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Which breed of pig is the best for sausages and which for bacon. Does it make a difference? For a baconer what is the best feed for producing lean bacon?

Realcat wrote:Which breed of pig is the best for sausages and which for bacon. Does it make a difference? For a baconer what is the best feed for producing lean bacon?

There is no special breed of pig for sausages. There are special breeds of pigs for bacon and ham. But this has little to do with the quality of the meat therefore more with the size of the animal. The Duroc pig is prefered as a ham pig because it has large hind quarters and big shoulders. Wheras, the Landrace pig is prefered as a bacon pig because it is long in the mid section providing more side of pork than other breeds.
The best food for pigs, and all livestock for that matter, is natural, i.e grass, corn and the ready premixed feeds that are not pre medicated and do not include hormons and such like.
For more information on livestock destined for meat production I refeer you to my website http://members.shaw.ca/masterbutcher/livestock.html

Regards
Othmar

Othmar,
Just picked up your thread again. In the Solomons we have climate difficulties for some European pure breeds and I expect other places in the tropics will have them too. Durocs, Large white and Landrace are better crossed with a bit of local pig somewhere in the gene pool. The growth and meat quality is excellent. I weigh every carcass I produce and Duroc has about 10% more bone than Landrace and Large White but crossses very well with either of the English breeds. The trace is Local pig gives better growth under local conditions.

Photo below of a recent piglet cross as above. Nice colour isn't it.



The body is nice and long for bacon and the ham is a good size too. Fat content just right for sausage and salami. All breeding is a compromise but this cross is just right for me. Second photo below of the litter.
There are 8 in there somewhere. 4 piebald piglets like the Large White/Local cross sow and 4 coloured like the Duroc/Large white cross boar. They are all doing well and taste delicious.



All the best,
Vernon

Vernon, in the first photo it looks like your piglet is 'pre-smoked' judging by the colour.

Regards, Paul Kribs

Would be a good idea and smoking on the hoof would save a lot of trouble down the track. I tried it once but the pig wouldn't stay in the smoker and the noise was indescribable
All the best,
Vernon

Geeeeeze! I think I dated the one third from the left!
Chuckwagon

Chuckwagon wrote:Geeeeeze! I think I dated the one third from the left!
Chuckwagon

Is that because you are from Utah?

Regards, Paul Kribs

Naw, Paul...
Its because I was three sheets to the wind at the time. Heck most of the hombres in my camp tell me I have impeccable taste.... and rotten eyesight! It is all because I once ran the 50 yard dash in a 49 yard gymnasium!
Best wishes, Chuckwagon