# I found testicles!



## Deschamps_Farm (Jul 19, 2008)

So, I've written here before and I'm back with more questions. I was very surprised last week when I went out to feed me feeder pigs (Porkchop & Applesauce - a yorkshire & tamwoth/yorkshire mixes) and saw a swollen area under my castrated piglets rectum. :grit:Turned out to be to testicles! :nono:Well, the farmer I purchased them from in June was very apologetic and he didn't have anything to swap and certainley didn't want to refund any money - so I had the piglet castrated anyway because I didn't want to start breeding (this year anyway) how bad is the meat going to taste. A farmer in town told me the testicles drop around 4 months of age which means I must've purchased the pigs at 4 or 6 weeks old and not eight. The butcher appointment was moved from November to January because I don't think they will be at 150 or 200 by Nov. What kind of shelter will they need from the snow now that we'll be having them in the colder months, right now they share an extra large igloo dog house in a 6'X6' pen? ---- testicles.


----------



## germanbini (Jan 3, 2005)

We butchered a hog a couple of months ago, he was never castrated and was at least 6 or more months old. The meat tasted just fine. I don't think you need to worry.


----------



## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

Deschamps_Farm said:


> A farmer in town told me the testicles drop around 4 months of age...


This is incorrect.

I'm not sure why you hadn't noticed them before, but a pig's testicles are usually clearly visible from day one.


----------



## BDB (Feb 26, 2005)

you should have noticed them before there always there they never drop I have castrated pigs at a week old


----------



## Deschamps_Farm (Jul 19, 2008)

Do pigs ever have retained testicles? I pet & rub down my feeders everyday and never felt testicles. They are very easy to work with and practically listen like our dogs. Easy to transport, deworm , etc. The farmer thought he had inguinal hernias, but they were surely testicles!


----------



## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Pigs can have retained testicles. It is called cryptoorchid. See:

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/blog/2007/02/of-boar-balls-crypto-orchids.html

That shows photos of normal and abnormal boars.

Also see:

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/blog/2006/07/essential-differences-pig-spotting.html

Boar balls don't hang very low and the thing about a date for them dropping is simply incorrect.

The meat should be fine. We don't castrate our boars. It is a minority of the boars that have taint in the meat. Even sows can get it. It has a lot to do with genetics, management and feed. See these articles:

[ame]http://www.google.com/search?&q=site%3Asugarmtnfarm.com+boar+taint[/ame]

Castrate if you like. Be aware that in some cases it can cause death from a hernia. We've had that twice. Part of why we avoid castrating unless a customer insists and then we charge $25 for it.

Cheers,

Walter Jeffries
Sugar Mountain Farm LLC
Pastured Pigs in Vermont
---
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/blog
http://hollygraphicart.com
http://NoNAIS.org


----------



## Deschamps_Farm (Jul 19, 2008)

Highlands, once again, thank you. I used the term retained testicles thinking not everyone would know the correct medical terminology, but yes checking out the link to the website you sent me - he was indeed a bilateral crypt-orchid. You just learn so much more from experience as opposed to text books.:dance:


----------



## farmergirl (Aug 2, 2005)

Just a comment about the risk Highlands mentioned above. I don't produce nearly as many hogs as he does, but I can tell you from personal experience, after having castrated dozens and dozens of pigs myself, I have never had one that had any trouble healing. Only oddity at all was one barrow who bleed on and off a little for about a day. After that, he was fine, and they all hit the ground running as soon as the surgery is completed.


----------



## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

I've seen cryptorchid stallions and heard of cryptorchid dogs, but this is the first time I've ever heard of a cryptorchid boar.

That's a new one on me.


----------



## Terri (May 10, 2002)

Deschamps, how cold does it get where you live? Since you are moving the slaughter date, this might matter!


----------



## Deschamps_Farm (Jul 19, 2008)

Good amount of snow not uncommon to get up to 6' at a time. We experiencing some atypical cold weather all ready so we've given them lots of straw for bedding and increased the quantity of food since all animals burn more calories trying to keep warm in cold weather. My barn is currently occupied with most of my mother's worldly possessions since she just moved in with us. My husband was thinking of building a shelter over the igloo we are using right now because it would never go to waste. We've had our first frost all ready! Any other suggestions?...


----------

