Large Black vs GOS

[daisyjack]

Ok I need your help I was hoping to get a pair of large blacks with my tax refund but I have been watching the Victorian Farm on Youtube and now I am torn between Large Black and GOS. So I need your help deciding. I plan on breeding them and selling piglets and keeping some for meat. this will be my first experience with pigs I have my husband to help but I will be doing the daily care, I also have small children so calm and friendliness is a big determining factor. GOS are cute but they sell for less then the large blacks.
Which one is the friendliest?
Which one tasted better?
Which one is more popular for sales?

Thanks for your help

 

[Royd Wood]

There's a few of us on here with Large Blacks. So I vote you go with LB's
Our boar is a huge big fella with tusks, he's very docile with us. Our gilts and sows are just the same even with piglets on the ground.
We are phasing out our Hampshire's and going with just LBs with 2 Tamworth sows for crossbred meat pigs for the store. As for sales - not sure how your doing it (whole or cuts)
Our LB or LB cross cuts are in big demand but its pasture / forrest raised using our own mix of ground oats & barley grown here on the farm. Heritige pigs and commercial feed dont work too good as the fat will be all over the butchers floor.
GOS look to be a great pig but not tried or tasted them
Good luck with what you choose

 

[77Herford]

I figured Royd would chime in fast on this one. Got to market your LB's, lol. I think GOS and LB's are nice. GOS are usually more for bacon but I have mutts with just a smidge of GOS in them.

 

[Royd Wood]

The LB's produce lots of fantastic bacon.

Just to add - Something you need to think about is your climate, for example LB's dont get sunburn and can cope very easly with extreme cold temps, they also thrive living outside, if there is pasture available then they tend to graze instead of rooting unlike my Hamps (bulldozers). The LB's are on the critical list so at least you can help preserve this great breed

 

[daisyjack]

Thanks for all your help. I was thinking i was going to go with the large blacks and maybe it is a good idea to not get the cute GOS because i will have a harder time eating them.

 

[Cornish Heritage]

We have raised both the LB's & the GOS. Our preference is the LB & that is what we now raise exclusively but other people love the GOS. Both are docile. GOS are known for their lard & sausage - they tend to be stockier but get just as big. LB's are known as bacon pigs.

Both breeds have great mothering skills but we have found that the LB's roll over for belly scratches much more naturally than the GOS. Our GOS boar used to dance & squeak when you rubber his back but we could never get him to roll over!

Both breeds are hardy. Understanding the genealogy of a LB is WAY easier than a GOS if that matters to you. By that I mean that the line names are on the Large Black registration papers, whereas the GOS are just a pile of numbers so you really have to know what you are doing to understand where they have come from.

I am presuming you are in the USA? If so, if you purchase GOS stock, make sure they are registered with the GOSA. This is vitally important. There is/was another registry out there (HHBC) - avoid it like the plague!

If you are purchasing registered LB stock, make sure they are registered with the LBHA (www.largeblackhogassoication.org). Do NOT leave the farm where you are purchasing your pigs without a Litter Certificate for your pigs. if the breeder gives you an excuse or will not provide paperwork walk away. Yes I am serious! It is "buyer beware" out there which is sad but true. Do your research, make sure you know exactly what you are buying. Most breeders are good but sadly there are some bad ones out there.

Once you have your new piglets, enjoy

Liz

 

[animalfarm]

The LB's produce lots of fantastic bacon.

Just to add - Something you need to think about is your climate, for example LB's dont get sunburn and can cope very easly with extreme cold temps, they also thrive living outside, if there is pasture available then they tend to graze instead of rooting unlike my Hamps (bulldozers). The LB's are on the critical list so at least you can help preserve this great breed

I don't know anything about GOS.

I have LB's and can't see any reason why I would change that. They are cold hardy. Mine have a hut but but sleep outside and poop in the hut. They don't care if its raining, -17C and windy, snowing, sleeting ect... they sleep outside. If I waste my time forking the bedding into the hut, they very quickly push it back out. They are easy to handle and grow well on homemade food. They are smart and train easily if you treat them kindly.