Baymule's Feeder Pigs 2017

baymule

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I have a thread on BYH about my feeder pigs. I asked Sumi if I could copy and post it here and she said yes. I won't copy the comments, but will only post my own posts. We called for a slaughter date, the closest we could get is August 29! I didn't want to keep hogs all summer. So we have slaughtered our own. We raised feeder pigs in the Fall/Spring of 2015/2016 and it was a good experience. I have found out, in our climate, I can keep pigs warm, but I can't keep them cool enough. Plus in the fall and winter, there are no flies or smell. Win-Win.

So here is my thread from BYH. I will try to correct it as much as I can to make it make sense here.

Monday, February 20th, we bought 3 Red Wattle pigs, 4 months old for $75 each. I found them on Craigslist and we jumped on them quick. Just weaned piglets were listed for $65 to $100! We plan on keeping them probably 3 months and taking them to slaughter. We offered 2 to neighbors and they agreed to pay for their pig and split feed costs. We have a great community!

I have pictures on my husband's phone and will post them later. They are in a half acre pasture that has a patch of woods in it for shade. We went to Tractor Supply and bought a pig feeder. Best feeder ever! The first time we raised pigs, I fed them in a tub. The pigs ate what they could hold, then the crows and birds flew in and ate too. The pigs turned their feed tub over, it got rained on, there was a lot of wasted feed. :(
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/p-2a-economy-hog-feeder

This feeder is a metal hopper with covered top and the feed area has flip up covers that took the pigs about 2 minutes to figure out. And now we aren't feeding the birds! We tied the feeder to a post, so they can't turn it over. I love it!

https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/redwattle

http://www.redwattle.com/
 

baymule

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Just finished slicing and packaging the bacon. We got 22 bags of 10-12 slices per bag.

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baymule

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Baymule what a fantastic tutorial indeed! I have went from 'I think I can' to 'I know I can'.
If you have ever cut up a deer or feral hog, you can do this. Granted, on a domestic hog, you do want the appearance of cuts, but what the heck, your Wildbunch will eat whatever you set in front of them! LOL A feral hog, you just grind up everything, cut all the meat off the bone, and make sausage and ground meat. A deer, I cut into steaks by cutting around the bone, and grind up the rest. If you don't have a meat grinder, maybe you can borrow one or buy one pretty cheap. Mine was $60 over 30 years ago, I found this one at Walmart online for $38.88

https://www.walmart.com/ip/2000W-Do...3023&wl11=online&wl12=167743477&wl13=&veh=sem


It was hard work, but we sure do have a nice bunch of meat! Our freezer is packed. I know you can slaughter a hog! And you could always come here and ask questions. Just start a feeder hog thread like I did and ask questions as your pig grows. We bought a bone saw, but I also used a hacksaw. On the first hog, we used a sawzall, but it splintered the bones too badly.
 

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@baymule This whole post was very tastefully done. Perfect slaughtering pictures....just a little and not too much. This way you get the good word out and have most people see what you have to say. I am impressed....I also noticed your cleanliness.....thanks for sharing...
 

baymule

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Thank you. That is why I posted and took so many pictures. We learn from each other! This was the first time I ever tackled a domestic hog. I've processed deer, feral hogs, rabbits, chickens..... We were pretty proud of ourselves and like the smoked bacon, smoked sausage and pan sausage better than last year's hog that we had processed. @crealbilly you can do this, but I don't think it's gonna be Miss Pork Chop! :lol:
 

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I can't do the rabbit thing. Anything else, but not rabbits. I just read that in Venezuela people are starving so the government handed out rabbits and instructed them to learn how to like eating rabbits. No one is eating them. Now they have starving people with cute fluffy pet rabbits.
 

CrealCritter

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I can't do the rabbit thing. Anything else, but not rabbits. I just read that in Venezuela people are starving so the government handed out rabbits and instructed them to learn how to like eating rabbits. No one is eating them. Now they have starving people with cute fluffy pet rabbits.

This might just change your mind... Crack Slaw. Had ground bunny fu fu (instead of beef that the recipe calls for) just last night for dinner. It's a really good iron skillet dish.

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Mini Horses

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As I did more, I just karate chopped with my hand in the same spot, breaking their neck.

Well -- if we're ever together in a SHTF situation, I'd want you on MY side of any fight!!! :lol: :cool:

Once you do a few episodes of any butcher, it becomes a little more "business" & you just get the job done. It has to be that way & shows a respect for the animal

In Italy I watch an old man take a rabbit he'd sold to the other side of his truck and return in about 5 minutes with it dressed & in a plastic bag for the customer. He had it down pat. Fast.
 

sumi

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I'll eat rabbit and have done so in the past, but I'd have a hard time killing it too. I remember my MIL telling me how she used to clean them, but asked someone to remove the head for her first, so it "doesn't have a personality". She said not seeing it's eyes and face made the task easier for her.
 
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