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Produce => Kept Animals => Topic started by: happy larry on November 16, 2011, 21:51:44

Title: Pig keepers
Post by: happy larry on November 16, 2011, 21:51:44
Do we have any pig keepers on the forum,just wondered like as i dont recall ever seeing any pig posts.At the moment i have 11 saddlebacks,1 breeding sow and 10 porkers 9 that will be going for slaughter in december.I cant wait to eat some,i will put the biggest in my freezer and sell the other 8 thus keeping 1 as a companion for the sow.Then when the sow farrows in feb send the other pig for bacon and sausage.
Title: Re: Pig keepers
Post by: Mr Smith on November 16, 2011, 22:04:54
You are making my mouth water, I have a local farmer that slaughters Gloucester Black spots, really good bacon and normally he throws a packet in with the rest of the meat I buy off him, :)
Title: Re: Pig keepers
Post by: happy larry on November 16, 2011, 22:32:35
lol mr smith, my mouth waters every time i see the pigs,on top of there brought feed rations they have been fed on milk,fodder beet,and masses of veg/salad leaves plus the natural food they glean from being reared out door.Im hoping for around 1 inch of fat per carcass to make some realy good crackling and dripping.
Title: Re: Pig keepers
Post by: lottie lou on November 16, 2011, 22:42:16
HL, have you tried roast suckling pig.  Its gorgeous - no fat to speak of and a crisp crackling with melt in the mouth flesh.  Sadly only had it once.
Title: Re: Pig keepers
Post by: happy larry on November 16, 2011, 22:54:54
No LL never tried suckling pig,thought about it but i would be gutted to kill a pig so young and not reap the full rewards regarding quantity of meat.
Title: Re: Pig keepers
Post by: lottie lou on November 16, 2011, 23:52:14
Quote from: happy larry on November 16, 2011, 22:54:54
No LL never tried suckling pig,thought about it but i would be gutted to kill a pig so young and not reap the full rewards regarding quantity of meat.

But what about quality?
Title: Re: Pig keepers
Post by: lorna on November 17, 2011, 08:40:28
I am jealous happy Larry. In the late 70's my late husband decided he would like 6 pigs, I should have known him better, he never did anything by halves. With a lot of help from knowledgeable friends we landed up with approx 200!! My mouth still waters when I think of the taste of the ones we had slaughtered for our own use.