[Victorian Farmer]

If you remember the tv program the po kocks crofta Ben africk .He fed the pigs and sheep and shot the animal in the field put it in the tracter buckit winches it up and bled it .Nothink was said a bout it .It's better for the animals no fuss . In Scotland its common practice becouse there's no place to slorter.

[Clansman]

can you tell the powers that be don't like the idea at all!!!


the rules are written to make the abattoir the appealing option, shame so many have shut down really.

Thats EXACTLY the way a lot of it comes across, it looks like it can legally be done at home but they REALLY don't want you doing it so a lot of the info on it is less than helpful.

They aren't telling us lies but seem to be withholding the whole truth

[Clansman]

It's better for the animals no fuss

Another thing in its favour, I know a lot of the abattoirs are reputable places but i've read a few horror stories from smallholders who took their pigs to abattoirs, it can't be a completely stress free experience.

when its my turn, I'd rather go with my head in the food bucket at home..

[Victorian Farmer]

If you take you're animals to slorter you don't no if you get the right meat .Is it killed propley do they take good care. Answer no not as good as you .Loading erley morning carnt be good .stress free if you do it you're self . There is no difarance from a chickin goose sheep pig its you're animal you have cared for .it Bonding and trust .so why spend 50 pound and let some one else do it.

[oaklandspigs]

It does seem odd that one can't get a licenced person in to do it. As I understand it, without any training, I could legally shoot one of my own pigs, running the risk of injuring/distressing it but someone familiar with the process couldn't.

One probably can !  Interestingly the advice changed in 2011 - although no laws have changed.

The 2011 advice says "26. It is unlawful for a farmer to use the services of an itinerant slaughterman both to slaughter his animal and to dress it. This is because the slaughterman would be supplying goods (i.e. a dressed carcase) in the course of his business."

This in itself is accurate, the key here being that what is presented by the slaughterman differs from what he was handed.

What the 2011 advice doesn't say is what the 2009 advice said in exactly the same paragraph viz:

"24 It is unlawful for a farmer to use the services of an itinerant slaughterman both to slaughter his animal and to dress it. This is because the slaughterman would be supplying goods (i.e. a dressed carcase) in the course of his business. However, if the slaughterman did no more than kill the animal, leaving the farmer to dress and cut the carcase, the Courts might be less likely to conclude that the slaughterman was supplying goods (and more likely to be supplying services). If so, this activity might be held to be lawful, (i.e. the EU Food Hygiene Regulation 853/2004 would not prohibit it) although the issue is far from clear. The EU TSE controls would in any event apply."

As I said earlier no laws changed in between, the wording was conveniently (conventiently for  the FSA who don't want this happening)  shortened.

[JulieWall]

You could telephone your local animal health inspector and ask their advice. What concerns me is that those regs are for England and Wales and whether slaughtering pigs at home is legal is ambiguous in the document. Scottish regs may differ so check it out.
I was told many years ago by the animal health inspector at Thainstone that it was lawful to slaughter cattle and sheep at home for own consumption but under no circumstances pigs. He also put me onto the HSA for their guidance booklet and sold us our first shotgun (Gordon Smith at Colpy). He was very helpful when it came to overcoming the sensibilities of our (shocked) local firearms officer too and put me in touch with the ministry vet for further back up.
Now we get our shotgun cert renewals with no problem as it is many years down the line and the firearms officer knows us by now.

Incidentally, there is a fee for a shotgun certificate of around £50.00, but proper firearms certs are difficult to get unless you belong to a gun club anyway.

[spandit]

Incidentally, there is a fee for a shotgun certificate of around £50.00, but proper firearms certs are difficult to get unless you belong to a gun club anyway.

If you have a need for a firearm and there is no reason why you shouldn't have one (medical, criminal etc.) then they will grant you a licence. It's currently £50 for FAC (firearms certificate) and £50 for SGC (shotgun) but only £60 if you apply for them both at the same time.

Interestingly, having a firearm for animal slaughter is one way of possessing a handgun (pistol) which are otherwise outlawed

[JulieWall]

They're a bit more strict up here, Scottish law may differ from English law as it often does. I wouldn't be able to say for sure though but any info I do have came straight from the firearms officer who deals with us. ..... who may be fallible :?

You don't need a rifle for home slaughter anyway a shotgun is by far the most safe and humane way to do it. There's no danger of ricochet and the spread of the shot pattern done from a correct distance will obliterate the medulla oblongata making a clean, fast job of it. The HSA recommend shotgun above other methods too.

[Clansman]

Same laws apply up here Julie, unless there's a good reason not to grant you a FAC/SGC one anyone can have one.

I have FAC/SGC so no problems there and have discussed it with FAO who is perfectly happy about it.

I've been in touch with quite a few people now who home kill/butcher pigs in Scotland and have visited one yesterday just to actually see it done.

it is perfectly legal, just frowned upon by many people, most of the people i've spoken to that do it don't make it public knowledge.

All the people I spoke to are killing using a .22 rifle aimed at the front of the head using the ear to eye diagonal intersection point.

I watched two being killed this way, its very clean and very quick, no mess at all.

The rifle ricochet warning sounds a bit like the "using your mobile in a petrol station can blow it up" story, the theory sounds good but its probably never happened.

[spandit]

A shotgun does sound messy and it is pretty loud. A moderated .22 is almost silent but I'd be tempted to use the .223. I'm thinking a handgun would be better for point blank work but not sure if they'd grant me one

I've emailed my FEO to ask his advice

[oaklandspigs]

Shotgun works well for all pigs, and is approved by the Humane slaughter Society (HSA) mentioned above, when I get a mo, I'll post the blurb and diagram.  Shotguns are lawful for any legal purpose, so you can use them as long as you're licenced, and competent to kill pigs (ie you can get it right).

.22 centerfire not rimfire and other calibres will work, but yes you do need watch ricochet, they do happen although rarely, and I would not use near concrete.  However technically and legally you do need slaughter of livestock listed on your firearms certificate.  Whether you would ever be done for using it without adding it to your licence is a different matter, and it is probably the case that Clansman's FEO is perfectly happy.

[Victorian Farmer]

I had to shoot a big bull Christmas week I shot it becouse its leg had gone .A dog run it into a wire fence it was that big I couldent move it .It cost 6 grand and I could of butcherd it but had no help highland bull.

[shygirl]

If you remember the tv program the po kocks crofta Ben africk .

what was the spelling again?  as id like to find that programme online if its still around. 

(does anyone now the name of the programme recently about a big family that live off grid in the highlands somewhere - a guy i met on the beach was telling me about it but i couldnt remember the name)

thanks

[Victorian Farmer]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/galleries/p01hg353

[MAK]

We home kill and buther etc.
The reality of killing 2-3 pigs raises a few issues and the feint of heart should not read the following.
Are you shooting to kill or stun before sticking?
If you stun the pig then you need a rope around it's foot first then keep it still before you stun it between the eyes. Not easy a task and this must be done away from other pigs so as not to stress them.
You will need to hang the pig ( tractor or a few helpers are needed ) by the rear legs - stick it ( cut the aorta ) to bleed it out ( whilst it still moves) and collect the blood in  buckets whilst 2 peole hold the front legs apart and pump the left leg for a third person to catch and stir the nlood with their hand.
Next burn the pig and scrape the burnt hair off - a flame thrower helps. remove toe nails,
Next jet wash the pig and lift off the ground. Once clean - empty the pig.
This involves some thought so as to disect out around the anus  and maybe tie it off  AND to ensure you do not cut the bladder. Whilst dropping out the entrails you will need to take the heart,liver and kidneys then dispose of the entrails ( I dig a hole or leave for wildlife).
With the pig still hung by it's rear legs - remove head - split pig with a saw.
Hang each half overnight  - so you need a cool night and an area that is rat free. I let mine cool in the barn then wrap in shower curtains and start buthering the next day.
So - in summary - you need a few tools, help, planing a strong stomach and a bit of muscle.
Butchering - as you say you already have some experience and a good set of knives and a decent saw will also equipe you well.