The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: pharnorth on August 16, 2015, 07:39:16 pm
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In previous years I have purchased weaners and when ready for the big day slap marked them before the abbatoir trip.
This year we have Berkshires. The seller insisted the plastic ear tag he applied to each one would be 'ok for the abbatoir', but this of course is with his herd mark not mine.
Can I leave these in? Do I need to slap mark with my herd number? Or do I need to purchase and use metal tags with my own herd number?
It looks like I need to re identify them but I struggle to see the logic of this as currently they are traceable by movement licence to me and as a GMP scientist I know the best way of getting identity confused is to take a label off and apply a new one.
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Our plastic tags were fine through slaughter. We got heads back so can vouch for this.
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They need to have the herd mark of the holding of departure, ie yours, either tagged or slap marked depending on what the abattoir want.
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Ok thanks sounds like I can leave them in and just add my slap Mark then.
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Can't see why not as long as the abattoir is happy with slap marks.
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Yes you must legally leave them on and add either a 'scald' resistant eartag, or a slapmark with your holding on under The Pigs (Records, Identification and Movement) Order 2011 section 22. 'No person may, unless authorised by the Secretary of State, remove or deface an identification mark.'
This may cause some confusion at the slaughterhouse, which is why we recommend that people get their weaners on a temporary mark.
Although if you slapmark, the abattoir should use that in preference to an eartag.
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That is really helpful thanks. I've read the regulations and in my professional life I am well used to dealing with EU regs but there is often some interpretation issues and I could not for the life on me get my head around slap marks on black pigs which is why when the breeder offered to put ear tags in rather than temporary marks I went with it.