[SMD66]

We took our 3 biggest pigs this morning, Kayleigh, Kinky and Shane, (don't ask)!  That just leaves Crumpet and Pippi for in a fortnights time. 

They were 29 weeks old Gloucetershire old spot / saddle back cross.  Born and reared on our land and had had a lovely life. 

We are looking forward to more lovely meat, I am having a big ham for Christmas and lots of bacon.  Can't wait.   

[Roughlee Handled]

Chin up. 

 

[Caralou]

Just think how wonderful that meat is going to be. Fiver pigs worth in total  you eat a lot of pork! 

[SMD66]

 

Fiver pigs worth in total  you eat a lot of pork! 

No,    we have one for ourselves and sell the others as halves to family and friends.

Chin up. 

 

Not too sad, it's not the best bit of keeping livestock but all the rest and the quality meat makes up for it. 

[John]

I used to think about keeping pigs but after dispatching a chicken and meeting Ruff's pigs I know I'd end up with pets. Theory's great though 

[Bigblacktaximan]

We took our 3 biggest pigs this morning, Kayleigh, Kinky and Shane, (don't ask)!  That just leaves Crumpet and Pippi for in a fortnights time. 

They were 29 weeks old Gloucetershire old spot / saddle back cross.  Born and reared on our land and had had a lovely life. 

We are looking forward to more lovely meat, I am having a big ham for Christmas and lots of bacon.  Can't wait.   

What did it cost to have them slaughtered if you dont mind me asking ?
How did you find the place to do it ?

Did the slaughter include having them butchered into 'cuts' or do you do that yourself or get someone to do that side of it too ?

[SMD66]

It costs £15.00 per pig for slaughter.

We use the abattoir that our butcher uses and he collects the carcasses from there himself, saves us the job.  There is another abattoir in the area that is linked to a butchers shop, but we previously had a 1/2 pig from there (from a local supplier) and wasn't impressed with the way it was butchered so don't use them ourselves.

The butchery depends on what you have done and where.

For a pig just cut onto joints and chops it is cheaper than if you have bacon , sausages and ham.

I would estimate about £50 - £75 depending on butcher and how it's done.

I am considering doing a course and doing some butchery ourselves, but only on the carcasses for our own consumption, not the ones we sell.

[Roughlee Handled]

For my two pigs that I had done this year. It cost £25 for the slaughter and we pay by the hour for the butcher. So it is estimated to cost £100 ish for butchering. We had 3 halfs pork and 1 half bacon and the bits sausage. 
The pigs get delivered to the butchers.
I found the slaughter house and butcher from the person I got the pigs from (a relation of there's)

I suggest you get friendly with a butcher ask them where they get there meat from.   The key for me was the slaughter house. Small. Not big and industrial.

[SMD66]

Last 2 pigs gone now, a year to the day since we got our 1st batch of weaners.  We are now pigless till spring when we will get  some more. 

We have had the pork back from the 1st batch of 3.  Looks wonderful, about 12mm fat on the loin, butcher said it was very tender when he cut it all up. 
 and should be sweet as they were finished on lots of windfall apples.

from our 2nd 1/2 we are going to make our own sausages!  an old farmers wife up the road is going to lend us her sausage making machine to try.  Can't wait! 

[AmandaH]

Oh, I don't know how you do it.  I *know* that any animal I took on as a pet, I would end up falling head over heels for and wouldn't be able to send for slaughter.  I'm such a wuss.

(Before someone mentions it - I still haven't fallen head over heels for Plod but then I can't think of any circumstances any which I'd want to eat him either  )

I went on holiday to Denmark when I was little girl and stayed on a pig farm.  Friday was market day and you could hear all the piggies shouting as they went off.  I put my hands over my ears! 

To contradict myself though - it must be brilliant to know the animal your meat came from and how it was reared...

[Potiron]

 Looks  like you will be making lots of sausages, if you should run out of ideas have a look at http://home.pacbell.net/lpoli/index.htm  they have more recipies for sausages than you can shake a stick at.    (hope this link works).

[SMD66]

Thanks Potiron, I will have a good look at that.