Author Topic: home slaughter for own consumption. - does anyone do this. need advice (Read 4170 times)

lizzypeg · « **on:** March 24, 2016, 12:50:31 pm »

hi does anyone on here slaughter their sheep/goats at home for own consumption?

im looking into it but wanted to know pros and cons etc.

iv read up a lot on defra, humane slaughter association etc.. but wanted personal views on it from people who have done it.

Womble · « **Reply #1 on:** March 24, 2016, 01:57:36 pm »

Have you come across this article by Tim Tyne yet? We found it very helpful

.

farmershort · « **Reply #2 on:** April 12, 2016, 01:29:12 pm »

I thought the head of meat goats gets sent off by the abattoir for BSE testing? Seems like this important step would be missed with home slaughter of goats. I've never heard it said about sheep/pigs though, and I have in-laws who regularly take a sheep a sheep or pig for home use.

baffledog1 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 12, 2016, 03:28:31 pm »

Had two wethers home slaughtered in January. Guy around here has all the equipment and is an expert. Does it for all the local farmers who need a pig/sheep for themselves.

All I can say NO stress to the animal. Brought out of barn taken to a quiet corner and bang ...gone. No struggling no journey/wait at slaughter house. Skinned and prepared carcass, it hung for a while in his fridge then he brought it back and did the cuts I wanted.

Just wish I could have all my lambs done in the same way. Local Hunt kennels very kindly took the bits that were no use. Also(though no evidence this is true) you actually get your own animal back which have been told is not always the case.

fsmnutter · « **Reply #4 on:** April 12, 2016, 03:55:38 pm »

Home slaughter is only legal if you kill and prepare it yourself in the UK.
Otherwise, it must be slaughtered by a licensed slaughterman in a licensed premises (abattoir).

Calvadnack · « **Reply #5 on:** April 14, 2016, 04:20:03 pm »

A precedence has been set under English law by our local slaughterman in Cornwall, who, after going through the court is now allowed to home slaughter but only for owner consumption. Outside England will be different.

verdifish · « **Reply #6 on:** April 14, 2016, 05:57:54 pm »

Quote from: Calvadnack on April 14, 2016, 04:20:03 pm

A precedence has been set under English law by our local slaughterman in Cornwall, who, after going through the court is now allowed to home slaughter but only for owner consumption. Outside England will be different.

Can you point me in the direction of the facts about this please

Calvadnack · « **Reply #7 on:** April 14, 2016, 06:11:40 pm »

If you search for less stress slaughter or Keith long mobile slaughter you'll get background and links to others eg in Wales who have set up.

Dan · « **Reply #8 on:** April 14, 2016, 06:12:06 pm »

Quote from: verdifish on April 14, 2016, 05:57:54 pm

Quote from: Calvadnack on April 14, 2016, 04:20:03 pm
A precedence has been set under English law by our local slaughterman in Cornwall, who, after going through the court is now allowed to home slaughter but only for owner consumption. Outside England will be different.

Can you point me in the direction of the facts about this please

Seconded. The current advice from the FSA clearly states this is illegal:

https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/home-killguide.pdf

Page 12:

Quote

Slaughter on-farm by an itinerant slaughterman

28. An itinerant slaughterman can neither slaughter a farmer?s animal nor dress
it. It is unlawful for a farmer to use the services of an itinerant slaughterman
to do so because the slaughterman would be supplying goods (i.e. a dressed
or undressed carcase) in the course of his business.

Dan · « **Reply #9 on:** April 14, 2016, 06:17:45 pm »

I thought we'd been here before, here's a thread from 2012 with the same discussion of the law and the guidance from FSA. This links to an interesting view on the FSA's guidance:

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=28970.msg293109#msg293109

I don't doubt that there are those who use itinerant slaughtermen for home slaughter, but there's no clear case law that points to it being legal.

Womble · « **Reply #10 on:** April 14, 2016, 09:13:36 pm »

Quote from: Calvadnack on April 14, 2016, 06:11:40 pm

If you search for less stress slaughter or Keith long mobile slaughter you'll get background and links to others eg in Wales who have set up.

I'm afraid the only relevant link I could find is this one, from a BBC news website article:

Quote

Keith Long from Less Stress Slaughter has seen his business crumble under the new rules, but thinks the answer is to regulate the trade He said: "Give us a special licence or special right to do it and the council could come along and use a special stamp so people would know it's only for farm-only consumption."

Oh, and I turned up this USA based article from Modern Farmer magazine, written from a smallholder's point of view. I don't agree with everything in it, but it made me think, so I thought I'd share.