Farmer Connie
True BYH Addict
I breed several types of Heritage Pigs. One of my flavorites is Berkshire.
Known for their infamous extra marbled meat.
My Sow had her first piglet born injured mid last year. A troubled labor during a Thunderstorm causing stress. Lightning was making her nervous and she got up/down/up/down, paced etc.
The results created an injury in the delivery causing one of the boars to herniate in one testicle.
HERNIATED BOAR PIC 1
Only 4 out of 11 survived that night. We usually assist all labors but the lightning was so bad, it could of been us trampled like the poor seven tiny ones. Or zapped by lightning!
Anyway. We castrate all boars. This one was an exception to the program. There was a chance his guts would spring out during the procedure. We tried pushing it in and tapping it tight in hopes of it healing but trying to keep a high energy animal from working loose from a bandage is close to impossible.
HERNIATED BOAR PIC 2
What a shame and insult to injury.
BUT.. On a plus side, more nutrition for the remaining piglets. They shot up in size over a short period of time. Usually a Sow will reject teet time around 3 to 4 weeks as the piglets grow and become more aggressive and greed feed. But with only 4 piglets there was plenty of space and teets for comfortable feedings. So we let them stay for 6 weeks before wean.
LIGHTNING LITTER PIC JUST BEFORE WEAN.
These dudes got King Kong big! Real fast. Nutrition is a major factor for any litter but these guys got concentrated nutrition.
PROUD MOTHER PIC FOR SCALE REFERENCE PURPOSES.
These by far were the fastest growing Berkshires we ever raised.
Berkshires generally have a slow growth rate compared with other types of heritage pigs. She had a litter of 14 this last time going. Much smaller and slower growth.
PIC OF FATHER BOAR CAESAR THE GREAT.
We raised them all up as feeder pigs. Market weight was achieved in a short period of time. Our freezers still are packed w/prime pork.
Google Berkshire Pork if you are new to swine and learn about the nectar of the Gods so to speak.
We now refer to them as "The Fab Four". Never thought something so good could come out of something so tragic.
As far as the Herniated Boar is concerned, since he could not be castrated, he was processed just under 150# & converted into prime sausage. His testosterone would taint the meat if he got any bigger. His companions made it to 240#.
Never a dull moment or normal experience going on at any giving moment.
Farm life has it's ups and downs, but ups is where I love it!
Thank you for taking a moment of your busy day to read my ramblings..
FC
Known for their infamous extra marbled meat.
My Sow had her first piglet born injured mid last year. A troubled labor during a Thunderstorm causing stress. Lightning was making her nervous and she got up/down/up/down, paced etc.
The results created an injury in the delivery causing one of the boars to herniate in one testicle.
Only 4 out of 11 survived that night. We usually assist all labors but the lightning was so bad, it could of been us trampled like the poor seven tiny ones. Or zapped by lightning!
Anyway. We castrate all boars. This one was an exception to the program. There was a chance his guts would spring out during the procedure. We tried pushing it in and tapping it tight in hopes of it healing but trying to keep a high energy animal from working loose from a bandage is close to impossible.
HERNIATED BOAR PIC 2
What a shame and insult to injury.
BUT.. On a plus side, more nutrition for the remaining piglets. They shot up in size over a short period of time. Usually a Sow will reject teet time around 3 to 4 weeks as the piglets grow and become more aggressive and greed feed. But with only 4 piglets there was plenty of space and teets for comfortable feedings. So we let them stay for 6 weeks before wean.
LIGHTNING LITTER PIC JUST BEFORE WEAN.
These dudes got King Kong big! Real fast. Nutrition is a major factor for any litter but these guys got concentrated nutrition.
PROUD MOTHER PIC FOR SCALE REFERENCE PURPOSES.
These by far were the fastest growing Berkshires we ever raised.
Berkshires generally have a slow growth rate compared with other types of heritage pigs. She had a litter of 14 this last time going. Much smaller and slower growth.
PIC OF FATHER BOAR CAESAR THE GREAT.
We raised them all up as feeder pigs. Market weight was achieved in a short period of time. Our freezers still are packed w/prime pork.
Google Berkshire Pork if you are new to swine and learn about the nectar of the Gods so to speak.
We now refer to them as "The Fab Four". Never thought something so good could come out of something so tragic.
As far as the Herniated Boar is concerned, since he could not be castrated, he was processed just under 150# & converted into prime sausage. His testosterone would taint the meat if he got any bigger. His companions made it to 240#.
Never a dull moment or normal experience going on at any giving moment.
Farm life has it's ups and downs, but ups is where I love it!
Thank you for taking a moment of your busy day to read my ramblings..
FC
