Good Pig vs Bad Pig

[@mpccenturion]

Thank you Sir! I appreciate NO BS! I am just an old guy - trying to feed my family - after retiring. Yes - I have raised some, but its been 20 yrs. New Info - and willing to learn. Cheers!

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Glad to help if I can

[@CarolinaSaltwaterLiving]

Those are what we called piney woods rooters growing up. You're right on Chris.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

That's what we still call them , still the same pigs lol

[@josefnewsom7992]

I like your channel you don't have all the fancy editing and stuff going on and just down to earth very informative topics. Enjoy listening to you talk.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Thank you , we just do it to try and help folks out that want to do this stuff so we're not very professional

[@jtjolly3455]

I didn't fall for no BS cause I went to the best I could find I will get my pigs from now till I quit raising them your a hellova small farmer Chris way to go keep the awesome videos coming. Justin Kentucky

[@jamessalmon5314]

Thank you so much for the Honesty. I'm also from the old school way of life. I'm learning so much from listening to your words . If more people will shut up and listen to someone with experience as you hVe this world would be so better. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Glad to help . Unfortunately most won't listen until they've failed completely trying the fairy tale method off the internet

[@hillsidefarm7355]

I don't know much about pigs but even I can see the difference in those 2 groups. Thanks for the information. I really enjoy your videos.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

There's a lot of difference no doubt

[@jketch1]

Thanks for the video. As someone that doesn’t know pigs I’ll take all the know your willing to give. It was great being able to see the difference between the two. Pigs like cattle if you know you know and no one can BS ya. God bless and stay safe

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Lol they still try don't they and come up with anything that sounds good to back up their story

[@lisanowakow3688]

No almost about it. There is no muscle in that white one. It’s good to hear from you and Darlene, this was very good advice!

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

They're as bad as I've seen , what killed me was the guy that raised them thinks they're really good pigs

[@wlewissea]

Thanks Chris. I can see the difference between the litters.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

It's a big one isn't it ?

[@mindenhillshomesteadyukefa8091]

Sorry that happened to you Chris but appreciate you showing them to us. Good luck with them but sounds you don’t have much hope for them to be much.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

I can probably bring them around but it's going to be agravating

[@randytrull6194]

You have to take care of your animals to make them healthy. Alot of people try to make money by not feeding what they need. Good animals are worth more don't care what some people say. Thanks for sharing this.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Cutting corners rarely pays !

[@chiefetwful]

Outstanding video. Hope all is well and looking forward to more videos

[@jeff-hh9mc]

-So what minerals are required and how much for said hogs to grow correctly? -also what dewormer do you utilize / recommend?

[@KaleidoscopeJunkie]

A picture is worth 1,000 words. Thanks for the side-by-side comparison. Sometimes the truth stinks but - It's STILL the truth. -KJ

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Very true , problem is some people won't hear or see the truth

[@scottsavelkoul9455]

Good with the bad and you’ll never make everyone happy, thanks for sharing your knowledge and thought’s

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

That's very true , I don't even try to anymore . Just want to help who I can

[@webb6218]

Your exactly right! We went the pure breed route and had poor deliveries. Our best piglets are a pure Berkshire and Mixed Sows. Feed good pig grower with minerals and hay. Lot of people think pigs want eat hay, but they will graze like a cow. Keeps things regular.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Fiber is about all they get out of hay but they do need some . Purebred is always harder no doubt

[@cdjhyoung]

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay We had an advantage when we were raising pigs. We lived about 20 miles from Michigan State University. At that time they did growing tests for the breeders in the state. Then in the early spring they had a breeding stock auction. The best thing about this is they raised litters on test and butchered both a boar and a gilt form each litter. All the rate of gain information was there and you could see the hanging carcass to see how meaty the animals were. And surprisingly, the premium on these test pigs was not too bad. This was at a time that the confinement pig operations were trying to get as big a litter as possible, so the boars out of litter of 14-16 piglets brought the top prices. We didn't use confinement and were more focused on survival rate and total litter weight at birth. We looked to get a boar that could give us 10 pigs per litter, with a survival rate of 9 to market. We did pretty good most years. We would get a fresh pure bred boar every other year with the expectation of getting three breeding cycles out of him on our home grown three way crossed gilts and sows. Always a Hampshire x Duroc x Chester White or Yorkshire cross for the gilts. The new boar was always from the least represented blood line of the four. We threw in a Berkshire boar one time, but his off spring didn't have the good height we were looking for. We grew batches of 150 pigs, farrowing in the spring and early fall. I liked raising pigs, but there isn't a market for a small time operation like that anymore. It's too big for boutique marketing, and too small for the commercial packer to deal with. Around here there isn't an open market for finish hogs. The only open market is for feeder pigs for the FFA fair pigs. You'd get a dandy price for that litter you were showing us.

[@FITZIEBLUE]

thanks for the video and great information. PS hope your throat heals up; take care of yourself.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

It's just my sinuses , makes me hoarse

[@michaelchason7863]

You learn. That's the way it was for years when I bought used cars for investment and to drive. Tools are the same way. Wisdom comes in different ways.

[@dwightherrington7793]

I love baby pigs

[@allenweaver3821]

You are spot on! Thanks for the videos!

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Hopefully it'll help someone , going to do a follow up soon

[@Mandren]

There's no denying the Hampshire crosses just have the right look about them. Solid and well-built. Another KZbinr I follow has some scrawny feeder piglets like that second batch. Though they have anatomical deficiencies too. Good stock makes a real difference.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Only a couple of these came out . The rest stalled at about 75 lbs .

[@hazel555]

I wish you and your wife were my neighbor! Really enjoy your videos!

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Thank you for the support

[@bevans69]

Yuz crazy Kool, thank you fo da truth!

[@andresmccullough9532]

I love the way u spraying things

[@tremaynebrown4853]

Keep preaching my man

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

The feller I gave those pigs to finally gave up and took them to slaughter last week only one topped out . The rest weighed around 150 or less 7 months on a feeder !

[@dwightherrington7793]

He most likely bought them little guys because he felt sorry for them. Ive done that myself buy animals because i felt sorry for them.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

He's standing here now , says that's not it he's pleading temporary insanity

[@michaelchaffin7510]

Keep preaching it brother.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Maybe I'll get through to folks one day !

[@mdspider]

Thanks for the knowledge

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Glad to help

[@carolinahillcountry]

Good honest info as always. Appreciate it.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Getting a bad pig can put folks off from trying and the misinformation the guy that raised these pigs is going by is a horrible problem

[@scentsbyemebathbody3161]

New to your channel… 😊 learning about pigs. What should 7 week old piggy weigh ready to leave momma for sale. I’ve got some learning about breeds.. I’m in the northeast.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

In the 25 to 35 lb range depending on litter size .

[@scentsbyemebathbody3161]

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay thank you so I know what to ask when looking for a good pig👍😊

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

@@scentsbyemebathbody3161 it makes all the difference

[@kevinilg2657]

Thanks again for the info it's very helpful

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Glad to help

[@GrassyForkFarm]

Thank you! Good information

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Glad to help

[@dannylapan581]

Chris,always remember; there's a fine line between priceless and worthless.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Not sure about that , in my experience it's usually a perception issue . I'm a little more practical than most I tend to value things by usefulness . People, love or tradition and knowledge can be priceless but things and livestock have a cash value

[@alp6792]

Thanks for the information. I am trying to get 3 pigs myself any breed you recommend? I don't know much about good breeds, but I am searching before purchasing. I have 5 lambs, and 25 chickens right now. I am going to double that this year along with some pigs, and goats. What is the best thing I can feed them? Just yesterday I was talking to my uncle about what he fed his and he said "corn and scraps" lol.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Any of the old large breeds would be fine . You need to feed a balanced pig feed then you can feed whole corn , scraps on top of it biggest thing is they need the vitamins and minerals that's in the feed

[@alp6792]

@Homesteading the Hard Way Thanks, I will be looking up information on does types of pigs, i am still watching your videos as we speak. Lol have a good one 👍🏼 going to subscribe.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

@@alp6792 type is more important than breed look for the round back old line pig that'll get about an inch of backfat. That's the best pork and feed conversion, growth rate raised outside

[@cdjhyoung]

Before you go too far with getting some hogs to feed out, be sure you can afford the corn to feed them. Right now, because of the war in Ukraine and a crop failure in South America, corn is selling a $6.50 a bushel. That is twice what it would normally be. Feed cost might make raising pigs right now a poor idea if you don't already have the corn.

[@michaelchason7863]

You look like a guy in Holiday, Tennessee, just west of Nashville. He deals with cows

[@justinbray4249]

What weight should a 6 week pig be? Whens the best time to worm them?

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

It varies a little by breed , type and litter size but 20 to 30 lbs for large traditional hogs . Best to worm the sow two weeks before farrowing then we worm the piglets at 6 to 8 weeks to be safe then again at 100 lbs

[@nathanrath631]

Can you make a video on what you feed your pigs and how to worm them

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

We have some , talk about it a lot

[@isaackoenig1666]

What diet do you feed your pigs and piglets

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

We make a 16% protein pig and sow feed and we feed a little produce scrap , peanuts , fermented corn etc as a filler

[@hunterlain610]

Mr Chris in you Opinion what is the correct age of winging and how old do you normally warm the piglets

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Hunter you can wean from five to eight weeks depending on the pigs . That's for ground raised , best to worm the sow two weeks before farrowing then worm the pigs a week before or after weaning

[@hunterlain610]

Thank you sir for the help

[@derrickhaws4399]

Chris what did you ever do with the piney woods rooters ? We from Troy Alabama an farm duroc an hamshire hogs an love your Vidios by the way

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

We used most of them for bbq at about 50-75 lbs . They wouldn't grow for nothing

[@TheBasedFarmer]

Just wondering what product you use for worming your pigs?

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Ivermectin injectable mostly

[@TheBasedFarmer]

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay Thank you for your response. I just found your channel and didn't realize you had videos describing how you do it. I'm sub'd with notifications on so I will be watching all your videos from now on and am going back through all of your old videos as well. I'm sick of watching KZbin farmers who only farm for views and don't have sustainable business models if not for KZbin. Keep up the good work you're a valuable asset for new farmers like myself. I see your channel blowing up before long. No fancy editing or click bait. Just the way I like it!

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

@@TheBasedFarmer I'm just doing this to help folks out , I want people to succeed at it

[@jordanclary2628]

Is there any money in selling pigs at a sale barn anymore ?in my area in south eastern Va some weeks it might only be a dozen or so pigs at the sale is there a reason for that…really enjoying your channel.. I tend a garden with a 140 and looking to get into feeding out some pigs so your channel is right up my alley

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

No Jordan not a dime hasn't been for years , nobody to buy and feed them out . We don't even have a pig sale down here anymore . Selling direct to the consumer is the best thing I've ever done can't really say there's profit but at least there's some cash flow

[@jordanclary2628]

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay and a problem around hear is the closest butcher is backed up for a few months and with the flies you can’t really kill them outside from what u and some other people say so what do U do if the butcher is backed up but the freezer is getting low

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

@@jordanclary2628 people around here have been insulating a small building really well and using two window unit AC to make a cooler or getting an old reefer unit . Where the problem comes in is they need to hang and cool and you need cold to salt and cure or it'll get skippers in it

[@cdjhyoung]

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay Do you have deer hunting in your area? Who is doing the butchering during deer season? Those are the guys that seem to handle the farmer's butchering needs around here. There are a couple of guys that have state certified coolers and slaughter areas. They can handle some pigs if it is not during October or November when they are knee deep in deer flesh.

[@johnwood738]

If you can get them turned around the good news is they should taste good! But nothing I would ever breed from.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

I can get them straight I think , believe it or not they're noticable better than sunday

[@RippleAffect]

Just wondering what kind of minerals do you give them?

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

I buy a vitamin and mineral mix at the feed mill formulated for pigs .

[@RippleAffect]

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay thanks

[@3CreekFarms]

Great video, Chris. I surely hope it reaches the folks that need to learn so they know the difference. Way too many uneducated buyers out there make it easy for the idiot who raised these pigs to get a premium$$ when they should get pennies. You said it!

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

I hope so too , I can't understand folks not talking pride in what they do

[@3CreekFarms]

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay absolutely. Too often I see greed taking the place of pride - more and more these days

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

@@3CreekFarms I think this situation was more stupid than greed , like I said guy really thinks he has great pigs . I'm half tempted to call the humane society on him

[@3CreekFarms]

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay 👍

[@lasalletxnurse1]

So, when do you wean pigs?

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Normally about six or seven weeks depending on litter size

[@garyholmes4058]

I've always thought that corn was the thing to feed I feed corn and grind with soy meal when it's at all possible but you mentioned mineral what are you talking about. What do you make your feed with because every pig we've raised usually 9-11 months is the best we get a return on

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Vitamin and mineral supplement, makes all the difference. Our recipe is 40 lbs of ground corn ( you can sub 10 lbs of wheat or rye ) 8 lbs of soy meal and 2lbs of mineral to make 16% protein feed . Our pigs average 270 lbs at 6 months and about 3 to 1 on feed conversion

[@garyholmes4058]

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay what kind of mineral do I need I found some that is to be mixed with 1 ton (Wich is usually how much grain I buy at a time) but they all have different stuff some have more calcium and some have more iron. I don't know what I'm looking for

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

@@garyholmes4058 I'll try to show the tag on ours in a video. It needs to be swine specific and include lysine

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

@@garyholmes4058 iron isn't an issue with pigs on dirt , extra calcium is great for nursing sows

[@garyholmes4058]

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay okay I actually poured a 20'x32' slab this year and put three pens on it two 10'x16' one 12'x16' with a 4 foot walkway/loading shoot. All we have on dirt now is sows and my boar. I wish we had a setup like you have but it's just to wet in the winter to keep more than just a few on dirt here

[@Angel283]

Wow, what a difference!! Thanks for the explanation :) You're topping me out two, I don't want these pitiful wee pigs. Just out of curiosity, have you considered a Large Black?? They are a big long body pig and are a heritage breed. They have a reputation of being easy going.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Your's are about a hundred pounds now they'll be in a video soon . Most of the large blacks for sale are a misidentified Hamp cross best I can tell that's one of the reasons I'm doing the breed videos

[@Angel283]

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay Coolbeans!! Looking forward to seeing them :)

[@Patrick-mz7he]

How much do you sell your pigs for?

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Pigs in this size range go for 80.00 to 200.00 depending if they're breeding quality or just a meat pig

[@Patrick-mz7he]

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay where are you located in NC I'm talking to a shipper asking how much it would cost to get a few shipped here

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

@@Patrick-mz7he Lenoir county about 15 miles from Kinston

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

@@Patrick-mz7he I might could find you some good pigs closer to you

[@lillianburton362]

Thanks for your video. For a beginner what do you recommend that should be given to feed pigs/hogs in addition to corn?

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

The best thing is to make feed out of the corn , grind the grain add minerals and some protein booster soy or bone meal etc . You can feed some fermented corn it helps them out but they can't live on it and grow like they should

[@carlparks8698]

Check with a local feed store. I feed mine a 15 percent, it's ground corn, wheat, and soy bean meal with the vitamins and minerals added.

[@jacobdavis1752]

I got a buddy down in Bradenboro n.c that has some nice durocs I can link y’all up if you don’t already know him

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

I'd appreciate that , always looking old line durocs

[@bellatordeveritas1638]

Those are what my Great Gandpa called rat pigs.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

They do look a little like rats , my Daddy would have knocked them in the head and probably me to for buying them

[@bellatordeveritas1638]

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay 🤣 I hear ya!

[@tanyagentry9754]

thank you Sir.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Glad to help

[@trentbacon1050]

What do you use for wormer? When and how often?

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Ivermectin . Around weaning and at 100 lbs then twice a year on average

[@laneclaypool8005]

People raised hogs before there were dewormers. It might pay to talk to some old-timers and find out what they used. My Grandpaw used sage on his hunting dogs.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Most common was lye mixed in soaked corn , it worked but it was dangerous. Then they started using arsinic. Garlic , tobacco etc has been well studied and do very little if anything.

[@Wes1988]

❤️❤️❤️❤️ great video

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

How are y'all ?

[@ValChmukh]

what do you warm your pigs with?

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

@@ValChmukh ivermectin injectable

[@preppedforeternityhomestea2848]

I see the difference good info here

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Are y'all going live tonight ?

[@mindenhillshomesteadyukefa8091]

Hey Preacher did not know you did a vlog see you at 8

[@samuelcollins5823]

U is right on that u got to worm them I raise some and I have to deworm my

[@jamesdavidson9626]

Interesting! Thanku

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Thanks for watching

[@lisanowakow3688]

I can’t believe people don’t like to worm their live stock.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

A lot of them are just going by misinformation they've been told . It's alfully hard to convince someone what they think they know is wrong .

[@billyjarvis27]

Looks like the same situation I was in with my 2 piglets

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

It's easy to get snagged up to that's for sure

[@mikesmith5479]

So you gonna sell that duroc boar?

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Probably as soon as I can find a replacement . He's a good looking animal just the wrong type

[@dwightherrington7793]

U cant just feed shell corn either.

[@danpszeniczny9664]

I can tell just by looking that those spindly pigs were done wrong. They look poor compared to the first batch you showed. Those first ones shine.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Those white pigs never amounted to anything. We BBQed most at 60 lbs and I gave the last three to the guy that owns that farm six months and 800 lbs of feed apiece later they weighed less than 180 lbs each .

[@TheSwaffordHomestead]

You will make something good out of them, with all your years of experience!

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Problem is Brett I bought them to fill out an order for a friend that's coming from hours away sunday

[@TheSwaffordHomestead]

@@HomesteadingtheHardWayI didnt catch that part... I understand now, not much time...

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

@@TheSwaffordHomestead they're already showing a little improvement . Wish I had explained in the video those white pigs don't weight 5 lbs the biggest one might weigh 15 or 20 just skin and bones

[@thriftyveegee4129]

God bless have a great day

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Thank you Thrifty and hope the same

[@dwightherrington7793]

U have got to worm pugs hogs.

[@johnnyvannoy8931]

If anyone can bring them back it’s you Chris !

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

I'm trying johnny !

[@derrickhiggins7735]

What do you use to worm?

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Ivermectin

[@kccorliss3922]

We’re live baby!

[@CRJines]

Do you use ivermectin to warm your pigs? You might know me from Marino Cane Corso.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Yes it's about the only thing that works still available, good to hear from you

[@alexmasters5383]

I'm guessing it took you 2 days to cool down enough to make the video. I'd be madder than hel.....

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

That's about right lol biggest problem is I'm broke and couldn't afford to lose the money . Going to do a follow up video hopefully this afternoon

[@judibohn2295]

Lol. Not crazy. Like teachings that show n tell us the difference between right n wrong care.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Judi some people don't want to hear anything that goes against the fairytale they want to believe

[@aarontate1667]

Finding good feeder pigs ain’t easy since I sold my last batch. Either they’re too expensive and look terrible or they’re some exotic off breed that wouldn’t bring anything. Very rare I’ve found pigs worth a hill of beans on Craigslist. I found that bad pigs are not only sickly lookin but they’re long legged lookin and dad says a pig with a short body and a long snout ain’t no good either. Like Chris says there’s some people who’d argue with me over these statements. But good thick bodied pigs that have been wormed and fed properly makes the extra cash.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Aaron that's a problem every where I think . There's just not enough money in on the ground pigs to keep people doing it hopefully that will change . Another major problem is most " backyard " breeders don't have a clue what they're doing or even what kind of hogs they have and the Facebook education they have leaves a lot to be desired

[@jeffsanderson2737]

What should I worm my Pigs with

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Ivermectin if you can get it , there's another product I don't know the name of yet . Got to pick it up from the vet tomorrow

[@oldnorthstateoutdoors2002]

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay We used Ivermectin to worm everything from Horses to Beagles when I was growing up.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

@@oldnorthstateoutdoors2002 I love when people try to tell me to use some of those all natural things , never crossed their mind how tight old farmers are and if there were something free they would have Shure used it ! We used Atguard for the hogs until they stopped making it and rotated ivermect and cydectine for the goats

[@thepreparedchristian3147]

Great vid... Question and a comment...You mentioned the course hair on the new pigs...we all saw how nice and sleek the Hamp crosses were... does the breed have anything to do with that? And then...this could be a good series of videos on making the best of a bad thing...show us how to "Fix" or at least make the best of poor stock... Thanks for the vids!

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

On the hair it's pretty much an indication of poor health in any breed , some breeds might have longer or curly hair but should never be coarse and dull looking . I'm thinking of doing that just to help people that have gotten stuck with a bad pig

[@cdjhyoung]

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay Did these pigs every recover? I can see the signs of malnutrition. My father and I used to help a neighbor try to raise pigs. He was a pretty good salesman, but a pretty bad farmer. He got a deal on 180 feeder pigs one time. $15 apiece delivered to his farm. Most of them looked like this. All of them were un-castrated boars. What a mess. I spent an entire Saturday fixing those pigs. Like you, he wormed them and wormed them. Most of them were about 9 months old when they were big enough to send to market. They were healthy enough to sell, but they still were a rough looking miss matched mess. Bargain pigs are no bargain. I like your piglets. Just about as good as you ever see on the internet. It's a shame your customers don't want that Duroc crossed into your pigs. It's a dandy blood line for good growing hogs.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

@@cdjhyoung they never amounted to much we BBQed most of them . It wasn't the Duroc breed they had trouble with it was the type he was . The short square no fat at all moden blood line

[@cdjhyoung]

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay I have to admit, I don't understand why there is a market for these old fat hog types. Like you explain in the video, much (most?) of that fat goes to waste. Do people really want under size cuts of meat, because that is what I see when presented with a pork chop from a modern breed verses the old line fat hogs.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

@@cdjhyoung you have to have some fat for flavor and to make sausage and cracklings etc ideally it would be a inch of back fat on a 270 lb pig some of the lard types have over three inches and modern types have almost none . Cuts are the same amount of meat just depends how much fat is around the edge that's trimmed as waste and sometimes the marbling can be too extreme and veins of fat will run through certain cuts

[@codyb8278]

When do you typically move your girls to the farrowing area on110 day of gestation?

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

I wait just as long as I can , since my barns have dirt floors I try to discourage nesting ( digging a hole )

[@madomax1893]

I didn’t know about pigs and baught my two first pigs Wich didn’t die to much after Wich now I see we’re bad pigs he had got from auction will always go to someone who really raises livestock not trade and just use em for money

[@billyjarvis27]

What’s the purpose of cutting the tail?

[@LongSufferingOne]

Pigs will bite each other's tails off, if overcrowded. Even when they fight they go for the tail. The usually dock the tails when they're in a big hog house.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Black sheep's dead on , I never cut mine just to show they're not confinement hogs

[@cdjhyoung]

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay I always figured the tail was there to help steer the pigs when you were loading them on a truck. You get their hind legs off the ground and they're all kinds of confused about where to go and how to get there.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

@@cdjhyoung lol we grab their ears and drag them on if their too hard headed . If you have the back legs just back up they'll follow anywhere in reverse

[@cdjhyoung]

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay A five gallon pail over their face works wonders too.

[@gbltheolechurch5acrehomestead]

😊👍🇨🇦

[@drknockers5716]

Lets go bradon

[@bethjones6279]

what kind of minerals

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Vitamin and mineral supplement kinda the same thing as a fortified breakfast cereal

[@mattbrown5505]

Let us know the name of the new wormer you’re getting

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

I will Matt , vet told me the name five times today and the dose but I can't remember

[@dwightherrington7793]

It is animal abuse

[@jaybaker9684]

First!!!

[@tremaynebrown4853]

I would like for you to come out to Jacksonville NC an see my cross

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

@@tremaynebrown4853 I might could. We're trying to get a list of folks with good hogs in eastern NC to refer people too . I'm at all the sows I can run and can't meet demand by half

[@drknockers5716]

4 h will teach you how to raise good hogs

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

Kinda lol , we sell a bunch for the 4 H and FFA shows

[@LongSufferingOne]

Same problem here in the High Desert. People overcharge for sickly pigs. It's definitely aggravating when you really care for your animals and you have a fair price and people try to haggle. Made me sick the other day I seen someone on Craigslist asking $800 for a "mini pig" . You better believe I flagged them and sent them a message trying to educate them and stop spreading misinformation about this non- existent breed. Greed, one of the seven deadly sins.

[@HomesteadingtheHardWay]

I don't even look at adds anymore it's too mind boggling