The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: funkyfish on August 14, 2013, 08:38:22 am
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Hi, I have 3 sheep I need to put in the freezer (well several freezers I'm guessing!).
I have 2 commercial type whethers (last years lambs) who are fat and just plain annoying (although very sweet, they are too big for me to handle). I also have 'skitty sheep' a 2yo Castlemilk Moorit x shetland who is the bane of my life, she is the wildest sheep ever and regularly escapes and takes the others with her.
I'm not sure how to get them to the local place (just 15 mins up the road with a good reputation). I have a Kangoo car with barn doors and a rubber base, no carpet etc. The seats are taken out for the dogs anyway and there is no carpet etc so can disinfect it. it is fairly low to the ground but could sort a ramp if needed. Is it completely stupid to think of using it?
Should I take one away a month as not sure what to do with all the meat... The fatties will be rubbish eating I'm sure but will do something with them. Am looking forward to skitty sheep... I will have my revenge for black eyes and scraped knees from rugby tackling her!
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If there's no cage / guard between the rear and driver compartments then no I would not transport them this way. :o Especially skitty sheep!
Officially there should be a ramp and side rails to walk them in and out. Best to call the abattoir and ask their advice - it'll be their staff checking you in ;) You won't be the only smallholder takes the odd sheep.
If you've got a decent sized chest freezer you'll be surprised how many hoggs / Shetland x CMs you can get in there.
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i only had the one from someone else last year and 1 20kg box filled 1 draw of my freezer and i think i had a couple of packs of chops to pack in to another one...
nowhere near as scary as when whole piggy had to go in the freezer....
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Don't take them one at a time, they will fret too much. You may as well take them all at once.
See if you can borrow or hire a trailer for the job.
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Thanks for the replies!
I have a dog guard to stop anything coming near the drivers bit. I do have a tow bar but passed my test after 1997 so not sure what I can legally tow? A friend has a sheep trailer but not sure I would be able to borrow it as they are a bit precious about it...
I'll phone the place and ask them what they would accept. I think sending them all together is best, that leaves my ewe with her lambs behind.
I think I need get her a Pedigree Shetland friend, so she will not be too lonely and so I can have pedigree lambs nxt year or the year after...
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The rules for ramp angles and gates ironically relate to vehicles that have ramps. There is a loophole that means if the vehicle doesn't have ramps then the rule doesn't apply, however they have to see the vehicle as being suitable for carrying the livestock.
If it can be hosed out, livestock separated from driver compartment and sheep can be lifted out then it ought to be ok, but can't guarantee it. Trouble is those commercials will be heavy to lift out!
I would ask the abbatoir, and I would take all of them and put the meat in the freezer. Each sheep will only take up one box for the Shetlands maybe a box and a bit for the commercials. Box is about 2 foot by 12-18 inches.
Towing wise if you passed post 97 you likely wouldn't be able to take them without doing a trailer test as you are limited I think to 750kg and that's trailer and load of sheep, everything, basically you can only take a bit of rubbish down to the tip in a small box trailer without the test.
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:wave:
My P6e trailer has a max weight of 750kg (unladen weight of about 350kg), so I would think many small animal trailers would be towable. Depends on the weight of your car as well though as you have to make sure the car is designed to cope with the weight you are putting in. Check the V5C Registration Certificate if it is a newer car or the hand book. You can also find these details online (with a bit of digging) ;D
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Hi :wave: , Are you taking them to Chard? If so, the staff are very helpful- give the girls in the office a ring during the mornings and they will run you through anything you need to know. Tuesday is 'lamb day' and they are running at a 3 week wait at the moment.
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I've taken a couple of ewes to slaughter in the back of a van before now without any problem, but the back was seperate from the cab.
Why do you think the shearlings will be rubbish? I think they'll be good eating, though you may have to trim off a bit of fat (and render it down to make delicious tallow or mutton fat for roast spuds etc)