Can ya'll tell me about the American Guinea Hog?

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I'm looking into heritage breeds since I got the go ahead for getting into piggies.

I really really like the large blacks and everything I've read about them, but I just don't think we have the room for a couple 800 pound hogs.

So I am looking into the AGH's. I'd like to find the "bigger" ones of the breed, maybe 250 pounds (not the little 100 pound ones).

I've read all the ALBC and Wikipedia descriptions, but I want some real life opinions on how they are; weights, attitudes, meat etc.

Also, are there any breeders here in California?

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[pridegoethb4thefall]

There are several breeders here is Northern Cali. Keep your eye on CL. If you cant find a breeder near you and dont mind traveling, check the Sacramento CL, and then the Gold Country CL, LOTS of ads there by breeders for anything from piglets to ready to butcher hogs. I am getting my first 2 AGH's in a week or so. We are just getting two castrated males to raise for meat for our table.

I am looking forward to reading responses from people who have them... They seem to be the perfect small homestead pig.

 

[D1]

http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=18720

this might help

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Thanks for the link! I did read it.


I have seen some as big as 250 pounds and some as little as 100 pounds full grown, to find the size I want I would just have to go based on the parent size right? Sorry if that's a dumb question, I have never had pigs before and so have NO idea what to expect and therefore am doing as much research as possible.


I've read you can slaughter them at 6 months and they should give you 50-75 pounds of meat, but then I also read somewhere else that you should butcher them at a year... what would be the best (for this breed) for getting lots of meat?


Anyone else have any experience with these guys?

Thanks!

 

[DKRabbitry]

We just got AGHs last year. Everything I have read says the ideal time to butcher is 10 months to 1 year. Our boar is 1 year and 3 months and he is just now filled out to a size I think would be worth butchering (125-150lbs). Our 7 month olds are still very small. Our boar's sire was a larger hog, probably pushing 250lbs, but it takes a while for them to get there. They aren't full grown untill they are 3-4 years old if I remember right. The reason we got the AGHs was that they grow well on pasture/hay, they have a easy-going temperaments and their small size makes them manageable to butcher at home. Our sow farrowed 8 piglets her maiden litter, one did get squished the first day, but she raised 7 lovely little hogs in a pasture setting. They seem to be handling the cold well, and like-wise handled the summer well. We did put some misters up for them on the 95+ days.

I love these little hogs more than anything, but I would not recommend them if you are very concerned about large amounts of meat in a short time. We actually ended up getting a larger feeder hog to growout and take to the butcher for our customers. The AGHs are more for our own personal consumption and to play the extra roll on the farm that only pigs can fill. They are easy to move around and we use them to till our garden and they eat any kitchen waste we have.