Farmerchick,
Cool!!!!!!!!! What kind were your favorite? We raised all Landrace. We had one sow, one second she wanted you to scratch her, and she would sway back and forth and grunt while you did, and then, the next second, she'd swipe around and bite you. Lanced open my thumb once.
My favorite thing was if you have to vet a full grown hog. If you've raised hogs, you know that there is only one place that you can really get a needle in when they are full grown - and that puts you right in the biting range.
(the only looser skin is by the jowls, for those who don't know).
We had built big strong pens with railing around the edges - but, we just lost so many that first year - we were in the hole. I don't like leaving them in the farrowing crates 24/7, so we fashioned a way to place the farrowing crate so that they could go outside and ramble, but not the babies. And as soon as the babies knew enough to get out of her way, then the farrowing crates came out.
I'm giggling here just thinking about our "newbie" year - I had always had hogs for 4H, but never bred any. The first time I saw the first momma in labor, I thought she was dying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I called the guy we bought them from at 3 am, because of it. He laughed at me, and told me thats what they look like when they go into labor. (for any that don't know, they lay out on the floor, look like they are dying, and shake like they are having a seizure or something).
Peta is not anyone's friend, I agree - I swear they get their information from Walt Disney Productions.
What is sad is that people REALLY believe them, and they think they are doing the right things and helping animals. When the truth is, folks who depend on animals for their living and/or income - do everything in their power to make their animals as healthy and comfortable as possible. (and yes, I know there is always the bad apples).
I have actually watched a group "save" some horses (and I did horse rescue, and God knows there is a difference), from a "kill pen" auction, and then all 28 horses were euthanized. Duh? And, just so there is no mistake, both groups kill them with a well-placed shot to the head. The only time a big animal is "euthanized" with drugs, is after you have called your vet, you spent $800.00 or more, and then the vet gives the horse a shot. Meanwhile, the animal that is going to die is suffering while someone is trying to save a lost cause. (read that, the vet is collecting your money) Then you have to figure out how to dispose of it, because not everyone has a backhoe and enough unused space to bury a 1000+ pound animal. Not to misunderstand though, I firmly believe in vetting any animals that can benefit from medicine. We have spent lots of money "saving" horses that we knew could be saved. Horses that were mistreated, starved, etc. But, that's different than trying to "save" a horse with obvious medical problems that cannot be fixed. (like melanomas, other cancers, advanced heaves - etc.)
Beth
This has no basis in fact, it is a nightmare dreamed up by some Peta maniac, of which they all may qualify. An opinion that assumes human experience and feelings in a bear. Come on dude,, you are more logical than that!
