[ambriel]

Our nearest slaughterhouse is Dingwall which is about 80 miles away.

Has anyone else used them and have any comments, positive or not?

I've also considered the idea of a mobile slaughterhouse but I've not been able to find one covering the northwest area. Does anyone know of one?

[Dougal]

I think Dornoch has closed, the next one is Elgin, although I don't know if they do private kill. Two in Inverurie and the St Andrews slaughter house does private work and butchery. Apart from that I think all the rest are in the central belt  . I know there is a slaughter house in Turriff as well but they only do sheep and cattle and being owned by Morrisons they probably won't do any private work.

[lachlanandmarcus]

There is also Millers in Grantown on Spey
http://www.millersofspeyside.co.uk/private-kill-butchery.php
they definitely do pigs and definitely do private kills as Stonehead uses them for his pigs and took some very recently.
http://stoneheadcroft.com/

We use them for our sheep as we prefer the smaller place than the Inverurie slaughterhouses.
NB the butchery charges have recently gone up and are steep but you dont have to use them for butchery, another butcher or cutting plant can do it or if it's for own consumption you could do it at home.

[violet]

I use Dingwall regularly now. I must admit with some trepidation at first as I'd heard all sorts of rumours...............

But I found they were sensitve to me & my pigs ( 'are they pets love?'), but practical, they were quick with the paperwork so there's no need to hang about.
They also have overnight & grazing facilities for lambs & cattle and those from the islands (I think)

When I took my first bullock ( highland) who'd never been further than 3 miles by road in his life, He was so stressed on arrival, after over 80 miles, that though I got him out of the trailer I couldn't get him through to the pens. They quickly went and got this man who has this amazing knack of a special whistle and off my bullock went & followed him through.

You go to the office round the front once you have dropped off your animals. lachanandmarcus are right the butchery prices have gone up incredibly if you want vacuum packaging, I guess due to those of us who sell via farmer markets. But they will deliver to a butcher of your choice ( if they already deliver there) for £6 per pig, so I get some delivered to the butcher in one of the neighbouring villages.

There was a group of us some time ago trying to work out the logistics of a mobile slaughter house. Waste disposal is the biggest issue, but maybe it should be revived. There is a seasonal slaughterhouse at stornaway, not sure of the details, but I doubt it would work out cheaper for you.

Hope that helps

[ambriel]

Thanks for that, Violet.

Dingwall will be where I take them if there's no other alternative (i.e. mobile), so it's good to get a first-hand account.

Stornoway is, technically, closer but would involve a boat ride

There's a local man who used to be a butcher that I could use but I don't think I could then sell the meat, could I? The local hotel has also offered the use of their kitchen in the mornings when they're not using it.

[violet]

No you couldn't sell the meat.

But it depends when the point of sale is.
Some of my customers will buy a half carcass and then make their own arrangements (with a some guidance from me) to get it butchered.

[Crofter]

We used Dingwall once and found the facilities and handling to be good. The pigs were well scraped and overall a good job. The one problem we had was with return delivery but this was due to a useless idle driver and not the abattior itself.
Stornoway is probably not a practical option and it's only open from August til Christmas.  They do a good job of most kills but insist in ruining good hams by putting a gambrel through them!  Their butchery service is laughable.

Dave

[ambriel]

Thanks Dave,

Another good report for Dingwall then.

Munro's are the local butcher there and I gather they can take the carcass straight from the abattoir and cut'n'pack it. Might see what they want for the job. It'll only be the one beast.

[violet]

Munro's are the abbattoir too. They are one & the same.
It's always worth giving them a go though.
But do check with any local butchers to see if they do private butchery, it may work out cheaper.