[oaklandspigs]

We use a local small abattoir, take the animals ourselves in our own trailer, normally they are slaughtered within minutes of arrival, the handlers at the abattoir are great and you never see any harsh handling or signs of stress (in handlers or animals!)

Sally,

I am maintaining a list of abattoirs

www.oaklandspigs.co.uk/links/abattoirs

Can you let me know which abattoir you use, and I can add you really helpful comments to the list

Post here, PM or email me.

Anyone else who hasn't already sent me comments - would welcome any reviews or just confirmation (or otherwise) of existing comments - they more the better the guide.

[robert waddell]

are you doing scottish ones as well

[SallyintNorth]

Your abattoir listing is I am sure very useful to lots of people.

The abattoir we use is Black Brow, Great Orton, Carlisle (or maybe Wigton - it's between the two)  01228 711190 ‎
They tick all your boxes but I cannot speak for them on the butchery front as we always have our animals butchered by our local butcher; he collects the carcase from Black Brow and we pick up from him when butchered.

I was also going to recommend (though I never took a pig to them, only lambs) a small family slaughterhouse in Weardale (Co. Durham) which only does private slaughter (for your own use) and butchery.  We only stopped using them as it is a much shorter journey for us - and the animals - to Black Brow.  But I have a feeling they may have retired - I couldn't find any current info about them.

[piggy]

Hi oaklands

Sorry i meant to post this ages ago here goes my story.

When i had my first 2 pigs 4 years ago i phoned my local abattoir and explanied that i was new and this was my first lot of pigs,they were not friendly or helpful and seemed to me to be rude,so i thought stuff them and then phoned the next nearest to us who were completly the opposite so friendly and helpfull ,they went through everything with me,they deliver/collect to 2 butchers so they gave me the number of the nearest 1 to me and again the same very friendly and helpful service.It seems to be a mixture of people with little trailers with a few like me and some of the bigger lorries,the first time i didnt go as i couldnt face it so my good old dad took them,he couldnt turn the trailer round but 1 of the other farmers just jumped in and turned it round very helpful.After that first time i have been every time and what i like is that its the same staff and vet you see still 4 years on,the vet checks every animal that is unloaded.I have phoned them countless times with questions and each time they are very helpfull,i now have sheep as well that go to them and they are very good with them as well,the last lot i send were due to be there 7am on a monday morning and i had a query about wheter 1 of them could go so on the off chance i phoned them at 5:30 in the morning and someone answered and helped me with my problem.When these sheep when for the first time i went inside with them as they didnt want to go but the man just calmly walked behind them no pressure to get a move on.
As i said before my animals then get delivered or collected not sure which one direct to my butcher which is a great plus but you can collect yourself if you wish.
The only negative was when i send these last lot of sheep i send a ram with the most amazing horns and i asked the vet if i could have them back and he said he would ask but he thought i would be very luckly to get them back,i didnt get them but i wasnt that bothered really just glad that my animals are treated with the respect they deserve.
They are based just on the outskirts of Norwich,Norfolk and called HG Blakes.01603 262525

As you have guessed from my very long post (sorry) i would highly recomend to others,just wondered if anyone else had used them and found the same.

Karen

[oaklandspigs]

are you doing scottish ones as well

Absolutely - am keen to collect info on all I can get !

[princesspiggy]

  We use a local small abattoir, take the animals ourselves in our own trailer, normally they are slaughtered within minutes of arrival, the handlers at the abattoir are great and you never see any harsh handling or signs of stress

we're sending a pig away in a weeks time, and for the first time we are collecting the carcuss straight from the abattoir, not butcher. the man told us to come back after 2 days to collect it (which is a pain going there twice) presumably he wants to hang it. my question is, would putting it down in trailer for an hour straight after killing ,to take home and hang straight myself, be ok. i mean if the blood is drained, u wont get bloodclots as u wud in a chook not hung by its feet straight away?
does that make sense?
stress or no stress, they know its not a good place to be, especially sheep!

[robert waddell]

it is law that the carcass has to stay in the chiller for at least one night 
also when you collect the carcase have a plastic sheet for the vehicle you are collecting it in you can also use a clean bedsheet

[princesspiggy]

i remember meeting a man at the abattoir who had just sent his porkers in and was waiting for the carcusses to take home. that was 2 years back tho.
how do u carry half a pig??? how embarrasing if i cant carry it!!

[Hilarysmum]

Due to a breakdown we had to use my friend's Suzuki swift a neat little car but not big in the space dept. to collect 2 very large carcasses complete with heads.  Big mistake.  With no tow bar we were unable to use the refrigerated trailer we normally hire.  Arrived at abattoir where two men carried out the first half, stopped, stared in disbelief and did not heed my confident they will fit.  They did, although it took a lot of juggling and me in the back with 2 pigs heads on my lap.  I never want to be so upclose and personal with that much polythene sheeting and pig again, it was the longest journey of my life.  That particular route is notorious for police stopping and searching cars, I had no idea how I would explain the heads on my lap.