# butchering weight



## Karl Atkins (Dec 9, 2017)

Hello,
I noticed most people butcher the hogs around 5 or 6 months  at around 250 pounds, Why is that ?  why not let them get bigger? just curious thanks. Our will at 250 come around Feb. almost butcher time


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## OneFineAcre (Dec 9, 2017)

The Pork is leaner
After 250 they put on more fat
We did 3 earlier this year and let ours go to a little over 300 
I think that weight is ideal with a little more fat 
But that's my opinion


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## Karl Atkins (Dec 9, 2017)

Thank you for the reply.


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## farmerjan (Dec 9, 2017)

Not only is the pork a little leaner if you stay under the 250-300 range;  the rate of conversion from feed to meat starts to really fall off.  You are putting in alot more feed per pound of gain after the 250  weight or so.  They are "done growing" so to speak so are then "porking up".  Years ago the standard thing was to get pigs in late mar or april, then butchering was Thanksgiving time.  Most old timers only had one set of pigs a year because there were too many other things to be doing and certain "jobs" were done at certain times a year.  They were in the 7-9 month range and most were in the 300 + range. 
Don't forget, too, years ago the fat was rendered down into lard and cracklin's.  Nowadays,  hogs are seldom scalded and scraped, the hams and bacons aren't cured with the skin on,  and few even have tasted lard let alone depended on it for their "grease or shortening".  A 250 lb hog is also easier to hang and skin and all that for the average person doing their own butchering;  years ago people got together and did butchering/scalding parties and would do hogs for several families at a time.  Many hands.....


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## Karl Atkins (Dec 9, 2017)

Yeah we got a late start but  it will workout good for us. My boys are going to be off work for the winter. Hanging the meat we won’t have to deal with flies and the chilly nights will cool the meat.   Being our first go we will probably do 1 or two hogs over the weekend.once we get our system down it will go faster. Thanks for the information.


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## Baymule (Dec 9, 2017)

Karl, have you butchered hogs before? Are you going to scald and scrape or skin? Post pictures as a tutorial! 

We butchered hogs in June of this year, the closest slaughter date we could get was too far off and those pigs were eating like PIGS! LOL I posted pictures of our processing. It was a neighborhood thing, 3 pigs, 1 for us and 2 for neighbors. 

https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/feeder-pigs-2017.35395/


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## OneFineAcre (Dec 9, 2017)

You all just go for slautering you own hogs
We did 3 hogs and 2 steers last year and I'm glad to pay someone to do it
No question with a hog if you can do it yourself that's a financial winner
But I can win a little less and let someone else do it


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## Karl Atkins (Dec 9, 2017)

Baymule said:


> Karl, have you butchered hogs before? Are you going to scald and scrape or skin? Post pictures as a tutorial!
> 
> We butchered hogs in June of this year, the closest slaughter date we could get was too far off and those pigs were eating like PIGS! LOL I posted pictures of our processing. It was a neighborhood thing, 3 pigs, 1 for us and 2 for neighbors.
> 
> https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/feeder-pigs-2017.35395/



We are going to butcher. I don’t know anything about scalding and what the benefits are to doing it. Maybe next hogs we will try it . We also have 3 to butcher the two sons and us so it going to be a family affair LOL  I am going to look at those pictures you shared thank you.


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## Karl Atkins (Dec 9, 2017)

OneFineAcre said:


> You all just go for slautering you own hogs
> We did 3 hogs and 2 steers last year and I'm glad to pay someone to do it
> No question with a hog if you can do it yourself that's a financial winner
> But I can win a little less and let someone else do it



Boy that does sound look like a lot of work. Did you do all of them Back to back?  With 6 six of us we should be able to get a smooth assembly line going and once we get the cuts down it should go quickly (hopefully) we have time and not be rushed. But we might end up like you on the next go round LOL at least we can say we gave a try.


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## Baymule (Dec 9, 2017)

We skinned ours. Then in October, durned if we didn't go buy 2 more hogs! We took them to slaughter, it cost $1.05 a pound, vacuum sealed. 

https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/baymules-pigs-2017-2018.36803/


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## Karl Atkins (Dec 9, 2017)

Yep rem


Baymule said:


> We skinned ours. Then in October, durned if we didn't go buy 2 more hogs! We took them to slaughter, it cost $1.05 a pound, vacuum sealed.
> 
> https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/baymules-pigs-2017-2018.36803/


 

Yep I remember reading that thread LOL


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## Anthony Sr. (Dec 14, 2017)

I'm getting Hungry! reading about butchering the Hogs, when I was -11, we use to get fresh Pig heads for Homemade Tamales, doesn't happen now and we live in the country or very Rural area = AKA outside Eustace, TX. compared to where I grew-up Oak Cliff or some called it Dallas. Now I need to set me up an area to raise some pigs, of course away from my Goat's.


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## Karl Atkins (Dec 15, 2017)

Spring will be here before you know it.


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## Farmer-Brown (Dec 15, 2017)

I'd like to learn more about the scalding and scraping and how to get lard please.


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## Baymule (Dec 15, 2017)

Anthony Sr. said:


> I'm getting Hungry! reading about butchering the Hogs, when I was -11, we use to get fresh Pig heads for Homemade Tamales, doesn't happen now and we live in the country or very Rural area = AKA outside Eustace, TX. compared to where I grew-up Oak Cliff or some called it Dallas. Now I need to set me up an area to raise some pigs, of course away from my Goat's.



Well hello neighbor! My husband and I are in Lindale! We will have to get together and have a good visit. @Devonviolet is in Winnsboro and @Latestarter is in Mount Pleasant, we get together every so often and eat, visit and get the nickel tour of the farm! You could come see us and Devonviolet, Latestarter could come too and we could have us a BYH good time! 

Speaking of hog heads, I have one in the freezer, skinned, split, cleaned (no eyes, brains or teeth). Was thinking about making scrapple. I suppose I could make scrapple and serve it for our BYH party. LOL


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## Baymule (Dec 15, 2017)

Farmer-Brown said:


> I'd like to learn more about the scalding and scraping and how to get lard please.



Me too! We slaughtered our Red Wattles in June, we just skinned them. I would like to try my hand at slaughter in cold weather, scald, scrape, the works. Then I'd probably just go back to skinning. LOL LOL


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## Matt n Lee (Dec 15, 2017)

I am going to try scald and scrape on ours.....I need a 55 gallon drum though  maybe I can use a trashcan


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## Karl Atkins (Dec 15, 2017)

Farmer-Brown said:


> I'd like to learn more about the scalding and scraping and how to get lard please.



Yep I would to,but I am going to do the skining thing first. Then go to YouTube and watch some videos on scalding and see what it is all about.


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## Latestarter (Dec 15, 2017)

Go on craigs list and advertise (or look for) that you're looking for an old cast iron bath tub. I've watched several scald/scrape vids and they use old tubs up on blocks with a fire built underneath to heat the water. Wonder if you could contact some contractors that do bath remodels and see if they might have one saved. You could probably do it with one of those galvanized water troughs too. Bay, I've never had scrapple but have heard of it and seen it on the food channel. I'd like/be willing to give it a try. I'm no where near in a league with Andrew Zimmern though... He'll eat about anything! 

I'm always down for a get together. good food, great company, fun times.


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## Baymule (Dec 15, 2017)

@Matt n Lee I haven't done this, I read it in the Foxfire books. People in those books didn't dip the hogs to scald them. They had a pot of water on a fire and they poured boiling water on a spot, then scraped, poured more water on another place, then scraped it. So if you don't find a dipping vat, maybe you can spot scald your pig.

I wouldn't use a trash can. It is galvanized and fire and galvanized turns  toxins loose that are in the metal.


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## Simpleterrier (Dec 15, 2017)

You have to get the trash can melting hot to release the toxins. And that only happens when welding or cutting so I would definitely use a trash can to scald a pig just not a plastic one


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## Anthony Sr. (Dec 15, 2017)

Baymule said:


> Well hello neighbor! My husband and I are in Lindale! We will have to get together and have a good visit. @Devonviolet is in Winnsboro and @Latestarter is in Mount Pleasant, we get together every so often and eat, visit and get the nickel tour of the farm! You could come see us and Devonviolet, Latestarter could come too and we could have us a BYH good time!
> 
> Speaking of hog heads, I have one in the freezer, skinned, split, cleaned (no eyes, brains or teeth). Was thinking about making scrapple. I suppose I could make scrapple and serve it for our BYH party. LOL



    Sounds Good to me, uh I'm city raised, what is "Scrapple"; My wife say's and I'll admit it's true that, I'll "eat anything put before it eats me, and then it may be a fight!!" I'm a survivor and brought-up to eat what's puts in front of me? Plus I enjoy all types of food. 
     Last night I had my 1st attempt at Jelly, and it came out pretty good = it set-jelled properly and I do enjoy the taste of it; it is "Coffee Jelly", my wife did guide me when I asked for help, she country {Simms port, LA.} raised.


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## farmerjan (Dec 16, 2017)

If you google scrapple you will find lots of recipes and such.  It is basically the scraps of pork that get left after butchering and cutting up the pig, mixed with cornmeal and often flour and seasonings,  to give you a loaf like consistancy.  Most here in Va call it "ponhoss" and there are varying ways to spell and pronounce it.  I LOVE it,  sliced and pan fried I can make a meal on it.  Sometimes used as a substitute for bacon if you don't have any, it will give you the overall flavor of pork and satisfy that craving to eat something more "solid" than just eggs.


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## Anthony Sr. (Dec 16, 2017)

I just told my wife what you said and she said they called that "HogHead-Cheese",  and if that is what your talking about? I eat it, with egg's and toast . Haven't had any in a looooong time..


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## Baymule (Dec 16, 2017)

Anthony Sr. said:


> I just told my wife what you said and she said they called that "HogHead-Cheese",  and if that is what your talking about? I eat it, with egg's and toast . Haven't had any in a looooong time..



Hog head cheese is also known as souse. My grandmother made souse. It is basically boiling the head (cleaned) picking out the meat and returning it to the broth. Put it in a loaf pan and chill. The broth gels and you cut it like lunchmeat. Scrapple has the cornmeal in it. 

Let Christmas and New Year get past, and we'll have to have a BYH get together. I've never made scrapple, but I'm game for it. Got the hog head, might as well try it.


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## Anthony Sr. (Dec 16, 2017)

Sounds good to me, we'll see how things go.


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## Anthony Sr. (Dec 20, 2017)

Anyone out here in East TX. getting ready to butcher their pig? may want to talk with ya about the head and inner's?
   I'm about 60 miles SE of Dallas


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## Ron Bequeath (Oct 29, 2018)

As a child i was raised on an 80 acre clan farm, everyone a cousin. My dad would get a guilt and a shoat (we called castrated male pigs and so do the amish today). He would feed them 3 ears of corn each, table, and garden-threshing scraps and we pulled a bushel of weeds per pig from the garden. And sometimes boughten feed. But less likely. He always buthered them around 5.5 to 6 months and they where usually 250 to 275. Over 300 he just feed 3 ears of corn and weeds, of course we still got to pull the weeds, of course you needed a garden that could supply 5 families.


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