[Muleman]

I started to wonder with my luck if they would ever come, but they finally did. I now have some piglets from my LB boars and my GOS boar on the ground. Quite different pigs to be sure. While when they were young the GOS pigs I have just seemed like spotted LB, as they mature there is a definite body type difference. All of my GOS are short legged and much wider than my LB.
Too soon to really tell which will do better and gain faster, but will be interesting to see as I only have 3 more gilts to farrow should be within the week (and one late bred GOS gilt, probably another month) and their first breeding is done. Anyway here are some pictures some of you may be interested in seeing. I am trying to get weights as I can, but so far one of my Tamworth gilts seems to have piglets that have outgrown the rest, but another month or so and we should really have some numbers to be able to tell something.

These first piglets are Red Wattle x LB. Every one of them had both wattles.

 

[Muleman]

Here is Red Wattle x GOS, none had wattles?? Go figure? BTW all of these gilts, if they are the same breed are sisters, so should be genetically similar.

 

[Muleman]

Here is Tamworth x LB. (The larger ones in the middle). They had a few white feet, but other than that, black with the exception of 1 that was red with black spots? Unfortunately this litter was from the gilt that broke her leg shortly after weaning the piglets, so I will not be able to see what she would have done on her second breeding.

 

[Muleman]

Here is Tamworth x GOS. All almost identical white with black spots with the exception of one that is black with white spots, noticeably more black than the others?

 

[Muleman]

Here is a Poland China x LB cross the white and black spotted in the middle, the rest were just black, except for one again that was red with black spots, she had very small piglets compared to the other gilts.

 

[Muleman]

Here is my GOS boar that these gilts were bred to. I have considered separating him from the gilts, as he seems to gain much faster than they are on the same feed? Right now I do not have a separate place to put him, but I will definitely be looking at fencing a place off where I can put my boars when they are Not Needed and be able to feed them differently. He is by far the gentlest boar I have, just does not seem to care much about anything. Even at the hint that he may get rubbed he will flop over on his side?

 

[libertygirl]

Nice pictures. You have a very nice pen for your pigs! That mud hole is fantastic! Congrats.

 

[Muleman]

Here is the 3 I am waiting on. The Poland China has never gained weight like my others. They grew in height and lean muscle, but never put any fat on. When my other PC had piglets I pulled them from her early as they simply were not gaining as she seemd to no provide much milk, they really took off once I got them on feed. I expect this one will be the same as she has no reserve fat to draw from to produce milk. Not sure I will be keeping them in my program long. I do have my one remaining Mulefoot in this group and I am really interested to see what comes from the GOS cross, will they have Mulefeet?? We will see. I am also very interested to see what my LB gilt is going to do crossed with the GOS, she is one of my best looking gilts, so I have high expectations.

BTW, It has been hot all summer and just last week we had a cool spell ( in the 60's at night) which got me to thinking Winter was on the way, so I built 2 of these shelters. I think this is the first time I actually feel like I am ahead with my plans for preparing for winter!! Feels kinda nice to be prepared ahead of time for once. I may have to plan to do this sort of thing more often.

Anyway, thanks for looking, hope you found the comparisons as interesting as I have. I will also say I can tell a definite size difference between the gilts I waited to breed to the GOS boar and the ones I bred 2 months earlier to the LB boar. That extra bit of time for them to grow seemed to really make a difference in their body size., but does not seem to have affected the litters as far as I can tell?

 

[3acres]

Thanks for sharing these photos! I'm enjoying them! I'm jealous of all those babies running around!...

 

[Muleman]

LG, after having a few of my pigs in pens for various reasons and they dump out their water and I find them panting, in what I think was just in time to cool them down before they died, I am a firm believer in assuring they have unlimited water. I built that little hole in about 1 hour with my tractor in my weaning pen (formerly known as a riding arena!!) Now I know, even if they dump out their water tubs, they will always have water. We are lucky to have clay about 1' down around here, so it does not take much to dig out a little duck pond and it sure gives me peace of mind, knowing they will always have water.

 

[Muleman]

Like fish in a barrel, actually pigs in a barrel I guess!! Can you see the black one with white spots, as opposed to all the others that are white with black spots?? They were all patiently waiting for their iron shot and ear notches. They did not seem too happy with either though really, when it was all said and done??

 

[WildRoots]

Beautiful everything! So happy that things seem to be coming together for you. The differences in the litters is interesting. Must be awesome hands on comparing and Contrasting. I'm looking forward to more info on the Poland China's. Can't wait for more photos!


Wild Roots Farms Pompey, NY.

 

[3acres]

I believe I see the black with white spots, but also am thinking that....ah, never mind......I SEE IT!!!...HOW COOL IS THAT!... Seriously though, very nice looking piglets in there! I like the look of that gilt they are out of!

 

[Shore Farming]

MM - love the shelter. We are building another larger one for farrowing but will need some smaller shelters as well. What are the dimensions? Does it have a floor? We build everything on skids because we do a big rotation every couple of months, disc the manure up and replant. Keeps us flexible. Would love info on that shelter

 

[Muleman]

Shore,
The shelter is 8'w x 10'L and about 4'H. There is no floor. I basically took 2 treated 4x4x10' and cut a 45 degree angle on both ends to make the skids. I then ran a treated 2x4x8' across each end to brace them that way for when you are pulling it around. I drilled 1/2" holes in the 4x4 in all 4 corners and used a bolt to secure 4 links of chain to each corner. Then you can use a 1 regular chain to hook to the links to pull it around from either end. I made 5 trusses for the roof. There are 3 sections to each truss of equal length. The top of the trusses are tilted in approximately 2' on each side. I wish I had the actual length of the pieces here. I cut the truss pieces and laid them out on the shop floor until the outside of the truss measured 12', so 4 pieces of tin would wrap around and come out even where the truss connects to the 4x4. That is all the wood there is in them, 2, 4x4 skids , 2 - 2x4 braces for the skids on each end and 5 - 2x4 trusses and 4 pieces of tin.

 

[njenner]

Great pics! Congrats and the beautiful litters!

 

[Shore Farming]

MM - it is great when others share. We have the tin, so this makes a great extra shelter for us. We will also use our cattle panels and attach hog panels to partition off the farrowing shelter/area - also your idea. Thank you for sharing! :thumb:

 

[Muleman]

SF,
I sent an email to my wife (I am away at work now) and ask her to take some pictures of the trusses and get me the measurements. Hopefully she will get that too me in the next few days, when she does I will post it so you have a bit more info.

BTW, My daughter sent me an email and said my mulefoot gilt had 7 piglets, some are spotted and some are stripped?? She said one was 1/2 the size of the others? The runt I suppose. They did not send pictures yet, but I will post them when they do.

 

[libertygirl]

Great pictures, and congrats on being ahead of the game rather than bringing up the rear.