# My Newest Adventure...



## DKRabbitry (Nov 12, 2011)

Yupp... I've come to join you all in the world of pigs.  Okay, maybe she isn't exactly what MOST of you have, but I think she will serve our little homestead well.  She is a mini pig, a potbelly or a potbelly mix of sorts.  Her dam was a little bigger, about 70 or so lbs, her dad much smaller, probably 45 or so pounds.  She is 6 months old and unfortunately, was the most potbelly looking of the three she had left.  I wanted more of the market pig look in small form, not so fond of the slightly swayed back and big jowl-like apprearance.  Oh, and she is possibly pregnant.  I am hoping she isn't as she would have just been bred by her brothers and she is younger than I would have bred her.  I will be using her for breeding little meat pigs.

Meet Pinkerton Buttspots 







Her sire...






And dam...


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## dwbonfire (Nov 12, 2011)

too cute! im curious what breed of pig you will choose to breed her with for meat pigs? i dont know why but ive always in my mind seperated pot bellies from being a pig one would eat. but being mixed for it is a pretty good idea, nice small pigs for a small family (like mine!)
i had two pot bellies but ended up getting rid of them to a good home, i just wasnt set up for them properly without them getting into the other animal feed and whatnot.

good luck with her and i LOOOVE her name lol awesome


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## DKRabbitry (Nov 12, 2011)

From what I hear, potbelly meat is really quite good.  More flavorful than store pork... but then again, I imagine most homeraised would be.  I guess I will find out 
Many people do frown upon eating the potbellies, but I have yet to find a reason not to.  They seem like the perfect solution for my little farm.  Don't eat as much as a full sized hog, don't take up as much space as a full sized hog, and don't hurt as much if they do decide to get pushy as a full sized hog.  The person I got her from raises them for meat, and I have heard of a couple other small farmers doing the same.  We are also going to use them to turn up the garden area come spring, and apparently they do really well on pasture and hay.  I plan on just breeding her with another small boar.  Not to concerned with breed or anything like that.  I always assumed that mini pigs were pretty much all potbelly in origin, but there are some folks a couple towns over that have mini pigs and they *say* they are not potbellies and look like little market hogs.  I plan on maybe seeing about getting a boar from them.  Don't really care if he is potbelly or not, I just want a nice, solid little pig who is hardy and well built.  
A lot of people frown at me for eating my goats and rabbits too. *shrugs* To each their own I suppose.  I am really excited to see how this will work out.  I always swore I would NEVER have pigs.  Oy... never say never.


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## dwbonfire (Nov 12, 2011)

yep, never say never!
i definetly dont frown apon you eating your rabbits and goats. i wish i had the guts to do all that too. i am really wanting to become more self suffient and meat being one of the first things to raise on my own. i am looking into getting some pigs, never thought of the pot bellies- too bad i sold mine! im not sure i would eat a goat tho, but i surely dont frown apon it. also im not sure i could eat rabbits, though i wish i could because they seem to be real easy to raise and reproduce and supply a small family. so, go you! i hope your pig adventure works out! id love to hear your conclusion of how the meat tastes etc.


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## Ms. Research (Nov 13, 2011)

DKRabbitry said:
			
		

> From what I hear, potbelly meat is really quite good.  More flavorful than store pork... but then again, I imagine most homeraised would be.  I guess I will find out
> Many people do frown upon eating the potbellies, but I have yet to find a reason not to.  They seem like the perfect solution for my little farm.  Don't eat as much as a full sized hog, don't take up as much space as a full sized hog, and don't hurt as much if they do decide to get pushy as a full sized hog.  The person I got her from raises them for meat, and I have heard of a couple other small farmers doing the same.  We are also going to use them to turn up the garden area come spring, and apparently they do really well on pasture and hay.  I plan on just breeding her with another small boar.  Not to concerned with breed or anything like that.  I always assumed that mini pigs were pretty much all potbelly in origin, but there are some folks a couple towns over that have mini pigs and they *say* they are not potbellies and look like little market hogs.  I plan on maybe seeing about getting a boar from them.  Don't really care if he is potbelly or not, I just want a nice, solid little pig who is hardy and well built.
> *A lot of people frown at me for eating my goats and rabbits too. *shrugs* To each their own I suppose.  I am really excited to see how this will work out.  I always swore I would NEVER have pigs.  Oy... never say never.*


No frowns here about eating your livestock.  Hehehe, DH said the same thing about a pig.  Wishing you luck for a successful new adventure.  Please keep us updated.  We just LOVE bacon and want to be self sufficient too.  

BTW, Love the name.


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## DKRabbitry (Nov 13, 2011)

I am trying to talk DH into letting me get another one to try eating sooner than any piglets that Pinkerton will have will be ready.  But the ones I am looking at are still only 2 months old, so it would be a little while before they would even be large enough to butcher.  I hate waiting... sheesh!  That is what I love about the rabbits.  Quick turn around LOL

I know YOU all won't frown at me.  That is what I love about this forum.  So diverse and open-minded   Butchering/eating the rabbits was actually a lot easier than I thought it was going to be.  I tend to not handle the kits a whole lot so I don't get attached.  I do have my faves that will never go unless it is by natural means.  I haven't done any of my own goat kids yet though, they have all been other people's.  Be interesting to see how that works out next year.  I plan on banding all buck kids right off the bat next year and letting the dams raise them.  I figure if I don't handle them more than just routine stuff and they are more or less wild, it won't bother me so much butchering them.

Pinkerton in her straw pile this morning


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## Royd Wood (Nov 13, 2011)

DKRabbitry said:
			
		

> I know YOU all won't frown at me.  That is what I love about this forum.  So diverse and open-minded   Butchering/eating the rabbits was actually a lot easier than I thought it was going to be.  I tend to not handle the kits a whole lot so I don't get attached.  I do have my faves that will never go unless it is by natural means.  I haven't done any of my own goat kids yet though, they have all been other people's.  Be interesting to see how that works out next year.  I plan on banding all buck kids right off the bat next year and letting the dams raise them.  I figure if I don't handle them more than just routine stuff and they are more or less wild, it won't bother me so much butchering them.


 At our place its good to be born a girl as you might make the breeding stock - curtains for the boys


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## Queen Mum (Nov 13, 2011)

I like what Temple Grandin says about livestock.  

If we didn't raise them for food, they would probably be just funny animals that we look at in zoos.  And life and death for them is a lot worse in the wild.  

Dr. Grandin is the reason we have humane slaughter methods in this country for livestock in feedlots, and for chickens.


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## 77Herford (Nov 14, 2011)

DKRabbitry said:
			
		

> From what I hear, potbelly meat is really quite good.  More flavorful than store pork... but then again, I imagine most homeraised would be.  I guess I will find out
> Many people do frown upon eating the potbellies, but I have yet to find a reason not to.  They seem like the perfect solution for my little farm.  Don't eat as much as a full sized hog, don't take up as much space as a full sized hog, and don't hurt as much if they do decide to get pushy as a full sized hog.  The person I got her from raises them for meat, and I have heard of a couple other small farmers doing the same.  We are also going to use them to turn up the garden area come spring, and apparently they do really well on pasture and hay.  I plan on just breeding her with another small boar.  Not to concerned with breed or anything like that.  I always assumed that mini pigs were pretty much all potbelly in origin, but there are some folks a couple towns over that have mini pigs and they *say* they are not potbellies and look like little market hogs.  I plan on maybe seeing about getting a boar from them.  Don't really care if he is potbelly or not, I just want a nice, solid little pig who is hardy and well built.
> A lot of people frown at me for eating my goats and rabbits too. *shrugs* To each their own I suppose.  I am really excited to see how this will work out.  I always swore I would NEVER have pigs.  Oy... never say never.


The Pot belly originated in Vietnam, I believe.  They are still used in Southeast Asia as a staple meat source in small villages.  I don't see any problem with using them for a meat source, especially if you don't have alot of room.  
Your sow is a little over weight but if she's pregnant then its all good.


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## DKRabbitry (Nov 14, 2011)

I am thinking she is pregnant, looked like some mammary development when I looked at her this evening, but she is one wild little never-been-handled piggy.  So I can't really feel and check her out without stressing her more than we already did by moving her.  If she is later in her term I don't want to freak her out any more than I need to.  
She is 6 months now, and potbellies start cycling around 3-4 months, so I figure I could be getting piglets in the next moth or two.
And if she hasn't popped out any piglets in the next few months then she is going on one heck of a diet


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