Minimal waste

We try to use as much of our pigs as we can to minimise waste, make the meat go as far as possible and give us a few treats as well. While we don’t have a big enough pot to cook a pig’s head and the abattoir can’t (or won’t) return the blood and all the internal organs, we do get most of the pig back. And two of the things we end up with a lot of are internal fat and skin with fat attached. These are rendered down into lard.

We start by collecting all the surplus skin and fat returned to us by the butcher, then add all the fat and skin left over from the sausage making process. These are cut into one-inch cubes, placed in a large pot and covered with boiling water. They’re then simmered for about two hours until the skin and fat starts to break down.

Mud monsters

The boys and I have just finished catching and tagging all 12 10-week-old piglets. The first nine were straightforward as we managed to pen them in their arc, but the remaining three took some persuading before we could get them into a corner in their pen. Of course, all the snow melt has left the pens thoroughly muddy so the boys just had to slip, slide, fall and lie in the mud. All accidentally of course!

Can you transport weaner pigs in a family car?

The answer is yes, you can transport weaner pigs in a family car provided you meet the requirements of the EC Regulation on the protection of animals during transport and related operations (1/2005).

I was first given that advice by the State Veterinary Service some time ago and we have transported various weaners in our two Land Rovers, which are definitely our “family cars” as well as being utility vehicles around the croft.

However, doing that has repeatedly seen us threatened with being reported to the authorities, told that we’re in breach of biosecurity laws, told that we’re endangering the welfare of the animals and most recently been told on a forum that: