20 Post Script

(20) Post Script:

You, the reader will have noticed that in some places the computer just refused to obey me. If there are any farmers out there: It behaved like the black stallion I wrote about; or like donkeys and pigs do (indescribably obstinate) and I can’t find the tail to lift or back leg to catch.

You farmers; here’s some advice from an old one (I have not heard of any other farmer using this method). If you have to load away pigs to the bacon factory; say once a week: even with the best facilities you still have to do manual work to get them onto, or into a truck. The porkers and the baconers (up to 95 kg live weight) you can handle like this: catch its tail and slightly lift its rear end thereby; just so that it loses traction on its rear feet. It always tries to go in the opposite direction to what you want it to. So you catch its tail and pull back and it “zooms” forward. All you have to do is to apply a little lift also and while it loses traction, “steer it” as a ship is steered with its rudder. You will have to run with it; it goes!

With the sausage pigs (the large ones) you just have to make a plan; we used to take a sheet of corrugated roofing iron and approach with that before; our legs behind it. When it sees this shiny “thing” approaching it cannot identify what that is and rather heads away from it.

If you say that is cruel; some farmers use an electric prodder. My advice however is: never use it on a large pig (nor on a horse). I had an uncle who was minus one thumb from a pig. A horse turns its kicking end in the correct (for it) direction in, “no time”. It also bites.

The lesson: Is there still something obstinate; or anger, in you? There is a way out! M St.