Pig butchering

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At what weight/ age should a pig be butchered? The aim is edible (not tough) meat for bacon, etc.

-- Kevin in NC (Vantravlrs@aol.com), February 06, 2002

Answers

depends on how much meat you want

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), February 06, 2002.

Kevin, We butcher ours at about 230 LBs. They are around 6-7 months old. Best wishes!

-- cowgirlone in OK (cowgirlone47@hotmail.com), February 06, 2002.

You can let them get to almost 300 pounds if you want fattier bacon and side meat, but bigger than that is really too fatty.

-- Dia (moocow@gpcom.net), February 06, 2002.

Kevin, it does depend a bit on what breed you are raising. We butchered at about 200 lbs., for poland chinas. You can put that name or Duroc or whatever breed of pig in your search engine and you will come up with some great info, including average butchering weights for different breeds. HOpe this helps a little. Good LUck, LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), February 06, 2002.

This article on Homestead Butchering,http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/geissal23.html,al so give some information on different cuts of meat, where cuts of meat are found and covers goats as well. "after your porkers reach 225, the ratio of weight gain going to fat versus lean meat increases dramatically. After many years of experimentation, I try for 200 pounds. At that point my pigs have no more of a fat covering than my goats. There’s still enough fat for lard and sausage."

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), February 07, 2002.


we have butchered ours all the way up to 350 lbs, but the meat was pretty fatty. still good, but alot of fat. i like a bigger cut so we typically butcher them at about 250 or 275. the 350 lb pig held her weight well, we had NO idea she would weigh in that much. Fresh pork is so good isn't it?!

-- Susan (dsowen@tds.net), February 08, 2002.

I'll agree with the crowd. My aim is between 200 and 225, and that is the hanging weight. But it depends. Last year we had 5 from 2 litters a couple of weeks apart. Smallest dressed 180, largest 250, and the others were in between, so the average was good. GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), February 09, 2002.

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