[suziequeue]

How far in advance of the abattoir can pigs be slapmarked?

Ideally I would prefer to do it in advance.

Susanna

[supplies for smallholders]

Hi,

You can do it from 10 weeks of age using 10mm characters.

use 15mm characters at slaughter weight, and you can do it as far in advance as you like.

Thanks

[sarha]

Good question and reply! Was wondering about that myself.

[oaklandspigs]

We normally do a day or so before - normally when they are feeding,just slap one side (this should be a firm blow, but not so as to damage), the pig will jump, but very quickly go back to eating, when you can then do the other side.  Pig suffer from transient pain, that is they respong to a stimulus and the return to normal.

[suziequeue]

We have the following equipment here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/54129730@N08/5002010924/

*    A slapping hammer and appropriate pins for our herd number
*    An ink pad
*    A litre of black ink

I am assuming we fill the pad with the ink and then load the hammer with ink by pressing it into the pad?

Then..... whack!!!

Grateful for any advice or confirmation that we have all we need

Susanna

[supplies for smallholders]

Susie,

If you are just slapping one or two pigs dont use the ink pad - apply ink to the pins with an old toothbrush - make sure they are well inked.

Have a look at this link for technique: http://www.idandtrace.com/firsttimer.htm

If you had got your slapper from us we would have told you not to go to the expense of an ink pad unless you had 20 or so to slap at a time 

Thanks

[Hilarysmum]

Great advice from SfS.  We bought a pad which was not just a waste of money but a waste of ink, very messy and not very practical.  Using the toothbrush method saves loads of ink, mess and time.

[suziequeue]

So  - do I just brush the ink onto the pins with a toothbrush?

[supplies for smallholders]

Basically yes, make sure they are well-inked each time you are about to slap.

Thanks

[suziequeue]

I'm going to make a little video of our efforts once we're done and put a link on here :-)

Thanks for all the advice