The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Daleswoman on September 15, 2015, 02:53:23 pm
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Our little GOS weaners are now big porkies and will be off to the abattoir in a month or so. I know I have a choice of ear tagging, slap marks or ear tattoos - which have people found to be the best option (as in easiest, quickest, least stressful for pigs) ?
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I ear tag and it's ok - I do it on their last evening, pop them in the trailer with a handful of nuts, tag them as they are busy eating.
However if I was starting again, having read threads on here, I'd go for the slapmark. It has the added bonus you are sure you have your own meat back ;)
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Has to be tag or slapmark. Agree with SallyintNorth that slapping guarantees you get your pig back. We use a small abattoir so less chance of mistakes but I have heard of one or two. Fearings do slap kits and tags.
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I sneak up behind them and slap on each shoulder as their heads are down eating - occasionally get a squeak of protest but never enough to put them off their food.
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Thanks for the quick replies! I get my sheep tags from Fearings so will look at their slappers. Not looking forward to them going - we will all miss them, especially the dogs!
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Slap marks one on each shoulder here using food grade ink....while they are eating their food, quick easy stress free, abbatoir accepted, you get your own meat back - nuff said!
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you also need to check with your abattoir - some will only take slapmarks !
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I've not tried to tag but i feel that getting a couple of slap marks into a pig while it is eating would be easier than positioning tags on the ear
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I am newbie to pigs and ear tagged the last couple, was easy enough, might look into other methods in future though.
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Definitely slap marks for us. Do it when they are eating and they hardly flinch :thumbsup:
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Another vote for slapmarks - although the 1st year I was a tad (!) heavy handed as I was so nervous :innocent:
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We ear tag. Same as sally, the night before. Far easier than we'd feared. No reason not to slap but we trust the butcher and it saves further expense on kit we havent got
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Slap mine and so far they haven't slapped me back. Looks slightly bemused if anything. Order your kit now though can take 2 or 3 weeks to arrive
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It will depend on what your abattoir wants. Better give them a ring.
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Regarding the information in the slap mark: do you just use your herd number or is it another officially issued ID?
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Just your herd no
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Thank you
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Should the slap marked herd number be clearly distinct. Mine (first attempt) look a bit smudged although it might be clear underneath the hair/skin. Do I need to do it again?
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The slap mark should be one on each shoulder, if one appears smudged I would leave it, the other one is probably ok. By trying to do it again you could make matters worse as it could 'interfere' with the original which may be ok anyway.
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Just tagged mine tonight ready for the morning and one looks like I have tried to slaughter him, caught a vein and it bled like mad. In all the years we have been doing this its a first!
Have now decided to invest in a slap marker for next year!
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I tagged all 4 of mine 2 weeks back, and they all bled really badly! It has never happened before, but I might look into slap marking now.
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Should the slap marked herd number be clearly distinct. Mine (first attempt) look a bit smudged although it might be clear underneath the hair/skin. Do I need to do it again?
It is only the paste that will have made it look smudged. The needles will have left a readable mark.
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The first time we slap marked we wern't sure we had done it correctly so took the slap marker and dye with us to the abattoir, just in case. We need not have worried. It was very reassuring to see it nice and clearly when we got our meat back.