# Boar Taint



## Gallidaihia (Jun 15, 2013)

I am a new small farmer, but a long time farmer wannabe. I currently have 3 pigs, one large black boar and 2 large black red wattle crosses, a gilt and a boar. They are all about 11 weeks old. I bought the gilt and the Large Black boar with the intent to breed, and i bought the cross boar with the intent to raise and put him in the freezer, he has been appropriately named Bacon. Times gotten away from me and a friend is encouraging me to maybe sell me cross boar for breeding stock and purchase a less expensive feeder. I am not sure exactly what I am going to do but I am still leaning pretty strongly to putting him in the freezer, (Hamlet and Penelope are wonderful sweet pigs, and Bacon is not so tame and kind of a bit of a pain). An old friend of mine mentioned that Its too late to use him as a feeder because he is intact and will have taint. Ive read you can castrate them a month before butchering and that will take care of the taint, Ive also read that taint isn't actually all that common and it doesn't matter weather the animal is intact or not, especially if they are being pasture raised. Ive also read its genetic which makes me really want to process this one as I will be breeding his full sister and I want to make sure its not in her genetics. Any ways I thought I would post here and see what all of y'alls opinions and advice is on this. Id really rather not butcher and find his meat is tainted and have him go to waste. thanks


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## Hollow Point (Jun 16, 2013)

I have cut them from 1 month to 6 month, its never to late if done right.  Have a neighbor that goes to the sales barn every week to buy 500-1000# boars for .5 cents a # just to cut let heal out and either sale or make sausage.  50/50 chance on survival from bleeding out on the old boars, younger and colder temps are always ideal.  An 11 week old shouldn't be a problem, just make sure to have an antiseptic spray to coat after castration and I would complete late in the afternoon.


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