[Nisbet]

Okay - all arrangements made for Monday : paperwork sorted, butcher ready to receive, offer accepted from fantastically sweet, kind and supportive neighbour with livestock trailer to take them away -  and abattoir booked! Is it normal to feel a bit wierd about sending them off? This is my first time and I hope it gets easier.  Part of me wants to visit the abattoir and see just what is done - not my beasts - but generally. Is that odd?  Am intrigued as to what will come back - they may be well too fat - will have to see.  Am hoping to cure much of the meat - so gonna be a busy girlie for wee while.  Maybe my sentimental mood will shift when I see/taste the end result.  Sorry to be such a wimp.  Hey did anybody see that guy Richard Da Costa (I think thats his name) doing a programme "My Life as an Animal" ?  When I was searching on the net for info about procedures at the abattoir for pig-slaughter - he came up about his programme that he did back in the spring I think.  He lived with piggies in an intensive plant and his "report" re: commercial/intensive -v- free-range/happy tells what we all already know.  Anyway - I hadnt come across it - dont really do TV - but I thought it was interesting. You might like. N

[Hilarysmum]

Its quite normal and ok to feel a bit discombobulated (hope thats the right word) just before sending your pigs off, especially if its a first time.  It never gets easier, it just becomes more normal.  Surely that is good though, that you value your animals enough not to feel blase about sending them for slaughter.

When the meat comes back, well thats a whole different story.  Always good to look at the carcass and to plan what I want to do with it.

Good luck, itll all be fine.  HM

[JulieS]

Well put Hilarysmum.  I love the word discombobulated....Describes the feelings very well.

Good luck Nisbet for Monday,  I'm sure all will be fine.  Let us know how you get on.

[Nisbet]

Big girls went yesterday morning.  Didnt sleep much the night before and needed up by about 5.  Was unable to load them the night before - despite knowing it to be the best and probably less stressful option - so nope - we separated the youngsters the night before.  When I went out to them in the morning the bigguns came trotting down to the side gate in the pitch black - came to my call along the garden fence and into the trailer - it being as close as we could get it - in light of the soft ground. No hassle at all.  Bless em - I did feel a b*****d.  Might have been easier if they had played up or took a chunk out ma leg - not that they ever had done before - so werent likely to do so. Our super neighbour did the deed - took them in his trailer.  They are due at the butcher tomorrow - so will go and see just what we have.   So there we are guys ..... I did it - strange day it was though.  Many thanks for your support and encouragement.   Will keep you posted as to how they turned out.  The wee ones look so much bigger now that the big girls are away.  Turning my mind to organising more weaners ........ hmmm - what to go for next time I wonder ..... !  |Blessings x

[Daisys Mum]

Glad all went well for you, I have to load the night before as I have no one to help in the morning and I must admit I didn't sleep much.
Now you have all that lovely pork to look forward to.