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High Green Farm

Joined: 30 Nov 2004
Posts: 349
Location: Mid-Suffolk

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 05 7:33 am Post subject: D Day tomorrow

Well tomorrow is the day. The first of our pigs go to slaughter and I'm not really looking forward to it.

Busy night tonight with tags to do, and trying to get them a little cleaner (they do love their wallow!), before loading them into the stable for their last supper.

But on the upside at least I have a day off work tomorrow, and we'll be knee deep in great pork by next week!

6 Gloucester Old Spots arrive in September, with one to keep for breeding, so we should be even more self-sufficient come this time next year!

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 05 8:39 am Post subject:
Hope it goes smoothly for you tomorrow. If it is any comfort, I found the day before was worse than the actual day - there is too much to think about then. And then, as you say, there is the pork to look forward to. And boy will it be good!

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 05 8:43 am Post subject:
Good luck, HGF, like Judith says I am sure when the time comes you'll be ready for it all. Hope it goes really well

Mr O

Joined: 13 Feb 2005
Posts: 5512
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 05 11:42 am Post subject:
We took 4 of ours yesterday, the abbatoir we use is so good that it is totaly stress free for them. The first time is the worst as you end up worring about wheather you will cope or not. I have lost count of how many times we have done it now. We have 2 Gos litters due in August, if the new boar has done his job. Hope it goes well.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45712
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 05 11:45 am Post subject:
Sorry, didn't see this, hope everythings gone well for you, happy eating

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 05 3:17 pm Post subject:
I hope everything went smoothly today for you. I have to say I have the utmost respect for people who raise their own stock and see it through to the end.

farmwoody

Joined: 19 Mar 2005
Posts: 98

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 05 3:26 pm Post subject:
I hope it went well for you too. It isnt easy but you know they're the best cared for piggies that ever were. A few years on and I still find the day difficult but i know its the right thing to do.

High Green Farm

Joined: 30 Nov 2004
Posts: 349
Location: Mid-Suffolk

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 05 3:37 pm Post subject:

All in all it went very well....thanks.

Loaded them into the stable from the field last night. Managed eventually to persuade two of them to cross the electric fence line and follow the bucket (my method), and then very quickly loaded the other two into the trailer and moved them that way (OH's method).

Think we'll use the trailer next time - I can still hear "I told you so" ringing in my ears!!

Ear tagging was remarkably easy with three of them not even noticing, and the fourth with a little squeal.

Gave them a quick brush this morning to take the rest of the dried mud from them. One of the gilts did her party piece of rolling over when brushed, and expecting her tummy to be scratched. (I'm looking for a guilty smiley, but can't find one).

All went well at the abattoir, and they unloaded down the ramp as easily as they had loaded in the first place.

The only unexpected thing today was that, as I sat down to write this, I get an Animal Health visit from DEFRA/Trading Standards to check my movement records! Hell of a coincidence that they choose today, and they had no phone number as they say they would have phoned to warn me!

Anyway easier than I thought it would be. Can't will till we get the meat back!

A few photos below from this morning.

Bernie66

Joined: 14 Jan 2005
Posts: 13967
Location: Eastoft

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 05 3:52 pm Post subject:

It must be hard. I find it hard having an animal put down at the end of its life to ease its suffering, think i am either a big wuss or get too close to animals for my own good.
But then they never cheat on you, or lie to you, or do the dirty on you so i prefer animals company at times.I am not bitter or twisted, honestly, i just recognise the fact that animals do not have the same tendancies as some humans. With them its cupboard love and the like.

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 05 6:28 pm Post subject:
This just reaffirms to me that I'm too bloody soft to keep anything bigger than a chicken. Too upsetting otherwise!

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 05 6:33 pm Post subject:
Well done HGF. Glad all was well in the end Our doesn't go until November but I am sure we will be as troubled as you were. Just want to make sure it is done humanely. I am sure your Pork will offset the worrying.

Andy B

Joined: 12 Jan 2005
Posts: 3920
Location: Brum

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 05 7:45 am Post subject:

Bernie66 wrote:

Agree, my problem as well!

High Green Farm

Joined: 30 Nov 2004
Posts: 349
Location: Mid-Suffolk

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 05 7:59 am Post subject:

Bernie66 wrote:

I can make a distinction between pets and stock in my mind. When we had to have our cat out down after it had been knocked down, and we had nursed it for three weeks in the hope that it would regain continence, I found that very distressing.

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 05 8:44 am Post subject:

I've found it hard with every different animal 'group' we've taken to the butchers. We started with lambs and a few weeks ago had our tamworth porkers sluaghtered. It's hard but it's meant to be IMO. Much better to acknowledge that the meat on our plate was once roaming our fields than some faceless, emotionless transaction at the supermarket. The good side is like others have said, we know our livestock has lived and died well. From a purely selfish perspective it measnw e also have a better quality of food as a result.
The next one for me is the beef steer. He'll be our first beef and he'll be 2 and a half when he goes - that'll be a tricky day. I promised myself at the start that if I couldn't cope with it I'd go veggie. I haven't reached that stage yet but as a family we're a lot more respectful of the meat we eat.

Did you/will you make any sausages?

Andy B

Joined: 12 Jan 2005
Posts: 3920
Location: Brum

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 05 8:47 am Post subject:

High Green Farm wrote:

Bernie66 wrote:

Dont get me wrong, i think what you do is great. I would have to buy my meat from people like you because i know i wouldnt cope to well when it came to the animals going thats all. Best to recognise ones limitations i suppose.

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