The pigs arrived today! 5 Ironage pigs (Tamworth/Boar Cross). This is a venture with our neighbour as he has the land. We spent the last 2 weeks (well the OH did with our neighbour ) putting electric fence around an area to make an enclosure.
He already has the essential paperwork etc as he has sheep and goats (natures natural lawnmowers!!) so unfortunately I've not had opportunity to learn anything about the paperwork stuff.
They are about 9 weeks old and will 'mature' for about 8 months before going to slaughter. They are hardy pigs and will not be fed a great deal of commercial food but will eat the undergrowth/brambles and anything else they can find.
They are a feisty lot so I think we fill have 'fun' with them. We've named them bacon, sausage, crackling, roast, chops and spare ribs!
From weaner to freezer.
From weaner to freezer.
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Re: From weaner to freezer.
Nice one Sue
What will their final weight be?
Have you got the freezer space for all that pork?
Cor must have my nosey head on
WW
What will their final weight be?
Have you got the freezer space for all that pork?
Cor must have my nosey head on
WW
Re: From weaner to freezer.
Final weight - don't know (I'm truly learning as I go)
And no we don't have enough freezer space. The plan is to invest in a chest freezer.
And no we don't have enough freezer space. The plan is to invest in a chest freezer.
Re: From weaner to freezer.
Knowing the Tamworth,feeding them the way you intend,I suspect they will make six-score liveweight. Pigs are measured in scores traditionally(you can show off your knowledge here Sue!)So I guess 120LB+. My opinion for what it is worth. Hope it helps.
In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.
Robert Frost.
Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.
Me.
Robert Frost.
Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.
Me.
Re: From weaner to freezer.
Thanks Jansman. I might be calling on your expertise when the 'time' comes, especially choosing the cuts of meat.jansman wrote:Knowing the Tamworth,feeding them the way you intend,I suspect they will make six-score liveweight. Pigs are measured in scores traditionally(you can show off your knowledge here Sue!)So I guess 120LB+. My opinion for what it is worth. Hope it helps.
Re: From weaner to freezer.
Sue
Remember.....
"you can use everything except the squeak"
WW
Remember.....
"you can use everything except the squeak"
WW
Re: From weaner to freezer.
said that to my daughter and she didn't know what I meant! Bless her, so gullible.WhiteWolf wrote:Sue
Remember.....
"you can use everything except the squeak"
WW
Re: From weaner to freezer.
Oh dear - I don't think I could eat those little cuties.
Re: From weaner to freezer.
Today we moved them from the barn to the enclosure. We thought (naively) we would be able to just pick them up and carry them to the gate. How wrong I was! They squealed very loudly and were not happy.
Ok, plan B. Using some stock fencing we made a sort of corridor up towards the gate. We tried shaking a food bucket, chivving them on etc but they just cowered in the back of the barn.
In the end we stood outside the fencing and waited.....and waited! 20mins later the made their may through the gate.
They ran down into the wallow and into the electric fence. Many squeals later they calmed down and started rooting around.
But we needed to get them towards the ark so at least they would know where their shelter was. We stood around and one person slowly urged them forward.
Eventually, they made it up to their ark and began to root around. It took an hour for the whole process.
Then the sheep and goats noticed something different and came up to take a look. They are on the otherside of the electric fence. This spooked the pigs a little.
We also noticed they were reluctant to go near the fence. Could they have learnt that quickly?
Anyway, have left them now for a couple of hours and will be popping back up to check on them. Fingers crossed all is well.
The biggie is tonight and making sure they realise the ark is where they can sleep. I'll be mooching around in the dark later on to check. It's just like having a baby!!!!!
Ok, plan B. Using some stock fencing we made a sort of corridor up towards the gate. We tried shaking a food bucket, chivving them on etc but they just cowered in the back of the barn.
In the end we stood outside the fencing and waited.....and waited! 20mins later the made their may through the gate.
They ran down into the wallow and into the electric fence. Many squeals later they calmed down and started rooting around.
But we needed to get them towards the ark so at least they would know where their shelter was. We stood around and one person slowly urged them forward.
Eventually, they made it up to their ark and began to root around. It took an hour for the whole process.
Then the sheep and goats noticed something different and came up to take a look. They are on the otherside of the electric fence. This spooked the pigs a little.
We also noticed they were reluctant to go near the fence. Could they have learnt that quickly?
Anyway, have left them now for a couple of hours and will be popping back up to check on them. Fingers crossed all is well.
The biggie is tonight and making sure they realise the ark is where they can sleep. I'll be mooching around in the dark later on to check. It's just like having a baby!!!!!
Re: From weaner to freezer.
tip: when you can still pick them up you want to grab then or tackle them if your quick enough and hold each back legs in each hand and keep the nose just off the ground. Thats the correct way to carry pigs uptill a certain weight. Also pig will only trie and run to open spaces so when moving use a board to steer them by sight this the only way you can move them when they get older. Also when you come to load them on a trailer if they are tame youll have issues getting them on we place the trailer in the week before and feed them in it. You also want to starve them for abt 48 hours before to aid loading eg use an apple as a bribe and the slaugter house like empty tummies.
Hope you have fun keeping it is certainly a good experience i have done four batches of weaners over the last couple of years also i have in the last year also become a relief stockman on the pigs farms for my employer during the quiter months when were not undertaking crop related work.
Any questions feel free to ask good luck withn em
also did you get gilts or boars?
axel
Hope you have fun keeping it is certainly a good experience i have done four batches of weaners over the last couple of years also i have in the last year also become a relief stockman on the pigs farms for my employer during the quiter months when were not undertaking crop related work.
Any questions feel free to ask good luck withn em
also did you get gilts or boars?
axel