The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: white-blazes on November 09, 2011, 10:20:44 pm

Title: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: white-blazes on November 09, 2011, 10:20:44 pm
Hubby slapped marked the pigs on Sunday, did both shoulders whilst all 4 were eating and was quite chuffed that it went so well compared to the fiasco when putting metal ear tags in the last lot.

BUT, this morning the marks seem to have gone, so it seems he wasn't cruel enough......

Oh well, better luck next time.  When it's the first attempt I suppose  it's hard to judge just how hard to slap ???
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!H
Post by: robert waddell on November 09, 2011, 10:24:48 pm
you did use slap marking paste?       did you cover the pins in paste a lot of paste   also did you rub the paste into the pin holes that you made on the pigs      it does wear of but it should still be visible :farmer:
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!H
Post by: white-blazes on November 09, 2011, 10:29:29 pm
 ??? don't know anything about paste, we ordered the slapper and ink and no instructions came, I thought it was a case of just ink the slapper with a toothbrush and slap away :-[  Just as well we have another 3 weeks to 'd' day......... what is the paste and where does it come from please Robert?
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: robert waddell on November 09, 2011, 10:33:34 pm
the paste should be the ink              slap marker paste is used to do the tattooing      it works the best
did you get it from SFS :farmer:
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: white-blazes on November 09, 2011, 10:38:03 pm
Yes got it from SFS. I didn't think he'd sell me short he was extremely helpful in his emails, thought I'd missed an important item then.  I think it was down to hubby not slapping hard enough, oh well, better luck next week when he's home again ;D
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: robert waddell on November 09, 2011, 10:44:26 pm
if the pigs let you near them have a look and see if the skin is punctured     you have to use a fair bit of force
it is hard to get a permanent lasting ink or paste for tattooing as it fades with age yet some people  bill howes   can do a perfect job that lasts and is very distinctive        i have been doing it for over 40 years and it still fades :farmer:
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: Berkshire Boy on November 09, 2011, 10:48:45 pm
You're best off doing it the day of slaughter,a bit of food in the trailer and a firm slap, job done.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: Sylvia on November 10, 2011, 07:52:34 am
I usually tag my pigs and am slapping them for the first time when mine go on 28th. I think the thing is to give them a good FIRM slap but not as hard as though you were swinging an axe at a log. I did offer to practise on the O.H. but was turned down ;D
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: supplies for smallholders on November 10, 2011, 02:14:59 pm
Hi,

Sorry coming late to this one.

As long as you have plenty of ink on the pins and give a good firm slap (not too excessive) then the tattoo will take. - As Robert says if the skin is punctured a bit of ink rubbed in will not do any harm, but its not strictly necessary.

Trials have been carried out on this ink by a VERY big slaughterhouse, for ink retention when slapping just before slaughter, a week before slaughter and 3 months before slaughter - all have passed the requirements - and this ink is in the process of being mandated by some of the larger supermarkets - so the ink is not a problem.

Sometimes the tattoo is not visible on the live animal but can be seen clearly on the carcass after slaughter and cleaning.

But if in doubt do it again, a little more forceful with PLENTY of ink on the pins - they are very sharp and should penetrate the skin easily

Thanks
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: hughesy on November 10, 2011, 06:49:39 pm
White Blazes which abatoir are you using? If it's Denbigh check with them as they specified ear tags when I last used them.
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: bazzais on November 10, 2011, 06:59:49 pm
I've got home made tattoos around my body made from the ink of bic biros and they still exist 20 odd years on clear as a bell (and looking like a 15 years old drew them - whoops)  ;)

Never seen a pig slapper before, is it made from multiple needles/pins or like a dot matrix/old skool digi clock layout???

Sorry I am no help - just interested :)

After tattoing myself - the more ink supplied to the area the better its going to be? Loads up them needles with ink :) - the rest will wipe away/over.

Good luck.

Baz
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: supplies for smallholders on November 10, 2011, 07:17:04 pm
Hi Baz,

Its a plate with multiple sharpened pins on it, that fits in a slapper handle.

If you use the link at the bottom of this page to visit our sire and do a search for "plate" you will see the slapper plate - click on the image to enlarge it to give a better view.

I certainly wouldnt like to be slapped with one.........But the pigs dont seem to flinch.

Thanks
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: white-blazes on November 10, 2011, 08:16:29 pm
Thanks all.  I'm sure it was down to hubby not slapping hard enough.  We'll have another go just before they go to slaughter, they are so food-orientated right now they didn't notice him anyway, so next time he can afford to be a bit more forcefull.

So when he's slapped, we need to just rub over the ink yes, make sure it goes into the 'holes'?



White Blazes which abatoir are you using? If it's Denbigh check with them as they specified ear tags when I last used them.

We're using the same one we used last time on Anglesey, so only a 5 mile journey for them ;)
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: supplies for smallholders on November 10, 2011, 08:45:15 pm
If the pins are inked well you dont need to do any rubbing - but if it makes you feel better then feel free  :bunny:
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: Helencus on November 10, 2011, 09:22:55 pm
When I did mine I was worried that it looked like it hadn't taken but when I got them back the tattoos were very clear.  I got my ink and slapper from SFS and I agree very helpful :)
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: white-blazes on November 10, 2011, 09:29:25 pm
thanks again SFS :pig:
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: ambriel on November 10, 2011, 10:42:44 pm

By the wa, SfS, do you do a 'starter kit' sort of thing for slap marking?

I need to order a set of handle, plate, ink, and ink pad.
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: hughesy on November 10, 2011, 11:21:31 pm
White Blazes which abatoir are you using? If it's Denbigh check with them as they specified ear tags when I last used them.

We're using the same one we used last time on Anglesey, so only a 5 mile journey for them ;)
[/quote]

Ah you're lucky he wouldn't do mine. Too big and too black apparently.
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: supplies for smallholders on November 11, 2011, 09:42:24 am
Hi Ambriel,

In all honesty, unless you are slapping 20+ pigs at any one time do not bother with an ink pad - they take a lot of ink to pre ink them and unless used on a regular basis can tend to try out. We advise use of a toothbrush or small paintbrush to ink the pins.

So in effect there is no such thing as a starter kit from us, as the slappers and ink we sell are exactly the same as used by pig units slapping 1000's of pigs.

When comparing slappers and prices just watch out for ones that seem at first to be a good deal, until you start adding on the slapper characters at £3 - £5 each.

Our price includes the Slapper and a plate manufactured to your herdmark characters.

As an aside, we can also produce meat stamps to "brandmark" the cuts of meat with basically any text or logo you like.

And we have made it easy for anyone to visit our site - just click the banner at the bottom of any TAS Forum page.

Thanks
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: white-blazes on November 11, 2011, 09:18:29 pm
Ah you're lucky he wouldn't do mine. Too big and too black apparently.

Yeah, he doesn't do black or hairy, so we buy pink bald ones ;D  Ours go at 6 months, so just the right size.  Are you on Anglesey too Hughesy?
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: ambriel on November 11, 2011, 11:14:47 pm
In all honesty, unless you are slapping 20+ pigs at any one time do not bother with an ink pad..
That's worth knowing. We only have a few, after all. I'll just order the other bits then.

Cheers
Gary

Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: hughesy on November 12, 2011, 10:53:34 am
Ah you're lucky he wouldn't do mine. Too big and too black apparently.

Yeah, he doesn't do black or hairy, so we buy pink bald ones ;D  Ours go at 6 months, so just the right size.  Are you on Anglesey too Hughesy?
Yes near Llangefni. We have to use J Williams at Denbigh which is a pain but can't be helped.
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: white-blazes on November 12, 2011, 11:44:07 am
Ah right, these current 4 pigs came from Penmynydd so quite near you.  My friend went to Denby with theirs, it's quite a way to go too so we thought we'd just get pinks and stay close to home.  Valley butchers are collecting them and doing 1 for bacon/gammon etc, the other 3 for pork as last time.  Lamias are too busy to chop, as they were in the summer, but Valley are happy to do that so that's what we do :)  It's a lot easier for us as hubby works on the Ferries all week, so we have to book them in to tie in when he's on a week off etc etc.....
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!H
Post by: Blonde on November 13, 2011, 07:09:04 am
you did use slap marking paste?       did you cover the pins in paste a lot of paste   also did you rub the paste into the pin holes that you made on the pigs      it does wear of but it should still be visible :farmer:
When the pig is slaughtered the brand will be seen on them if it is a permanant ink  If not then it will las around 2 weeks and then will have to be done again.
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: white-blazes on November 28, 2011, 10:13:30 pm
Well the pigs are off to Wrexham on Monday, bit of an inconvenience for us but the Bodedern abatoir have let us down BIG style ::)
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: princesspiggy on December 03, 2011, 02:55:00 pm
i tattooed our pigs ears before they went to slaughter (i didnt want to buy a slapmark and a tattoo set) and i did think it hadnt worked but it was clearly seen on the returning carcuss.
how soon before sending away are you supposed to mark them? im just asking as ours were pretty covered in tattoo paste and instructions i found online said not to wipe it off. do abattoirs not mind them going in like that or are slappmarkers not as messy? i did clean them up before they went and couldnt see the numbers but they are clearly on the dead carcuss.
but surely the marks are there to help the men there?
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: supplies for smallholders on December 04, 2011, 12:11:07 pm
Hi Princess,

Tattooing the ears is not really an acceptable method (In England) it should be either a slap to each shoulder or a single metal ear tag. But if your slaughterhouse is happy with that then carry on.

You can tattoo at any stage from 10 weeks old upto and including loading to the trailer for slaughter - However we tend to recommend a couple of weeks before slaughter.

Thanks
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: Sylvia on December 04, 2011, 01:24:19 pm
I slapped pigs for the first time last week and I too was afraid of not slapping hard enough. I gave a firm slap on each shoulder and bum and the pigs, with their snouts in the trough, hardly noticed. 
When they came back I could see the tattoo clearly. I got my slapper and ink from S f S and couldn't have done better. :)
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: princesspiggy on December 04, 2011, 01:42:45 pm
Tattooing the ears is not really an acceptable method (In England) it should be either a slap to each shoulder or a single metal ear tag.

in scotland we didnt need anything other than a temporary mark until 1st oct, now its changed. im pretty sure tattoos are accepted. tho we need 2 ear tags rather than one.

just while we are talking about id, can i tag my herd number onto a pedigree pig bred elsewhere if their tattoo is faded?
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: robert waddell on December 04, 2011, 02:47:51 pm
first sfs the piglets are to be tattooed at weaning before they mix with other pigs     this is to comply with the bpa regulations on identifying pedigree pigs         it is unlikely that non pedigree pigs would be tattooed  but not improbable
second princess  if the original breeder identified the pig with a tattoo it is wrong to put another identifying mark on that pig       its original identity is lost and therefore cannot correlate with the pedigree papers
pigs appear to be unique in identification going by regulations  NOT BPA ONES  that a pig could end up looking like a Xmas tree with all the different id that it could collect in its lifetime  :farmer:
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: princesspiggy on December 04, 2011, 05:15:05 pm
second princess  if the original breeder identified the pig with a tattoo it is wrong to put another identifying mark on that pig       its original identity is lost and therefore cannot correlate with the pedigree papers

when i bought her - her tattoo was clear, and there was no legal requirement for pig id.
now u can hardly see it, and as its law it looks like she has no id. maybe i should ask her breeder for an eartag? we had a sheep inspection last year where all sheep were checked for eartags, so i presume they can do that for pigs now too?
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: robert waddell on December 04, 2011, 05:33:36 pm
not heard of any inspections in pigs     as i said if it is pedigree it has to be tattooed for breeding and showing
if breeding only it has to be double tagged         (this is an ongoing problem that the bpa have )
with faded tattoos if you shine a torch close to the back of the ear it should show      or clean the ear and it may still be visible :farmer:
Title: Re: slapped, but not hard enough!
Post by: princesspiggy on December 04, 2011, 07:24:21 pm
[quote author=robert waddell link=topic=19531.msg187337#msg187337 date=1323020016
with faded tattoos if you shine a torch close to the back of the ear it should show      or clean the ear and it may still be visible :farmer:
[/quote]

oh... well if i get an inspection i shall let them do that...lol...rofl...sure dorothy wont mind!
shes got a hot date next week...cant wait!!!