# Feeding for taste



## FarmerDavid (Jul 16, 2012)

I have looked at the feed sticky, but felt this was different enough to start its own thread. I had the oppertunity to talk to a top chef this weekend and he was talking about how that with pork you can greatly influence the taste of the meat by what you feed them, moreso then any other animal in his opinion. 

Running them in a lush forest with lots of nuts was his top choice for to tasting pork, however i do not have that kind of ground on my land. Currently i am just feeding a stocker feed from the co-op, along with what ever grubs they can root in the pasture and excess out of the garden. Ive had plans to change this all along but havent been to concerned because they are to be bred and not ate.

Anyway do you consider the final taste when you are feeding or just on getting the pig the nutrients that they need to be healthy. My long term goal is to be a small producer of pastured pigs and sell top $ to a niche market, as well as pork for the freezer.


----------



## cooper101 (Sep 13, 2010)

If you're going to sell at top dollar, you have to have a total package and story. Pastured, humane, good feed, no doughnuts, slaughter on-site, great flavor. The more you round out the story, the better. If the taste isn't there, the last impression the customer has is that the taste wasn't there.


----------



## FarmerDavid (Jul 16, 2012)

cooper101 said:


> If you're going to sell at top dollar, you have to have a total package and story. Pastured, humane, good feed, no doughnuts, slaughter on-site, great flavor. The more you round out the story, the better. If the taste isn't there, the last impression the customer has is that the taste wasn't there.


I agree, its as much about branding as it is the meat. I guess it just supprised me a bit because the biggest thing that ive heard at farmers markets or other niche markets is pastured pigs, or grass fed beef. Never a mention of what the pigs are fed out on. This chef also stated that his clientel at his resturant wont eat straight grass fed beef and that he feels that it is to gamie. That really supprised me.


----------



## GoodNHappyFarm (Apr 26, 2012)

I had a friend give me some of their 100% grass fed beef to sample, and I thought it was very gamey tasting also, though I'm no expert, that was just my experience.


----------



## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

If you feed for top nutrition, you ought to be getting some very nice flavored pork.

Feeding the cheapest stuff you can get your hands on, might be OK and it might not. It depends upon what is cheap in your area.

With pork, the flavor and juiciness comes from the fat, so you don't want to feed anything that taints the flavor of the fat or that makes it too soft.

Stress affects the meat, too, and you will get better meat if the animals aren't stressed, especially at butchering time.

I've never bred pigs. I just buy feeders in the fall, raise them up, and butcher them for my own family. So, I've got a feed routine that works well for me, but probably won't apply to your situation.


----------



## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

FarmerDavid said:


> do you consider the final taste when you are feeding or just on getting the pig the nutrients that they need to be healthy. My long term goal is to be a small producer of pastured pigs and sell top $ to a niche market, as well as pork for the freezer.


We sell to high end stores and restaurants. Flavor is a key component in getting the sale. We give a sample to potential buyers and they almost always very quickly turn into weekly long term standing orders. This is how we developed our weekly delivery route for our all naturally raised pastured pork. The foundation of our pig diet is pasture followed by dairy. Seasonally we also have other things such as pumpkins, apples, etc. See this page for details and links to more information about what we feed and how we raise our pigs on pasture.

http://SugarMtnFarm.com/pigs

It isn't just nutrition. Flavor is key. What the pigs eat determines how they'll taste. Produce top quality and then deliver it regularly. That's our secret to business.


----------



## no1butcherman (Sep 6, 2007)

Heavy molasses all grain sweet feed and corn the last 30 days. And no pigs that are not cement slab for me I hate tapeworms. You want to lower protein and boost carbohydrates for great flavor.


----------



## Brooks WV (Jul 24, 2010)

Walter gave you the best advice!

Before we got into pigs, we read a LOT, including every page on his site.

We have Old Spots that are on pasture/woods 24/7. We give them our extra milk from our Jersey and starting right about now, apples and pears by the 5-gallon pail. I think the acorns and hickory nuts are the icing on the cake, as they fall about a month before slaughter. We also avoid any undo stress by slaughtering right here on the farm and delivering to the customers butcher.


----------



## FarmerDavid (Jul 16, 2012)

ill have to do some looking into it, but i cant think of any place to get teh dairy around here that would be cost effective. 

Id been reading this site and Walters for awhile before i went ahead and signed up here.


----------



## Menglish (May 7, 2009)

Just read a blog about feeding Chesnuts for flavor. Anyone ever try that? Not too many Chesnut trees around here but I thought it was interesting. I think the blog was from Tasmania.


----------



## Brooks WV (Jul 24, 2010)

We have some Chestnuts here, but the pigs didn't seem to like 'em. They really clean up the acorns and hickory nuts though. In our experience, which isn't a whole lot, the milk made the most difference in taste.


----------



## cooper101 (Sep 13, 2010)

Milk is the bomb, but acorns, apples, pumpkins, squash are also frequently cited as good for flavor and they're more commonly available. But let's say all you can feed is grain and don't have any other sources of feed. You're ahead of the game by putting them on pasture. Slaughter on-site to reduce stress. Get a heritage breed like durocs or berkshires that might cost a little more, but the meat might generally be better and the story is compelling. Find as many friends as you can who will collect good kitchen or garden scraps for you, especially friends with kids. Kids seem to LOVE knowing the food is for pigs. They seem to prefer putting their food in the pig bowl instead of eating it themselves. Even if you can't find regular sources of milk, etc. there are many things you can do to enhance your total package.


----------



## cooper101 (Sep 13, 2010)

FarmerDavid said:


> ill have to do some looking into it, but i cant think of any place to get teh dairy around here that would be cost effective.
> 
> Id been reading this site and Walters for awhile before i went ahead and signed up here.



I got my milk connection from a craigslist ad posted by a farm that sells milk shares. They have to dump their extra and they hated to waste it knowing somebody would want it for hogs. Post an ad and renew it every so often and see if anybody around you makes cheese, has waste milk, etc. Maybe somebody out there is wondering what to do with their waste. Buying it will never be cost effective. See if grocery stores might give you expired milk or cheese. Some will, some won't. Just some ideas. Fall is the best time for gleaning. Corn, pumpkins, apples. Lots of that just laying around in the fall. Our corner farm market sells pumpkins by the pickup bed for $10 after Halloween. Thousands left on their field last year. Time of the year makes a big difference.


----------



## FarmerDavid (Jul 16, 2012)

If your talking about gleaning food stuffs what about hedge\crab apples


----------

