[fiatmillie1969]

Hi my 4 welsh pigs  are getting bigger by the day now at 17weeks, i'm starting to think about the final journey.

Tagging is concerning me how to do it and what tags metal or plastic.

I am down in cornwall and havent booked in anywhere yet has anyone got any advice which abbatoir would be the best?

Cheers Shell x

[JulieS]

Our abattoir need metal tags.  So I tag mine with plastic tags just before weaning, then the pigs going to the abattoir I tag with a metal tag the night before their journey.  I prefer not to tag with metal tags too far in advance as they tend to get caught in things, or if a long time in advance the ears can grow over them and/or cause infections.

There is a thread on here with a list of recommended abattoirs.  Take a look on there and get them booked in.  It's getting into the busy time of year for abattoirs, so do that quite soon.

Then the day before they are due to go tag them while they are eating. 

Good luck.  Let us know how you get on.   

[oaklandspigs]

As JulieS says they need to be metal. This is because as part of the process the hair is lossened by putting the carcass in a scalding tank.  Plastic tags melt so are not acceptable.  There are plastic tags that survive the process, but don't buy them. An abattoir cannot know from just looking that they are scald proof,so will reject.

Ditto as JulieS says only tag the day before, and take the pliers and spare tags with you.  That way if one has come out on the journey you can replace.

For abattoirs in cornwall, we had one recommendation Penryn   R J Trevarthen   
The reviewer said:
"9/10 (I'd give 10 but I think their sausage making is a bit expensive!) Its a family run concern that has expanded in the last couple of years given the popularity of private kills Pigs taken on Monday and Wednesdays
Everyone was very helpful - no hullaballoo, and we weren't hurried at any point.
They have a full butchery service - the butcher operates on site and you can ask for any variation of cuts you want - the butcher Peter was very helpful for us as a couple of Newbies. They will also cure meat"

[OhLaLa]

Yup, metal.

However - has anyone heard anything about the new EU legislation that all ear tags will be changing to electronic in order to trace more easily? The change is meant to be coming in next year but it's all a bit vague at the moment. Maybe it won't apply in the UK.

 

...but I need to order my next lot of tags so of course, as soon as they arrive...  doh!

[oaklandspigs]

Maybe it won't apply in the UK.

 

You're surely not suggesting that defra would pass up an opportunity to have more ID.  They would be most hurt if they thought that anyone would even think that they might not get their gold plating ready !!

No, I have heard nothing, and commercial guys would be up in arms given the level of pig movements.  With large pig herds in Denmark and Germany who are way off target to meat the end of sow stalls (keeping pigs in crates - banned in the UK years ago) I suspect that EU would have a very tough time introducing.  Sheep - no problem UK has largest flock so other EU countries did little to prevent introduction, as most get a derogation due to small numbers.

 

[Hilarysmum]

I heard the same rumour was told that it was just for sheep.

[fiatmillie1969]

  Thanks for all your help this forum is the best help a girl could want!

Decided to slapmark instead, lots of stories you might not get your own pigs back, tags can come out but the tattoo is a permanant mark.

My welsh beauties are coming on now getting so boisterious and even giving me a nibble when its feeding time, slapmarking should be interesting, cant be any worse than injecting and we got through that nightmare 

Shell x

[Hilarysmum]

Loads of advice here re when and how to slapmark.  Its not bad, even I the biggest wimp where my pigs are concerned, can do it.

[Frieslandfilly]

We bought and used plastic tags, had no problem with the abbatoir

[bibs]

Hi - re slapmark - just make sure you order your slapmarker well in advance of the final day. x