05-11-2014, 04:37 PM
1
Bye Bye Piggies..
This morning we sent the piggies off to the abattoir and by now they should be in the pigsty in the sky. These ones were a real problem. Last year we had no problem getting them into the trailer, but these lot weren't having any of it.Eventually they were coaxed in with some apples, although they should not be fed on the day of slaughter.
Rest of the morning was spent mucking out and washing their pen. Dianne thought it would be good to take some straw and pig s**t home for our compost heap. Hope it is worth the effort (and smell).
The economics aren't too bad. In total raising each pig is around £200. This gives about 75-80kg. carcass weight and about 45-50 kg in prime cuts. (There's also the trotters, offal, cuts used for mince & sausages and fat rendered for lard. This can't be compared to commercial supermarket pork as it is "outdoor" rare breed pork. The taste is fantastic.
05-11-2014, 05:16 PM
4
Re: Bye Bye Piggies..
Originally Posted by Grumblewagon
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This morning we sent the piggies off to the abattoir and by now they should be in the pigsty in the sky. These ones were a real problem. Last year we had no problem getting them into the trailer, but these lot weren't having any of it.Eventually they were coaxed in with some apples, although they should not be fed on the day of slaughter.
Rest of the morning was spent mucking out and washing their pen. Dianne thought it would be good to take some straw and pig s**t home for our compost heap. Hope it is worth the effort (and smell).
The economics aren't too bad. In total raising each pig is around £200. This gives about 75-80kg. carcass weight and about 45-50 kg in prime cuts. (There's also the trotters, offal, cuts used for mince & sausages and fat rendered for lard. This can't be compared to commercial supermarket pork as it is "outdoor" rare breed pork. The taste is fantastic.
- I'd never be any good on a small holding, I'd be overrun with animals and skint through feeding 'em all!
05-11-2014, 05:48 PM
5
Re: Bye Bye Piggies..
I wondered initially how I would feel about raising livestock (albeit small scale), but I've had no difficulties. I absolutely deplore some of the ways in which animals are raised commercially, so our animals are kept to as high a standard as is practical. I also found that I had no problem with gutting and butchering wild meat - mainly venison. I learned from the internet - a roe deer in one hand and the laptop in the other!!
05-11-2014, 09:04 PM
10
Re: Bye Bye Piggies..
Not too badly Jem. Our friends who we share the venture with, said that after all the trouble getting the pigs into the trailer, they wouldn't get out.They had to climb into the trailer and give them a nudge out! They probably got suspicious when we started feeding them apples - Pork & apple sauce combined - yummy.
Hopefully we'll get them back on Monday - then it will be a day of packing and freezing.
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