| Author |
Barnyard Buddies:  To Castrate Or Not  |
|
|
kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 20 2010 : 07:32:54 AM
|
I think we might have talked about this before. But I'd like to do a little survey about this. I am thinking about getting a few pigs and usually get males already castrated. But since I don't keep them very long before they are ready to butcher, what's the sense in causing the little guys more stress? Also I might just want to get a sow and use one of the males to breed her. Then off to the butcher.
So what are ya'lls thoughts on this? How many castrat and how many don't? And do you think it affects the taste at all or not? I am talking any male animal here. Cow, goat, lamb, pig. And because they are only kept less than a year I wondered about this also.
I did raise some lambs a few years back and did not castrate them. The meat was great. I did castrate the bull when he was very young. I have eaten some goat meat from a very old pygmy buck that we had used for breeding. It was really good. And I have had young buck also. Real good.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
|
|
sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Jun 20 2010 : 08:09:10 AM
|
ho kris, i too would be curious of others opinion. i have mostly castrated my boys. some say they grow and put more weight on with parts intact. i have done it to keep the barnyard quiet. boys are pushier when intact. so i would say fencing can be an issue for them. we use electric wire on pig fence down by where they root - 1- strand. this keeps them in. i am thinking teresa might know the answer to this. i think if the animal stays young and is butchered young the meat would be fine.saving the fee to breed the sow makes sence to me. we are going to rotate our breeder sows. we are also getting them set up to pasture raise organic pork. no one here has them out running around grazing. they are always in small pens. heres hoping all is good for our farm girls happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
|
 |
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22944 Posts
22944 Posts |
|
|
1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Jun 20 2010 : 08:33:39 AM
|
One of the more dangerous farm animals is "A BOAR", raging hormones, brut strength and teeth. And YES, once those hormones kick in, the meat will turn, and its not pleasent. If you are not really experienced with intact male whatever animal, and you don't have really good pens (think tornado proof), and you don't mind the high probability of an injury, by all means, its your business. My opinion is, DON"T, not worth the danger and headaches, A.I. is simple and so much safer.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
|
|
|
1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Jun 20 2010 : 08:53:07 AM
|
There is one other problem with breeding your own hogs, do you have a market for selling all the pigs that you are not going to keep for meat for your own table? Sows can very easyly produce 10 or more pigs per litter, the average family would be hard pressed to eat more than 2 a year, so that would leave you 8 to sell.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
|
|
|
Melina
True Blue Farmgirl
435 Posts
Melina
USA
435 Posts |
Posted - Jun 20 2010 : 09:53:15 AM
|
We always castrated all our male animals. The hormones can kick in much sooner than you think. Case in point, we had a beautiful ram lamb. One day he was a lamb and my daughters were out playing with him. The next day (literally) he was a ram and tried to plow them into the ground. Also, never keep an average male to breed. Any intact male should be a superior example of his breed, able to pass on superior genes to his offspring. Anything less, get the knife.
The morning breeze has secrets to tell you. Do not go back to sleep.
Rumi |
|
|
|
kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 20 2010 : 1:18:32 PM
|
Thanks everyone. I have just been thinking about this and was not sure which way to go. I have had a ram here and never again. They are mean critters.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
|
|
|
1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Jun 20 2010 : 2:07:56 PM
|
There is one more thing to think about, additional liability insurance. My insurance agent has always said, if you are gonna keep a bull, boar, buck or ram, up your insurance, cause when they escape ( and they almost always do at some point), the damage and/or human injurys they cause can be huge compaired to a castated animal, besides the fact of them breeding your neighbors livestock and causing injury when they do.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
|
|
|
msdoolittle
True Blue Farmgirl
1152 Posts
Amanda
East Texas
USA
1152 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2010 : 06:21:14 AM
|
I'd go ahead and castrate. Not worth the worry! Male animals can be very unpredictable. I mean, even a rooster can be dangerous, right? I can't imagine a several hundred pound hog. No thanks!
FarmGirl #1390
www.mylittlecountry.wordpress.com |
|
|
|
quiltin mama
True Blue Farmgirl
436 Posts
Heather
Crescent City
CA
USA
436 Posts |
Posted - Jun 22 2010 : 1:28:14 PM
|
We had a dairy bull that we butchered and did not castrate simply becasue by the time we got him it was too late to do so. The meat turned out fine.
We are a family of 6 (although 3 of them are ages 3, 2, and 7mo) and we go through 2 pigs a year NO problem. I'm sure by the time my little ones are of a larger eating age (especially the 2 boys) that we could eat about 3 a year.
Teresa point out some good information about insurance! I never even considered that!
my blog www.mountainhomequilts.blogspot.com
handmade quilts on etsy www.mountainhomequilts.etsy.com |
|
|
|
southerncrossgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
631 Posts
Gena
Harmony
NC
USA
631 Posts |
Posted - Jun 23 2010 : 05:54:02 AM
|
Kris, you sound like me. We get these ideas. I would cas. I wanted to raise some from those 4 pigs we raised last summer. Well, when they got to weighing around 200lbs, I couldn't wait to see them leave this place! I don't even want to raise anymore. They torn so much of our fencing up. We even used electric also.
I hope you have a better experience than I did!
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
|
|
|
kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 23 2010 : 08:47:04 AM
|
It is still an idea for me too. I don't think I have pig amnesia just yet. I really would like to get a few at least by Sept. to eat the scraps and garden stuff. Plus all this milk. I have been freezing at least a gallon a day. So I will have to get a few soon. I did want to get heritage breed pigs. I think I will try to find Red Wattles. And I will make sure they are castrated because I think they are slower to grow and they would be here a little longer.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
|
|
|
Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jun 23 2010 : 6:08:43 PM
|
When i raised pigs with my grandpa years ago he castated them always.
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
|
|
| |
Barnyard Buddies: To Castrate Or Not |
|
To Castrate Or Not
