# male or female pig..any preference?



## ranger4327

just wondering if and what the differences are between a male and female pig. I am raising two pigs, one of each.... Is one more desirable than the other, for freezer pork? Any taste difference? Weight differences? I will be keeping one of the two and dont want to decide quite yet as to wich one that will be...

as of now, the female is slightly larger than the male. both the same age. the male seems more agressive of the two towards each other.

I dont want to chose one or the other now, and find out I made the wrong decision. I obviously want the heaviest one come butchering time, dont I?

thanks !!!:whistlin:


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## gerold

ranger4327 said:


> just wondering if and what the differences are between a male and female pig. I am raising two pigs, one of each.... Is one more desirable than the other, for freezer pork? Any taste difference? Weight differences? I will be keeping one of the two and dont want to decide quite yet as to wich one that will be...
> 
> as of now, the female is slightly larger than the male. both the same age. the male seems more agressive of the two towards each other.
> 
> I dont want to chose one or the other now, and find out I made the wrong decision. I obviously want the heaviest one come butchering time, dont I?
> 
> thanks !!!:whistlin:


On average the male will grow faster and put on more weight than the female.


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## olivehill

In general males grow faster, but the difference between barrows and gilts is negligible. And that's just IN GENERAL. If you have a gilt who is larger and growing faster than her male counterpart she'll likely stay that way. When you have two pigs in front of you choose according to their individual qualities not generalities.


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## Fineswine

Almost always though,the gilt will hang leaner than the barrow.So you may want to decide as well how you like your pork personaly.


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## oink

Life's tough for us cut males...nuthin to do but lay 'round and get fat


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## cooper101

oink said:


> Life's tough for us cut males...nuthin to do but lay 'round and get fat


I must agree.


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## highlands

As a general rule boars (uncut males) grow about 10% faster than barrows (cut males) who grow about 10% faster than gilts (females). Boars have also been found to be more efficient at turning feed into meat. Gilts are the fattiest but barrows aren't far behind. Boars are the leanest.

If I know a customer wants a fattier pig I pick a gilt for them. e.g., they're looking for more back fat.

I don't find boars particularly aggressive but then we breed for good temperament. Anybody who was aggressive got eaten generations ago.

Cheers,

-Walter Jeffries
Sugar Mountain Farm
Pastured Pigs, Sheep & Kids
in the mountains of Vermont
Read about our on-farm butcher shop project:
ButcherShop | Sugar Mountain Farm


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## Fineswine

This was copied from the Journal of Animal Science................................I and they disagree and say a gilt hangs leaner than a barrow,at least they do here anyway.Gilts usually grade better too.





Forty-eight pigs, 16 each of boars, barrows, and gilts, were allotted at an average age of 41 days to two treatment groups based on dietary protein level, either 18% protein throughout or 16% protein in the growing period (start to 50&#8194;kg) and 13% protein in the finishing period (50&#8211;90&#8194;kg). Feed intake during the growing period was influenced by sex with boars eating less (P&#8194;< 0.05) than barrows. No significant differences in feed intake were observed for the overall experiment but the trend established in the growing period still existed. In the overall experiment sex did not influence rate of gain, which averaged 0.72&#8194;kg/day. Higher dietary protein level improved (P&#8194;<&#8194;0.01) gain in comparison with the lower levels. A significant interaction existed between sex and protein, boars responding more to high protein than barrows, and gilts being intermediate. Feed conversion was influenced (P&#8194;<&#8194;0.05) by sex and protein level, boars being superior to barrows or gilts and pigs fed the higher protein diet (3.16&#8194;kg feed per kg gain) superior to those fed the lower protein diet (3.36&#8194;kg feed per kg gain). Barrows dressed 79.6% and gilts 79.3% both higher (P&#8194;<&#8194;0.01) than boars, which dressed 75.9%. Boars had a grade index of 102.6 and gilts 101.4, both of which were higher (P&#8194;<&#8194;0.01) than barrows with 97.9. Other carcass measurements generally ranked the sexes in order of superiority as boars, gilts, and barrows. Boar carcasses had more muscle and less fat (P&#8194;<&#8194;0.01) than barrows, gilts being intermediate. Dietary protein level did not significantly influence carcass composition. Six muscles were analyzed for protein, fat, and ash. No significant differences between sexes were found, but higher protein level increased (P&#8194;<&#8194;0.05) the percentage protein in the longissimus dorsi muscle. Fatty acid analyses of backfat showed no significant differences except in linoleic and linolenic acids, for which boars and gilts had higher percentages than barrows. Detectable sexual odor on cooking was judged to be present in 56% of boar carcasses. If procedures to eliminate sexual odor can be developed, boars offer promise as market animals, particularly if they are fed relatively high protein diets.


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## highlands

Well, that's contrary to my years experience and thousands of pigs of experience but they're a scientific journal so who's to argue.

Okay, here's the argument, other scientific journals have reported the opposite: that boars are the leanest, fastest growing and best converters of feed to meat; barrows are about 10% slower and gilts are 10% slower than barrows and fattier.

Believe what you want. I'll take the science I've read and my years of experience which says gilts are the fattiest and slowest growing. I have some customers who pay extra to get big gilts because they want that extra fat. Everyone can have their preference.


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## Fineswine

I expected we would have a different outlook on this Walter.But I take my own experience wich is not the same as yours,or this from The Journal of Animal Science,or the Story book on hog raising(written by one of the most experienced hog farmers in the Mid West,and writter of over 1o other books),over your experience.They all agree as well that boar taint is not a "myth",like you do and promote on your site.We use livestock trailers and you use a mini-van....what Im trying to say is everyone doesnt have the same experience as you and just because you belive somthing different doesnt make it the "gospel".And before you come back with a bunch of big words and a few links to your site just know your comment still wont outweigh my experience.Now I agree a gilt grows slower,but a barrow grows fattier,at least for 20 years in Virginia before any internet or websites they have.


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