# Pig butchering question - HANGING?



## DutchAcres (Jun 11, 2008)

Hi folks,

I'm looking for ideas on how to safely and easily hang a pig for a day before cutting it up. I usually do this when the day time high temperature is between 32 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and not freezing overnight.

I've been using the loader on my tractor to pick them up with a gambrel between the hind legs after the pig has been shot and bled out. Then I scrub the outside with a hot soapy water and a stiff bristle brush. 

Then I skin them and let them hang from the loader bucket on the gambrel. I pull the tractor into the garage and let them hang at least overnight to firm up before cutting them up in the morning. 

Here's the problem; when they're hanging on the gambrel, and I cut them down the center of the spine to the neck with the meat saw, they kind of swing and sway once the cut is finished. I'm nervous about dropping a half, though I haven't yet.

Can anyone recommend a different set-up? Can you post pictures of the devices you use to lift and hang a pig during butchering? 

I don't currently have anything built in the garage that I can hang a whole or half pig from, but I was thinking of using untreated 4x4 lumber and some heavy pipe to make up a kind of hanging rack about 8 feet wide and 4 feet deep, about 8 feet off the ground. Ideas? Thanks a bunch!


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## cooper101 (Sep 13, 2010)

Do you cut them completely in half or leave the sides attached at the neck? If you leave it attached, it won't sway so much because the gambrel will be better balanced.

You could also use 2 different hooks. Before you cut them in half, attach a separate hook to each leg, then cut, then remove the gambrel. Then each half will just hang independently.

A half pig isn't that heavy. Rafters should hold it.


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

DutchAcres said:


> Here's the problem; when they're hanging on the gambrel, and I cut them down the center of the spine to the neck with the meat saw, they kind of swing and sway once the cut is finished. I'm nervous about dropping a half, though I haven't yet.


I don't have a gambrel so when I slaughter on-farm for our family or the dogs I use a grab chain on each hind leg to hooks on either end of the tractor bucket. This pulls the carcass apart and avoids the problem of dropping a half. There is a photo on this page:

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/2006/03/28/boar-meat/

Note that is is very not USDA approved for sale - not sanitary enough so don't be going selling meat you've done this way. In an emergency for self and dogs it has never cause a problem. Note the weather in the photo.


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## Opal Mae (Sep 8, 2020)

Hi Dutch Acres ~ we use a similar setup with the tractor bucket, but I believe my husband takes some heavy gauge wire and connects the two chains so that when we saw the carcass in half we don't risk losing part of it to the ground. We then take our carcasses down to the root cellar and hand for several days to a week if the temperature is right. To hang we cut through on the rear legs between the bone and tendon and use a hook made out of heavy gauge wire.

Hope this helps.


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

I have the exact same challenge, but usually have some help. We saw then all the way down to last inch or two of cut, then make sure someone is holding and balancing the other halves, before they are completely split in two. Three people works great. One does the cutting and sawing, one balances and takes the first front quarter after it's removed while the third keeps balancing things till person #2 comes back for the other quarters.
In the absence of help, I would put each side on a seperate hook, so they may swing around some, but can't fall off the end of the gambrel. I've also seen some gambrels that have much better hooks on each end so the halves / quarters can't fall off if the gambrel badly tilts one way. I really need to make or buy one of these.

You can use just about anything for a hanging structure, and the loader works great (although they say never get under raised hydraulics).
At my hunting cabin I built sort of a "swing set" type structure out of treated lumber with little cable boat trailer winches to hoist deer with. Have use tree limbs many times also.


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

I have found having a table or workbench and a tarp beneath the loader has helped catch anything that I didn't want hitting the ground. I have also used galvanized tubs on occasion.


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