Which Pigs this time

[RU shooter]

Any knowledgable hog men here? Two yrs ago i raised a couple hogs just from early spring to winter They were Duroc's ,easy enough to keep and raise but they didnt seem to fatten up much ,yes they grew but mostly in length instead of girth infact at the butcher shop even he comented on the lack of fat on them Now I really put the feed and extra corn to them but didnt seem to help ?????Would a different kind of hog work out better for me ? I'm no farmer but I've raise these pigs and a few head of cattle and some goats and kinda know whats what I hope!. So which in your opinion will put on the most weight if I buyem small in the early spring and butcher early winter. Are the durocs just lean pigs ? TIA.... Tim

[Onlymenotu]

Most hog's these days have been breed to be lean hogs....... the fat hogs of yester year are about a thing of the past ..* i think hamp's are still a fairly fat hog* sorry not a pig farmer either,,, but have been around a farm or 2 most of my life ..* who still raise pig's/hog's in- on the dirt.... as they were intended to be

[obssd1958]

Not a pig farmer either, but my grandparents used to raise the biggest, fattest, tastiest pigs you ever put a fork in. Their secret? They ran a bar and café and gave the pigs all the waste food and BEER!!!
What ever pig you decide to get, I would suggest making friends with a local bar owner and getting all of his waste beer for some of the sweetest pork you'll ever eat!:drinks:

Don

[floodgate]

We've had the best luck - and flavor - with Hampshire / Duroc crosses. Last year, we raised a pair of straight Durocs, on proper swine feed, kitchen vegetable scraps, and goat's milk whey - same as we always use - and they came out leaner, a bit tougher, and a LOT less flavorful (except when properly smoked) than the crosses - we'll be going back to those next time. A neghbor raised his crosses (with wild pigs) on spent beer mash; they grew well, but the flavor was a bit gamey, probably from the wild pig input.

floodgate

[Bret4207]

Duroc is a "bacon" hog. Long and lean. Cross them off onto a white pig and you'll get a fatter carcass and hybrid vigor too. If you can find a breed that the ears hang over the eyes they're reputed to be less athletic than the upright eared breeds. Best tasting hogs I ever raised were mutts that got the scraps from 3 local diners and all the pasture they could want.

My current hogs are mutts, but I'm picking up a pure bred Tamworth sow next week. It's a rare/minor breed but supposed to be very vigorous. I need hogs that'll get out and dig up old, hard , abused pasture and marginal land. Lots cheaper and better than a tractor.

[SPRINGFIELDM141972]

If your looking to fatten your hogs. The best thing I found do this is to locate the local donut/bread shops and get their throw aways. I would take them 55 gallon drums and they would call me when they were full. I was able to get 3-4 barrels a week. It is a PITA to unwrap all those Zingers but it sure does put the weight on. Also shink the size of your pens, the more they can run the more fat they burn. I sure do miss butchering in the fall!

Regards
Everett

[floodgate]

OOOPPPSS!!

I goofed; my wife corrected me that our best results overall were with a YORKSHIRE/HAMPSHIRE cross. I can confirm Bret's statement, however, that the straight Duroc yields superb bacon.

floodgate

[Bret4207]

Superb bacon yes, but I'll be darned if I raise a hog just for bacon! In a way it's too bad the fat hog is pretty much gone. Sooner or later some brilliant scientist will figure out that lard makes superior pie crust, bread, etc. Of course for guys like me who gave up pie/bread/biscuts for the sake of our waistline it's all moot.....

[handyrandyrc]

We feed ours nothing but bad barley. We had a batch of barley go bad to the weevils, so grandpa decided to get some pigs -- couldn't see that bad barley go to waste!

We have a bunch of 5-gallon buckets. Fill 'em about 3/4 full with barley. Turn on the hose and fill it up to the top with water, and let it soak. Usually a day's worth of soaking before we give it to them to eat. There is usually a bubbled/foamy head on the top of the mixture when we get to it. We feed these pigs NOTHING but the soaked barley, and they also love to eat grass clippings. These are FAT pigs.

Little guys get to eat the same stuff, but rather than soak it, we have an electric grinder. We grind it up for them and dump it in their feed trough. The weaners love it. Only skinny pigs we have are the 'mommas' near weaning time. I've decided when things go bad, I think pigs will be where it's at for food. Yes, you do have to feed them, but they can rear young 2-3 times a year, and have 8-12 EACH time! As long as you can get stuff to feed them and water them, they are happy.

[EMC45]

I was deployed in 96 and 99 to Puerto Rico and the galley had a local pig farmer come and get all the scrap food everyday. A beat up pickup and a couple garbage cans, and he would get as many butter beans and creamed corn as he wanted. And he was grateful.

[Bret4207]

I hope to hve 3-4 sows and their litters each year eventually. Turn them into rough land and if there's any chance for the land at all they'll turn it into pasture, if not tillable land. The rock goes into a dam I'm building (think MINI HYDRO!). Trying to get a few head of Scotch Highland cattle too as they're reputed to do well on marginal land. Folks aorund here buy them as pets and get tired of feeding them. Supposedly a great carcass when you hang them.

[scrapcan]

Floodgate has it right the hamp/york cross it will get you what is termed a bluebutt, shoudl meet yoru needs as expressed. Using a hamp and duroc or york/duroc will do ok also. I happen to have liked straight durocs, but they are a leaner hog as mentioned above. They also seemed to mature a little soooner so you had a smaller hog with less fat but still tender.

Too each their own, but the blue butt will probably get what you want (highbred vigor generally occurs best with the F1 cross, or first generation cross).

[medic44]

If the pigs aren't getting fat when you are pouring feed to them then you might consider worms.

[RU shooter]

Thanks all for the advice one last question I have is what size for pen? My pen before was approx 24'x24' for both of them was that too large of pen? As I said I dont want lean pigs that I need to add oil to pan when I make sausage.
So Pigs like Beer! I'm not a beer drinker but maybe I get cross bread pigs with Russian boar and they would love Vodka!:-D !!!!!!!I could have whole pickled pig not just feet!

[waksupi]

The smaller the enclosure, the more smell.

[Crash_Corrigan]

We have a pig farm in North Las Vegas that has been there since the '40's. It covers about 10 acres and it was always way out the desert with nothing around and nobody minded the smell. The hospitals and a few restaurants save their slop in large barrels and the pig farmer comes around about twice a week to get the slops. Over the last few years progress has surrounded the pig farm and he now had neighbors on all sides. Everbody is ranting and raving about the smell. They all want him to stop and give up pigs. Just like people move into houses that are built close to an airport and suddenly they realize that it is noisy. DUH!
Of course the local politicos are on the side of the homeowners and the poor farmer is spening a lot of time and money defending his right to do what he wants on the land that he has owned for 60 years. People are hard to figure out but I expect very little from them and I usually am not dissapointed.

[Junior1942]

If the pigs aren't getting fat when you are pouring feed to them then you might consider worms.
+1. This is probably your problem.

[C A Plater]

I am told the heirloom breed of Mulefoot hogs have many of the qualities you were looking for. Might be worth a look see.

[RBak]

Intersting!

I am most familar with Polland China Hogs, and I don't think I have ever seen one that you could say was not fat....real fat!

It has been several years now since I raised any pigs, but when I read that you are "sloppin" the hogs good, and they aren't putting on any fat, I think I might be concerned about their general health....no matter what the breed.

Worms was mentioned, but I have never seen, or even recall hearing about any of our hogs ever having intestinal worms.

Would someone more familar with this condition elaborate just a bit more on how you handle this.

Russ..

[mainiac]

I used to raise alot of hogs, and the best ones that gained the most, was the landrace. Probaly aint spelled right, but thats how its pronounced up here. Big floppy ears, and would tape 300 plus in 5 months!

[Onlymenotu]

one last question I have is what size for pen? My pen before was approx 24'x24' for both of them was that too large of pen? As I said I dont want lean pigs that I need to add oil to pan when I make sausage.

the larger you make the pen,,,, the more fat they walk off/leaner they get smaller the pen eat,sleep and be lazy as there is nothing else to do,,,, fatter hog.... thats why the confinement works..... noting to do but eat and get fatter ..* ie no place to run it off*

And as i said in my 1st post.... the truely fatty hog * lard hog *of yesteryear is a thing of the past it all about long and lean these days....long = more bacon on the sides and longer loins for more pork chops... the short,fat,dumpy hog is all but gone

[cattleskinner]

I don't really have a best choice out of the pigs to get, as out of all the one's I've butchered at the meat plant, because as a whole are pretty equal. The quality of pigs have increased a lot over the past 30 years to the point that you won't find alot of fat hogs. They are bred to gain weight fast, stay lean, and be really efficient doing so. The large packing plants put out guidelines to the hog farms as to the weight range, body fat, etc...and pay premiums for ones that fit those guidelines. There is a reason that they are marketed at 230ish pounds. The quality of food, genetics, and size of the hog has a lot to do with how fat they get. That being said, blue butts, and durocs are a couple that I always like. The landrace that was just recommended are more of a bacon hog, since they are so long. I would just find a smaller hog operation to buy a couple pigs from, and in my opinion that would increase your chances of a bit fatter finished hog come slaughter time. Just the opinion of an old butcher.

~Amos

I just remembered that I did a couple of Hereford hogs once, and they were some of the nicer ones I've ever done. If you can find some reasonable, they might be one to check out.