a probably 3 month old pig walked into my yard..now what?

[heckerdy]

If he's around three months and you see no testicles he's neutered. By three weeks you typically know they are there. At three months they're quite obvious. You can't miss them. He might be castrated.

I may have missed it, but, is he a potbelly? Or just a pig of some sort?

no not a potbelly he is a random pig who is probably a Duroc mix from what the feed store people said
thanks ..I see NO testicles anywhere but he is just 24 inches high and has no teeth? do you have a guess how old that may be?

 

[heckerdy]

I really will use the poll results even though they sound silly btw

 

[babsbag]

Is his head 24" high or his back? That is a pretty tall pig, how long is he from base of neck to base of tail? I would guess he is about 3-4 months with that height.

No teeth...maybe they were clipped at birth and if someone did the teeth they probably castrated him too.

 

[heckerdy]

Is his head 24" high or his back? That is a pretty tall pig, how long is he from base of neck to base of tail? I would guess he is about 3-4 months with that height.

No teeth...maybe they were clipped at birth and if someone did the teeth they probably castrated him too.

Thanks Babsbag! Ok I was WAYYY OFF on my measurements and had to come back and edit .. WOW! I seem as a lot bigger and I was using a ruler ..I am so sorry! my husband took a tape measure and found him at 14 inches height and about 26 inches long..

should I know if he needs gelding and how old you think a duroc cross this big would be? thanks! ( I know posting photos..it has been a crazy day)

 

[Latestarter]

That's a young piglet at that size (if a full sized pig). Not much more than 6-8 weeks would be my guess...

 

[jhm47]

Some people seem to not be able to detect boar taint. I'm NOT one of them. When we cook meat that is from a boar, the taint gets into my nostrils and sinuses and makes me sick. Even a small amount of it is enough to sicken me. Normally I'm pretty much able to eat anything, but not boar meat. I can detect it instantly.

As to you---do what you want. You might not be able to detect it at all, and I hope that's the case. Good luck!

 

[Bossroo]

Some people seem to not be able to detect boar taint. I'm NOT one of them. When we cook meat that is from a boar, the taint gets into my nostrils and sinuses and makes me sick. Even a small amount of it is enough to sicken me. Normally I'm pretty much able to eat anything, but not boar meat. I can detect it instantly.

As to you---do what you want. You might not be able to detect it at all, and I hope that's the case. Good luck!

Me too... me too !!! I can even smell when there is even a trace of peanuts as an ingrediant or peanut oil in food --makes me upchuck sick. Same with cheese --- YUCK !!! So meat from a boar, NOT good at all.

 

[Baymule]

I enjoy reading Walter Jeffries web site. He raises pigs. There is more about pigs on his site than I ever even thought about. He doesn't castrate his pigs, but he has raised his pigs for many generations and has no taint in his stock. Here's what he has to say about the subject.

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/2009/04/08/tainted-big-pharma/

Myself, I have butchered feral hogs and the boar taste is definitely there. I have never left a feeder hog uncastrated. But since you butcher them at around 6 months, testicles or not, I don't think they develop much of a boar taste. that said, I am getting 3 castrated feeder pigs in a few weeks. The decision is really up to you. But I wouldn't keep him past 6 months.

 

[babsbag]

I agree with latestarter, about 8 weeks would be my guess. I brought mine home at 6 weeks and they were about 12 inches tall and they grow like weeds.

 

[heckerdy]

Thanks for the input you guys! A friend of mine who raised pigs said he didn't care if they were not around females and you butchered at 200lbs then there should be no "taint" also he said he always "pastured them" first before butchering ..I have tasted his meat and while I am very sensitive to food in general and do not even like commercial pork bcuase it tastes like the barns they raise them in ..

but ..that said …it puzzles me more about where this little guy came from and my husband came running in to tell me he took his glove on a stick and rubbed "Bacon" so much he flopped on his back spread eagle and it looks like he has a 1 1/2 inch scar on his abdomen below the last set of nipples?

I know where dogs get their scars? but pigs anatomy is it the same? if so he is "most certainly " neutered per my husband. boy did I learn a lot about neutering pigs over the past week. Zero pig knowledge to holy crap I wish I did not know what I just read! now he gets lots and lots and lots of acorns and filberts thanks so much!