Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: When to slap mark?  (Read 2653 times)

docsal

  • Joined Feb 2017
When to slap mark?
« on: March 12, 2019, 12:04:50 pm »
I have just got 4 young rare breed weaners for raising to porker/bacon.
It's my third batch and I want to be really sure I get back my own pigs from abattoir/butcher.
What is the best time to slap-mark them?

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: When to slap mark?
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2019, 02:28:35 pm »
When they’re eating ;).  Or we do ours when they are in the trailer ready to go to the abattoir. 
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Zyg

  • Joined Nov 2018
  • Carmarthenshire
Re: When to slap mark?
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2019, 05:17:10 pm »
??
What does this mean? Is it what I think, that you give each pig a slap before they go into the abattoir? What do you slap them with? How does this show on the carcase?
« Last Edit: March 13, 2019, 10:40:21 am by Zyg »

shep53

  • Joined Jan 2011
  • Dumfries & Galloway
Re: When to slap mark?
« Reply #3 on: March 12, 2019, 06:33:01 pm »
A slap mark is  a tattoo that is on a long handle that you bang on the pigs shoulder so that the carcass has your herd number on it . As sally say when they are eating in the trailer before going to the abattoir .   Just looked on ebay  3 slap markers for sale
« Last Edit: March 12, 2019, 06:39:37 pm by shep53 »

greenbeast

  • Joined Jul 2014
Re: When to slap mark?
« Reply #4 on: March 12, 2019, 09:20:55 pm »
Yes, right before i leave for abattoir.
I tend to do a rump slap, more room for error

Possum

  • Joined Feb 2012
  • Somerset
Re: When to slap mark?
« Reply #5 on: March 13, 2019, 09:37:10 am »
I slap mark them when they are at the trough the day before they go to the abattoir.  You need quite a good swing to get the marker through their bristles. There isn't enough room in my trailer to do that.

greenbeast

  • Joined Jul 2014
Re: When to slap mark?
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2019, 04:19:04 pm »
Yes fair point, when i've had to use a small trailer i've slapped when they're in the loading race before they go on board

PipKelpy

  • Joined Mar 2019
  • North Shropshire
  • Dreamer with Mary, (cow) and sheep.
Re: When to slap mark?
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2019, 09:31:43 am »
I use ear tags. Don't you trust the abattoir? I ask, as the one I use was recommended to me by a young vet as they did her pigs. I went out to have a look at it and I couldn't find it, I had to ask a postman. When I did locate it, it was shut but they also have a shop so I went to the shop and me being me, asked them straight out, "How can I guarantee that I get back my own animal?" Lets just say it went quiet! Anyway, the reply come back, politely, "We have rules that we have to follow and have built up trust with our customers!" I've been using them since 2003! I do also use a smaller abattoir which is further away, but only because I have no cattle transport and the previous time I had beef done, they came and got it but couldn't this time, so I asked him, "Can you haul for me or do you want the job?" He did the job, 2 big whopping Angus's too! He did another heifer and lambs for me last year. Its very much trust. Put it this way, I can eat the meat, but I cannot kill and skin etc!
Halter train the cattle to keep them quiet but watch your back when they come a'bulling! Give them all names even those you plan to eat. Always be calm. Most importantly, invest in wellies with steel toe caps and be prepared for the clever cow who knows where the toe caps end!!

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: When to slap mark?
« Reply #8 on: March 14, 2019, 10:53:23 am »
We have a lovely abattoir and a super butcher, but mistakes do happen.  Usual person off sick or on holiday, preparation for an inspection taking people’s attention (ironic, huh? ::)), even in a very well run completely trustworthy setup, there will be the occasional mistake.  We slap mark our pigs.  Wish I could do the same with the sheep!  Lol.
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

pharnorth

  • Joined Nov 2013
  • Cambridgeshire
Re: When to slap mark?
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2019, 06:19:31 pm »
Sily me.  For some reason I had it in my dozy head that the slap mark had to be on the shoulder. Easier enough for pairs of pigs but with 5 eating from a round feeder it was like trying to slap mark a rugby side during a scrum. Rump it is next time...

docsal

  • Joined Feb 2017
Re: When to slap mark?
« Reply #10 on: March 18, 2019, 03:25:51 pm »
Thanks all - rumps pre-abattoir it is!

bryntevans01

  • Joined Aug 2017
Re: When to slap mark?
« Reply #11 on: June 19, 2019, 10:10:36 pm »
If it’s your first time slap them a couple of weeks before. I’ve slapped pigs the day before abattoir and it hasn’t shown up! This gives you a chance to inspect it to make sure you’ve done it properly! I always slap both sides of the rump and both shoulders, it’s good practice as there are some abattoirs that have lost pigs or halves!! My pigs are OSB and Saddleback so it can sometimes be quite a job to get good contact through all the hair. Do it when there feeding and they’ll barely flinch :-)

 

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