buying weaners. Here, the piglets are 100% free range in the yard until they are three or four months. Then grown on to killing size in well ventilated and open indoor pens in the winter and outdoor pens in the summer. I think they are wormed every once in a while. Feed plenty twice a day. I think the aim is to kill the males before they reach sexual maturity, but you can keep the sows on for longer depending on whether you want to produce pork or bacon. Fence well and thoroughly- they are destructive and like to make escape bids. The boar Edited January 8, 2008 by Caravan Monster Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueCoyote 0 Posted January 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 one thing is do they bother castrating the males if they plan to butcher them or do they butcher them like you said before reaching sexual maturity? or does that depend? i mean... is it anything like raising cattle? my moms family raised a few pigs when she was growing up. she hated them too. every time they escaped(which was often) her collie/spaniel would attack their ears.. rip them to shreds.. and her dad would threaten to shoot the dog. he eventually shot AT the dog, hence the reason my mom hates pigs lol i'm not too concerned about escaping..yet.. but i will be well prepared for it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tis TM 8 Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 First of all blue, where are you planning to keep the pig? Really it needs a shelter in the form of a pig arc or hutch of some descriprion. Pigs loose heat easily, and one way to have a pig not "doing" is by them using thier energy in keeping warm. As for confirmation, the back is important, especially in a fast growing breed like the landrace, but a long back is good, for the carcass side of things as you have more of the desirable meat (loins) Anything crossed with a landrace should be on the rangey side Having a cross is great as they tend to be stronger and less prone to diseases. Look for a weaner with a good ham. You should see its muscle from side on, looking like a proper J-Lo bum lol If there seems to be no deffinition between the ham muscle and its stifle, avoid! The pig should look equal in proportion, e.g front end looking as good as the hind. The pig should have well set strong legs, not to long, not too short. Above all the weaner should look generally good in health, no listlessness, no staring hairs, and be lively and alert. Also, as its your first go at rearing a pig, just stick to rearing one for meat first, and make friends with the person who's selling it to you. Go and help out once a week for a few hours if you can, and learn about pig keeping. There's a fair bit to know and its best to be confident that you are doing the right thing at all times. If you have a boar, get someone to castrate it asap. Its a very easy thing to do, takes literally 1 min per weaner. There's nothing worse than meat tainted with the taste of a boar :sick: Also, it will make the animal easier to handle as it gets bigger - no testosterone flying about!! Hope this is of some help - Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tis TM 8 Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 Nice GOS's CM, such characters Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fishfish 17 Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 ive been a butcher for years,may i add that for meat purposes buy a sow,boar taste very strong when they reach sexual maturity. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueCoyote 0 Posted January 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 i think for the first time i'll do as suggested and get the sow.. i dont want to sound lazy but i do want this to be as easy as possible!! i'm sure i could find someone to do the castrating, but as soon as i say that i know when the time comes everyone will be "busy" ... if you know what i mean. i would probably end up doing it myself! good idea about going over to help out. the man selling them says its his two sons who own the pigs(and goats) and from the way it sounds they're fairly young boys learning how to be proper farmers when they arent in school.. plans at the moment are to go out early Friday to get the piglet. that gives me from now to then to get the shelter and pen in working order. years and years ago the people that lived here had pigs and stalls for them and there is a concrete slab in the barn just for the purpose of pigs. the work i need to do is patching fence and sweeping off the concrete. but right now, since its so young it will stay closer by me so i can keep an eye on it and make sure it doesnt get cold or harassed by wild animals.. the neighbours have a new dog that likes to sneak over and chase chickens. i dont like hurting dogs, but that one is treading on thin ice!! the first time i saw the dog here i took it home and told the owners what he was doing.... got a blank stare and an "ok......." glad i have my own dogs.. they'll take care of things if need be! you know its also annoying every time i bring home a farm animal or.. ANY animal.. my husband says "You'll just make a pet out of it!" sure, maybe i will for a little while. but thats not making it a pet. is it? thats just caring for it and making sure it survives till butchering day!! my ex landlord used to raise cattle and had his own butcher shop.. the easiest animals he worked with were the pets.. though he thought it was a bit sad how trusting they were.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Caravan Monster 323 Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 Yes, I had wondered about castrating the males- sounds like a good idea to me. Tis TM- the gloucester old spots are an easy going type of pig aren' t they- I feel completely safe going in the boar' s pen even though such a big beast could do some serious damage with that powerful jaw and tusks- not like some pigs I've come across that like to barge and bite! Blue- another suggestion would be to spend some time breaking the dogs to pig- piglets do not fear dogs and move really fast with a really jerky motion that dogs might find difficult to resist chasing! Sounds like you have come across that problem before. I know a staff x lab that likes to bite them when she thinks no one is looking. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueCoyote 0 Posted January 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 Yes, I had wondered about castrating the males- sounds like a good idea to me. Blue- another suggestion would be to spend some time breaking the dogs to pig- piglets do not fear dogs and move really fast with a really jerky motion that dogs might find difficult to resist chasing! Sounds like you have come across that problem before. I know a staff x lab that likes to bite them when she thinks no one is looking. thats one question i keep asking myself over and over again. my bulldog bitch.... will she mother it or eat it? she's as likely to do one or the other!! she loves the cat, will lie down with one paw over him and bite the fleas off him and groom him. the cats loves this..... but then again she's a nasty bitch with an attitude with other animals.. especially ones that make a lot of fuss and struggle.... like when i was trying to catch ducks and she leaped in trying to help me! its amazing the duck didnt die! ten minutes earlier the duck was loose, walking around being a duck and she ignored it until i went after it.... will certainly have to show her this is not for her to play with! the other dog will just follow her lead Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueCoyote 0 Posted January 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 (edited) well..... here she is. and before anyone wonders about the harness..... my husbands idea... Edited January 12, 2008 by BlueCoyote Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tis TM 8 Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 LOL oh my god Blue!!.... so is this one for eat's? It'd be like eating your pet dog if you get it that well trained lol Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueCoyote 0 Posted January 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 lol i know!! and see thats the joke around here.... my husband is a "city kid". i took him hunting for the first time in November.. but to hear him talking to the "Pig Man" he's a real expert on this farming business!! the funniest bit was this man was telling us about his first hog he and his wife bought. was a pet.... all be it a GIANT pet!! would ride around in the back of his truck with the dog. ended up having to get rid of her because she was "too protective".. his father in law used to tease her when she was a piglet, but once she reached 200lbs she wouldnt let the man out of his house!! i think that story intrigued my husband.... but then again so did 200lbs of meat in the freezer.... by the way.. he wouldnt let me butcher the extra drake lol he said i wouldnt have it in me to do it. then when i got the ax and getting the water ready to boil he said no.. wait till we had a few more ducks to do that Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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