time to butcher sow pigs

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    • June 16, 2012 at 8:49 am #30598
      DavidPrivett
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        I have never raised pigs,the neighbor brought two sow piglets over and we placed them in a 25×75 pen.They are growing fast.But my question is I heard not to kill them if they are in heat.ok that happens around  8 months of age and on a 21 day cycle . When in the off heat cycle do they meet their demise. before, after how many days ? WAG'S  accepted .I have looked on the net and hav'nt seen this subject. thanks Dave

      • June 16, 2012 at 12:34 pm #34768
        SpringValley
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          I have never heard anything about this.  I have a buddy that worked for years in a hog packing house.   I will post back what he says.  

        • June 16, 2012 at 12:59 pm #34769
          SpringValley
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            David,

             

            I called my friend.  He said that he has never heard anything about this.  A semi load of hogs would come in and they would monitor them for a day or two to check for any sick ones.  After that they went to the kill floor and nobody ever considered of any were in heat.   He also said he knows lots of pig farmers and none have ever said anything about this.

             

            Take care

            Larry

          • June 16, 2012 at 9:51 pm #34771
            DavidPrivett
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              maybe it is a old farmers tale but I have heard this from several people here,with varing times to butcher.I wonder if it is something they think needs doing since the bores get nutted.ouch.

            • June 17, 2012 at 6:07 am #34772
              DavidPrivett
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                I just remembered when I was looking on the net about this there was a old article that came up from mother earth news that mentioned not killing them when in heat ,makes the meat taste musty.But that was all the info.nothing about when you need to wait till.

              • June 17, 2012 at 2:42 pm #34774
                Dan Madison
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                  Wait til fall, I think theey were talking about the temperature

                  Dan

                • June 18, 2012 at 5:54 am #34778
                  bg
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                    Local tradition around Maryland is fall . I too think it has more to do with air temperature than anything else. A local butcher shop accepts them anytime as long as they're healthy on arrival. Pork Chops with onions, carrots and apples    uummm.   BG

                  • June 18, 2012 at 6:25 am #34779
                    DavidPrivett
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                      yea they are going to get it when it gets cold nov or dec ,but when I lived in fla. there was no season on them on private land.we shot them year round the state and the farmers wants them controlled as much as possible. but I did not like cleaning them in the heat every bug would find tou.

                    • June 22, 2012 at 1:46 pm #34798
                      bg
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                        The lowly, much misaligned pig. Back in my Dad's day he said a small pen full of pigs was the make or break difference for many a small diary farm. They are easy to care for, don't expect much, and today I am kept alive by an Aortic valve in my heart from a lowly pig. God Bless them . BG

                      • June 22, 2012 at 3:55 pm #34807
                        RichWaugh
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                          Most importantly, they TASTE GOOD!

                        • June 23, 2012 at 8:04 pm #34811
                          DavidPrivett
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                            you know I have not heard of those being used for awhile,I guess the rejection problems got figured out,without killing the patient.my father in law did not go that route he went mechanical,ticks like a clock.but still above ground.

                          • June 25, 2012 at 1:15 pm #34821
                            bg
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                              i've had mine since Christmas 2002, works like a charm. I'm very active , do almost anything i want, within reason. My brother calls me a cannibal since Pork is one of my favorite meats. My surgeon told me they had to make a lot of bacon to find a valve for me! Gotta love modern medicine! bg

                            • September 12, 2012 at 7:56 pm #35070
                              DavidPrivett
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                                we had a family reunion and I saw my cousin who is a large animal vet so I asked him about time the butcher sows and he seems to think that the time in heat thing is a old tale,the  cold weather time is best for chilling off the meat,and the less bugs you have bothering you.he shoots them year round in fla.you just gotta work fast and have a lot of ice.

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