Pot bellied pigs

Joeseph Balls

Thinking of getting a couple. I have a pen prev used for turkeys, wire a foot into the ground etc. I was thinking this breed as seemingly, they dont dig much?? Can anyone confirm this? Also If i was to ever get them butchered, i would be thinking they would be a bit too fatty if you kept them for any decent amount of time?
Thanks

tattycat

Hiya Joeseph. I've had a pbp sow who did nothing but dig, and a castrated boar who doesn't know what his nose is for, so don't know what to say!! Re butchering them, pretty much the same, met someone who said it was lovely meat, nd another who said it was a major job for a small amount of meat. Probably no help at all....lol

cambasque

i used to keep a breeding pair, have to slaughter before the fat got too thick on them, easy to keep and slaughter compared to full sized pigs, and of course much cheaper to feed:D

tattycat

Hiya cambasque. What age did you slaughter, before 8 months? Nd did you castrate the boars?

cambasque

whenever we needed the meat and what weight they had got to, each litter, the first ones were always lighter and it progressed during the year, though i liked finishing them off with chestnuts/acorns. never castrated one though...

tattycat

Thanks cambasque. Very interesting. I've got a Mangalitza sow I'm hopeing to breed off nd a friend has her brother uncastrated. We're gonna try him first nd was just a bit worried about 'musky' meat

cambasque

i think you have to be careful in the slaughter of a male pig to avoid the musky meat, also i would choose them before the females to kill.

tattycat

Thanks cambasque. Did you have sucking pig?

cambasque

sorry i don't understand sucking pig ?

tattycat

Sorry, Suckling pig. Before they're weaned. Not a lot of meat but very tender,apparently. ..

cambasque

sorry i should have guessed, they are killed quite young, i have seen them in butcher's shops in spain a few times, i suppose if you like that kind of meat, i prefer it slightly older myself.....too bland for me !

tattycat

No need to guess, best to be sure!! I've never tried suckling pig but have heard its lovely nd tender. Bit irrelevant really as apparently Mangalitza's have small litters which is why they nearly died out. Just curious. Wouldn't know if I could cull that young anyway. Ahhh lol

cambasque

yea exactly i couldn't do it anyway !:D

tattycat

Yay. Practical softies! Eat the babies. ..but not too young, when they're cute!! Nd people don't know how we do it........that's how!! Start eating them when mayhem starts ensuing! lol