[Ayeskint]

Hi folks, I contacted my local abbattoir about booking in some lambs and buying back the sheepskin and fleece but was told that they don't do that.  Is this common?  If so is home slaughter my only option if I want to make sheep skin rugs?

Carol

[princesspiggy]

iv had this problem and havent solved it yet!

[Hermit]

We do home slaughter and the slaughterman still keeps the fleeces as he has a good customer and they are regarded as his 'perk'.

[Fleecewife]

The skin is what you get back from the abattoir and can tan to make sheepskin rugs.  The fleece is what you shear from the living sheep.  The abattoir will not give you back the fleece, but you should be able to get back the skin.  Perhaps the abattoir were confused because you asked for the wrong thing.  If you still have a problem, contact Nicki Port, who is a tanner near Hereford - she gives free advice on how to make sure you get back the skins - it is your right.  Normally, if you don't take the skins they are sent off for commercial tanning and you eventually get a small cheque for them - if you take them then obviously you don't get that cheque.
You do need to collect them and have them back home within a couple of hours of slaughter so you can salt them.  If you don't do it quickly the wool will slip during the tanning process.

[Hermit]

Meant skin, I dont think they shear them.

[Fleecewife]

No, they definitely don't shear them for you.

I should also have said that now is the wrong time of year to get your skins back for tanning.  Nov is the latest, with a tiny chance that Dec will do, depending on where you live.  This is because the winter weakening of the fibres (the rise) has begun, so that when the fleeces are processed the wool comes off and clogs up the machinery.  I think that perhaps all breeds don't have this, but you would be best to discuss this with your tanner first.

[princesspiggy]

does anyone know of a tanner in scotland. im in aberdeenshire but anywhere is better than nowhere 

[Hermit]

I went to a warehouse in the South of Shetland last year and it was full of skins, they were heading for Italy for posh handbags. As we dont get fly strike and other nasties to spoil the skin up here the skins are regarded as blemishless and perfect for posh fine leather goods. They would not say who the dealer was though as he is keeping the market high and too many chefs spoil the broth!

[Ayeskint]

Thanks folks, I'm sure the abbattoir knew what I was talking about as I said I wanted to make sheepskin rugs. He also wasn't happy because I only had 3.  I had sourced all the bits to do it before I contacted them.  I haven't done home slaughter before - I was going to ask a local shooter to do it for me.  I take it that there are also rules to that as well? I know that no money can change hands but does it need to be someone registered to do it?  I though that home slaughter was about me killing my sheep (humanely) for my own consumption......................

[Hermit]

Home slaughter is when the slaughterman comes to you. Dont try and do it yourself!

[Fleecewife]

does anyone know of a tanner in scotland. im in aberdeenshire but anywhere is better than nowhere 

Try Clive Hartwell of Skyeskins. clive@skyeskins.co.uk 01470592363 I will be interested to know if he will do yours for you.

[Anke]

My understanding of home slaughter would be to do it all yourself, as far as I know it is very difficult to (legally) get a slaughterman to come and do it for you on the holding...

We have taken two of our Shetland hogget wethers to the abattoir in NOvember, then colected the carcasses after a few days and cut them up ourselves. Great fun and (for us) definitely the way to go. WE don't sell any lamb/mutton at the moment though.

[Rosemary]

He also wasn't happy because I only had 3.  I though that home slaughter was about me killing my sheep (humanely) for my own consumption......................

I presume his not being happy about 3 was in relation to the skins. We had two killed at St Andrews and he seemed perfectly happy to kill them.

In relation to home slaughter, refer to the Humane Slaughter Association. There is a plethora of regulation around home slaughter, for obvious reasons.

[waterhouse]

Tim Tyne goes into full detail in his book in which he suggests using a .410

He does point out that home killed meat can legally only be consumed by that person and that the meat can't even be given away.  Bet that's widely ignored.

[acorn zwartbles]

I get my zwartbles skins back each time i send lambs in. Salt them and then send them to fenland sheepskins. Have had some fab big brown rugs back.