One of our three pigs went to the abattoir this morning at 7.5 months.
We've been preparing for a while for this now, making sure the animals were happy to clamber into and out of the trailer without being prodded or shoved. We did two practice morning runs in advance, and the appointed porker was quite happy to climb in and out, quite unconcerned. Come this morning at 6:30am, he went in for the third time no problem at all and had a very small breakfast in the back. Separating the pigs and getting him in took less than five minutes and was completely stress free.
We got to the other end about 40 minutes, he was fast asleep and snoring in the back. We had to wait a few minutes for another trailer unloading, so were parked on the street and wandered in for a look. The first thing that worried me was the slaughterman chasing some small pigs around the lairage and shoving them around with boards into the open door of the abattoir whistling and yelping at them. As each pig was shoved through you could hear the pigs up ahead scream as they were stunned, so naturally the pigs behind were so frightened at what was up ahead they tried to get away. I didn't expect that and almost turned around there and then, but then realised the noise and machinery couldn't be helped. It was a small abattoir. Then the ones in the trailer in front were unloaded. Cue more screams and yelps and whistles, both from the slaughterman and the owners.
Finally it was our turn, and 'Mr Whistly' had gone inside and another much quieter calmer slaughterman came out. There was no-one behind us so no time pressure. All was going well - it took him a few moments to get his bearings and he was a bit disoriented, being lop-eared he couldn't see that well. We expected this and had his feed bucket in the car with some apples in, however, we didn't get a chance to get it out and lead him quietly out because the stupid cow from the previous unloading decided to get involved. Before we could stop her, she'd clambered in through the side door of the trailer and started yelling and slapping him to get out because he was so slow, spooking him and making him squeal. She left the side door open behind her so the pig made a dash for freedom, with her kneeing him and slapping him back and the slaughterman getting agitated about closing the door because he didn't want to have to chase the pig around. On the abattoir walls are a sign that animals are not to be unloaded unless the main gates were shut. Clearly no-one paid any attention to that and they were wide open and led onto the main road and residential area.
I was so angry and upset. We've NEVER treated our animals like that. We don't whistle or yell, slap them, or poke them, we don't slam boards against them to get them to move. In the end he almost tumbled down the ramp frightened and screaming, and the slaughterman guided him quietly into the lairage, which was filthy and stinking from all the previous animals and had no water. He was so stressed. Then to make matter worse, you could still hear the pigs screaming inside as they were stunned and the metallic clanking of the machinery.
It was horrible and I was so upset when I left. We've raised these animals free from stress on good ground and with kindness. I read everything I could about how to give them best stress-free ending possible and we were so pleased at how calm everything was. Then all that work is undone in the last 20 minutes.
Hideous.
I have two more pigs due to go in October/November. Might try a different slaughterhouse next time with a better lairage arrangement and this time go the week before to watch how they handle the animals.
Oh, and to the women who got involved? If you are on this forum, mind your own fecking business next time. I don't care how many animals you have or how often you take them to slaughter, it's not your concern. Killing animals is never pleasant and will never be stress free, but you made a bad situation worse. I'll never forget the look on my pigs face in the lairage thanks to the stress you inflicted on him.