The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Nisbet on November 03, 2009, 01:50:59 pm
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A wee question for you guys north of the Border - I know it's on here somewhere but can't seem to find it. Have 2 tams ready for big sleepies and am confused as to the requirements for having them slaughtered - |I mean - identification. I see that certainly in England all pigs have to be ear-marked. However, I have been given to understand that as long as they are identifiable - and by that - even a red cross on them - then - that's good enough. They have unreadable tatoo marks in their ears which they were given by their breeder - so not a lot of use really. Sorry to be a pest - as I say, I am certain that I have read this on here somewhere before. Guess I could find out directly from the abbattoir but your comments would be appreciated. Many thanks in anticipation.
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Providing they are under a year old then a temporary mark will do.
Which slaughterhouse are you using?
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They will have to go to our nearest abbattoir in Galashiels (about 30 mins journey). I am told that Mondays is their pig day and that they don't slaughter many pigs anyway. Am to take them along for about 7 in the morning. I assume a more permanent mark (ear-tag say) would just ensure you got your piggy back. What's with the slap-mark - surely that just comes away when they are skinned?! Dunno - first time for us - so teeny bit anxious. Have got brilliant butcher sorted - he's even happy for me to go in and help/hinder/get under his feet. Whats the score with disinfecting the trailer? Guess all this gets easier with practice and experience. Where do you take your pigs? Thanks for your help. N
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:pig: a slap mark shows on the pork as it is a tattoo on the shoulders. we use this as our slaughter house never send the ears back and we can make sure we get our own pigs back this way. a friend of ours sent white pigs to slaughter but got ginger hairs on their pork ? they now use a slap mark. ;)
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I take my pigs to Galashiels ear tagged and my butcher said that he got them back with tags on. Need to send Food chain info prior to going I faxed mine through on the friday before. I was there last Monday about 6am and it was getting busy as I was leaving, passed at least 6 trailers heading in. There only seems to be 1 lairage man on and he has to run back and forward between sheep and pigs so suggest if you have no time to waste better to be early. Trailer should be cleaned out within 24 hrs. Good luck first time is the worst
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I use Carluke but I'm in the west coast(argyll) so whereever I go is miles!!
Please remember and do your food chain information too.
And remember your movement licence too!
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Definitely slap mark. Friends sent 2 GOS and got back 1 gos with head, and one white pig without head and with a docked tail.
They always slap mark both shoulders now.
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Food chain info????!!!!
OK so ear-tag tool or slap-marker required then. Markings just have to be something recognisable as yours, yeah?
Hey - Daisy'smum - where are you?
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Food chain information is a decleration of any medicine given.
You should be able to download from the slaughterhouse website or the animal health website.
It's just another page of paper needed!!!
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Hi Nisbet I am in Reston, just a few miles from Eyemouth. I got my food chain paperwork from either Trading Standards or Animal Welfare, can't remember which!
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Thanks guys. I'll speak to the abbattoir when I book them in. Hi Daisysmum - we're across to Reston occassionally (we have a wee taxi company too) - will look out for yer piggies - what type you have? Have ordered "Slapper" - got scared about not getting the right little piggy back. The lassie asked me what markings/letterings etc I wanted - I did think about something along the lines of "All of this piggy belongs to Nettie so keep your theiving hands off or there'll be big trouble" - then she told me how much each letter was - so got sensible then. Busy looking up ideas regarding curing - need to have a wee shot at our own ham/bacon etc - any pointers would be hugely appreciated - although I guess it'll all be on the forum somewhere. Many thanks to you all - are you guys getting over to the get-together in Glasgow in December? N x
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You should be able to get food chain document from abattoir. If you want to have a go at bacon curing, I have some cure mix left from my last batch I can send some to you with instructions if you want.
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Afraid you wont be able to see my piggies unless you look in my freezer, however will be getting more in the spring just not sure yet what kind probably GOS as they are bred locally and so easy to get. Had saddlebacks last time.Also had a couple of Pietrains which had been running free range for 5 months they were pretty big and very lean, chops the size of a dinner plate.
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Did the pietrains make as good bacon as the saddlebacks?
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I didn't do any bacon as the people who bought them only wanted pork,I kept 1/2 for myself and I must say the pork is really good,although I do wish now that I had got some bacon. Pork now coming out our ears!!!!
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Okay - all arrangements made for Monday : paperwork sorted, butcher ready to receive, offer accepted from fantastically sweet, kind and supportive neighbour with livestock trailer to take them away - and abattoir booked! Is it normal to feel a bit wierd about sending them off? This is my first time and I hope it gets easier. Part of me wants to visit the abattoir and see just what is done - not my beasts - but generally. Is that odd? Am intrigued as to what will come back - they may be well too fat - will have to see. Am hoping to cure much of the meat - so gonna be a busy girlie for wee while. Maybe my sentimental mood will shift when I see/taste the end result. Sorry to be such a wimp. Hey did anybody see that guy Richard Da Costa (I think thats his name) doing a programme "My Life as an Animal" ? When I was searching on the net for info about procedures at the abattoir for pig-slaughter - he came up about his programme that he did back in the spring I think. He lived with piggies in an intensive plant and his "report" re: commercial/intensive -v- free-range/happy tells what we all already know. Anyway - I hadnt come across it - dont really do TV - but I thought it was interesting. You might like. N
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Its quite normal and ok to feel a bit discombobulated (hope thats the right word) just before sending your pigs off, especially if its a first time. It never gets easier, it just becomes more normal. Surely that is good though, that you value your animals enough not to feel blase about sending them for slaughter.
When the meat comes back, well thats a whole different story. Always good to look at the carcass and to plan what I want to do with it.
Good luck, itll all be fine. HM
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Well put Hilarysmum. I love the word discombobulated....Describes the feelings very well.
Good luck Nisbet for Monday, I'm sure all will be fine. Let us know how you get on.
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Big girls went yesterday morning. Didnt sleep much the night before and needed up by about 5. Was unable to load them the night before - despite knowing it to be the best and probably less stressful option - so nope - we separated the youngsters the night before. When I went out to them in the morning the bigguns came trotting down to the side gate in the pitch black - came to my call along the garden fence and into the trailer - it being as close as we could get it - in light of the soft ground. No hassle at all. Bless em - I did feel a b*****d. Might have been easier if they had played up or took a chunk out ma leg - not that they ever had done before - so werent likely to do so. Our super neighbour did the deed - took them in his trailer. They are due at the butcher tomorrow - so will go and see just what we have. So there we are guys ..... I did it - strange day it was though. Many thanks for your support and encouragement. Will keep you posted as to how they turned out. The wee ones look so much bigger now that the big girls are away. Turning my mind to organising more weaners ........ hmmm - what to go for next time I wonder ..... ! |Blessings x
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Glad all went well for you, I have to load the night before as I have no one to help in the morning and I must admit I didn't sleep much.
Now you have all that lovely pork to look forward to.