Evidence of Violence
One of the interesting things about being a farmer and a butcher, a maker and a breaker you might say, is that I get to check out my pigs in detail from the inside out. I am their creator and their disassembler. This has lead to learning more about them, their structures and improving our herd breeding genetics – something I’ve long been looking forward to being able to do.
The picture above shows an old injury. This pig had a broken rib when it was much younger. I’ve seen this a number of times, with as many as three ribs broken in a row. It is amazing how much damage an organism can sustain and still heal. I’ve broken 46 bones in my life. Like the T. Rex named Sue, I’ve lead a bit of a rough life. So far everything’s healed up stronger than new after more than half a century.
This pig’s broken rib was a bit different than most I’ve seen. Usually they’re clearly the result of being stepped on as young piglets. This one looks more like it got gored. The injury is at least several months old based on the healing and the complete lack of any evident injury on the skin side. Most likely it happened when the pig was only a month or two old.
Outdoors: 34°F/-8°F 8″ Snow turned to rain
Tiny Cottage: 50°F/57°F
Daily Spark: Richard Bach wrote that If you love something, set it free; if it comes back, it’s yours, if it doesn’t it never was.” What he fails to understand is somethings you set free and they keep boomeranging back to hit you in the head. Eventually we need to learn to duck.
