[Anke]

Our local (15 mins down the road) abattoir  in Galashiels  has stopped doing their own killings, but work in "collaboration" with Shotts. For private kills I have to get my pigs to Shotts for 8am on a Monday (70 miles from home), but the carcasses would be brought back to Gala for either me to collect or delivery to my butcher.

Is Shotts likely to "loose" or swap my pigs? They will be (metal)eartagged, both ears. Any comments (also for sheep and possibly goats) welcome.

I have only two other alternatives - Annan or Lockerbie, but probably here would have to make the journey twice..., but they would butcher as well.

[oaklandspigs]

Check out our abattoir guide

http://www.oaklandspigs.co.uk/links/abattoirs/

If you do use any, let us know your views, would love to add more to the list

[Anke]

I did check the guide - nothing on them in there. That's the reason for my post.

[Fleecewife]

We use Shotts for our sheep.  Where you take them in looks rather horrible - in fact totally grim - but the guys themselves are good with the animals and we have had no complaints of them at all.  They have never lost any of our carcases and do let us have the skins and horns back if we ask.
For sheep you can take them in the afternoon before slaughter, there by 3, so they have an overnight stay, empty their bellies and stay nice and dry, which can be difficult at home.  We prefer that to the mayhem in the mornings when there are trailer-loads of animals arriving, with a bit of vehicular mayhem, especially if it's icy.  Sheep have to be in earlier than 8.  Perhaps you could take your pigs in the afternoon before.
Our carcases are collected from Shotts by our local butcher, slaughter date to fit in with their own arrangements.

Ah, Ive just seen that you have to take them in on a Monday, so I don't know if they could arrive on a Sunday, but it's worth asking.

[HappyHippy]

Shotts are really good, I normally use them (except for that one time before Xmas ! ) I don’t think it’s a Monday though (unless they’ve changed days) normally Wednesday or Thursday I think. If you phone Jessie in the office she’ll tell you how busy they are that week and what day it is. The staff are all really good and we’ve not had any bad or even slightly off putting experiences there. It should be okay for you to be a bit later than 8am - we’ve never had pigs in as early as that.
If you want them to do the cutting & packing, phone William in the Chapman’s shop in Wishaw. The abattoir will deliver the carcass to him, he’ll cut, pack & label for 70p per kilo including sausages (if you want bacon & ham it’s £1.40 a kilo) Sometimes I give him very detailed cutting lists and sometimes I leave it up to him - got a stunning looking French trimmed loin back last time round (just need an excuse to have a dinner party now !) He’s really good and will blast freeze it all too if you want. I can’t fault them at the shop or at the abattoir. Just tell them Karen from Lesmahagow recommended them 
HTH
Karen x

[oaklandspigs]

Have added Shotts to the guide - thanks HH and FW !

[Anke]

Juliet & Karen - thanks very much. I will book the girls into Shotts asap! (and hopefully before the weather turns wintry).

What would I do without TAS?