# AGH butchering experience and results



## "SPIKE" (Dec 7, 2011)

I post this in hopes that it may help others and so you guys that are old hands at this can possibly have something to laugh at.

These American Guinea Hogs are my first experience with pigs. I did not want a large pig, but I still let these 2 get bigger that intended. I knew these were lard pigs, but I guess I still did not expect that volume of fat. I had not butchered anything bigger than a chicken in probably 20 years.

Anyway, armed with this video on skinning ([ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox8RXIW5r1Q]How to slaughter a pig Part 3: Skinning a hog - YouTube[/ame]), the butchering videos posted by Mountain Mick in HIghland's DVD thread that is a sticky, some sharp knives, and a desire to harvest this pork I took the plunge.
The AGH tractor I built worked well to get the pigs to the desired location for stunning with 22 and then bleeding. Everyone was calm and all went well.
The guy in the skinning video made it look so easy, but that is what people with experience do! I lost a lot fat and a lot of my belly. What he did in 31 minutes took me probably 3 hours.
I cleaned my carpenters hand saw and used it to cut bone on the first pig. It was tough cutting. for the second pig, I purchased a japanese type saw that cuts on the pull stroke. It worked really well.
*I highly recomend having assistance if it is at all possible. I know this because almost everything I do here I have to do by myself. * It is hard to do anything else, once you have your hands in pig.
My 76 year old mother was visiting during the first butchering. She help raise the family pig when she was young and was great help. Good moral support, helped a lot with grinding for sausage, and she got excited about the lard rendering. She is an ole country girl. Just having a clean pair of hands around to get things is good, even if they do not help with the butchering.

(Be right back)
SPIKE


----------



## enggass (Nov 23, 2011)

Didn't by chance take pics, did you? How are you going to hang? I am facing the same thing in the Spring. Really want to do it myself. My to barrows are 6 months old now.


----------



## "SPIKE" (Dec 7, 2011)

Once mostly skinned and the breast was split with the saw, I picked the pig up with my tractor frontend loader. completed the skinning, secured the rectum to avoid contamination, and completed the eviceration. That did not go as easily as expected either. Seemed there was connecting tissues that I expected holding parts in place. There was way more fat in the body cavity than I expected also. Used 5 gal buckets to save fat as I went to keep it from getting contaminated. *Have plenty of rags on hand especially if you do not have help! * Once I got the fat all over my hands, it was like being handicapped. You can not do much else once you get all up in the pig. That fat just does not come off easily.
Finally finished this step and washed the pig off and out. This made a huge mess in the yard, so I had to move the tractor before continueing. Most of the excess external fat was cut off at this time. This partially filled three 5 gal buckets. 

The day before, I had purchased an old refrigerator to chill the meat down in. After splitting down the backbone, each piece had to be cut into 3 parts to fit into the refrigerator. It was a good thing it was cool that day. Of course that was way too much meat for the refrigerator to handle. 
On hand I had an old freezer I purchased for $20 a while back, mainly just to use for secure storage. Well it still worked and I had plugged it in the day before. So most of the meat was moved to it.
With the meat secured, it took me another 1 1/2 hours to clean up the mess in the yard and dispose of unwanted partsd properly.

(I'll be back)
SPIKE


----------



## "SPIKE" (Dec 7, 2011)

The next afternoon, The meat was cut up. Some of it was in recognizable butcher parts. LOL And a lot of it was just parts! I took me quit a while to cut the meat up as I did try to remember what I had watched on the videos. I think being smaller, it just did not look the same especially the middle section. Having the proper tools would help a lot also. The butcher just walks over to the bandsaw and has no problem just cutting through all the ribs and spine bones. LOL
All the parts were wrapped and put into the freezer. The parts were ground and made in a sausage like product. Mother had the best time renduring the lard. She has had done all of this as a child and it seemed to bring back a lot of good memories for her. Ended up with 6 large coffee cans of nice looking lard. One ham and what middlings I did not ruin during skinning were saved for curing. I had seen some Mortons Sugar cure ina store a couple of months ago a bought it for future use.

The second pig I butchered a couple days later. 

*I'm not sure I am happy with the results though!? * 

First was a gilt. Estimated 220 to 230 pounds.
Ended up with 95 pounds of meat/bones and 6 large coffee cans of lard (did not weigh fat).
Liver was the only organ meat kept.
Discarded hide, head, trotters and all other organs.

Second was a Barrow. Estimated 240 pounds.
96 pounds meat/bones
48 pounds fat to be rendured.

SPIKE


----------



## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Ouch. That is a painful yield.

On the hide, you can slice it up to long strips, roll them tight and bake them (or not) for excellent dog treats.


----------



## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

We always scalded and scraped our guinea hogs. Actually that is the way we did all breeds. The guinea hogs were butchered for their lard only. The meat wasn't much and was not the best quality.
We kept a few guinea pigs as we free ranged them and it didn't cost anything to feed them out. When we were going to pay for feed we wanted something that would be worth the cost of feed.


----------



## lexa (Mar 30, 2012)

Thank you for posting this, Spike!
That is a lot of fat! are you planing to make soap out of it?
I am learning about AGH hogs for when we have a homestead. I was a bit discouraged by reading people saying that AGH are a waist of time and feed. If you are only after their meat, the numbers you ended up with are not very promising. However, reading about your experience drives the importance of using the whole animal with all the body parts to make raising AGHs a satisfying experience for me.
Trotters make nice aspic and there are some yummy things that you could do with heads and skin can be turned into rawhides for dogs. And I could use the fat for soap making and homemade salo.


----------



## "SPIKE" (Dec 7, 2011)

I try to share my adventures so that it may help others in some way. It is factual, use it how you wish in your journey.

I have been thinking about adding soap making to my homesteading resume. With that much lard, it just seems like the thing to do. I hear it (lye soap) is a big seller at Dollywood! LOL

SPIKE


----------



## "SPIKE" (Dec 7, 2011)

enggass said:


> Didn't by chance take pics, did you? How are you going to hang? I am facing the same thing in the Spring. Really want to do it myself. My to barrows are 6 months old now.


Sorry, no pictures. You should definately experience doing it yourself.

SPIKE


----------



## gerold (Jul 18, 2011)

Thanks for sharing. Nice job. 
I butchered 700-800 lb. Duroc/Berkshire boar in the Spring. 
Skinning went easy. Had him on the front loader of my tractor.
Let him hang for one day and then cut him up the next day.
Made a lot of sausage and some good cuts of meat. 
I used a regular meat cutting hand saw something like a hack saw 
only about twice the size.

The hard part was getting him to stand still long enough to 
shoot him in the brain. That done, everything went ok.

Best,
Gerold.


----------



## Laura Workman (May 10, 2002)

Spike, do you have any pictures of the hogs before they were butchered? It would be useful to see what kind of condition they looked to be in (read: how fat they were) when they produced that much lard.


----------



## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Agree, I would love to see them pre-butchery.


----------



## "SPIKE" (Dec 7, 2011)

The only pictures I have were of them in the AGH tractor.




























SPIKE


----------



## "SPIKE" (Dec 7, 2011)

These pigs did not appear to be excessively fat, but all I have ever seen to compare it too is a couple of fat PBPs I saw in my past.
These I butchered did not have any fat rolls or folds in the skin. They had some nice jowls, but were not giant or extra floppy. Their bellies were not close to dragging the ground. They were not extra wide. 
I wish I had better pictures. Let me know what you think about their condition from viewing the pictures.

Thanks for the input. I am gathering facts to determine if I need to change my thoughts on what hogs to raise.
I will be measureing feed closely today to try to determine more accurately my cost to get this meat.
I'm not sure what value to put on the fat/lard.

SPIKE


----------



## Laura Workman (May 10, 2002)

Wow! They seem to be in pretty good condition, not particularly fat, like you said. Did they look like that when you butchered them as well, or had they fattened up some after a couple weeks snarfing up acorns?

Actually, those look a lot like the boys I'm planning to butcher soon, but bigger overall, as mine are just eight months old. How thick was the back fat on your pigs, please? And are you pretty sure about your live weights? (Trying to decide if mine really need a diet before butchering.) 

Thanks so much!


----------



## ONG2 (Sep 22, 2010)

Lexa don't be discouraged, if you subtract pancho from the nay sayers you will find very few individuals that do no like the AGH. Yes they don't produce as good a ratio of meat to body weight as some hogs, and yes they grow slower but they grow cheap! They cost next to nothing to raise as they need little if any grain, will get fat on pasture, and the meat is excellent. They are great mothers and easy to farrow. Also they will come up and have a conversation with you just to get their head scratched. 

One of the considerations that we gave to the AGH was their size and temperament. We simply butcher more at a time to get our years worth of pork. 




lexa said:


> Thank you for posting this, Spike!
> That is a lot of fat! are you planing to make soap out of it?
> I am learning about AGH hogs for when we have a homestead. I was a bit discouraged by reading people saying that AGH are a waist of time and feed. If you are only after their meat, the numbers you ended up with are not very promising. However, reading about your experience drives the importance of using the whole animal with all the body parts to make raising AGHs a satisfying experience for me.
> Trotters make nice aspic and there are some yummy things that you could do with heads and skin can be turned into rawhides for dogs. And I could use the fat for soap making and homemade salo.


----------



## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

ONG2 said:


> Lexa don't be discouraged, if you subtract pancho from the nay sayers you will find very few individuals that do no like the AGH. Yes they don't produce as good a ratio of meat to body weight as some hogs, and yes they grow slower but they grow cheap! They cost next to nothing to raise as they need little if any grain, will get fat on pasture, and the meat is excellent. They are great mothers and easy to farrow. Also they will come up and have a conversation with you just to get their head scratched.
> 
> One of the considerations that we gave to the AGH was their size and temperament. We simply butcher more at a time to get our years worth of pork.


Guinea hogs were a favorite of mine.
I just try to tell the truth about them.
They are a lard hog. They are not a meat hog.
That is a fact.
Like I said, we free ranged ours. The feed didn't cost anything.
We free ranged our other hogs. Their feed didn't cost anything.
When we butchered we would do a guinea hog for the lard and another breed for meat.
The cost for feed was the same, zero.
The guinea hog furnished a lot of lard. The other breeds furnished a lot of meat.
Some people like lard. The guinea hog would be a very good choice for them.
Some people like meat rather than lard. The guinea hog would not be a good choice for them.

Most people choose an animal bred for the purpose they want to use the animal for. It is much easier to do that and the results are better than choosing an animal that is bred for a completely different thing than what you want.

The choice is your.
Like I said, some people like lard.


----------



## siletz (Oct 5, 2010)

Spike - thank you for this post. Can you tell me how old your AGH were? We have a couple 7 month olds and 1 that just turned a year old. They are no where near that big. We're looking at wintering them over just to get a usable amount of meat out of them.


----------



## Copperhead (Sep 12, 2011)

Thanks for the pics! I think I'm going to borrow your pig tractor design 

I'm also raising 2 AGH gilts. Been feeding them along a York gilt long enough to notice that the AGH are too fat on the same feed that makes a York too thin. 

Can't wait for Spring so I can put them on pasture!


----------



## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

The live hogs look really fat to me. You can cut down the amount of fat by controlling the feed they get and not feeding fattening foods like corn or bread.

If they are free ranging and feeding themselves, so that it costs you nothing to feed them, then you can just throw all the fat away, or give it away, if you don't have a use for it. It didn't cost you anything. If you have paid full feed prices for that fat, then you have a right to be unhappy.

Heads should not be thrown out until the cheeks and jowls have been trimmed out, That is good meat and it goes into sausage.

With farm animals more feed is _not_ better. Portions must be controlled and the weight and growth of the animal carefully controlled, if there is to be any hope of raising meat for any sort of reasonable cost.


----------



## lexa (Mar 30, 2012)

ONG2 said:


> Lexa don't be discouraged, if you subtract pancho from the nay sayers you will find very few individuals that do no like the AGH. Yes they don't produce as good a ratio of meat to body weight as some hogs, and yes they grow slower but they grow cheap! They cost next to nothing to raise as they need little if any grain, will get fat on pasture, and the meat is excellent. They are great mothers and easy to farrow. Also they will come up and have a conversation with you just to get their head scratched.
> 
> One of the considerations that we gave to the AGH was their size and temperament. We simply butcher more at a time to get our years worth of pork.


I know. I was just a bit stuck on the "usable" meat aspect. But besides meat they would provide other products and outputs (usable to me) and we don't eat that much meat anyway.


----------



## bonnie in indiana (May 10, 2002)

great post/thread


----------



## "SPIKE" (Dec 7, 2011)

Laura Jensen said:


> Wow! They seem to be in pretty good condition, not particularly fat, like you said. Did they look like that when you butchered them as well, or had they fattened up some after a couple weeks snarfing up acorns?
> 
> Actually, those look a lot like the boys I'm planning to butcher soon, but bigger overall, as mine are just eight months old. How thick was the back fat on your pigs, please? And are you pretty sure about your live weights? (Trying to decide if mine really need a diet before butchering.)
> 
> Thanks so much!


The above pictures were taken just days before the butchering day.
When cutting the back fat away, I remember thinking that "these guys should never even feel the cold with that much insulation". LOL I did not measure the thickness and to be sure to not give wrong info, I will not guess but I will say that it was for sure over an inch thick.
Live weight was calculated with length measurement of 40 inches and a girth of 47 to 48 inches.

SPIKE


----------



## "SPIKE" (Dec 7, 2011)

siletz said:


> Spike - thank you for this post. Can you tell me how old your AGH were? We have a couple 7 month olds and 1 that just turned a year old. They are no where near that big. We're looking at wintering them over just to get a usable amount of meat out of them.


These were around 19 month old. I never intended for them to get that old before butchering. They were to be butchered at the end of last winter. Well, when it turned warm in Feburary, I started working on early garden and thought that when the next cold spell hit I would get back to the butchering project. The cold never came back last winter. It just kept getting warmer and before I knew it, it was to warm and bugs/flies were around. 
I do not remember why I think this, or where I heard it, but I think before of around a year of age is optimal butchering age for these guys.
I still have 3 here from last springs farrowing that are also around 7 months old. They need to be butchered before this winter is over.

SPIKE


----------



## "SPIKE" (Dec 7, 2011)

Copperhead said:


> Thanks for the pics! I think I'm going to borrow your pig tractor design
> 
> I'm also raising 2 AGH gilts. Been feeding them along a York gilt long enough to notice that the AGH are too fat on the same feed that makes a York too thin.
> 
> Can't wait for Spring so I can put them on pasture!


You are welcome and I am glad you can use the design.
If the AGHs have been eating with a york, I bet they could be getting fat. They are such pigs!

SPIKE


----------



## "SPIKE" (Dec 7, 2011)

lexa said:


> I know. I was just a bit stuck on the "usable" meat aspect. But besides meat they would provide other products and outputs (usable to me) and we don't eat that much meat anyway.


Yes, do not let me discourage you. AGHs do have a lot of good characteristics. I am disappointed with the meat to weight ratio, but if butchered at the age I intended, it may not be as bad. 
I knew they were lard hogs, but I never found any information that stated the fat would be 20% or more of live weight. They are easy to work with and I am still learning about them. I do not want or need a big pig. There are only 2 of us here and a MIL type next door. I am only one and do not have the time to process every part into a usable item. My ancestors, only a couple of generations ago, were the type to use everything but the squeal. You can come get all the extra parts!

SPIKE


----------



## Laura Workman (May 10, 2002)

Thanks for all the great info, Spike! (Off to measure my pigs!)


----------



## enggass (Nov 23, 2011)

Check this link out. View the slide show "Processing a Hog". You can see in a couple of the pics about 2" of fat. 1 year old AGH. 
"50 pounds of boneless meat off our Guinea Hog - tenderloins, loins, 3 small roasts, fatback, bacon, sausage and bratwurst. "

Bluefield Acres: Putting American Guinea Hog Back on the Table

Steve


----------



## KIT.S (Oct 8, 2008)

Yup, those look just like American Guinea Hogs! My boys were 11 months when butchered. The pic below is about 9.5 months. Next time I want to find and add more selenium to their diets. Our area is deficient and I understand it's essential to making meat instead of fat. I, too, thought the fat was excessive, but ours are raised on pasture, brewer's grain, veggies and fruit leftovers, so essentially free food. Still, it would be nice to increase the meat-to-fat ratio.
Mom is the 2nd on the right - the slightly bigger pig. 1-day-old is in the background.
Kit


----------



## enggass (Nov 23, 2011)

What else can be fed to promote meat vs. fat?


----------



## "SPIKE" (Dec 7, 2011)

enggass said:


> Check this link out. View the slide show "Processing a Hog". You can see in a couple of the pics about 2" of fat. 1 year old AGH.
> "50 pounds of boneless meat off our Guinea Hog - tenderloins, loins, 3 small roasts, fatback, bacon, sausage and bratwurst. "
> 
> Bluefield Acres: Putting American Guinea Hog Back on the Table
> ...


Thanks for the link. I do remember seeing that a couple of years ago, but had forgotten. My numbers may be typical and my amount of fat may not be out of line.

SPIKE


----------



## "SPIKE" (Dec 7, 2011)

KIT.S said:


> Yup, those look just like American Guinea Hogs! My boys were 11 months when butchered. The pic below is about 9.5 months. Next time I want to find and add more selenium to their diets. Our area is deficient and I understand it's essential to making meat instead of fat. I, too, thought the fat was excessive, but ours are raised on pasture, brewer's grain, veggies and fruit leftovers, so essentially free food. Still, it would be nice to increase the meat-to-fat ratio.
> Mom is the 2nd on the right - the slightly bigger pig. 1-day-old is in the background.
> Kit


Thanks for the picture and the info. Where are the rest of the 1 day olds. LOL
These little guys do learn to get around fast.

SPIKE


----------



## enggass (Nov 23, 2011)

[QUOTE="SPIKE";6294052]Thanks for the link. I do remember seeing that a couple of years ago, but had forgotten. My numbers may be typical and my amount of fat may not be out of line.

SPIKE[/QUOTE]

That's what I was thinking... 

Question: Did you shave the hair at all? I plan on scalding one section at a time with boiling water - I found a link online saying that was another way as opposed to scalding the whole pig at once at a lower temp... (maybe you mentioned and I should go back and read the initial post)


----------



## "SPIKE" (Dec 7, 2011)

enggass said:


> That's what I was thinking...
> 
> Question: Did you shave the hair at all? I plan on scalding one section at a time with boiling water - I found a link online saying that was another way as opposed to scalding the whole pig at once at a lower temp... (maybe you mentioned and I should go back and read the initial post)


I skinned them both. If you have not watched the skinning vidoe I posted a link to, watch it even if just for fun. That guy was good at what he did. With that much fat under the skin, I see no reason to scald. The skin will be remove later anyway and I do not have a use for the skin. Not even a dog to make rawhide for.

SPIKE


----------



## siletz (Oct 5, 2010)

Spike - what did you feed your AGH? My pigs are not nearly as big as yours. They've had pasture and an all-breed pellet this past summer along with odds and ends from around here. I don't have access to bread or milk. I have not been happy so far with how slow mine seem to be growing.


----------



## enggass (Nov 23, 2011)

siletz said:


> Spike - what did you feed your AGH? My pigs are not nearly as big as yours. They've had pasture and an all-breed pellet this past summer along with odds and ends from around here. I don't have access to bread or milk. I have not been happy so far with how slow mine seem to be growing.


How old are yours now and about how big are they? I have 2 barrows at 6 months old and wonder how big they should be as well...???


----------



## siletz (Oct 5, 2010)

enggass said:


> How old are yours now and about how big are they? I have 2 barrows at 6 months old and wonder how big they should be as well...???


I have two that are 7 months old, a barrow and a gilt. I also have a 1 year old gilt. In the picture, the 1 year old is in the middle with the 2 7 month olds on either side. How do these compare with yours?


----------



## enggass (Nov 23, 2011)

Hi there - it's always hard to tell from pictures but from what it looks like I would say that my 2 barrows that are almost exactly 6 months old are at least as big as your 7 month old barrow. One about the same and one a bit bigger... hard to tell though. Best way would be for us to get their weight. (Length X Girth x Girth in inches) divided by 400 I believe gives you approximate lbs.... I haven't done that yet - am going to try tomorrow.


----------



## dlskidmore (Apr 18, 2012)

Just wanted to thank everyone for a very informative thread. I've found that there are two American Guinea Hog breeders in my area even. Besides ham and bacon, I mostly would be after lard on a pig, so I find this a very promising breed. After making pie with lard and tallow, I'll never go back... Grass fed tallow is healthier than lard, but around here the grass fed beef is too lean to net much suet. I had to render up my short ribs for thanksgiving pies.


----------



## KIT.S (Oct 8, 2008)

Hey, Spike, the other 1-day-olds were less adverturesome and were tucked away in the hut. I swear, the one in the pic is the same one I can't catch now! That is the one thing I have the most trouble with the AGH - the babies are so small that they squeeze through the cattle-panel fence until they're months old. However, it is hilarious to watch older piglets get stuck halfway with their back legs pumping and their pudgy tummies squished into the fence holes!
Kit


----------



## "SPIKE" (Dec 7, 2011)

siletz said:


> Spike - what did you feed your AGH? My pigs are not nearly as big as yours. They've had pasture and an all-breed pellet this past summer along with odds and ends from around here. I don't have access to bread or milk. I have not been happy so far with how slow mine seem to be growing.


I mentioned the feed I use in my "how much feed is enough" thread. Would like to have more input on that thread about amounts of feed people use.

SPIKE


----------



## "SPIKE" (Dec 7, 2011)

KIT.S said:


> Hey, Spike, the other 1-day-olds were less adverturesome and were tucked away in the hut. I swear, the one in the pic is the same one I can't catch now! That is the one thing I have the most trouble with the AGH - the babies are so small that they squeeze through the cattle-panel fence until they're months old. However, it is hilarious to watch older piglets get stuck halfway with their back legs pumping and their pudgy tummies squished into the fence holes!
> Kit


My perimeter fence is sheep and goat fence with 4" square openings. I am always pleased when they get big enough to not get through it, for their own safety.
They are really funny squeezing through the cattle panels. I have one area that I use to feed the little ones when they get to weaning age. I have a piece of cattle panel for a gate into it, so the older pigs can not get to this feed. It is installed with the bigger openings at the bottom and at one point in time, I did cut one of the wire on the panel to make the opening a bit bigger.

SPIKE


----------



## Farmerboy16 (Dec 4, 2012)

enggass said:


> What else can be fed to promote meat vs. fat?


Milk? I am new to this breed(well sorta, had them since April, and like them so far!) This my first time to raise hogs, and this my first winter with them. I work at a dairy farm, so I bring home about 15 gallons of treated milk for free every day for 18 greedy hogs. 1 breeder boar, 3 pregnant sows, 1 year old pregnant glit, and 13 June born piglets. Since giving them milk, I have notice the piglets are growing faster. Maybe milk is the key?


----------



## M88A1 (May 21, 2012)

Photo 1 is our AGH he was 254 live weight and he was 11 months old. Photo 2 is him with the Hereford feeders that were 227 & 211 live weight. I will post hanging wight and what we end up with.


----------

