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Hog advice

Started by mike_belben, March 13, 2018, 11:22:40 AM

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coxy

why is a goat posting on a hog topic  ??? ??? ??? :D :D :D

olcowhand

So what methods have you all used to castrate pigs? I was taught (and it seemed to work) to slice down each sack and pull gently on each testicle until you feel it come loose way up there. Douse liberally with a disinfectant, and turn 'em loose. The squealing stops (I agree that the squealing starts when you restrain them, and doesn't change pitch until they're turned loose). Also, I've used a straight razor on every animal (calves, colts, goats, sheep, cats, etc.) to incise. I've never lost a barrow, although I can honestly say I know I haven't put up the kind of numbers some of you have. I've castrated many more calves than pigs.....
I also will say that I've never eaten an "Oyster" from a pig, either (had many a bull calf provide a meal). Nor have I ever castrated one over ~60 lbs.
The older they are, the more they miss the "ballast", and their chance for survival and proper healing diminishes as they get "bigger".   
Olcowhand's Workshop, LLC

They say the mind is the first to go; I'm glad it's something I don't use!

Ezekiel 36:26-27

luvmexfood

If all the hogs had been killed that were talked about being killed Jeff would never have to by pork for the pig roast again. :D
Give me a new saw chain and I can find you a rock in a heartbeat.

coxy


starmac

The way I always did it was to pull the nut out and instead of making a clean slice, was to rub the knife back and forth instead of slicing, if that makes sense to you. I forget the reason we were taught to do it, but it was suppose to be better on them than a quick slice.

An old boar is actually easy to do, probably easier than a 60 pounder or so, just get a rope behind his tusks, they will always pull against the rope, making it an easy  job, just be careful releasing them.

What we used for disinfectant was purina furox, it came in a small spray can and left a bright yellow stain that had to wear off, best stuff I have ever used for open injuries even on humans. I don't know if it is still available or not, but would like to get my hands on some for emergencies if it is.
Old LT40HD, old log truck, old MM forklift, and several huskies.

luvmexfood

I remember the yellow stuff. Took a dog to the vet one and the vet saw my finger where the dog had bit me and used it on me along with his vet supplies. Old country vet. Practiced half a day even his later years. Last dog I took to him he put in two stitches and charged me two dollars.

Caught a many pigs for castration. When they started squealing you sure had to watch for the mommy sow.
Give me a new saw chain and I can find you a rock in a heartbeat.

coxy

would be nice to get some human mothers to care as much for there little ones as a mother pig does hers  

Texas Ranger

Quote from: coxy on March 18, 2018, 07:05:41 AM
would be nice to get some human mothers to care as much for there little ones as a mother pig does hers  


Castrate as well
The Ranger, home of Texas Forestry

mike_belben

Praise The Lord

coxy

Quote from: Texas Ranger on March 18, 2018, 08:45:20 AM
Quote from: coxy on March 18, 2018, 07:05:41 AM
would be nice to get some human mothers to care as much for there little ones as a mother pig does hers  


Castrate as well
ill line them up you cut them off  :D :D 8) 8)

newoodguy78

Quote from: luvmexfood on March 18, 2018, 12:17:14 AM
Caught a many pigs for castration. When they started squealing you sure had to watch for the mommy sow.
Reminds me of a story...
I got a call from my uncle once to help him move his sow because it was time to wean the piglets, no big deal I knew the sow,BIG gentle giant. It was about 150' between the farrowing shed and the area she had to go to We usually just led her out with a pail of grain while one of us held back the piglets with a sheet of plywood no big deal. This time for whatever reason she would absolutely not leave the pen we tried everything and I mean everything she would not budge. She was gentle as always but was not going leave and she was too big to man handle.
Finally our patience was wearing pretty dang thin. I reached in and grabbed a piglet and walked out without her seeing me for some odd reason it didn't squeal. I gave it a slight squeeze and in the same instant as it squealed that sow came out of the shed like it was shot out of a cannon and she was seriously pithed off. She looked like the cross between an angry hippo and a snapping crocodile with her sights set on me. I took off on a dead run towards where she had to go with her in hot pursuit and gaining faster than I was comfortable with. As I went by the pen I tossed the piglet over the fence and kept going as fast as I could convinced she was gonna introduce me to my maker.
I finally looked over my shoulder only to see my uncle and a bunch of his friends about rolling on the ground laughing, apparently the sow went right into her pen after her baby but I was convinced she was still after me, I don't think I've ever run that fast in my life.
Sorry for the long post but yes I agree most sows are excellent mamas,and LOOKOUT when one of their babies start squealing.

TKehl

 :D  Yep.  Working litters was the biggest threat when we raised them on dirt.  Part of why we started castrating after they were weaned.   ;)

Methods mentioned pretty well nail it.  Always used to use razor blades to make the incision.  After I worked in a confinement operation a few years, I grew to like scalpels.  Once open, little ones were just pulled (was supposed to heal better that way).  Bigger pigs required pull and slice.  We sprayed with iodine.  

Only caution is to watch for scrotal ruptures.  It will look like one large round sack instead of a pair.  Best to leave it alone as castrating them is a death sentence in my experience.  It tends to be genetic from what I've heard.
In the long run, you make your own luck – good, bad, or indifferent. Loretta Lynn

Chuck White

We have cut them like that, then just threw in a couple of stitches and never had any issues!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

sandhills

I agree, we had a couple boars that my brother brought back from NDSU one year while he was going to school there (he worked on the hog farm), they both consistently threw ruptured pigs.  It didn't take long to get rid of them, it was something genetic and you had to sow up almost every one after you cut it, took forever  :-\.

mike_belben

The pigs that i started this thread over ended up being bought cheap by another friend of mine (he could have had them for free) who brought them home, made a few calls and doubled his money next day without ever unloading from the trailer.  It pays to have connections. The guy who went broke feeding them couldnt give the foul things away and tried everybody he could think of.

I am certain now that it would have been a disaster if i got involved, since i wasnt prepared or knowledgable and weather was going to be too warm.

Yesterday i spent about 7 hours working with a friend from church on 2 castrated males raised by him since weened this spring.  I guess the term is barrow but here they call em "bars" not to be confused with boars.  First one we scalded and it went terrible, we just didnt get the temp right and wouldnt scrape well.  A big mess, i torched some of the hardest patches and that was so much easier of a way to keep the skin.  Not to mention the constant smoke blowing in our faces from the scald tank.  I will never do my own that way ever. IMO If you want skin on, torch the fur, knock off the char with your blade and scrub the skin clean with a piece of busted cinder block and garden hose.  Its straightforward and easy with no hair mountain blowing all over your yard to clean up after.

The butchering wasnt bad, lot of sawzall and knife work, lot of wiggly floppy parts that are easy to drop. we broke them down and the ladies prepped hams and bacon for salt cure then smoke.

The 2nd one we just skinned out and it wasnt bad.  Doesnt peel like a deer, youve got a lot of knife work to do but 2 guys can get it off in 15 minutes or so.   About 550lbs live between the two. a lot of meat if you wanna do the work.  Only peculiar thing was each pig had several very obviously broken ribs and we cant figure why.  Ever seen that?  










Praise The Lord

mike_belben

So we turned that guy into this. 



And i turned that into this



Which went here


Before getting wrapped up and seared one more time into this


Let me know when taco bell introduces the cheasy potato, venison and hogjaw burrito so i can sic my lawyer on em.
Praise The Lord

olcowhand

Olcowhand's Workshop, LLC

They say the mind is the first to go; I'm glad it's something I don't use!

Ezekiel 36:26-27

mike_belben

Excellent, tasted like a $15 burrito.  Shoulda made 3x more but i was nervous on getting the spice wrong and momma "wasnt that hungry" until the first bite.  My picky 7yr old daughter "doesnt eat pepper or onion" either.  She licked the plate.


I diced and boiled some potatoes that were getting up there in age to have in the fridge for homefries.  Tossed a few scoops of those, some venison chunk and sliced up hog jaw into skillet with a plop of lard, garlic powder, onion powder,  little chilli powder, little bit of chipotle and a dose of salt and pepper.  The onions and peppers were sauted separately in olive oil.  Laid the shell down, one strip of ranch, scoop of meat and tater, cheese, sour cream.  Wrapped and seared it back in the pan with olive oil.  

If it was just me and the wife id go a touch more on the chipotle and maybe a bit of hot pepper to wake it up some more. But for mild spice it was great. 
Praise The Lord

olcowhand

You are a Woodsman Chef! I read on another post that you're also a Book Author. You should write a Cookbook.
BTW; I've never had a $15.00 Burrito, but I'm from the other side of the tracks....
Olcowhand's Workshop, LLC

They say the mind is the first to go; I'm glad it's something I don't use!

Ezekiel 36:26-27

mike_belben

Nah, im just another shlub who got tired of baloney sandwiches.   I yap alot but never coherently enough to write a book.  
Praise The Lord

lxskllr

Quote from: mike_belben on December 22, 2018, 08:59:07 PM
   I yap alot but never coherently enough to write a book.  
Don't sell yourself short. From reading your posts, you could make pretty good book. Maybe a how-to for practical homesteading. Maybe not now, but it might be something you could put together in the future once you've got life tied down tight  :^)

landscraper

Quote from: mike_belben on December 04, 2018, 09:38:06 AM
Only peculiar thing was each pig had several very obviously broken ribs and we cant figure why.  Ever seen that? 

I've seen times where a sow will stick her snout under a young pig and flip him several feet away when they are all crowded around a feed trough fighting over food.   I'm surprised they don't get more than ribs broken as rough as they are sometimes. 
Firewood is energy independence on a personal scale.

mike_belben

Thanks fellas, for the kind words and info respectively. 
Praise The Lord

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