[robert waddell]

SFS the smell is detected  even by humans  well i could always smell it even when i was a child and the last time i saw a cow going through the system you could see the fear in her   so far i have never seen a pig going through the process

[supplies for smallholders]

Hi Robert,

Sorry I dont think I was very clear in what I wrote.

Its not the general abbertoir stink that they are trying to mask, there is a view that the pigs waiting can somehow smell the adrenalin given off by pigs being slaughtered which causes them to get stressed.

[robert waddell]

wither it is adrenaline or just the smell all animals can sense it    even turkeys the first one out the shed dose not  bother getting caught  but by the time you get to the last six or more depends on how many you started with they know they are on a one way trip
i think there are at least 3 smells in an abattoir     the smell from the killing process  the adrenalin smell if that is not the same as the first  and a general stink that indicates something just not cleaned esp in hot weather   smelt this once at a bacon curers in winter with a heavy frost

[ppd]

Hi oaklands
It was Dingwall and he def offered to do a slap mark for me. Now whether he was going to do it in the trailor, before unloading, I don't really know because I said that I was happy to buy one for myself and I would rather do it. I got my slapper from SFS too as seemed like good quality and will last me for years! (Not received it yet but only ordered yesterday)
Sylvia I was just going to slap shoulders as saddlebacks. If you slap bums that are black, would it show up? Can't quite belive I am talking to a comlpete stanger about slapping bums 

[robert waddell]

once they are dehaired the skin is white   or more white than black

[princesspiggy]

Can't quite belive I am talking to a comlpete stanger about slapping bums 

wait til u decide to AI...lol...

[ppd]

Ah yes I did read the 'vulva watch' thread 

[white-blazes]

We've just sent our 3rd batch of pigs off.  The first two we ear-tagged, but wasted a few as they kept falling out.

We then invested in a slap marker from SFS, and did the 4 pigs no bother.

This time hubby slapped the current 2 pigs whilst they were eating - again no bother at all.

Much easier 

[Tamsaddle]

Re SFS and Robert's comments on pigs getting stressed before slaughter - it wasn't like that at all at our abbatoir (Laverstoke) where there is a viewing gallery.   First we watched a group of 3 pigs that belonged to someone else, then a group of 3 of ours.   Both times, all 3 pigs were eagerly sniffing around this new pen they had just been taken to, pig #1 gave out a minute squeak as it was electrocuted before being hooked up and removed through the plastic curtain for sticking (all within 10 seconds), the other two took absolutely no notice at all, then it was the turn of pig #2, once again no reaction at all from pig #3, then it too was stunned.  It was all very surprising to see, and a huge relief, as I had been dreading the second and third one getting freaked out watching #1 falling over and being hoisted away right in front of their noses, but they really didn't seem aware of anything unusual going on at all.  Having seen this twice has made taking our pigs to slaughter a very much easier business emotionally, knowing that they are just doing completely normal piggy things right up to the very last micro second, and appear to have no idea at all that their life, or their sister/brother's, is just about to end.   Tamsaddle       

[Sylvia]

Yes ppd, the slap marks show up quite clearly

[oaklandspigs]

Hi oaklands
It was Dingwall and he def offered to do a slap mark for me. Now whether he was going to do it in the trailor, before unloading, I don't really know because I said that I was happy to buy one for myself and I would rather do it. I got my slapper from SFS too as seemed like good quality and will last me for years! (Not received it yet but only ordered yesterday)
Sylvia I was just going to slap shoulders as saddlebacks. If you slap bums that are black, would it show up? Can't quite belive I am talking to a comlpete stanger about slapping bums 

Thanks for the info.
 
as for "If you slap bums that are black, would it show up?  - All pigs dress out white, the black is like a thin layer of paint that is scraped off as part of the de-hairing (called scolding) process.
 
 
 
 

[ppd]

Thanks all
Got my slap marker today and only ordered it 2 days ago - so well done SFS And I shouldn't tell you this, but I will   I unpacked the said slapper, beautifully wrapped in tissue paper too and thought 'but it's back to front!' , then thought about it for a minute  - what a numpty I am