Advice needed for Butchering Piglet

CollieFlowerWV · #1 12/19/11, 10:19 AM

We have a five month old piglet. He did not grow like the others-mother rejected all at birth. So we bottle fed them. He's the only one left from the litter. We decided (back then) that he was going to go for meat and not be used for breeding. So we are going to have him for Christmas dinner. The dilemma is how do we put him down. He is on the smaller side and not sure if a gun would be a good idea. Any suggestions? We never did a young pig before and want to make sure that he doesn't suffer. Thanks,

olivehill · #2 12/19/11, 10:22 AM

Put some feed on the ground. Imagine an x from ears to eyes and shoot him in the center of the x. A .22 is enough.

CollieFlowerWV · #3 12/19/11, 10:39 AM

When we butchered large pigs we used a .22 but we weren't sure if he moved because of being so small and young he does move quickly-the little bugger. I forgot to mention that his head is a little lopsided. It's going to be a little hard to let him go. Having bottle raised him and getting him through the first few weeks.

Dreamfarm · #4 12/19/11, 04:18 PM

If you are a bit attached, I dont suggest whole roast pig with an apple in the mouth at the dinner table, Rather serve it so you wont recognize him.

CollieFlowerWV · #5 12/19/11, 04:45 PM

Yes, that is great advice-I didn't think it would be wise with the grandchildren either since they are only two and three and from the city.

olivehill · #6 12/19/11, 04:46 PM

Might be the best gift you ever give your grandchildren from the city, too. Too many people are sheltered from where their food originates. Start 'em young and they'll take it in stride as they grow.

BillHoo · #7 12/19/11, 05:43 PM

If he's small enough to fit into a abig rubbermaid tote, stick him in there with a block of dry ice. Put on the plastic cover and some weight to keep him in.

After the oxygen is displaced with carbon dioxide, he will be sleeping peacefully and hard to wake.

Take a very sharp knife and either stick him under the left armpit, or cut his jugular.

It's best to have him sleeping rather than fully dead from asphyxiation because you want the heart to be beating so you can bleed him out by hanging him from the rear.

Brooks WV · #8 12/19/11, 06:15 PM

I'm a fan of shooting from behind the ear, toward the opposite eye. With a small piglet you might penetrate into the neck or shoulder and spoil the meat.

blaineiac · #9 12/19/11, 08:14 PM

I use the X method to shoot a larger hog; but on anything small enough to grab I prefer a hammer. I grab an ear and straddle the animal. I take the hammer and give a precise hit in the same place I would shoot it. I instantly bleed it and wait 30 sec to a minute. I then hit it again just to make sure. I've only had the problem with smaller ones,but even with a good stick, they still seem to not want to die. I think it might be a younger animals flight or fight mechanism. I've never had a problem when I give em another one after the bleed out. I might try the behind the ear thing on the next one. I have a sow that was really mean but a great mother. She had 3 boars and I didn't want to stress her by cutting them. She was bred a little to close for my liking, so I didn't notch ears either. I still have one more boar to go and then I'll start to work on the smaller gilts.
I read somewhere about a litter holding you over until the next one is ready to start processing. I believe that after the first litter, to give me a market size animal already in the freezer, that they can perpetuate constant meat for my family. The next one is going in the ground, stuffed full of Kraut for New Years.

Good Luck, It's never easy. Especially after giving belly rubs every evening. Just remember that teaches them how to behave a little better when the time comes. The other hogs could care a less so don't let that bother you.

bruceki · #10 12/20/11, 07:11 AM

It's tough to process the bottle babies. I have a really hard time with that myself, every time. My sympathies there. Congratulations though on taking the care of your animals that you do. He had a good time while he was here.

Bruce / ebeyfarm.blogspot.com

CollieFlowerWV · #11 12/28/11, 08:40 PM

Well we did it. We did decide to shoot him. Everything went well. Had trouble with the fire and had some problems with the scraping. I finally pulled out my grooming clippers and shaved him close with a surgical blade. He was very tender and tasty. We only cooked half of him and put the other half in the freezer.