Coffee done now

[frustratedearthmother]

Oh wow! @Mini Horses - What's that old saying? "No good deed goes unpunished!" It was nice of you to try, but....
Hope she catches the little guy - if not - he's probably going to make his way back to your place where there are other goats.

We didn't find anything negative in the boar we had butchered. Except for being able to run the castrated males with other females I probably wouldn't ever castrate.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Boar taint is a big argument. I've read it's part genetic and part environmental. Apparently Durocs, for instance, have more than other breeds. My phone is being slow again so I will link to a well known pig farm in my neighbor VT who is doing a lot of testing of boar taint. Afraid I can't find the exact link right now but I will a little later if I find my patience! Lol

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/

 

[sumi]

I think we settled the boar taint argument on our farm after that incident…

 

[NH Homesteader]

Supposedly you can test for it. I do know people who have butchered a boar and couldn't eat it... It was so bad. So I do believe it happens.

 

[sumi]

Supposedly you can test for it. I do know people who have butchered a boar and couldn't eat it... It was so bad. So I do believe it happens.

The locals around us said not to let a boar "stand behind a sow", or you'd get taint. I haven't had any breeding going on the farm and I had the boars I bought in castrated as precaution, a few weeks before we slaughtered them, just in case! I heard many different opinions on the topic, so I figured it's easier to go with castration than have a spoiled carcass. The argument around having them castrated without them being near a sow was settled well enough though!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Yeah we always castrate because that's a lot of meat to go to waste! Honestly though, we aren't going to raise males for meat anymore. They get fatty while the gilts stay lean. And maybe I have oversensitive taste buds, but the males taste stronger to me, even castrated.
I have a friend who told me that and I thought she was crazy until we butchered our barrow recently. Now I agree with her.

 

[Mini Horses]

The goat kid was 3 mos -- eating weel, needed to wean, healthy. My & another farm about 1/2 mile up road both have many animals, so I feel the kid will settle down & show up in a day or two. Neighbors have been advised & will watch for him. Hoping for best. At least he's more than able to eat & drink plenty around here!

Did disassemble part of mower, remove old & install new deck cable, etc. Grease wheel bearings, check air in tires. Text DD to advise it's fixed & she can come up & get to mow her yard. Se replies glad it is but I felt it was time to buy my own, so I did, on sale. Just wish I had known before I pushed to get it done before I had to leave. I need to mow but, rain predicted for next 4 days beginning tomorrow mid day. I work tomorrow AM. Guess it can rest a while.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Well, at least you can borrow HERS now if yours breaks down!

 

[Mini Horses]

Good thinking, FEM

 

[sumi]

Good morning everyone Yesterday got so busy, I couldn't find time to do more than fly past here. Hope all is well with you all. I'll head over the journals now-now and catch up while I have my coffee.