www.sausagemaking.org

I have decided to give pig keeping a try and am looking for the best breed to keep and slaughter that will supply my family with cuts of meat for bacon, sausage, joints etc. Hope this makes sense.
Must be docile as I'm not getting any younger!

Hi Helen,

I'm afraid there is unlikely to be agreement on such a thing!

Different pigs have different strengths both in terms of their character and how they cut up and suit various uses.

'all rounders' may be best for you, but the price you pay is that they will not excel on some of the specific bits that are what makes this all such fun.

How many can you look to keep? and are you limited to the time you can fatten them for?

If you can have a few and can keep some on longer, then I would suggest looking at growing some for cuts and joints and others for bacon, sausage etc. If you are venturing into charcuterie then plenty of various types of fat is essential too.

Remember where you keep them (geographically & habitat) and what you are going to feed them (and for how long) will affect what you get as much as the breed will.

Thanks for the reply. I will only be keeping 2 as partner is very anti pig after his experience with a pet Pot Belly! They will be kept in a pen in the field with limited grazing I thinkk the pen is 74m x 75m it normally houses lambs. Only one lamb made it to the freezer the other two are now companions for my pony lol. I will want to keep the first pair for as short a time as possible to lull him into a false sense of security for next year I like the look of the Oxford Sandy and Black.

OSB are great all rounders, not too lean. Lovely pigs - where abouts are you?

Maybe keep one on a bit longer for ham/bacon and send the earlier one for pork ?

I can't speak about how easy they are to rear but an Oxford Sandy & Black produced the best tasting pork I've eaten. Prefer it to the more usual GOS.

Thanks, could you explain why I would have to keep them longer for ham/bacon is it the fat ratio. I don't think I could keep one longer I would feel sorry for the one left on it's own.

basically size & taste.

But I agree with you Helen2, I wouldn't want to leave one on its own after it has had company all its life. Or maybe I'm just a softie ....

Helen,
For your paddock size i would recomend ;pedigree saddleback as a good natured pig, gentle and quiet. A good long loin and great for pork....NEVER ever, leave pigs on there own. they are social creatures. Also i woud recomend feeding on cracked maize and barley meal for there last month. to improve flavor. Alot cheaper too.
I finish all my pigs on this.

Helen2 wrote:Thanks, could you explain why I would have to keep them longer for ham/bacon is it the fat ratio. I don't think I could keep one longer I would feel sorry for the one left on it's own.

both pigs need to go at the same time as as they like company i would go for a tam/burkshire cross long backs and big hams

If you are only wanting pigs forn a short time you will presumably be buying in growers. This will give you a chance to try out the best pigs for your land/diet.

We run our woodland pens on 'one in one out' basis. Younger grower introduced when finished pig goes off to slaughter. If you want a consistent supply of pork this is essential as they will take time to make weight. None will ever be alone and you wont get a massive glut of meat that will just end up in the freezer for too long if you kill out too much at once.

If its sausages, hams and bacon you want, I would still recommend keeping one on. Young pigs make good pork, older ones make better sausages and ham

Tam+Berkshire=Yum

For faster hams we have crossed our pedigree Pietrain with the Tamworth sows to good effect. Lovely pigs, quite lean but really good muscle development. Am looking at them now out in the field

some young Hams growing on the hoof

Some superb lookin' animals there. I really must save my pennies and visit your neck of the woods.

Phil