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What a difference in a day! Today the day after the County Show its pouring with rain and has put down nearly an inch of water,but at the show yesterday we were so fortunate with a perfect dry day. The crowds poured in and the pig marquee was extremely busy with a constant flow of people eager to see the pigs. The biggest attraction in the pig marquee was my British Saddleback sow and litter of 9 piglets which was drafted in on Wednesday morning as a demonstration / display attraction. This was encamped in an area within the marquee where the general public had access through out the day, as the rest of the marquee was closed to the public during showing. As all 100 pigs entered turned up the pig show started at 9am ,an hour early with the British Saddleback classes .With only one ring and one judge we continued to show the pigs none stop until 4.30,with the final X breed class.We had lots of success with 9 first prizes and 8 second prizes,a breed champion with Imogens Oxford Sandy and Black July gilt, the any other traditional breed reserve champion with the British Lop, which went on to win the carcass class.(No she was not killed after her her victory but judged on the hoof) The children Harry (9), Dyls(10), and Imogen(7) all showed the pedigree pigs in their respective classes as well as competing in the Young Handlers Class. Also the two trainee vets on their pigkeeping placement Nick and Rebecca did a great job when showing two totally untrained X breed pigs taken the previous day from the fattening pen. This must be proof that the planned showing weekend pigkeeping course in March 2011 will give everything you need to know about showing your pigs successfully! Special thanks must go to Tina And Emily two stalwarts of Westmorland County Show who have remembered all I have taught them while completing their Vets degrees and prepared the 22 pedigree pigs for the show ring. Without the back up team it would be impossible to be so ambitious, thank you all so much for making this show so very enjoyable. Congratulations to Jan Walton for taking the overall championship with her Duroc pig just pipping the Berkshire pig of Tracy Bretherton. No Championships for the British Saddleback's this time but I'm sure this will only stimulate us Saddleback breeders to try harder next year!! But the Saddlebacks did win the pairs class with a pair from John Wreaks out of twelve entries (24 pigs), with the Mulkeens pair of Saddlebacks coming in third. The great thing about showing pigs is how the pigs change from the start of the season in May until it ends in September. Some improve others go backwards, its always a challenge, and a pleasure to meet again with such a friendly bunch of exhibitors.
 
One hundred pigs are entered for this annual county show at Crooklands only 1
mile from junction 36 on the M6. This is a record entry surpassing the previous
record entry by 20 pigs.
I will be exhibiting British Saddleback, Oxford Sandy and Black, Hampshire and a
British Lop pig, taking 22 pigs in all. Yes I'm making a major effort for what is
my local pig show being only 18 miles from my base in Lowick.
Im only able to make such a massive commitment by taking on two undergraduate
vets who will wash and prepare the pigs in the days before Westmorland County
Show and help show the pigs on the day. Also Emily and Tina two vets who have
just graduated but as yet have not found suitable employment will be willing
experienced helpers on the day, having showed pigs with the Coal Yeat Herd before.
I must not forget the young handlers Harry(10), Dyls(10) and Imogen(7) who have
been diligently training their British Saddleback pigs and will be showing them
in both the breed classes and the young handlers class. (Imogen will be very busy
as she is also showing her Dartmoor pony, Mouse). Harry will also be showing his
champion Oxford Sandy and Black pig (Duchess) which recently won the breed
championship at Anglsey County Show.
This entry of 100 pigs now makes the Westmorland County Show the largest one day
pig show in the country. Pig exhibitors will be traveling from all over the north
of England and Scotland. Many of the pigs being shown will have won breed
championships at county shows in the UK. Competition will be very keen and the
judge Mr C H Prentice, will have his work cut out, in which I believe is, his
final run out as a judge before he retires.
If you are intending to come to Westmorland County Show, which is a full day out
with so much to see and do, please try to get on the show field before
9am. Traffic congestion has been a major problem in previous years.
Advanced tickets are available by post or over the phone by credit
card (01539567804) and offer a 50% saving for children and approx a 15% saving
for adults. Online bookings are also available at www.westmorlandshow.co.uk so book your tickets in advance and spend the saving on a beer at the show!
The show field opens at 8am and if you come to the pig tent early before the
judging starts you will have chance to chat to all the exhibitors and see us all
in a frenzy washing and preparing our pedigree pigs, the Saddlebacks shining with
their coating of pig oil.
I look forward to welcoming you to Westmorland County Show, it's a great day out!
 
When one of the countries leading lights in the culinary world seeks provenance in pigs he heads to the Lake District.
Johnnie Mountain, chef and restaurateur in London is seeking a supply of rare breed British pigs with provenance for his established restaurant Mosaica@the factory in N22 and his new restaurant in the city. He was amazed at what he discovered in Lowick with the Coal Yeat Herd of pedigree British Saddleback pigs.
Everything he was searching for in one herd only 6 miles from Aireys slaughter house with their attached integrated cutting room. From birth to slaughter on one farm these Saddleback pigs have total provenance, and are brought up with the fresh lakeland air in their lungs.
We are currently working out the supply chain to furnish Johnnie Mountain's restaurants with the taste's rare breed British Saddleback pork available today. This will probably entail the establishment of Johnnies own herd of Saddleback pigs here in Lowick at Coal Yeat Farm, but details of this venture have still to be finalised.
Meanwhile two undergraduate vets, who had valuable work experience with the Saddleback pigs, have graduated. Well done Tina and Emily especially Tina who was awarded best student of her year. Both will be attending our pigkeeping course on 21st of August to brush up on forgotten details and answer peoples specific veterinary questions.
Lots of things going on here with the Saddleback pigs with my mind looking forward to Westmorland County Show on the 9th of September, and two more undergraduate vets to visit the Saddleback pigs in late August and early September.
Wayne Hutchinson, a specialist photographer in farm animals, was commissioned by a publisher to take a series of pig photos for a forthcoming book. They gave him a long list of all the rare breed pigs, even some pigs which do not exist in the UK, and a 8 day deadline!
He called me for help and arrived on Monday afternoon for an afternoons session with the British Saddleback, Hampshire and Oxford Sandy and Black pigs. We were also able to combine a visit to Carole Barr's farm to photograph her Large Black and British Lop pigs, up there in Torver.
Wayne was too late to witness the detusking of the Saddleback boar but we awaited his arrival before injecting and notching the Saddleback piglets. While photographing the growing pigs at Coal Yeat Farm Wayne was mobbed but survived with only the loss of one lens cap!
Wayne has a comprehensive web site www.farm-images.co.uk where an excellent cross section of his animal photos can be viewed and pictures of the pigs from the Coal Yeat and Ashghyll herds will soon be added.
We hope to be sent some low resolution images to put on our pigkeeping course web site especially Carole's Lop and Large Black pigs.
We also have a post graduate trainee vet, Alex, on the farm for a week so he was around whilst all this was going on. He is here for a weeks hands-on pigkeeping with the Saddleback pigs and has already injected and tooth trimmed some young piglets. Now he is really getting intimate with the Saddleback and Hampshire pigs as he is daily washing them in preparation for the Great Yorkshire Show next week.
He is very lucky as we have had 6 litters of piglets born this week, two by the new Guardsman boar, so there is lots to see and do.
The British Saddleback Breeders Club AGM's date is now firmly fixed for the 24th of October, a Sunday. This year this is taking place here in Lowick with a visit to my Coal Yeat Herd of pedigree Saddleback pigs, a visit to Aireys Slaughter house and meat packing facility and a power point presentation from Crossgates Bioenergetics. Full and final details will be available on this web site and also the British Saddleback Breeders Club web site. My family and I look forward to welcoming members and their families and friends in October when we will be having Saddleback pork for lunch!
  
After the reserve breed champion at Newark Show we at last took the Saddleback breed championship with our new 18 month old junior Saddleback stock boar. Also as it was a very good day for the Coal Yeat Herd we took the any other modern breed championship with the home bred Hampshire July gilt.
What was especially pleasing was that the Hampshire gilt was shown by my 9 year old grandson, Harry, in the championship. He did a fantastic job of calmly showing the gilt in the very hot show ring, having had no previous acquaintance with this Hampshire pig.
Its such a shame that a show of the importance and prestige of the Great Yorkshire Show has decided to omit adult boars from their show ring. This show which takes place in Harrogate on 13-15 July purports to be England's premier pig show, but how can it be so if it excludes adult mature boars?
I have always shown mature Saddleback and Hampshire boars as the general public love seeing a fully mature boar and are always amazed by their size. Last year at the Great Yorkshire Show I exhibited 4 mature boars without any problems. It is a condition of showing boars that they are detusked so any health and safety concerns should be addressed at home before bringing a boar to the show. In my experience junior boars, the teenagers of the pig world, can be a lot more unruly and undisciplined.
The Saddleback boar who won the championship for me is Prestcombe Guardsman 4 bred by Julian Newth. This may be his last run out this year as I'm led to believe that Westmorland County Show has also excluded mature boars from competing - such a shame to exclude these magnificent animals.
Carole and I took the opportunity to promote the Pigkeeping courses at the show nd through the many conversations with so many interested people it looks like we will be very busy. The Saddleback Breeders Club has finally made up its mind and I will be hosting the annual AGM in October 2010 full details of which will be available shortly.
Finally it is now one all with Brian Mulkeen. We have a jovial unofficial competition between ourselves in the Saddleback January gilt class - pig showing is always such fun with such friendly folk! (sorry Margaret it's boys stuff). A big thanks to Spencer and Kaisha for all their help in preparing the seventeen pigs for the show ring
.  
 
Next week on 22/23 of June its the annual Cheshire County Show at Tabley, Knutsford. This pigkeeper got carried away with his entries in April, and on checking my entries today find that I have entered 17 pigs! Fortunately 6 of the pigs are entered as pairs in the fat pig classes so wont require much attention other than penning, food and water. The remaining 11 are split between Hampshire and British Saddleback pigs. Harry, Imogen and their friend Dyls have been busy training their January Saddleback gilts so will be running them out in the breed classes as well as the young handler classes. They are excited as this weekend I have promised the children that they can wash their Saddleback gilts. I only hope it will be a hot sunny day as I fear the children will be as wet as the pigs. Most of the adult Hampshire and Saddleback pigs are still running about and wallowing in their outdoor paddocks. They are filthy. Fortunately all the training the children have been having with their pigs in the yard at Bridgefield Farm has given them confidence to help me round up mature large Saddleback sows and boar. Last weekend we were working on ring craft with each of us acting as the judge and awarding prizes to the training exhibitors. It is actually quite interesting emulating a pig show as it stimulates my mind to concentrate on what actually takes place in the show ring. At the last show Stafford I learned of the 'Marleen Stare', from one of the most experienced exhibitors and judges of pigs. The next few days are round up time ,washing at least 3 times ,oiling with pig oil, loading and off to the 2 day show. Luckily I have lots of helpers and I must not forget to de-tusk the mature boars as it is a showing requirement for safety. We have all the brochures printed for the pigkeeping courses together with the banners and show boards so will be using the show as a launch pad for the 2010 and 2011 pigkeeping course programme.
  
What an excellent two days we all spent showing our pigs at Stafford Show.
Congratulations must go to Brian and Margaret Mulkeen for winning the inter breed Pairs Class with their pair of January Saddleback pigs. These two Seventy year olds are an example to us all with their calm collected approach to showing pigs, which their granddaughters Emily has in her genes, as she also won the young handlers class with a Saddleback sow.
Unfortunately, even though I won half of the Saddleback classes, none of my British Saddleback pigs got any champion rosettes this time. But I did get the Hampshire Champion and reserve so had a run out in the interbreed competition won by the Large Black pig.
The pig keeping courses were very well received by the 100 or so people who took the brochures. It has become evident that these pig keeping courses in the Lake District will be very popular with couples and families where the uninterested in pigs can wander off over the fells, while the piggy folk have fun.We have now concluded planning the 2010 programme which will run into November and the 2011 programme will be available for booking next week. These pig keeping courses are already proving very popular and the word at Stafford show was 'its about time someone who knows what they are doing offered pigkeeping courses'. A four page colour brochure of the pigkeeping courses is going to be printed next week, for distribution at Cheshire County Show, the Great Yorkshire Show and other regional and national shows.
All the Saddleback show pigs went straight out into their pig paddocks, to be greeted by their filthy Saddleback friends who had spent the day wallowing in the mud---so hot 26 degrees C.What was the first thing the Guardsman boar did ? Yes, he served a waiting Saddleback sow immediately he entered the pen!
A quiet hot weekend ahead before laying plans for my assault on Cheshire County Show on 22/23 of June--see you there ?
 
 
It's recently been reported in the farming press that the EU greens are at it again. This time in some sweeping bill the use of anticoagulants is potentially being banned.
This potentially will lead to an explosion of the rat population to numbers not encountered in the UK since the Great Plague. Rats and their control is paramount where livestock and especially pigs are reared and rat bait is based on anticoagulants as the killer ingredient. Rats carry all sorts of diseases which effect both humans and livestock including Weil's disease which can also lead to Leptospirosis.
The Coal Yeats Herd of British Saddleback Pigs is not immune from infestations of rats which seem to love the dry stone wall surrounding Bridgefield Farm,the hub of my pig keeping. But we have been keeping them under control with rat bait and 4 farm cats. It has been very noticeable that the rat population has dramatically reduced since the cats matured to adulthood. Felix, pre named when purchased as a kitten from the local farm in a neighbouring valley(she looks just like the cat on the tin!) is the farms matriarch. She has two sons and a daughter following a midnight session with a marauding tom cat.
So are the Saddleback pigs to be protected from rat infestations in the future only by the farm cats? What other crazy laws might the EU Greens try to put forward without realising the full consequences of their actions? Transport restrictions, licensing of moves, on farm recording, farm eco plans, buffer zones, cattle passports to name but a very few - has bureaucracy gone stark raving mad or is it just me?
Interestingly only recently have the Saddleback pigs returned to the spring paddocks to be greeted by a rat infestation surrounding the son in laws free range hens. No cats to be seen up there. Usually the rats are a winter and autumn problem but talking to a few local farmers everyone has more rats than usual this spring. Perhaps it's the late spring or the prevailing north wind?
I guess we will have to try the impossible and exterminate rats while poison is still available and hope that the EU bureaucrats see the folly of their ways. Cats for sale? Yes one little Felix look-alike to a good piggy home only.
  
What have Saddleback pigs got to do with Australian Boomerangs or indeed the Aborigines who flaw kangaroos with them? No its not to do with the importation of semen or embryos of the Essex Saddleback Carl boar line from Oz but the return of Saddleback weaner's from the South coast.
I sold some in pig gilts to a certain Mr Spencer Fielding who being so happy with these Pedigree British Saddleback pigs wanted more .
So while delivering the gilt we collected 11 strong weaner's which were conceived up here in Cumbria - hence boomeranging Saddleback pigs!
It really is a pleasure to get young pigs from a breeder who has done such a fantastic job of farrowing and rearing his first litters of Pedigree Saddleback pigs. Not to blow my own trumpet too much, or should it be a didgeridoo, this proves the point that buying pigs from an established breeder of repute is the best way forward. Not only do you get the best registered pedigree British Saddleback Pigs but also a comprehensive introductory package and telephone support on pig matters.
Spencer's Saddleback pigs wander naturally around the native Sussex woodland where they are fenced in. The largest problem in this area is the feral wild boar population which Spencer has had to build substantial electrical fencing to keep them out, as opposed to keeping his pedigree British Saddleback pigs in. Quite an unusual problem in the Uk at the moment. Not one we have at Coal Yeat Farm where the Saddleback weaner's are now enjoying new ground, along with some British Lop,Middle White and Oxford Sandy and Black weaner's all destined for the local butchers in the autumn.
Well done Spencer you are a credit to pedigree British Saddleback breeders.
 
  
You by now have probably read all about pig keeping in the Coal Yeat Herd. Tips are in abundance throughout this site which will give you an insight into my enthusiasm for British Saddleback Pigs. However there's nothing like the real thing, on site, with real live pigs.
I have now joined together with Carole Barr, another local pig keeping enthusiast from Torver, to offer one day pig keeping courses for all. This is stimulated by the fantastic feedback we receive from the general public at all the shows we attend and the genuine interest from people who buy pedigree pigs from us both.
We,Carole and I, will be relaying our joint pig keeping knowledge to you which will involve so many practical solutions to pig keeping problems. These pig keeping courses will enable you to have hands on experience of handling pigs correctly. For instance how do you approach a pig? Would you approach a sow and newly born litter differently? Why do the pigs keep escaping from the same gateway? So many simple questions with so many practical answers.(See Q&A for a lots more). We are going to use the local Lowick community hall as the base for the pig keeping courses as it has every facility we need - toilets,brewing kettles and hand washing basins and room to sit and talk pigs. This is only a quarter of a mile from Bridgefield Farm where the majority of pigs are kept. However I do have 3 outdoor sites in the Crake Valley,one at Lowick House and the third at Coal Yeat Farm. Each site is quite different and offers a unique insight into outdoor pig keeping.
The following breeds of Rare Breed pigs will be available to see and handle:
Oxford Sandy and Blacks, British Saddleback, British Lop, Middle White, Large Black, some crossbred pigs and the more modern Hampshire pigs. These pigs will range from a few days old to my 8 year old Saddleback sow.
Pedigree Saddleback and Hampshire pigs are usually available from the Coal Yeat Herd year round and also Lops and Hampshire pigs from Carole.
We already have our first booking and look forward to welcoming you to this beautiful part of the Lake District National Park.
Some further details are available on the Pig Keeping courses page but full details and the booking form are available by downloading the attached pdf. Also visit our sister website for further information www.pigkeepingcourses.co.uk
 
Coal Yeat Farm is the spiritual home of my Saddleback herd. Purchased in 1988 as a totally derelict farm and buildings, set in 25 acres of hill pasture, all pedigree flocks and herds have adopted the Coal Yeat prefix.
This has been used for my pedigree Aberdeen Angus herd slaughtered in the 2001 foot and mouth outbreak and for my flock of Lleyn pedigree sheep. The British Saddlebacks continue to do the Coal Yeat herd name proud in the county show rings around the country.
The farm buildings have now all been totally renovated to 21st century standards providing four residential cottages and two holiday cottages on the edge of the Lake District National Park www.coalyeatcottages.co.uk.
These Lakeland holiday cottages have recently been fully refurbished and now offer hand built kitchens with granite worktops, every conceivable modern facility including Sky TV and broadband access, while cosily accommodating up to 6 people. This is great activity countryside and pets are welcome - but sorry no pet pigs as we have no facilities to house them and I don't want to be on a 3 week standstill!
The views from Coal Yeat, uninterrupted 14 miles over the Crake Valley up to Coniston Old Man, are I believe unparalleled. Coal Yeat is a peaceful place, no road noise just the sounds of pigs, sheep, birds, cows and insects - a real rural retreat. Yet the nearest pub is only 2 miles away, shops 4 miles and the market town of Ulverston 5 miles. Coniston Water, a lovely clean, almost boat free lake 6 miles away. Central heating gives snug warmth in winter and the thick stone walls keep it cool in summer.
Emma my daughter who runs the Lakeland holiday cottage side of things lives in the farm house adjacent to the holiday cottages, so is usually on hand to immediately sort out any tiny problems which may arise and ensure the holiday cottages are immaculately clean.
Then there are the British Saddleback pigs which spend spring ,summer and autumn entertaining all our guests in their acre of paddocks. Usually I put dry sows up there to be served then they can stay put for nearly 4 months.
The Lakeland holiday cottages at Coal Yeat Farm are available weekly, or out of season for weekend or midweek breaks, either by booking on line or by calling Emma on 07337731552. You can even order Saddleback bacon ,sausage, ham or pork for your self catering stay to accompany eggs from Coal Yeat free range hens.
The Saddleback pigs love Coal Yeat so will you ,its the perfect place to relax and count the stars.
 
Pigs are back in fashion! Teeny mini pigs are selling for the same price as expensive pure bred puppies and becoming home based pets www.pigsrus.zoomshare.com.
Proper pigs like the British Saddleback are proving very popular with smallholders and professional pig keepers alike, as people rediscover both the taste of rare breed pork and the biddable nature of British Saddleback pigs.
Artists have also found pigs fascinating subjects for all sorts of art work. Abacus(Colour Printers) Ltd have printed lots of greeting cards, postcards, Fine Art Reproductions and Giclee prints for their nationwide clientele, featuring pigs in every conceivable pose! www.abacusprinters.co.uk
  
The Rare Breed Survival Trust publish a whole range of greeting cards many of which feature the Rare Breed pigs which they support and promote www.rbst.org.uk, as do many individual artist publishers.
   
It does not matter if it's a clean pig, muddy pig, black and white striped Saddleback pig, a spotty Gloucester Old Spot Pig or a plain white pig everything printed at Abacus receives the same meticulous attention. Similarly it does not matter if you send in a digital photo, transparency, completely finished art work as a PDF or your original painting, Abacus can work from such a variety of origination to put your images into print. Don't forget Abacus (Colour Printers) Ltd only print waterless offset, printing naturally, to help reduce your carbon footprint by printing the greenest way.
Let's not forget the 3D sculptors who also find Saddleback pigs an inspiration. Christine Cummings works in ceramics and two of her unique cracked Raku glazed British Saddleback pigs reside in my lounge www.christinecummings.co.uk. These are fantastically beautiful sculptures that capture the true character of the Saddleback pig and only need dusting not feeding!
 
Border Fine Art have now completed the British Saddleback pig, heading to or fro the show ring with attendant handler. This Saddleback sow is based on Coal Yeat Babble 555 a Saddleback champion pig of the past, who is currently suckling her young litter (the handler is not based on yours truly!). May British Saddleback pigs continue to be an inspiration to everyone for centuries to come.
 
  
Taking the pigs for an early morning walk, patiently waiting for the show to start, In the ring soon...
It was the general consensus of opinion among breeders that my young in-pig Saddleback sow, Coal Yeat Octavia, should have been awarded the Saddleback championship at Newark and Notts County Show but the judge in his wisdom decided that a Saddleback gilt from the Victoria herd should take the prize, which went on to be reserve overall pig at the show. However I am so pleased that Octavia went so well as she had only been shown once last year and it enabled Harry my grandson to take the second prize in the well supported young handlers class. (The judge said he would have won but we could not find his shirt, tie and pants so, as inappropriately dressed, he was demoted to second place, correctly so). Harry's weekend training sessions have really paid off as the standard of young handlers improves annually, and Dyls his friend was in the prizes at the lower end. The two lads were a great help as they walked the Saddleback pigs out every morning to give the pigs a stretch and enabled them to have their morning constitutional (the pigs that is). We were promised specific breed classes for British Saddleback Pigs at the show as 5 different breeders brought over 20 Saddleback pigs with the Stewards travelling from Stranraer in Scotland - an eight hour trip. They arrived to find no pens had been allocated for them! The show was shambolic as no thought had been put into cataloguing the pig classes correctly with classes being split at the last moment. This led to even more stress on the day as promises by the show went unfulfilled.
To cap it all it was wet ,windy and cold. But my Saddleback pigs were beautifully presented by Spencer and Kasia who came up from the south coast to learn how to prepare British Saddleback pigs for the show ring. There is nothing like hands on experience and pig oil all over your hands! A big thanks to them both for helping to keep a smile on my face and working so tirelessly.
The benefit of not winning the Young Handlers class was that we managed to escape early as Grace Bretherton the winner had to wait until 4.30 to be presented with her trophy in the main ring. Two tired lads had a long sleep in the car so they were not too tired for school after 3 days at the show.
The next show outing is Staffordshire County Show on 2/3 June, where I will be showing both Saddleback's and Hampshire pigs. Anyone want to give me a hand, apparently I'm a good trainer! ? !
 
Three pigs and three handlers new to showing
The annuall Pig and Poultry fair is coming off again in the very near future and I bet there will not be a Saddleback pig to be seen anywhere. Several of my suppliers will be spending a small fortune on taking stands in the hope of drumming up business.
One of these, Blue Merle Ltd, offers a range of Homeopathic products specifically for pigs. I have been trialing one of their newer introductions for a couple of years which has only recently been launched as Citra Prime.
This is available in a powder or liquid form and offers the following benefits to my Saddleback pigs.......
1 calm happy pigs
2 shinier coats
3 tastier meat,less fat more meat
4 less fluid loss from carcasses
5 improved weight gain
6 larger more viable litters
7 reduced mortality in young pigs
8 no fighting among pigs
9 reduced boar taint in entire pigs
10 a happy pig farmer.
Personally I cannot get on with the liquid form and prefer the powder mixed with their feed. Having run out on several occasions I am always amazed by the difference in the Saddleback pigs when a new supply arrives.
Derived from the citrus industry in Brazil this really is a magic product which is fed religiously to all weaners ,growers and finishing Saddleback pigs.
All my show pigs carry on with Citra Prime added to their feed througout the summer show season as I also believe it helps reduce the stress of showing, travelling and it increases the Saddlebacks immune system to fight off any infections. It really works!
Coal Yeat Pedigree Saddleback pigs winners with the butcher and in the show ring.
If only there was no discrimination Saddleback pigs could vote in the forthcoming General Election! In some ways I am surprised the Labour government that has been tickling with electoral boundaries has not introduced this opportunity for more voters. ( MP’s are poultry enthusiasts – no-one claimed for a pig ark on their expenses only duck huts). Surely Saddleback pigs may have a propensity to vote Labour given such a new opportunity?
Perhaps not, as British Saddleback pigs are very intelligent and would not be seduced by Gordon Browns huffing and puffing, as they do not watch TV but only listen to radio 4! These ‘bigots’ of Saddleback pigs think that only the Green party may represent the ideals and hopes of their outdoor rural lifestyle. The Welsh pig,this arrogant aggressive white beast with fire blowing from its nostrils ,is a breed bound to vote for Plaid Cymru, even though they have their own parliament in Wales.
Maybe the white Landrace or crossbred commercial pig growing intensively in large commercial units will be the Labour strong holds? Yet how many of those would have ballot papers, as are not most illegal immigrants? Perhaps they all have applied for postal votes? What of the Duroc and Hampshire pigs, immigrants from the USA, I guess they voted for President Obama.
Dare I mention the most recent immigrant trying for asylum in the UK and already adopted by the BPA the Mangalitza. This pig has already got the vote for the EU parliament in their native homelands but not a UK ballot paper yet. The Tamworth tells me that it is totally pissed off by politicians and having experienced and survived the FMD debacle and all the spin put out by the Labour government, it has no confidence in anyone. The Middle White is so conscious of its disfigured snout that it fears ridicule at the polling station, has missed the postal vote deadline and carries the discrimination chip on it’s shoulder. The Large Black is definitely a working class pig with well established Victorian values, a definite Labour vote there.
The British Lop pig, the true old blood white pig - is it still the oldest endangered aristocrat of pigs or has the old blood been diluted with modern breed white pigs? The Show ring has a lot to answer for here, as judges prefer a modern type to a good old fashioned Lop, yet such a delicious porker! A definite Conservative vote there.(Actually, they are fiercely independent and keep their vote firmly in their own camp).
The Berkshire pig, a dark grey pig with 5 white points (or is it 6 or 7) is definitely in the Conservative camp as all Berkshire breeders are such nice folk. That leaves the Gloucester Old Spot, a pig that can never make up its mind and is always awkward and must be with the Liberals for no other reason than that their leader looks so young and has a European wife.
Alas this cannot be as The RPA, Defra or Trading Standards, whoever it is that decides on movement licences and standstill periods has not granted a show field status nor holding numbers for all polling stations, so even pigs with isolation units cannot vote on Thursday 6 May.
But the common consensus is FREEDOM FOR ALL PIGS.
Oops I forgot the Oxford Sandy and Black the only boar pig exhibited at the Great Yorkshire Show with no balls, perhaps related to Ed? Clearly this pig is not yet all there so perhaps is excluded from the electoral register as mentally incapable.
Or if able to vote will definitely vote for the BNP - to keep out any more imports of foreign pigs.
  
.........And the saddleback Boars. After 3 weeks without rain the pig paddocks are bone dry so its time to turf the pigs out again. It was so cold and wet in March that I brought in all the Saddleback pigs for a dry in the warmth of the open sheds. Yet the Saddleback sow that farrowed outside in an ark has done a fine job in explaining to her litter that mud is not for playing in until they are old enough. Now the litter, almost ready for weaning at 7 weeks old, are scampering around their half acre field.
The dividing fence is still flattened by the autumnal floods when the pig paddocks were 4 feet under water. Such was the force of the River Crake that the dividing fence was totally uprooted, but the perimeter fence remains intact.
Currently I have 4 litters of piglets running with the Saddleback sows and lots of Saddleback sows and Saddleback gilts looking like farrowing in the next few months.
Now the Saddlebacks are out the weather is bound to change to enable the nicely grass sewn paddocks to return to mud. How the Saddlebacks enjoyed a spring wallow, diving straight into the mudiest wettest area to emerge blackened with mud. The Saddleback mudpack for the most beautiful Saddleback pig ?
It's all go to get the Saddleback pigs sorted out for Newark and Notts show on 8 and 9 May.... see you there - I always need a willing hand if anyone's willing! The young handlers are training their pigs every weekend in readiness.
 
  
To help the beneficial gut flora become well established in young Saddleback piglets probiotics, sourced from Crossgates Bioenergetics, is added to their creep feed. By encouraging the beneficial gut flora all the nasties like ecoli and salmonella can be greatly reduced enabling the small Saddleback piglets to flourish (millions of beneficial bacteria crowd out disease promoting bad bacteria)
I continue to feed these probiotics (a white powder,easily added to their creep feed) until the piglets are well established and growing well (approx 40 kilo live weight). Show pigs, the elite British Saddleback pigs, are fed the probiotics throughout the show season until September. I find this helps to avoid digestive upsets caused by travel and days away at shows, reducing the stress to the Saddleback pigs.
Today Crossgates Bioenergetics are able to add beneficial herd specific remedies(resonances) based on hair test analysis,t herefore enabling even healthier Saddleback pigs. When these probiotics and remedies are fed to the sow pre and post farrowing it ensures that the Saddleback sows colostrum will offer maximum health benefit to the new born piglets,before they are introduced to creep feed.
Beneficial gut bacteria improves and promotes efficient digestion,improving daily weight gain through better food conversion and leads to an enhanced immune system. Happier, healthier Saddleback pigs that are winners in the show ring and with the butchers.
Probiotics form a very important part in the equation "prevention is better than cure" - the basic physiology of my British Saddleback pig keeping.
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