Castrating...is it true...

[GrowURown]

That if you DON'T castrate a hog, BUT DO butcher at about 100 pounds...that you will avoid the nastiness in taste and texture? My wife has come up with this fact recently - we have a 9 week old that I just picked up and intend to cut, but I think she is trying to save him from it. Does anyone know if this is the case? I think no matter what the conclusion it's going to happen, we usually feed out to around 200 pounds and I am happy with the end result...but she seems to be stuck on this idea, so I thought I would research here a little before I do the deed.

 

[chunkydunk]

Actually yeah as long as you do it when they are very young its not going to hurt it. I had a accident last year that killed two little boars about 125 lbs each and they were fine. But with that said I also killed a wild hog about 3 weeks ago at about 200 lbs. and he came out fine also.So I really couldnt tell you the "cut" off date as far as catrating goes but to me butchering at that size would just be a waste.Most of your choice cuts would be very small.

 

[jhm47]

I would have cut him about 8 weeks ago. Now it'll be a big, nasty job, and much harder on the pig and you.

It all depends on the individual pig how the meat will taste if you don't cut him. Some are fine at 100 lbs, and some are inedible. I once bought a open gilt that weighed around 350 lbs. She had just been in heat, and exposed to a boar on the day she was butchered. We could not eat the meat, since it tasted and smelled extremely "boary".

 

[GrowURown]

We just came into this particular little fella. He kept escaping over at the neighbors (very poor set up they had, fencing poor,nothing to keep a pig in) and ending up in our pond splish splashing all day, and they asked if we wanted him anyways as they were 'tired of dealing with it'. Other wise he would have been cut much sooner. I think the wife is trying to save him over all as he 'looks like a little cow' and she is for the first time somewhat attached beyond the prospect of ham.

i feel bad for her, but worse if we don't get it done soon...I don't know that I am ready to take the risk on not doing it...probably go ahead in the next few days and knock that out...I have no clue why they didn't beyond maybe not knowing. This was their first shot at raising a hog, I also hope their last - as it is you can see his ribs pretty bad. Just got to get him past worming and fed up so he's a little stronger before we 'do the deed' - don't feel right on something that needs weight, ya know?

 

[chunkydunk]

Yeah putting a few pounds on him and letting him get used to you will lessen the stress level.And a way to get your wife over the thought of "the deed" is tell her and let her read some posts on here about how uncut boars can get MEAN.Ive been lucky and have only one get mean. He didnt last long. But the possibility is there. And unless your wife is a 300 lb bodybuilding type of woman then she really doesnt want to wrestle even a 100 lb. boar.Cutting him will calm him down alot. Ive got a 350 lb barrow (cut boar) thATS as gentle as a kitten. My 5 yr old takes him for walks. Plus I got a 200+ lb boar that gives me a run for my money and im a 380 lb power lifter. Give your wife those stats and she may change her mind. Its worked before.

 

[GrowURown]

LOL - she knows the stats i think she was just feeling really bad for this one due to circumstances and such. She usually helps do any we have to here, and doesn't really seem to bat an eyelash at that. She will get over it when he is a pork chop, I'm pretty sure. Either that, or she is trying to con me into turning him into bbq young for one of her friends - she does have one firend who wants a roast pig for her daughters birthday and I think if I do the math right then this one will be ready by then for exactly that. The only problem being that I forsee me myself and I doing every thing from start to finish (including the roasting) But if we don't cut him then she will argue that we should go ahead and do the deed when he reaches that weight anyways...over heard that phone conversation last night! It may all be an evil plot....but I do love her...

 

[chunkydunk]

OH ok I really understand your situation. I feel for you I really do. BUt Ive got 11 for sale if you wanna do a switcheroo and really mess your wife up. Let me know I can really do some scheming.

 

[GrowURown]

So you're on the team huh? Tell me yours are TINY and I'll get one and tell her "I think he's a SHRINKING PIG" - bet she goes for it! i don't have any idea why she has become so 'at peace' with this one! She was out there giving him a bath this morning! THEN she put the dogs old harness thing on and was walking him! A black and white pig in a purple harness with a matching lead borrowed from one of the horses! Really....I don't know what to do with her sometimes. Next thing, she'll be lunging him in the round pen and teaching him to carry a saddle like the horses - just to have a reason to keep him!

Personally, I think the neighbors lost some great ham when they gave him up and we gained one spoiled rotten animal...of course I do let her have 2 'house hens' that never got along well with the other chickens with no complaints, so maybe my encouragement of her eccentricities is not helping

 

[chunkydunk]

Well I do have 1 runt that is tiny. Like 5-8 lbs. And you really need to tell her to let you cut him. If she is getting that attached she will never let you butcher him.Oh trust me I know what you are going through. I have a very very fat potbelly named patty. I went out side one day to her hooves being painted pink while wearing a pink dress and also a tiara. My 2,6, and 8 yr olds. The only reason the pig was putting up with it is that they were feeding her ginger snap cookies. The only thing I did was I went back inside grabbed a bag of dollar store cookies went back out and told them that "Ginger snaps are too expensive to give to a pig". All threes respnose was "we dont like them only you do". Anyway that pig ended up with makeup, bows and perfume on too. She was really made up and she was fine with it til they ran outta cookies.
And as far as allowing the eccentricities dont worry all men are suckers. We allow a bunch of crazy stuff just to keep them content.But look at it from the other side. they allow a lot of stuff to keep us happy too. some just allow more than others and at times I wish I could wreck their relationships cause my dont allow much