Castrating Piglets

[Drk_wlf]

So me and my husband are planning on breeding our two pigs once the male is old enough (our female is already over a year old). I know that most people like to castrate any males that are going to be sold for meat, but is it necessary? I know I could easily do it if the piglet was under anesthesia (I use to work at a vets so I am not squeamish), but from what I am reading most do it with the piglets completely conscious!!!! I could not even imagine doing that, it seems kind of cruel. I know that they are young, but even with small kittens (which can be fixed at about 8 weeks) they are put under general anesthesia.

 

[jhm47]

If you're going to use them for meat, it is necessary. A 250 lb boar pig will give you a LOT of meat that smells musky, tastes musky, and you will not enjoy it, but you will most likely feel obligated to eat it.

I tried to eat a boar once, and wound up throwing the meat away. Wife wouldn't cook it any longer.

We used to cut the little boars when they were about 3 days old. They didn't seem to notice it seconds after the deed was done. The younger the better.

 

[Drk_wlf]

I have been browsing the web and have found quite a few articles about the debate of castrating your livestock and after much research and talking to my husband (who was horrified to learn how the poor things are castrated) we have decided not to castrate any of our little babies come next year. Castrating piglets is not done in the UK and is outlawed in some other European countries as well. I am a vegetarian primarily because I am disgusted how the animals we eat are treated, but once we start harvesting our own meat I will probably eat the meat we raised. Here is one of the articles I found
http://www.naturesharmonyfarm.com/grass-fed-meat-farm-blog/2009/12/1/is-boar-taint-a-myth.html

 

[Oreo]

If you slaughter the pigs at a younger age than is typically done by most people in the USA, you don't absolutely have to do it. I've heard that around 180 lbs. is the weight for slaughter in that case, before the meat starts tasting bad. If you are doing your own slaughtering, this will work (somebody please verify or modify that 180 lb. weight). Butchers / slaughterhouses may not be willing to process a boar in some cases, so if someone else is doing it for you, check with them.

Having said that, I would agree that the younger the better within reason though probably not before 3 days old-- give them a chance to get their feet under them! I had to do two that were around 50 lbs, and that was very unpleasant and I would recommend wearing earplugs if anybody ever has to do any that big. They scream like jet engines.

Is it cruel? Maybe. The younger you do it the less cruel it is and the quicker they recover (almost instantly when they are very young).

Maybe the best way to avoid the problem is-- only buy females to raise!

And if you want to use anesthesia, I think it has to be administered by a vet, correct me if I'm wrong, which is one of the bigger reasons most people don't use it. See, pigs are production animals, unlike dogs and cats, which are pets. People will pay hundreds and thousands of dollars in vet bills for their cats and dogs, but production animals are supposed to, err, turn a profit, which means anything you have to pay for that you don't really need is cutting into your profits.

Of course some people have pet pigs, and that means they would never dream of eating them or letting anyone else eat them, and in cases like that, they may also be willing to spend lots of money for vets to do things like administer anesthesia. Then the process is essentially similar to it being done for a dog or a cat.

I hope this helps, I'm not trying to be cruel, just trying to answer your question in a helpful way.

 

[Drk_wlf]

I don't think a cat or dog is anymore entitled then a pig or cow, I would actually give the cow and pig more value, they feed me (I don't count companionship as a value, my chickens are easier to train and my sheep is more pleasant to take on walks). At this point I wouldn't mind eating my husbands very loud and annoying dog (probably wouldn't taste very good), people in other countries eat them and I hear horse meat is delicious (something I tell my sister every time I go with her to the stables). I understand that I am raising them for a profit, that is why we are just not going to to have it done at all (although neutering a cat is not very pricey so a piglet can be much more, and I have some connections so I probably could get it done at a reduced fee). We are purchasing our boar piglet to bread with our sow from a farmer with the same philosophy, all of his boys are uncut and he seems to have no trouble selling the meat. Oh well this will be my first time raising piglets, so I will have to weight till next fall and see how the boys turn out, and I will be sure to post whether I have any trouble with boar taint.

 

[WallTenters]

I would process under 225 if you're not castrating. Once they reach sexual maturity (about 6 mo or so) their meat will get worse. My family and I have eaten plenty of young boars, with no problem. If you're trying to get a "fat hog" (ie 9mo +) then castrate, but if you plan to butcher before 7mo or so you should be fine.

I castrated my piglets at about 3 weeks. To me, they were easier to hold and to find the testicles at that age, and the sows were less likely to get as upset. But, that's a personal choice, I'm not saying there's a right or wrong age within reason, but 3 weeks is getting up there.

Keep in mind, castrated feeders will be happier, usually will butcher out better meat and fight less. And, if you're planning on raising boars and gilts together, you will have to separate them as they can start breeding earlier than you think, and the young boars will fight over the gilts and will hurt each other, along with the object of their desire.

 

[Drk_wlf]

if you're planning on raising boars and gilts together, you will have to separate them as they can start breeding earlier than you think.

We plan on raising them separately, I have read that if the boars are raised separate from the gilts there is less chance of boar taint. I should know by next fall if it works or not.

 

[Dino]

I agree that castrating is not necessary if the young boars are kept separate from gilts or sows after 4 months of age. If kept beyond 7 months they must be kept further away from any gilts or sows that may come into heat.

The problem is marketing. People still think it is necessary because its always been done. Today we understand more about what causes boar taint... unfortunately the buyers don't. For instance I read a wanted ad on craigslist today asking for 40 to 70 pound feeder pigs and they required the teeth were cut??! Why? Are they going to nurse them?! Lol!

 

[jhm47]

We just bought a whole boneless pork loin from a supermarket. Cost me $23 and change. Cut off some chops, and tried to fry them. Smelled terrible (like a boar), and we wound up throwing the entire thing away. We live 60 miles from the supermarket, so it wouldn't have paid to return it. And believe me, I know the smell of boar meat, so don't try to tell me that it might have been "old" or something.

 

[cuteincamo]

We rasie hogs for market, have been doing so for over 10 years. From personal experience feeder hogs that are castrated are happier and don't fight as much. You may also find that it will be hard to find a slaughter house that will take boars, even so young. Good Luck with whatever you decide to do!