I have to write this as i can't believe the stupidity of my family sometimes.

The above topic says it all. My sister and her b/f want pigs now and thinks that these so called Teacup pigs are worth getting, now she wants to rear up pigs for meat, so why on earth would you get these?? Now if you want farm animals like pigs you would go to a farm market?, which is where my Dad sells his cattle.. Not the flamin free ad papers..

They can't see how putting runts together over and over to create smaller pigs is a bad idea.
They think that all cross breeds are healthier and how Labradoodles are great as they have allergy free coats, i explained that is not the case in the latter or the former and that very few people who cross breed health test. Also explained that the person in OZ who first started this cross breed wasn't happy about people cashing in and not doing it properly.
Explained that most of these people who do this do it for the money and not the health and welfare of the animals they are breeding. Even then my sister couldn't see what was wrong with that, so what if they do it for the money, they may love their animals and thats enough she says...?????

Even my dad who is a farmer and knows all about genetics wouldn't stand up to her and say that breeding runts together is a bad idea..

Rant Over for now... Grrrr

For the reasons your sister wants the pigs your spot on, pigs that we eat have been specially reared I'm surprised your dad hasn't said more, they were never introduced for eating purposes but as pets. (Yawn) Who would their market be? Surely even financially it would be more expensive to rear 20 small pigs rather than one large pig. The small pigs would need to be sold as a whole being more expensive to the consumer also, rather than rearing a large pig and have it disected to sell to many. I don't see the financial logic in it, even restaurants wishing to add a whole teacup pig to their menu would probably go for the cheaper option of a slice of a normal pig, (beautifully dressed) can't see it catching on, never mind the issues of runt to runt breeding.

As pets the purpose they were introduced, these Teacup pigs are extremely cute, and I can see why many are drawn in by their cuteness and want one, but they are still pigs big or small, give me a dog any day, I can see many being snapped up and then got rid of once it sinks in that they are infact pigs. (nothing against pigs, just not what I would have as a household pet)

Oh dear, maybe try the who is the market question and it will put your sister and her O/H off.

As your father's a farmer, doesn't your sister realise the red tape involved with pigs? All the movement licences needed whenever you want to take them anywhere - far too much hassle for most people.

Just look at what happened with pot belly pigs. There is a bit of a fad, then lots of people stuck with them and pigs needing rehoming. It's happening with alpaccas too. Madness!

PS Personally, I wouldn't buy animals from a market - the only sale that I would consider would be a dispersal sale or possibly a society show and sale, but haven't done that yet. I won't send my animals there either, but I have pedigree cows and pigs. I sell my breeding stock privately, either through the societies or via advertising, sometimes in farm shops, and I would use the small ads too. It leaves me in control of who I sell my animals to. No say about where they go if they go to a market.

I've not been to one of the markets, but it is a society market.
From what my Dad has said that the cattle he sells its only 1 farmer who buys them and he then rears them on and the meat is sold to Waitrose.

Hopefully my Dad will talk sense into her, i don't think he wanted to do it in front of me as he doesn't like to one agree with me and two disagree with my sister.. Especially as they are selling these 'teacup' pigs for £800 a pop.

As you can see my thoughts tend to differ very much to my family..

if they want them for meat do they realise slaughter houses charge per pig not per kilo? 
pet market very limited as most people who were inclined towards a pet pig got caught in last fad of the potbellieds(and lived to regrete it)

This was driving me mad before Christmas, when 3 seperate people asked me for advise on them (of course, having dogs I would know all about Pigs) so I did some research, all the newspaper articles I found show them as piglets about the size of a coffee mug, what none of them make clear is that they grow!  Adult size appears to be about 55-70lb, although only about 14 -16 high.  That is still quite a lot of pig.  There is even going to be one on the next Britains got talent, apperantly it is a talented trampolining pig (I did not make this up).  The Beckhams bought 2 before Christmas, but of course they have loys of land with their country house.  They will probably see sense and guild a very smart pig sty when the charming little piggies start uprooting the beautifully landscaped grounds!  Most people don't seem to realise you can't keep a pig indoors, they are not house pets, and would you want 60 something pounds of pig running aroudn the living room and sitting on your lap?

The ones currently being sold seem to be the result of crossing Vietnamese and Kuhn-Kuhns, breeding the "smallest" for each litter (for smallest I guess we shoudl read runt).  I managed to put off 2 of the people considering them, the thrid family are saving up to buy one in the spring!

16" and 70lb as you quite rightly say is an awful lot of pig. They won't be nearly as cute then and I can see people being left to rue the day they bought one as a pet. Raised for meat they will regarded as livestock and the paper work and hoops they will have to jump through surely can't be worth it.

I've seen pictures of the trampolining pig in 'mid flight' so to speak. Last I heard they had gone through one round and were waiting to see if they had got through to the auditions in front of the judges. Which I am sure they will.

One of the weekly chav mags (take a break or love it or something like that) was offering a pair of them as a competition prize before Christmas.  The breeder was saying what great pets they make and you had to enter a competition to win them.  I almost fell off my chair at the ridiculousness of it, not to mention the total lack of responsibility.  The thought of 2 piglets living in a highrise somewhere was awful.

Think your sister (and anyone one else contemplating pig keeping - teacup or otherwise) should read here http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/images/ah25_tcm9-80009.pdf

> Teacup pigs are worth getting, now she wants to rear up pigs for meat, so why on earth would you get these??

Chipolata sausages ?!?!?!

PMSL! Had to have a giggle at St. Domingo's reply :)

have only just read this thread. Some of you do make me laugh with your comments i've gone of giggling.
Of course gwen you would know all about pigs ,having dogs !!! dur ! and small pigs must make small sausages lol

Margot thanks for that, very interesting reading.

As for chipolatas, classic..