Ginger has arrived

[Stonehead]

After three unsuccessful attempts to get a pedigree Berkshire boar up here, we decided that our first litters from our Berkshire gilts would have to be crossbreeds.

After a bit of phoning around, an ad in ScotAds and discussions with our "proper" farmer neighbours, we found the local shearer also keeps Tamworth pigs and had a young boar available.

So, to our boys' delight, Willie the shearer turned up yesterday and dropped the boar off. He's 18 months old, has an amiable nature and is already trained to electric fences.

He'll spend a few days in the byre getting used to us, then he'll move out to his field pen and meet his first girlfriend.

It will be interesting to see what the offspring of a Tamworth and a Berkshire will look like. We'll be fattening two or three piglets from each litter and having them slaughtered, while the rest will be sold as 12-week-old weaners.

As for the boar's name, the boys took one look and declared he was "Ginger". Photos of Ginger to come later today.

[Shirley]

Looking forward to the photos Stoney!!

David is in talks with someone about pigs too - I think gloucester old spot but don't quote me.

Hope Ginger settles in well - Love the name

[Stonehead]

We're still looking for a pedigree Berkshire boar, so if anyone hears of one that's available and could be brought up to the borders (or possibly Kendal at a pinch), we love to hear from you...

And Shirlz - GOS can be a handful! We had some and while they tasted great, they were flightly, temperamental and skittish. Other people have told us of similar experiences.

[Shirley]

Ahhh thanks for that Stoney - will pass that on. Too many flighty, temperamental and skittish people here already lol.

[Stonehead]

I should have added that I've found the easiest pigs to be Berkshires, Saddlebacks and Large Blacks. Obviously there are exceptions both ways but they're the three breeds I prefer although the Large Black does get very big.

Tamworths are often good natured, but they are very good at escaping.

I think the best tasting pork comes from Berkshires, Middle Whites, GOS and Saddlebacks with the best bacon coming from GOS and Tamworths.

I haven't had British Lops but they have a reputation for being docile and they are a dual purpose pig.

Middle Whites are a small-ish pig (like the Berkshire) and more prone to grazing than digging. But I think they're ugly and they just don't have what I'm looking for in a pig. Sorry, but that's the way it is for me!

The Welsh is another one that doesn't much appeal to me. It's big, it's pink and it has a good killing out percentage but again, not for me. They are very hardy, though, and the sows are easily managed and good mothers.

For a smallholder or Isher who only wants a couple of weaners for fattening, I'd suggest:

1. Dual-purpose pig - so you can have bacon and pork (GOS, British Lop, Saddleback, Tamworth).

2. A small-ish pig - so Berkshire or Middle White; then GOS or Saddleback (and remember, even a smaller breed is big!).

3. Docility/ease of management - so Berkshire, Middle White, British Lop, Saddleback and Welsh.

4. Quality of meat - Berkshire, Middle White, Tamworth and GOS.

In my opinion, you're going to find it hard to get four out of four, which is why we settled on Berkshires. We originally went for GOS but I now think ease of management makes a huge difference when keeping pigs on a smallholding.

[Shirley]

Thanks for that Stoney... really useful advice.

David has arranged to go and see these GOS on sunday - she's up near fisherford somewhere... would you be free to come along with us if we picked you up? PM to answer :D

[ina]

Stoney, let me know when Ginger's been successfull... I might be interested in taking a couple of weaners! (For a friend of mine, not myself.)

And - one of my goats is called Ginger, too - but I'm sure your boar looks rather different!

[Millymollymandy]

And the hen in my avatar is called Ginger too!

Now who has a cat called Ginger?

[Shirley]

mine is called nutmeg lol.... similar lines but it's not ginger

[Wombat]

Next doors have the cat

Nev