Author Topic: Preparing for slaughter (Read 5200 times)

Kerriech · « **on:** September 14, 2014, 11:29:15 am »

Wow, only registered 2 days ago and this is my 2nd post. Am about to send 5 lambs off to abattoir. Been reading lots, and came across a site about how clean they should be. Now panicking......I have one lamb who is a wee bit dirty at her back end. The rest are clean.
She's been dagged a couple of times, but seems to pee/poo while wagging her tail spreading it a couple of inches either side. Should I wash her before sending away?

After reading all the stuff I can, I've looked them over and their fleeces are a bit dirty on the outside, from lying down I guess. They tend to lie in the same place every night which has worn the grass down. Is this acceptable.

Bramblecot · « **Reply #1 on:** September 14, 2014, 11:42:09 am »

If you can bring them in the night before and just give them water and a little hay. As they are used to each other there should not be any fighting and they will hopefully load easily as a small group.

They must be dry and fairly clean - yours sound ok to me. You can trim the undersides if you like but our abattoir would be fine with them. Do not feed them much as the staff would prefer that the sheep are 'empty', especially if they are going to be killed straight away.

If you wish to buy back/retain the skins for tanning, the staff must know in advance. The office staff at our place are very helpful and will answer any questions re butchery and packing. We collect the meat 7-8 days later. I hope this helps.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #2 on:** September 14, 2014, 12:32:51 pm »

The reason they want the sheep clean is so that dirt from the fleece doesn't contaminate the knife and hence the meat. So think about the meat you will be getting back, and the knife slicing the lamb open, and if you don't like the thought of where that knife has travelled - clip / clean 'em up!

(Yours sound fine to me

)

Kerriech · « **Reply #3 on:** September 14, 2014, 06:20:11 pm »

Thanks guys. As you can probably tell this is my first time.........

twizzel · « **Reply #4 on:** September 14, 2014, 06:33:30 pm »

Quote from: Bramblecot on September 14, 2014, 11:42:09 am

If you can bring them in the night before and just give them water and a little hay. As they are used to each other there should not be any fighting and they will hopefully load easily as a small group.

I would disagree r.e. they hay, they should be brought in the night before to keep them dry and clean, but we were told not to feed ours any form of hay grass or cake and only supply water to keep the stomach empty.

Daisys Mum · « **Reply #5 on:** September 14, 2014, 08:21:50 pm »

I always give mine a little hay the night before as I know that the have a long journey the next day!

twizzel · « **Reply #6 on:** September 14, 2014, 08:59:15 pm »

Our abattoir request they aren't fed 12 hours before loading in the morning.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #7 on:** September 15, 2014, 03:54:37 am »

Keep them in overnight with plenty of straw and some water. They'll munch on the straw if they're hungry, but not eat so much their tummies are overfull for the journey and for slaughter.

GeorgieB82 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 15, 2014, 07:39:26 am »

I've just taken mine to Tregaron abattoir this morning. We don't do anything specific before, they are left in the field right up to loading. They all had mucky bums but were tightly clipped around the rear end and the people at the abattoir were happy enough, no comments at all.

Kerriech · « **Reply #9 on:** October 22, 2014, 09:45:14 pm »

Thanks everyone. We kept the lambs in overnight with a little hay then to the abattoir, and were told they were immaculate. What on earth was I worrying about.
Just got the meat back, and the butcher said they were fantastic. They scored U3L. Which is apparently good.

Beginners luck I think.
Got a lovely full freezer now.... And looking forward to bottle time next year.