[Mel]

Hi all

My boars are going in a week,however,I need advice regards the cost's and butchering cost's.

I have Two choices available to me at present.Take them to Hellet in Kimbolton whom shall charge me about £30.00- to slaughter only and £50.00 to Slaughter and process into joints.However,I have to take my own bags and pack myself.

I can take them and slaughter only,and my local Butchers,Tebbits shall charge me £55.00 each to butcher,joint into whatever I request and place them into sealed vacuum packs.(which is obviously more presentable to sell on) This would then cost me some £85.00 each.

Ok,I like the idea of having all the meat jointed and placed into sealed-vacuum packs due to the above and that I do not need to handle the meat myself prior to selling to family,friends and neighbours.

I would appreciate your input regards,does this seem good value to you or is it way over the top?Should I try and locate another butcher? what suggestions do you have..Please!

Melx

[Eve]

Hiya,

If it's £55 for a whole pig than that's fine, for half a pig would be far too much. Half a pig costs us £30-£40 to butcher depending on the kind of cuts wanted. Check if it includes making sausages, as that takes longer so will cost more.

Hellets - isnt' that Cambridgeshire or Essex? We're taking ours to Leech & Sons this year near Royston, killing and splitting will be £30-odd (depending on weight, they'll be 6-month old GOS boars) and butchering is £29 per hour (a basic cut is £20-odd but doesn't include skin scoring and boning). Some of our friend's pigs will be staying at Leech's, our own are going to our usual butcher who happily does everything we ask (we get bags of bones and skins, too, not just the main cuts). Ours doesn't do vac-pac though, apparently for meat that's not as good as it's supposed to be for vegetables etc. All cuts are in standard white bags and he writes on 'shoulder 2.4kg' for example. Suits us fine. Plus he freezes the lot, which is great for us.

 

[Pheasant pharmer]

Based on what it's just cost me for 2 saddlebacks, I'd say the cost to get butchered and bagged isnt over the top 

[lachlanandmarcus]

It sounds cheap compared to up here

Here's Stonehead in Aberdeenshire who recently had 2 pigs killed and butchered
http://stoneheadcroft.com/2011/09/01/93-70-to-kill-a-pig/

[JulieS]

Our abattoir charge £18 for kill only.

We then charge £20 to basic cut and bag.
Then extra for boned and rolled joints, vac packing, sausages, bacon, smoking etc.

[robert waddell]

i must be going blind that last attachment i cant read it the same with some of of the posts on here go to reply to them and voila i can read them no problem    a stuff it back to the point
there is even dearer ones going about depends on who you use
what do you all want it costs to buy a decent mincer it also costs to buy a sausage stuffer if you are putting stocking on the joints it costs for that item as well sausage skins cost money trays and vacuum packing cost money even the butchers cutting block costs money and not forgetting the time involved in doing the slicing and dicing
all slaughter houses have different charges i think dunblane take £25 killing waste disposal levy and hanging in the chill room they will also transport your pig to a bacon curer that will cost £90 for your pig to be processed then you have to collect it  that could be 140 mile round trip please note i have not mentioned the name of the bacon curer there is a reason why but i will not say
my take on the really dear ones  they just do not want your custom but go out and price the equipment and basic second hand gear costs thousands
stonehead needs it done to sell within the law and the gist of it is he is not making money far less truly covering his costs
we have been down every road there can be with butchering options the best is do it yourself

[Mel]

Great Thank you so much for your advice.

I shall go with this,I do have some peer pressure-saying-you don't want to pay that,but again,I think it is worth it,he shall butcher precisely how I wish,he would even help with pricing,his sausages are 90p LB so is fine by me,the £55.00 is one whole pig though as said before,I have to pay the abattoir fee's as well.

The butcher collects the pigs for me and hangs them in his own store for a week or so,then calls me up and has said he is happy for me to be there whilst he is jointing them and so forth.Not only is he very friendly,he and his wife are adorable people and have a lovely shop on their farm where they produce their own Beef.It is even better as their farm is in the very next village to me 

I did not actually perceive doing any of this to make lots of money,to me it is what we are all trying to accomplish-here,the good life,better food,better lifestyle and self sufficiency.

I have to admit,I do honestly find it very difficult to trust people these days,there are a lot out there whom just want to pull the wool over your eyes...!..like my local Agricultural supplies whom wanted to charge me £11.00 each for disposable needles,and I purchased surgical steel ones from Mole valley farmers for a few pounds for a pack of 12! I have to say,they are a brilliant place to shop!!

[benkt]

Doesn't sound too bad, we had our last three done about a week ago by a local butcher who takes them to Gagens at Wisbech when he's going with his own pigs and charges £40 a pig (butchery+slaughter).
We have the basic joints boned and rolled, non-vacuum packed and he charges extra for sausages (if we want him to do them - about £45 a pig (~20lb of sausages)).

[Fowgill Farm]

Its like all things you pays your money and takes your chance.
I pay nearly £200 for 3 porkers, slaughtered, cut, vac-packed, labelled and boxed, it looks professional and its what my 'customers' expect (most are townies!) It is expensive but in my view worth it.
My friend recently had 3 lambs done and was charged only £40 but the butchering was shocking and they came in a big poly bag, i don't want to be baggig and freezing when its dropped off in the evening nor do my customers!!!!
So as i say horse for courses its your choice and how you want your meat to look.
Mandy 

[Smokin]

We have a local(ish) slaughter house ( swansea ) who charge £36 to kill and cut, it's best price I've found yet in South Wales. Anyone need the details please message me.

[Bionic]

Smokin,
I understand there is a place in Tregaron that takes pigs. Have you tried them?
Once I move Tregaron will be my nearest place.
Sally

[Mel]

Ok, I have just booked  my boars in for next Monday,slaughter only £36.66 per pig and butchering £55.00 per pig that's £91.66 per pig! blimey,when you see some having it done for £36.00 inclusive makes me wonder why it is so much more expensive up here!

[Fowgill Farm]

Seems quite expensive leghorn hope it includes making sausages for you. Think part of the problem is supply & demand they know there isn't much competition in the area for this service so they can damn near charge what they want!
Mandy 

[Mel]

Actually I believe sausages are extra at 90p per lb!

[pikilily]

Hiya,

I had my two berkshire weaners slaughtered and butchered in St Andrews recently.  Last year i used Dunblane for exactly the same service. I was happy with what they did, but St andrews is conciderably closer for me and i wanted a direct comparisson. 

All in - it was £210 for slaughter, disposal of nasties, butchering, and curing some of the meat.  I have the pork back - its all vacuum packed, labelled with weight and retail price on it too.  I got the offcuts minced so i could make my own sausages, the mince even came vaccum packed, too.

I am going to collect the cured bits and bacon today or tomorrow, then i had planned to put costs and 'rewards' on a thread if anyone else was interested.

I was really impressed with the butchering and the presentation of the pork. worth the *what may be extra cost* i know what i have, its clean and tidy...Aaaannnnd I give members of the family or friends a piece of pork they have some idea of the value of it!!!!!

I am happy.

Emma T