BUTCHER HOGS
Butcher Hogs
For Sale
**BUTCHER DATES SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY AND FEBRUARY**
Each year, we keep several dozen hogs around to raise out for people who enjoy fresh pork. There are several options for butchering in our local area and our most frequent go-to has been Haun’s Meats in Walla Walla, but we’re happy to work with whoever you prefer.
We even have several people who butcher themselves and we are glad to accommodate anything you need.
Butcher Hogs
For Sale
**TAKING DEPOSITS NOW FOR SPRING BUTCHER HOGS**
Each year, we keep several dozen hogs around to raise out for people who enjoy fresh pork. There are several options for butchering in our local area and our most frequent go-to has been Haun’s Meats in Walla Walla, but we’re happy to work with whoever you prefer.
We even have several people who butcher themselves and we are glad to accommodate anything you need.
Butcher Hog order form
Current Butcher Hog Price: $3.75/lb*
Butcher Hogs are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis, as-available and we sell in halves or whole hogs. We can’t guarantee exact dates but as your butcher hog gets close to weight, we’ll coordinate with you on butcher dates and where you’d like it sent. If you don’t have a preference on butcher, we’ll set you up with one that is close to your location, or one where we’re already sending multiple hogs.
* Based on hanging weight at the butcher.
There is a $100 deposit that needs to be paid to secure your order. We’ll send an invoice within a few days of receiving your order above, and a final invoice for the balance, once we get a final weight from the butcher shop.
Prior to pick up from the
butcher shop…
If you’ve done this a bunch, this might not be all that helpful, but if your buying weaner pigs for the first time or it’s been awhile, here are a couple of things to help the process go smoothly.
Make some freezer space
Hanging Weight
Your final weight will depend on the size of the hog, but in general, you can count on about 65-72% of the live weight, to count as “hanging weight.” We try to send out butcher hogs in between 270-300 lbs, this seems to maximize the amount of lean mass, while maintaining enough fat to make a great sausage blend in addition to higher volume of cuts where some fat is desired, like bacon.
Finished Cuts
Depending on the cuts you select, you will get 70-80% of your hanging weight in actual meat for your freezer. Whether you get a half or a whole, you’ll need to make some room in your freezer. Here’s a rough idea of how much you’ll get from each:
Half Hog:
Tenderloin: 1 lbs
Loin/Chops: 12 lbs
Bacon: 8-10 lbs
Ribs: 3lbs
Roasts: 12 lbs
Sausage: 6 lbs
Ham: 15 lbs
Smoked Hocks: 5 lbs
Whole Hog:
Tenderloin: 2 lbs
Loin/Chops: 24 lbs
Bacon: 18-20 lbs
Ribs: 6 lbs
Roasts: 24 lbs
Sausage: 12 lbs
Ham: 30 lbs
Smoked Hocks 10 lbs
The Cut List
When it comes time for butchering, you’ll get a call from the butcher shop in preparation for your order. You’ll have a number of different options, depending on the shop, but the list will generally include most popular commercial cuts that are available and possibly some oddball opportunities that aren’t often found in stores.
Popular Cuts:
Roasts
Boston Butt Roast
Pork Steaks
Ground Pork
Cottage Bacon
Bacon
Jowl Bacon
Canadian Bacon
Bratwurst
Cutlets
Fresh Side Pork
Loin Roast
Pork Chops
Breakfast Sausage
Sausage Links
Lard
Smoked Ham
Fresh Ham
Smoked Hocks
We feed our pigs a mixed ration of local grains and legumes. Depending on their stage in life, we add necessary supplements like vitamins, minerals and added fats. We also change the ratio of certain grains/legumes per lifestage and size to reach macronutrient targets necessary for proper growth.
Typically our pigs do not receive antibiotics. However, we don’t allow our pigs to suffer from treatable illnesses, and will administer antibiotics if deemed necessary by us and our veterinarian.
Our pigs are housed with the sow in her weaning pen, until weaning (typically around 28 days). After that we will remove the sow and leave the piglets in the weaning pen to adjust to life without their mom. After a week or two of adjusment, we transfer them to an open pen with the automatic feeders.
Thus far, we have a wonderful relationship with Haun’s Meats in Walla Walla but are able to accommodate anything you need. If you’d like to pick up your butcher hog and deliver to your local butcher, have them come pick up here or farm kill, that works for us. We also have people who buy from us to DIY.
Prices vary because of the fluctuations we experience over the course of feeding a pigs over several months. Currently our hog prices are a little over $3.05 – $3.25/lb hanging.
Call, text or fill out the
form WITH any QUESTIONS
(509) 730-5818
HOW YOUR Butcher hog GOT TO THIS POINT
They start their life here on the farm
We raise all of our butcher hogs from birth all the way up to slaughter. This means we delivered each one at farrowing, cared for them throughout their life and are there when it’s time to depart for your plate.
While we respect and understand people who aren’t interested in talking details, we do feel it’s important that all people know where meat comes from.
Pork doesn’t just appear on grocery store shelves – pigs need care and compassion throughout their life in order to become suitable meat products. We work hard each day to take care of our herd and are constantly working on our feed mixes to refine and make more efficient.
We have the luxury of living in the Pacific Northwest, in wheat country, where grains and legumes are in steady supply, and the weather provides a fantastic backdrop to raise hogs.
The result is the absolute best pork money can buy.
from weaning to growing
The first few months are really important in a pigs life and everything from environment to supplements to disease prevention and of course, nutrition can make growing easier or more difficult as time passes.
We always worm within the first few months. Our hogs grow on natural soil so while they maintain more hearty immune systems, they are more prone to things like worms.
As a remedy, we administer about a milliliter of ivermectin within the first 60 days to keep them on the right track.
Hog Feed
It’s critically important that we get our butcher hogs off to a good start on feed. We always creep feed beginning around day 10. Creep feed is simply the introduction of food to piglets while they are still nursing – similar to how a a baby might be introduced to baby food around six months while still nursing.
If we can establish a good introduction to food early, they’ll adapt very rapidly to feed once we wean them.
In the first couple of months after weaning, we’ll pump them up on a high protein, high fat diet. Sow milk is among the highest fat content of all livestock – so, we try to do what we can to maintain the high fat as we transition them away from mom.
The high fat is important for a couple of reasons, but chief among them, it provides a very efficient energy source as they burn calories throughout the day with all of their playful activity. Having that extra energy source, allows them to build muscle, which sets the stage for healthy consistent growth.
Growing to Finish
In the final stages of feeding a hog prior to slaughter, careful attention to nutrition and management is crucial to ensure the production of high-quality pork. This phase, often referred to as the “finishing” or “finishing out” stage, typically occurs in the weeks leading up to slaughter. Here’s a glimpse into the key aspects:
Dietary Adjustments: As the hog approaches its target slaughter weight, its diet may be modified to achieve specific quality goals. The goal is to balance the pig’s weight gain with the desired meat quality. Some adjustments may include reducing the energy content of the diet to control fat deposition while maintaining protein levels for muscle development.
Restricted Feeding: To manage the hog’s weight gain and achieve the desired market weight, some producers choose to practice restricted feeding. This involves providing the hog with a set amount of feed per day, carefully controlling calorie intake. It helps ensure the hog reaches its target weight within a specified timeframe.
Water Access: Adequate access to clean, fresh water is essential to maintain the hog’s health and well-being. Proper hydration is vital for digestion and overall pig comfort.