[MiriMaran]

Our pigs went to slaughter yesterday and whilst they were sauntering into the sheds at the abattoire the slaughterman was telling some shocking anecdotes from the 'old days'.

First story - a farmer had his pigs on the 2nd storey of a shed and when the time came to go to slaughter he would pile up straw on the ground floor and 'drop' the pigs through the hatch!

Second story - The slaughterman went to visit a farm and he said he went into a pig shed where there was blood splattered everywhere.  Shocked he asked what had happend and the farmer replied that he wanted his pigs to see where they were going so he cut off half their ears to give them a better view.

I can't believe that people exist who do things like this.  How could the farmer have been so stupid and insensitive?  What goes on in people's heads.  These two stories, particularly the second one just keep spinning in my head.

[Helencus]

God miri is that actually true? How awfull I can't believe anyone could be that vile to animals.. Shocked

[banbh]

local told me that when they had pigs, different 'families' of them would fight, using their sense of smell to detect who was related to who.

So he used to throw diesel on them all to stop this   

[Hilarysmum]

Perhaps Miri the chap was just talking the talk.  Some people like to do so.  What would be the point of cutting off their ears?  Was it so long ago that they didnt have vets at the abattoir?  Think it might have sounded alarm bells.

Why would the farmer go to all the trouble of getting them to break their necks when he could shoot them so much easier, or as they do here, string them up and cut their throats.  (After stunning )

[Rosemary]

Are you sure he's not winding you up? Certainly hope so.

[jameslindsay]

There is an investigation on going at an abbatoir I know of because 2 carcasses of cattle have shown signs of severe beatings at post mortem, so sadly awful things do happen to these poor animals.

[Helencus]

I hope it was all talk but you know sad thing is I bet it wasn't...

[Hilarysmum]

Its like everything in life you get good and bad, and sadistic

[Mr Pig]

There was ahuge amount of animal cruelty after the war when I was growing up. Animals at market and the abattoir would be under the control of the workers there once unloaded and would be beaten and sworn at, kicked even, as they were moved about. It wasn't unusual to see animals bleeding while in their pens waiting to go into the auction ring or the slaughter hall. This gradually died out as time went on and in retrospect I would suggest that a lot of it was down to undiagnosed post traumatic stress in many of the servicemen returning after the war. This was their way of dealing with it.

[MiriMaran]

Hilary,  The farmer dropping his pigs through the hatch wasn't to kill them it was to get them down to ground level so they could go to slaughter. 

I hope they were tall tales, but with us humans nothing suprises me!

[Hilarysmum]

Ah, now I understand, except how did he get them up there in the first place?  And why? 

(ps thank you for the compliment Hilary is the one in the picture I am her "mum", she is far better looking and slimmer than me, well at least in the picture she is)

[sabrina]

Sad to say when I was 17 ( very long time ago ) I worked on a big Welsh Pony Stud in Aberdeenshire, they had a lot of indoor pigs and when a piglet  was ill the farm manger would hang it up by a leg and shoot it. Being a young girl I found this horrible and never did get over hearing the piglet screaming. it was neither quick or humane. This was done to pigs who were around the 20 week age rather than get a vet to find out what the problem was.   

[Hilarysmum]

At least after a short period it was out of its misery, rather than some "caring" pig people we knew who let theirs die of malnutrition and when a friend offered to give them a quick end, "loved" the pigs too much to allow a quick end.  Sadly this wasnt that long ago.   

[MiriMaran]

Duh! I know very well that you are not Hilary!  Mind you maybe Hilary can tap tap on a keyboard with her trotters, she's a talented pig is she not?!

[Hilarysmum]

Very, although she cant type as fast as I can.....