Description of the Shetland pig; its antiquity and husbandry...
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1970.244
Original Tape ID
Summary
Description of the Shetland pig; its antiquity and husbandry.
The Shetland grice [pig] appears to have been a distinct animal, as it resembled a wild boar, though with smaller tusks. It was overgrown with stiff hairs, and when a pig was killed, the menfolk would keep these hairs to put them on the end of threads for sewing and repairing boots.
The Shetland grice is extinct now [1970], though it was still around in Tom Tulloch's father's time, less than 100 years before. They were kept on the hill, but later in the year they were taken into the houses and fattened up for killing. Being diminutive animals, there never was much meat on them.
Recording Location
County - Shetland
Parish - Yell
Island - Yell
Village/Place - Gutcher
Item Location
County - Shetland
Parish - Yell
Island - Yell
Language
English, Scots
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good