[Tudful Tamworths]

Two months into the new trichinella testing regime, how is everyone doing?

I'm writing a piece for a magazine and would be interested in knowing:
a) whether you're being asked to tick the "controlled housing" box by the abattoir, in order to avoid testing (it's common knowledge that some are doing this);
b) any feedback you've had from abattoirs re. the knock-on effect of testing on their operations;
c) whether testing pigs declared as "uncontrolled" is making a big impact on turn-around times (slaughter to sale), and whether it's affecting your business.

Please message me with your responses, for complete confidentiality. Names of keepers/abattoirs won't be used. Just want to judge the impact on people/businesses so far.
Thanks for your help.
Liz

[hafod]

Hi Liz. Turnaround time for us increased by a week. Not really a problem but abbatoir fees have gone up to reflect extra time spent in their stores.

[oor wullie]

Does the new requirements for testing mean it is practically no longer possible to get offal back from the abbatoir? (unless you tick the controlled housing box)

 If the testing is likely to take a few days and they can't release anything until it is done then the offal would have to be carefully stored by the abbatoir (do many even have facilities for carefully storing a few livers?) and even then week old offal is not ideal.

I am now wondering if this is the reason the abbatoir just refused to entertain any ideas of letting me have any offal when I took pigs in 6 weeks ago.