BOAR TAINT! It ain't just for Iowa anymore

You would think that a product of rural and small town America, such as your correspondent, would be more attentive to the farm desk here at the Out of My Mind blog. It has been months since I checked the futures wire to see how many happy heifers and piggies were marching off to the slaughter houses in Omaha, Chicago and Kansas City. (Is anyone else ready for some bacon?)

Anyway...where was I?

Oh yes...There is a very big story breaking in Pig World.
It seems that Norway's Parliament has decided to ban the castration of piglets starting in 2009. Though farmers have been castrating piglets for thousands of years, studies by a European food safety agency has found that castrated piggies suckle less and spend more time apart from their siblings. They are more docile. In short, they are depressed.


Now, nobody wants to spend time with depressed pigs; so your immediate reaction is probably to agree with the animal rights freaks who want to ban castration. The problem with this is that this could cause farmers to lose millions of dollars because of something called: Boar Taint.
Boar taint is an objectionable taste that is characteristic of the meat from uncastrated male pigs.

DAMN! This is bad news. On one hand I want my pig brothers to remain happily intact, yet I want absolutely NO change in my bacon and other delicious pork products. I really need to think about this...

Go Ahead. SNIP 'EM!! Oscar Meyer bacon for everyone!!

I give this the go ahead knowing that women who read this blog, (all four of you), might be thinking that this whole concept is worth considering for spouses and boyfriends. That whole not depressed and docile thing might be sounding pretty good to all females about now. But, be honest, would you really want to see us start asking for directions? Stop belching? Leaving the lid up?

Don't answer that. I believe I speak for all guys when I say, "Leave our "man brains" in our conveniently attached "man purse" for the foreseeable future please!"

EDITOR'S NOTE: This report is being filed a day later than usual due to the fact that I went to the track yesterday. In fact, I WON!
Perhaps the fact that I bought a Daily Racing Form for the first time may have been important.


"PantsOnFire" bringing it home for your correspondent.




Perhaps I'm on to a new career.


Perhaps it's that old "Boar Taint" talking.