pet pig owners

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Wombat

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 396
Location: SW Cheshire

Posted: Sat Jan 22, 05 6:18 am Post subject:
Darren G, why would I want to fatten up our KK's, we are veggies and don't really want to eat our pet lawn mowers Actually if our gilt, who is due to farrow next week, has any male piglets, one of them may be fattened and go to slaughter as lots of friends want to try the meat. Wombat

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Sat Jan 22, 05 7:05 am Post subject:

As I don't eat meat it goes against my own personal belief to raise anything for meat - however, I have had pet sheep who have helped with land management and provided decent fleeces. The chickens we will get will provide eggs, but neither me nor Lundy could neck them

for the pot (even though he loves meat).

I did say that was my personal view - I have the greatest of respect for people who raise their own stock for their personal/friends/family consumption (or to sell locally, for that matter). I believe in compassion in farming - if an animal is raised with care and regard for that creature, nurtured and then when the time comes despatched in a quick and clean manner without as little stress as possible - all the better.

p.s. Darren, what's a G.O.S.?

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sat Jan 22, 05 8:23 am Post subject:
Gloucester Old Spot, quite a popular old breed pig.

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Sat Jan 22, 05 2:30 pm Post subject:
AAAWWWW!! The penny drops. I was going to go in the loft and get out my dad's old books on Modern Farming (well they'll be old standards by now I guess). Trouble is, I don't like going up the loft ladder!!! Thanks, for that, Treacodactyl.

Guest
Guest

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 05 5:18 pm Post subject:

the reason why I chose G.O.S is they cant handle protein so pig feeds are no good for them on the whole so all bar 3lb a day of their feed is veg waste, all right they take 24-26wks instead of 14

Sorry could not manage the quote bit. I am a wee bit confused, so forgive my ignorance. Are you saying Gloucester Odd Spots should not be fed pig nuts? I am now very worried as I have been feeding mine pig nuts since she was 8 weeks old. She seems ok.

Help please. Thanks.

Guest
Guest

Posted: Fri Jan 28, 05 10:27 am Post subject: Pet pigs ....

When I first considered getting pigs I did consider getting them for fattening and slaughter, but when I really thought about it I realised I would get attached and couldn't do it. Therefore I went for Kune Kunes which are great, they are like dogs pet-wise but less hassle!

I don't have a problem with people keeping pigs for meat and if I didn't get so attached to my animals I would too, but I do so I can't!

DarrenG

Joined: 26 Dec 2004
Posts: 110
Location: Lincolnshire Fens

Posted: Wed Feb 02, 05 9:23 am Post subject:

Guest wrote:

GOS are not when fully grown meant to have more than 3lb of nuts/day

sofaloaf

Joined: 20 Feb 2005
Posts: 18
Location: Kent

Posted: Sun Feb 20, 05 5:14 pm Post subject:
is it true that Kune Kunes are grazers instead of foragers?

Guest
Guest

Posted: Sun Feb 20, 05 5:20 pm Post subject:
I have two Kune Kunes and although they mainly eat grass, they do root up the grass roots too.

Marigold123

Joined: 06 Feb 2005
Posts: 224

Posted: Wed Feb 23, 05 1:27 am Post subject:

I don't think I'd get fond of an animal if I knew it was going to be meat right from the start. At least I wouldn't get fond in a way which would prevent me from doing the deed in the end.

I look at my chickens and I think, I like you, you're lots of fun. But part of the reason I like them is BECAUSE they are going to be dinner one day when they stop laying.

My cat is different, because she has never been intended for the pot, and so is more like a family member, rather than an interesting and attractive dinner on legs.

Wombat

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 396
Location: SW Cheshire

Posted: Wed Feb 23, 05 7:51 am Post subject:
Kune Kune's are grazers, our old couple have never rooted in a major way in 6 years. However our new young sow does have a bit of a root now and then. Interesting she started this when she was in pig. They do need a certain amount of iron which they usually get from soil. So my thoughts were, did she need more iron when pregnant? Wombat

Nanny

Joined: 17 Feb 2005
Posts: 4520
Location: carms in wales

Posted: Thu Feb 24, 05 7:50 pm Post subject: pet pig owners

i would think she probably did

all women are encouraged to top up their iron levels in pregnancy so why should a pig be any different?

their insides are all in the same place as ours after all (not that that prabably has any bearing)

pigs are wonderful creatures

i think it was churchill who once said that :
"dogs look up to you,
cats look down on you,
but a pig knows he can look you straight in the eye"

and i think he was right

still tasty though

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Sun Mar 27, 05 1:00 am Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

It's going to be the same with any livestock we keep, once I get the land to keep them on I'll not buy any meat unless I'm willing to farm my own. I won't be able to farm everything but chickens & pigs I will have a go at.

Here here to that!

We moved over here to France 2 years ago to do the very same thing. We have not eaten meat for at least five years (due to factory farming and all that) but we have hens here now - which we are quite attached to .... once we have enough (from breeding) we will start eating chicken kiev once again and we also have pigs arriving imminently so next year we should be back on the pork aswell. We would not eat any meat that we can not raise ourselves, I hope to learn to fish this year aswell.

Good look with your "land hunt"

S

Nanny

Joined: 17 Feb 2005
Posts: 4520
Location: carms in wales

Posted: Sun Mar 27, 05 1:43 pm Post subject: pet pig owners

once you have decided to keep a pig or two for fattening you have to get it in your head that that is what the animals end will be irrespective of naming it or not.

i find i have to distance myself a bit from the animal when the time gets close and my husband sort of takes over that way it doesn't hurt as much and when the flat pack arrives, it doesn't matter anymore because that isn't the animal i knew. as song as it has had a decent life and lived it to the fullest we can allow, and we have made it as easy a passage for them as we can with regard to the final coup de grace then i fugure it it's fine......

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Sun Mar 27, 05 7:10 pm Post subject: Re: pet pig owners

Nanny wrote:

as song as it has had a decent life and lived it to the fullest we can allow, and we have made it as easy a passage for them as we can with regard to the final coup de grace then i fugure it it's fine......

Yes, I would agree with this completely .... therwe is nothing wrong with killing and eating animals as long as we know there origins and the quality of life that they have had. The only real sure way to do this is to raise them yourself or to have a close community of self-supporters that can help each other to do it. We are alone but intend to give it our best efforts.

Good luck to all you others that give it a try (and goodbye supermarket!!!)

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