[Sudanpan]

We have an Ifor Williams P6 trailer. We introduced the pigs to the trailer last week in preparation for the trip to the abattoir, leaving it in the field with them so they could nose around it and be comfortable.
We had 4 x 6 and a half month old GOS boars, 2 of them around the 70/75kg mark, with the other 2 closer to 90kg. The 2 smaller ones seemed to be much more comfortable on the ramp (the ramp is the ridged metal type) so this morning they were the ones we got into the trailer for the abattoir trip, the other 2 just step up onto the ramp, sometimes up towards the top but then always back off. They just seem to be much less happy about their trotters slipping on the ramp.
Any suggestions as to what I might put on the ramp to make it easier/more comfortable for them? They're quite big lads now and if they don't want to move then they don't move ... 
Any advice would be gratefully received.
As for the other 2 - we had mixed feelings about the whole abattoir experience - nothing wrong with the abattoir just the whole doing the deed, but are consoling ourselves with the thought of all the fab meat we get to pick up on Thursday 

[daniellestocks]

Could you feed them on it? they will eventualy get hungry and go up there  thats what i do with horses and ponies, then when they get the hang of it, get them on with out food and a little treat out of the hand when they are on

[Eve]

Put a lot of straw on the ramp and don't feed the pigs much during the day. When loading them in the evening (we load them the night before their 5am final trip), put bits of apple / banana / pineaple or whatever they like best on the ramp and a bucketful of the same gourmet stuff in the trailer. Lots of patience, no pushing, and eventually they'll go in by themselves.

I'm thinking of making mine a wooden easy-grip ramp to put on top of the metal one...


Eve 

[Sudanpan]

Hiya, thanks for the reply Daniellestocks.
Yes we tried that in the initial getting them used to the trailer - left food in there and it was always gone. During the week I did make sure that all of the pigs had made it up properly into the trailer, but it just seemed to me that the 2 bigger ones were more aware of the slipperiness of the ramp so I was wondering if it might be an idea to put something extra on it, like a rubber mat, and if anyone else had tried it  

Eve - our pigs are still out and about rootling around until late (like right now) I don't think I could bring myself to load them the night before...... What time to you shut the trailer on them? Will put more straw on the ramp and see what that does
Thanks

[JulieS]

Something else that might help.....works for me.....is I have an offcut of carpet that I put down on the ramp of the trailer.  Seems to soften the sound and there is less movement when they first walk on it.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.   

[Samantha]

antislip / rubber matting should do the trick for you even in muddy conditions ... you can usualy find it in the equestrian world as people use it in their trailers and sometimes stables

Hope this helps

Sam

[Hilarysmum]

We have used carpet and rubber matting both help enormously.  With steep ramps we find it better to place something under the ramp to reduce the steepness. Pigs are happy going up a step, they do appear to dislike steep slopes.  Having said that Hilary will go up an almost vertical slope just to make the point that she can!

[JulieS]

  I have visions now of Hilary with climbing ropes and hard hat on climbing up a vertical ramp.   

[Samantha]

LOL

[Hilarysmum]

 

[Sudanpan]

Many thanks for the suggestions  We have some rubber matting so will put that on the ramp and see how it goes  Fingers crossed for next Monday morning.
On a related note - we pick up the meat from our first boys on Thursday 
Tish

[oaklandspigs]

Tish,

Great advice from others - pigs don't like the metal of the usual P6 ramp,so carpet or rubber both work well, we used carpet but upgraded to a smallbit of rubber horse mat which also works well.

Sheep are domesticated from a mountain animal - so say boo to a sheep and it will run up the mountain and into a cave ,hence sheep are dead easy to load, just get them behind the trailer and go "shoo" they go up the ramp  and into the dark trailer.

Pigs are a woodland creature, and if startled they run into a clearing so they can see their enemy (dark
wood to light clearing), and naturally run faster downhill so go downhill.  Hence putting a pig up a ramp and into a dark trailer is so difficult - it is against all their natural instincts.

If you can park your trailer downhill so the ramp is as shallow as possible.  If you are loading in the open, don't do this at the brightest time of day,as the trailer will be darkest, as Eve says load in the evening, and there is less difference in the light.

No problem with loading the evening before - in effect you are just putting your pigs to bed a bit earlier,  If you do your abattoir trip early, then they will have slept in their "trailer" ark and then woken up to get out at the abattoir !  You can load as late as you like.

[Fowgill Farm]

Agree with Oaklands, we load for the abbattoir the previous evening by leaving the trailer back open and closing off their house so they have to sleep in it, we then sneak up at dark o'clock and close it up and they go off at 6am on their final journey. No stress whatso ever.
Best mandy
ps we put thin slices of straw from our big square bales on the ramp

[Eve]

Hey, that rubber matting / pieces of carpet concept is a really great idea!! I'll try that next time - only 3 more weeks to go (

Yep, load in the evening, start about an hour before it's too dark to see what you're doing - luckily my GOS pigs are white so they light up! You just needs lots of patience, my OH tried pushing and obviously the pig rebelled! But in the end, his stomach overruled his brains...


Eve 

[Sudanpan]

Many many thanks to all the very useful advice and suggestions regarding our trailer ramp issue.  Suffice to say that we put liberal amounts of straw down, in trailer and on ramp, as well as a fairly thick rubber mat so the sound of the metal was completely removed. We put the trailer in the pig paddock on Sat and then fed all remaining meals in the trailer - the boys caught on very quickly and were more than eager to get in the trailer so they could start chomping 
We did consider the loading the night before, but I had found it impossible to ever get to the pig paddock without them hurtling out of the arc to greet me because the chickens were always very vocal and would warn the boys of my impending arrival!  It didn't matter a jot because they loaded perfectly well this morning and we were off within 10mins.
We picked up the meat from our first two pigs last Thursday and have to say, of course  , that the chops and sausies we have already tried are the BEST! This time we have asked the butcher to cure the legs and produce bacon from one pig so we are very much looking forward to testing it out.
Once again many thanks - we're already missing the boys  , but thoroughly enjoyed keeping them. We will definately be having more - but our freezer is a bit stuffed at the mo so need a few months respite to make room!
All the best
Tish