Author Topic: Transporting pigs to slaughter (Read 6024 times)

Barrett · « **on:** July 24, 2011, 08:05:52 pm »

Hello, please can you help me does anybody know if it is against the rules to transport pigs inside the vehicle you are driving though the seats are completely separate from the section the pigs will be in.

Bioman · « **Reply #1 on:** July 24, 2011, 08:08:09 pm »

Weaners can be transported in a dog cage in the boot. Anything bigger you need a sheep/ pig/ cattle trailer

chickenfeed · « **Reply #2 on:** July 24, 2011, 08:11:57 pm »

not sure what part of the country you are from but around here pigs going to slaughter have to be transported in a trailer with loading ramps and loading gates. this is usually checked at the slaughetr house prior to unloading.

Barrett · « **Reply #3 on:** July 24, 2011, 08:16:46 pm »

Thank guys I thought as much, having a bit of trailer problems at the moment and a friend offered me transport but wasn't a trailer.

pikilily · « **Reply #4 on:** July 24, 2011, 08:42:47 pm »

what sort of vehicle are you talkin about? A lorry has the driver seperate from the animals ...so would a horsebox...or a transit van with a ramp and sidegates? yet they are all technically one vehicle without a trailer....or are you thinking of your fiat punto...

Ermma T

melodrama · « **Reply #5 on:** July 24, 2011, 10:17:37 pm »

I have hilarious visions of that now Emma ha ha

littlemisspiggy! · « **Reply #6 on:** July 25, 2011, 07:38:39 am »

if anyone has read 'any fool can be a pig farmer'...(very old book!

)..there is a brilliant chapter about a sow in a car putting through the window to see out plus other piggy 'movements' that happened in the car!

oaklandspigs · « **Reply #7 on:** July 25, 2011, 07:54:55 am »

Barret,

For you in North Somerset, you will come under the Welfare of Animals (Transport) (Engalnd) Order 2006, which implements EU 1/2005 - a very large piece of legislation.

This permits transport in containers, trailers or areas of a rigid vehicle that are suitable.

Two issues you will face.

The first is the suitabiility of the area they will be in. The regs state that no person shall transport animals or cause animals to be transported in a way likely to cause injury or undue suffering to them. They should be designed, constructed, maintained and operated so as to avoid injury and suffering and ensure the safety of the animals.

The second major issue you will face is loading and unloading. If you lift an animal, this must be done without risk of injury to the animal and whilst you can humanly lift a piglet, a slaughter weight would be impossible! The regs would expect you to have ramps (or a lift!) and for the ramps to have side protections so that the animal can walk out with a ramp angle of less than 36.4%!

Various other parts of the legislation might be infringed depending on how exactly you are transporting.

Additionally a slaughter house can reject any animal if they are not happy with transport - this is not part of the regs, just the ability for anyone running a business to put conditions on their trade with you.

Overall whilst an improvised solution can be made to satisfy regs, most won't!

pikilily · « **Reply #8 on:** July 25, 2011, 08:47:05 am »

Phone the abattoir and ask them what they will accept...Simples!! and then add that to the actual legislation.
i have a horse trailer which i used to transport the pigs to Dunblane. I took sheep hurdles in the Hilux and tied them securly to the trailer sides for unloading. Worked perfectly and the slaughterman was happy to.
Emma T-----------Oh, dont forget to check out your transport licence thingy, and the food chain thingy!!