Why pig castration is needed, how and at what age it is carried out?
Pig breeding is relatively easy to do, but even in this business, beginners always have questions, and one of the most common: is pig castration necessary? And if necessary, at what age should it be carried out, and is it possible to carry out this procedure on your own?
What age is the most suitable for castration?
Generally speaking, both small pigs and adult boars at any age can be castrated. But the younger the pig, the easier it is to endure the operation, and the castration of boars in adulthood is fraught with complications. Therefore, pig breeders generally try to castrate boars for up to one and a half to two months.
Although some castrate little piglets three to five days old, explaining this by the fact that at such an early age the operation for piglets is the least traumatic, blood loss is negligible, the wound heals very quickly and without consequences, and the animals themselves are much less resistant.
You can castrate both small pigs and adult boars at any age
Experts recommend neutering boars five days before taking them away from the sow, so that the wound has time to heal before the young are transferred to separate enclosures. In addition, according to research by scientists, piglets castrated at one week of age grow more slowly than those who were castrated at two weeks.
In whatever time frame you plan to castration, remember that boars intended for bacon fattening must be subjected to surgery before they reach two months of age. And animals raised for fattening are castrated no later than six months, otherwise the already manifested sexual instincts persist even after the removal of the gonads, and group pigs becomes difficult.
How To Castrate A Hog
What gives pig castration?
Since as a result of castration, the sexual activity of pigs completely stops (the gonads are removed), you need to determine in advance which pigs should be left for further reproduction, and which ones you will feed for meat. these are the ones that should be castrated.
When non-castrated boars become castrated hogs, their inherent increased aggressiveness disappears, the animals become calmer.
In growing boars, under the influence of sex hormones, substances such as testosterone and skatole begin to form in the body, which impregnate all boar meat with a specific smell. It is unlikely that you have ever tasted the meat of uncastrated boar, otherwise you would well remember how unpleasant it smells when cooked. With the removal of the testicles, where the hormones responsible for the “fragrance” of the boar are formed, the characteristic smell disappears, and the meat becomes quite suitable for eating.
In addition, after the castration procedure, the piglets’ metabolism and the biochemical composition of the blood completely change, due to which they feed better, the pork turns out to be tender, soft, and contains more fatty layers. Neutering pigs is profitable, because neutering requires less feed for weight gain, and their meat is more appreciated by consumers.
One cannot fail to note the positive influence of castration on the character of pigs: when non-castrated boars become castrated hogs, their inherent increased aggressiveness disappears, the animals become calmer.
How is pig castration carried out?
If you intend to castrate the pig on your own without using the pen, you will need an assistant who will hold the animal tightly.
The best option is to entrust the castration of pigs to a veterinarian or an experienced person who has a special machine for this purpose. Small pigs do not need to be pain relieved, but a local pain reliever can be used. For adult boars, azaperone (4% solution) is used intramuscularly.
Piglets are castrated in an open way, cutting the scrotum so that the testis comes out of it. The transitional ligament is separated with a scalpel or finger and a ligature (sterile suture without a needle) is applied to the spermatic cord, removing it at a distance of one and a half centimeters from the ligature.
For the castration of adult boars and pigs with hernias, a closed method is used, which dispenses with opening the vaginal membrane. Instead, it is dissected from the surrounding tissue using a gauze pad. Then, at the inguinal ring, a suture is applied to the spermatic cord and the testis is cut off below it.
If you intend to castrate the pig on your own without using the pen, you will need an assistant who will hold the animal tightly. Castration is carried out at home as follows:
- the pig is fixed by putting his back on his knees, or by holding his hind legs and holding his head between his knees;
- the castrating one captures the scrotum and pulls it so that it is convenient to cut the skin parallel to the white strip;
- having made an incision, the testicle is squeezed out of the membranes, separating it from the transitional ligament;
- holding the testicle with the left hand, the spermatic cord firmly grab the fingers of the right hand as low as possible and cut it off;
- do the same with the second testicle;
- after the operation, the wounds are treated with tincture of iodine.
After the operation, the wounds are treated with tincture of iodine
How pigs are castrated at home, the video will give you a clearer idea. But remember that pigs with scrotal hernia or testicular abnormalities are best sent to a specialist for castration. And if you have planned vaccination and deworming of pigs, they should be carried out no earlier than two weeks after castration.
Methods for neutering pigs
In large farms, it is possible to emasculate animals by various methods:
- Chemical;
- Mechanical;
- Radiological;
- Surgical.
With the exception of the surgical one, all methods are bloodless and quite expensive. Therefore, in the conditions of small farms and private farmsteads, the most popular is the surgical method, which is carried out in 2 ways:
- Closed. It is used for the castration of adults or very large animals, as well as in the presence of an inguinal hernia. Slaughter is carried out after 2 months. after the procedure. Vaccination is possible no earlier than 2 weeks later. During the operation, the vaginal membrane is not opened. With a sterile gauze swab, the membrane is separated from the surrounding tissues. Near the inguinal ring, a ligature is applied to the spermatic cord, capturing the vaginal membrane. The testes are cut off below the ligature. A similar procedure is carried out with the second testis;
- Open. Otherwise. breaking off the spermatic cord. This method is applicable to piglets up to 6 months of age. age. For the procedure, a special machine is used, which allows the animal to be fixed in a motionless and comfortable position for the operation. After placing the pig, we cut along the scrotum on one of the testes, without touching the general shell. We squeeze the testis through the hole, grab it with one hand, and push the scrotum towards the perineum with the other. We pull the spermatic cord with a common sheath towards us, twist and apply a ligature. Cut off the testis below the sling site.
When can you slaughter a pig
The main question of concern to owners of adult castrated boars: how long does it take to keep the animal after the operation in order to get quality meat?
Connoisseurs argue that the longer the better. On average, the terms in months are equal to the number of years of the animal:
- Age up to 1 year. prick after 1 month. ;
- 2 years. score after 2 months. ;
- 3 years. cut after 3 months. etc.
What is the operation for?
The main goal of castration of a wild boar at any age is to stop the production of sex hormones that give meat an unpleasant taste and smell. over, this smell can appear not only after slaughter, but also during the cooking process.
In addition, neutering a pig is recommended to achieve the following goals:
- Termination of intermittent sexual heat, during which unforeseen mating of gilts may occur;
- Stopping aggressiveness towards other animals and people;
- Increasing growth rates with the lowest feed costs, improving endurance and growth;
- Possibility of joint keeping of animals.
Preparing for surgery
Only healthy individuals who do not have genital diseases can be castrated. Therefore, before conducting, the animal is examined by a veterinarian to exclude the possibility of the presence of pathologies:
- Dropsy of the vaginal membrane;
- Inguinal-scrotal hernia;
- Hermaphroditism;
- Cryptorchidism.
For a successful castration, you need to pay attention to several points:
- 10-12 hours before the start of the operation, the animal is stopped from feeding, and immediately before the procedure, no water is given. Drive the boar for a walk to empty the bladder and intestines;
- The preferred time for spending is spring or summer, when it is not very cold, there are no flies, dust and dirt are minimal. The wound at such a time will heal faster, and complications will be minimal;
- An operation is carried out in the morning so that there is a whole day ahead to observe the animal;
- Pre-wash and shave the place where the incision will be made. This contributes to a more thorough disinfection;
- Prepare in advance the place where the castrated animal will be placed. In this case, the bedding should not be made of fine-grained materials (sawdust) in order to avoid wound infection.
How soon can a boar be slaughtered after castration
Postoperative period
There are no special measures in the postoperative period. The main thing is to observe the condition of the animal for 4-5 days, and also to maintain cleanliness. If you experience abnormalities in behavior (lack of appetite, mobility) or redness (swelling) in the operated area, you should immediately contact your veterinarian.
Optimal timing of the operation
If you are not going to leave the boar for breeding the herd, then it is better to carry out an operation to remove the testes at an early age. up to 1-2 months. Professionals say the optimal period is 14 days. At this age, piglets are castrated with minimal physical and psychological damage:
- While babies are still near the sow, breast milk provides additional immunological protection, and wounds heal faster;
- Small age allows you to quickly get rid of a stressful condition, the invariable consequences of surgery;
- Neutered piglets gain weight faster, since they are not distracted by sex games.
If you are not sure how long it will take to slaughter a boar after castration, and you have a choice, then try to increase the postoperative period. The minimum terms for all are purely individual. One animal may cleanse earlier, another later, so stick to the average recommended values.
Boar castration with inguinal-scrotal hernia
The boar is prepared for the operation in the usual way. Before the start of the operation, the animal is injected with pain relievers and sedatives. The animal is fixed on its back.
The incision, which is made during the operation, should have a length of 5 to 7 cm, and be located at the level of the external inguinal ring and go back beyond its limits along the spermatic cord.
The skin and fascia are cut up to the vaginal canal. This canal, the vaginal membrane and the testis are separated and brought out. The ligament of the vaginal membrane with the skin must be destroyed. The testes must be twisted several times, and the contents must be set into the abdominal cavity. Sometimes it is necessary to break the adhesions for this.
A ligature is applied to the spermatic cord. Using a surgical needle, one end of the ligature is pulled through the outer edge of the ring and the other through the inner edge of the inguinal ring. After that, the spermatic cord is cut off, and removed together with the testis and the common membrane.
The ends of the threads are pulled together and tied. If the groin rings are very wide, then 2 or 3 additional sutures should be applied. Also, the skin needs a suture.
In order to prevent lymph or blood from accumulating in the cavity of the scrotum, it must be opened. To do this, it is enough to make an incision of 2 to 3 cm in size.
Fixation of the animal
A large animal is fixed by the upper jaw with a loop of strong rope. It is securely fixed to the pole at floor level.
Chemical castration
This is a relatively new method that was developed in Australia in 1998. Its essence lies in the fact that the animal is injected with special drugs for at least four weeks. The chemical suppresses testosterone production by the testes. The neuter boar has smaller testicles than normal pigs. After giving the immune castration agent, the boar is kept until slaughter for at least 5 weeks.
A chemical castration agent called Improvac.
Known methods
Castration of pigs at puberty
- Why castrate adult pigs
- Known methods
- How to castrate a large boar
- Boar castration with inguinal-scrotal hernia
- Taking care of the animal after surgery
- Chemical castration
- When can you slaughter a boar after castration
Pig castration occurs at any age, but not earlier than 10 days from birth. Neutered pigs gain weight faster. Pork also does not have an unpleasant taste or odor after rinsing. Castration of piglets or adult pigs should be carried out by people with specialized training.
Required tools and materials
- Zanda forceps or emasculator;
- surgical clamp;
- surgical needle;
- ligature material;
- scalpel.
Before proceeding with the operation, all working instruments must be sterilized. An autoclave can be used for this. Also, tools are boiled for 30 minutes, or kept in chemical solutions. If there is no sterile ligature on hand, it must be treated with one of the following drugs:
- hydrogen peroxide;
- potassium permanganate;
- chlorhexidine;
- furacilin solution.
As a ligature, you can use any rope or thread of increased strength, for example, nylon or catgut.
When using catgut, hydrogen peroxide cannot be used, this substance corrodes the material. But since the small intestines of animals serve as the material for the manufacture of catgut, and it is absorbed in the body.
During the operation, a castration machine or assistants are used. The fixation device must also be disinfected.
If there is no machine, then castration in a barrel is considered the best option at home. The animal will not escape and it will be easier to hold it. The barrel makes an excellent do-it-yourself castration machine.
If the skin of the scrotum has been cut more than necessary, then several stitches should be applied, otherwise internal organs may fall out or an inguinal hernia may form.
Bloodless ways
For castration, you can use a chemical method or clamp the blood flow in the scrotum.
For the second method, or elastation, a ligature was previously used. It was placed on the scrotum between the abdomen and the testes with a special castration knot. Today, four-pointed forceps and special rings are used.
Also, radiation is sometimes used for castration.
Stages of preparation for surgery
The interval between castration and slaughter
Many farmers are seriously interested in the question: “How long after castration can a boar be cut?”. With small pigs, this question does not arise. But it is advisable to let adult wild boars go to slaughter not earlier than in two months. In some cases, when the animal is already quite old. 3-5 years old. you need to wait up to six months. During this time, hormones are completely removed from the body. The meat will become quite edible, although it will be inferior in taste to the meat of young animals.
Piglet neutering
There are quite a few ways to groom piglets. the best one is chosen by a veterinarian, depending on the circumstances, the age of the animal.
For example, if you have to work with small pigs at the age of 2-3 weeks, it is best to use a broken spermatic cord. the procedure is performed even without anesthesia. For this, the area of operation is cleaned of bristles and treated with a solution. The testis is grasped with the left hand, the skin of the scrotum is pulled back and two cuts are made. on the sides of the seam, about 1 centimeter. The testes are exposed and twisted several times to separate them completely. Then the wound is sutured and treated.
Pros and cons of chemical castration
Chemical castration of boars was popular for a time. It would seem that it is really convenient and simple. A veterinarian or even an owner with experience in injections will carry out the entire procedure without much difficulty. over, it is suitable for both small pigs and adult boars, which are usually scary to approach. It is enough to deliver one injection and you can refuse painful, bloody mechanical castration. Why didn’t they completely switch to it, and now more and more farmers are abandoning the chemical method, returning to the old, tested by their grandfathers??
To begin with, despite the assurances of veterinarians and drug manufacturers, not all people believe in its complete safety. Indeed, although laboratory tests have not revealed any side effects, no one can say if the consumption of such meat will have a negative impact on human health later.
In addition, mechanical castration is performed only once. The chemical must be repeated at least once a month in order to exclude the possibility of the entry of sex hormones into the blood of the animal.
Finally. It would seem not too much. But after all, the injection will have to be done monthly, and if the farm has at least several dozen heads, then the amount is already very serious.
Working with an adult boar
Castration of an adult boar is a little more problematic.
The boar is fixed in a comfortable position, the operation site is processed, and local anesthesia is applied. most often with novocaine solution. The skin from the scrotum is folded and dissected. Be very careful not to damage vital areas.
The testes are captured together with the vaginal membrane (yes, males have one), the skin gently moves upward. Then the membrane, together with the testis, is turned around its axis by 360 degrees, a ligature is applied. It is very important here to observe the minimum distance to the inguinal ring. It remains only to tie the spermatic cord and cut it together with the intercepted sheath. The distance to the dressing should be about 1 centimeter.
The wound is sutured, treated.
As you can see, the procedure is not easy. But nevertheless, castration of a boar in an open way is one of the most popular, safe and effective.
Boar castration: methods, technique, preparation
Probably, anyone who has not even encountered pig breeding has heard about the castration of boars. This is an important procedure that allows you to comprehensively solve several problems at once. Therefore, it will be useful for every person to know about it.
Training
For starters, it is worth noting that the interval between castration and any other intervention, for example, vaccination, should be at least 2 weeks. Otherwise, separately harmless drugs can give a very unexpected and unpleasant effect.
Animals must be examined and checked. They must have a good appetite, be active, cheerful, agile. The lethargic who have lost their appetite should be shown to the veterinarian to identify and eliminate possible illness.
It is advisable to carry out the operation early in the morning. Then the owner will have a whole day at his disposal to observe the animals that have undergone castration. this is very important, since sometimes it allows you to identify deviations and take timely measures that save the life of the pig.
The surface on which the operation will be carried out must be cleaned, disinfected and carefully examined. It should not have any neoplasms, oil seals, dirt.
The veterinarian himself undergoes some training. He should always have clean, short-cropped nails. Hands should be thoroughly washed with soap and then treated with special disinfectants. Only after that, immediately before the start of the operation, he puts on surgical gloves and starts work.
If you have to work with a large pig, you have to use additional means for immobilization. this will protect both the animal and the people around it. It is best to use a special machine. But these are not available in every household. Therefore, experienced farmers know how to tie a boar for castration. A strong and sufficiently thick cord (thin one can damage the skin) is used to fix the hind legs. Then the cord is tied around the chest and passed through the mouth. With the correct strapping, the piglet can easily be thrown on its side, it practically cannot move its hind legs, which means that the operation will take place without unnecessary complications. Of course, local anesthesia is used.
Less experienced veterinarians prefer to castrate boars under general anesthesia. It is really much easier. the animal lies on a clean floor, the body is limp, does not move at all. But in this case, more expensive drugs are spent, in addition, there is always a risk of cardiac arrest in the animal, albeit very small.
What is castration
Another name for castration is starvation. The purpose of the procedure is either the complete removal of the sex glands, or the suspension of their activity.
Today there are several different methods of castration of boars: mechanical, chemical, hormonal and radioactive. However, it is the mechanical one that is most widely used. A little later, we will talk about its main advantages that make it so popular.
Postoperative care
For 4-5 days, you need to pay maximum attention to the castrated animal. Watch for any abnormal behavior. If there is severe swelling, noticeable redness, you should contact your veterinarian as soon as possible to take appropriate measures.
The room for keeping freshly castrated animals should be as clean as possible. It is advisable to use straw or hay as bedding, rather than sawdust. small particles can get into the wound and cause infection. You don’t need to make any changes to your diet. However, it is highly likely that the pig’s appetite will decrease in the first day or two.
How to choose a breeding boar correctly
Decide for yourself whether the litter should be hybrid or purebred. There are pros in both cases.
When examining a small or young boar, be guided by the indicators of its parents, external signs. how strong it is, how active it is, whether it corresponds to the direction of the breed’s productivity. If the animal is already an adult, ask about the quantity and quality of its offspring. Are multiple births, milk production, meat, fattening qualities transmitted to his piglets?
and mating
a growing or already full-fledged producer is almost the same as the content of other pigs. It is necessary to remember about an active 1.5-2 hour exercise. Without walking, he will get fat, reduce sexual activity. In summer, it is advisable to wash the animal, and in winter to brush it, periodically process the hooves.
Feeding should be sufficient and complete. Growing young males have higher nutrient requirements than adults. It is imperative to add animal feed, fodder yeast to food. mineral and vitamin supplements. And in the breeding period, increase the feed volume by 20-30%
The use of the boar for mating depends on the age. From 10 months to a year. no more than 4 cages per month, increasing to 6 from a year to one and a half. 8. from one and a half to two years, 10-12 cages. over two years. Rare use leads to weakening of reflexes and culling.
Features of feeding after surgery
Castrated producers are put on greasy fattening, intended for obtaining heavy carcasses, separate use of meat and lard. At industrial complexes, hogs are fattened for 90-100 days. The ultimate goal is to increase the live weight of the animal by 60-80%. The thickness of the bacon as a result of such feeding can increase up to 10 cm.
When fattening up to fatty conditions, the body is more demanding not for proteins (as with bacon or meat fattening), but for carbohydrates. Protein feeding is ineffective.
They use feed rich in carbohydrates: potatoes, beets, barley, corn, various food waste.
Usually in the first half of feeding, animals are very voracious. During this period, it is advisable to feed them with cheap, voluminous feed. boiled potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, beets, legumes, waste from mills and meat processing plants. Be sure to give chalk, a little salt. In the last two months, coarse and succulent feeds are reduced, and they are switched to feed that gives good fat. This is rye, barley, potatoes.
In the last month of feeding, the ration should consist of 90% compound feed, the rest. potatoes. Exercise is necessary for fatteners, but not as active as before.
After observing all the necessary requirements, you can safely perform the operation without fear for the quality of the meat.
Boars castrated in a timely manner (no later than six months) do not need such a long exposure before slaughter. It is enough to wait one month.
When to slaughter a boar. how long after castration can slaughter be carried out
The villagers consider the presence of pigs on the farm a sign of prosperity. this is a correct opinion. Usually farmers grow two or three heads to feed their families. But time passes, I want to increase production volumes in order to make a profit. Then the villagers think about the reproduction of the livestock. Which type of insemination to choose. artificial or natural? The first is costly, sometimes ineffective. The second is the question: up to what age to use the boar, how long after castration it can be cut so that the meat does not lose its taste and quality?
Briefly about the main thing
You have decided to use the natural way of raising pigs in your farm. all the pros and cons are weighed, the intention is clearly defined. Particular attention should be paid to the choice of the manufacturer, especially the content, slaughter.
Boar castration, aging period before slaughter
A producer who has served his time or is culled for any reason is only slaughtered for meat when castrated. You need to take this procedure seriously in order to avoid all possible complications. It is better to operate on old boars (after 6 months) in a closed way, without cutting the common vaginal membrane. The open method is not recommended because of the potential for bowel prolapse through the wide inguinal ring. Whichever option of castration is chosen, it is better to apply a ligature to the stumps with a stitching method in order to avoid slipping of the thread.
How long does it take to feed boars after castration? It is believed that one month will be sufficient for each year of life. But this period is not enough. If your 3-year-old breeder was regularly used for mating, then you need to withstand it before stabbing for at least 4 months. Of course, this is not very profitable, but otherwise it will not work to fix such a major defect in meat as the smell of boar.
Pros and cons of having your own manufacturer
Some owners deliberately do not castrate piglets at an early age, so that they do not build up fat (weeding does contribute to obesity). They believe that the meat of a boar that has not covered the pigs, if operated on and then pricked even at the age of one, will be much tastier than that received from the manufacturer. You can agree with this or not. Younger animals will always have tastier and juicier meat. But the sex glands work in almost the same way for everyone. And the smell of unseasoned allotted time and castrated shortly before the slaughter of animals will be unpleasant. What theory to believe, how long after castration you can cut a boar, you decide.
Uncastrated boar meat: how to get rid of the smell?
Do not immediately classify the purchased product as inedible, it may still be possible to fix it. How effective your efforts will be depends on the concentration of skatole in the muscle tissue. Generally, the older the animal, the more persistent the odor will be and the more difficult it is to get rid of it. Culinary experts recommend the following methods:
Lactic
The property of milk to absorb various impurities and toxins has been known for a long time, and is reflected in the milk method, how to remove the boar odor from meat:
- Soak the meat in boiled salted water according to the scheme described in the second section of the article. Please note that in this case, vinegar cannot be added to the water, otherwise there is a risk that the milk will curdle.
- Pour milk over the chopped pork so that the liquid level completely covers it.
- Add 7-8 cloves of garlic, cut into slices, and refrigerate overnight.
Thanks to the milk marinade, the taste of the finished dish will be neutral, perfect as a background for various spices.
Small pieces of meat, like goulash or chops, marinate quickly. What if you have planned to bake a whole piece of boiled pork or pastroma? Armed with an ordinary medical syringe, give multiple injections by injecting the marinade at different depths and into different areas of the meat. This is a great method for fighting boar odor from pork.
Boar meat: how to remove the smell by freezing
Under the influence of low temperatures, skatole is destroyed, and the quality of the product increases.
- It is necessary to freeze at the lowest possible temperature (-25⁰С and below), not less than 3 months, dividing the meat into pieces of 400-500 g.
- Before resorting to freezing, it is better to soak the pork according to the procedure described above for at least a day.
- Keep in mind that the smell is easily transmitted to nearby foods, so carefully pack the meat in several bags, and place the rest of the freezer at some distance, without direct contact.
- After the allotted time, check in the standard way (ignition) how effective the measures taken were.
As a rule, soaking or freezing will eliminate the unpleasant odor typical of non-castrated domestic boars. And if hypersensitivity is unusual for you, then you can continue to cook according to your favorite recipe.
Fermented milk
It will help not only solve the question of how to remove the boar odor from pork, but also make it softer, since the contained acid destroys muscle fibers, making the finished dish less harsh.
- You will need 2-3 glasses of kefir or whey, it is also possible to use homemade kvass.
- Add 4 tablespoons. honey and 3 finely chopped onions.
- In such a mixture, marinate the meat for a day.
The subtleties of the culinary specialist: how to get rid of the smell of boar in meat?
A piece of fresh meat, thrown into a hot frying pan, hissed appetizingly and began to brown. And then an unbearable, eerie smell floated through the apartment, from which it literally hurts the eyes. The situation is not so rare, not a single housewife who buys pork at the market, from friends, and even is independently engaged in animal husbandry is not insured against it. Do not rush to send an unsuccessful purchase to the trash bin or to feed it to animals, because the problem can be solved in a less radical way. Today we will talk about how to get rid of the boar smell of meat, while creating a culinary masterpiece worthy of a Michelin star.
How to cook an odorless boar
Having dealt with the recipes for marinades, we move on to cooking methods that can ensure the minimum manifestation of the odorous properties of skatole. General recommendations that can be given without being tied to a specific recipe boil down to the fact that if the meat smells like boar, you need to give preference to cold snacks. Naturally, as a separate method, this is not suitable, it is imperative to soak and marinate the meat. But then, even if you feel a slight odor while cooking, after cooling the boiled pork will be quite edible.
Causes of unpleasant pork odor
The first thing a cook might think about is that the purchased meat turned out to be stale, or deteriorated from improper storage. This option is possible, but it is not the only one. Sniff at the pieces that have not yet undergone heat treatment, perhaps there is a “smell” from them, just heating made it more pronounced.
It happens that raw meat looks and smells absolutely perfect, and amber appears only when heated. It does not matter which cooking method is chosen: boiling, frying or baking. In this case, we hasten to upset you, the purchased pork is the meat of a knur (boar). a wild boar that has not undergone the castration procedure. Now you have to solve the problem of how to remove the boar odor from pork meat to make it edible.
The reasons for the smell:
- Entire. The hormone testosterone, which is produced by the body of a sexually mature animal, leads to the accumulation in muscle tissue of a substance called skatole, which is the source of the bad smell.
- Congenital malformations. It happens that one testicle in a wild boar does not descend into the scrotum, and remains inside the abdominal cavity. In addition, as a result of developmental abnormalities, an animal may have three testicles, one of which also remains inside. In this case, after the castration procedure, testosterone continues to be produced, and after slaughter and cooking, the meat will acquire a specific smell.
If you buy boar meat from farmer acquaintances, whether it is possible to eat it without the risk of stinking the whole apartment during cooking depends on the age of the animal. Buy piglets up to six months without fear, but adult producers should be neutered a couple of months before slaughter.
The easiest way to get rid of the boar pork odor is not to buy such meat. In theory, a boar shouldn’t even get on the counter, since its meat will not pass certification, but in practice this is not so rare. But how to avoid an oversight, because before heat treatment it cannot be recognized, and even a purchase from conscientious livestock breeders cannot always secure it. To do this, before buying, ask the seller to check the selected piece in one of the following ways:
- Set fire to a small piece with a lighter, believe me, you cannot miss the sharp amber.
- If the seller does not want to cut a piece for testing, pierce the pork with a knitting needle or a needle hot over a lighter, the effect will be the same. Of course, grab piercing objects from home.