Bebo
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Dribbly PigJust been down to feed the pigs and I noticed that whilst they both seem happy (curly tails, very active and hungry as usual) one of them seems to be dribbling a lot. Think I read somewhere once that this was usual with boars (something to do with attracting females, although it certainly doesn't do much for me). Is that right or should I be calling a vet in. The boys are around 8 months old, are intact and are due to go off to slaughter on the 26th.
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RichardW
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which end?
Justme
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Bebo
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Mouth.
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Blue Sky
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Our pigs slaver alot. I don't know if that is quite what you mean but I think it's quite normal if so.
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Bebo
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Yeah, it's almost like he is frothing at the mouth, but there is nothing else different about him or his behaviour.
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RichardW
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Sounds normal male behaviour near females......
Justme
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Bebo
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No female pigs nearby...........hope he isn't planning on taking a fancy to my leg as he's a big bugger now. Might just have been the food that got him excited.
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NeathChris
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Thats usual boar behavior as he is ready to start working now. My replacement breeding boars usually start working at 6-7 months.
Has he started smelling pissy yet?
chris
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Bebo
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Got to admit I haven't really had a good enough sniff to notice! I've got some apples to feed him in a minute and I'll check then.
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mochyn
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All my pigs (m + f) start dribbling as soon as they hear me coming with the feed.
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Bebo
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Sounds like nothing to worry about then. I've just never noticed them drooling anything like as much as one of them was this morning.
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NeathChris
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nothing to worry about, could be a slight risk of boar taint but you should be ok. My boars start popping their "old boy" out aswell at around 5 months.
chris
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mochyn
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But what about taint, though, Chris? Do you leave your boars entire? Ours are 13 weeks and I'll be growing them on to about 6 months. Is taint a myth, or should I ge them 'done'?
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Bebo
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I'll let you know in a few weeks!
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Blue Sky
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Personally I would 'have them done' every time unless you are planning on breeding from them.
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Bebo
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I'd been advised by the people we bought the weaners from that it wasn't necessary as long as they were going for the chop before they got to a year old. That's why we didn't bother. I'll see what the meat is like this time and decide from that what we do next time.
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woodsprite
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We always sorted our boars too after our first time breeding and boar taint led to feeding loads of meat to the dogs. 
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NeathChris
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Taint is there. It is not a myth but after many scientific tests it is impossible to find what and why causes it.
I leave all my boars in tact. Castrating is an extra job that is needless. I finish all pigs at 16-18 weeks, boars more closer to 16. I have luckily never come across it, and i have killed boars of 3 years old for sausage and Welsh bacon.
What weight you aiming for?
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Bebo
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So I might be OK with these two then. I'll be gutted if my first two pigs are inedible!
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NeathChris
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I wouldntworry. when they due to go?
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Bebo
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26th November.
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mochyn
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I don't aim at weights, Chris: not being a 'professional' pig-keeper it's less of a necessity for me. I look at them at about 20 weeks and see how they look. If they look big enough I send them off... I'll probably send the remaining 2 boars off then and the 2 gilts a few weeks later.
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NeathChris
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You should be ok i reckon.
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NeathChris
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20 weeks off top of my head for a tamworth i would say 90-110lb a pig.
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mochyn
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Sounds about right, althought these guys are Tamworth X OSB. The two I've just sold were no longer liftable at 13 weeks...
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