pigs slaughter - not for the squeamish. Be warned!

[the-gnole]

http://thislittlepiggiestayedathome.org/

Tom Hodgkinson writes: I set up this site in order to draw attention to the confusion around keeping and killing pigs at home. It’s my intention to clarify the law on this matter so people have a clear guide.

Last November, we killed two pigs at home and shared out the meat in our household. But one morning, following my description of the killing in a Sunday Times article, we were visited by a man from the local environmental health department, who told us that we should have had the pigs killed at the slaughterhouse.

We argued that it is more humane to kill them at home: one moment they are happily snuffling, the next they are dead. There are none of the inevitable stresses of the slaughterhouse. No one doubts to that the taste of the meat is better from home-killed pigs.

I was sent a pile of material from the Food Standards Agency, accompanied by a stern letter ticking me off.

However, Three Counties radio contacted DEFRA who say that it is in fact lawful to kill your own pigs at home. You can eat the meat and share it out with your household, but you would not be allowed to sell it on the market.

This is perhaps where the confusion lies, as Food Standards consider giving food to your family to be a version of putting on the market, even though no money changes hands.

[the-gnole]

A few other places for info.

http://www.food.gov.uk/foodindustry/gui ... kguidance/

Lots of guidance to where, how and what is available on line to start with, further guidance can be obtained from DEFRA and other Gov't agencies.

[preppingsu]

There are many courses on how to sluaghter your own pigs - less stress for them unlike taking them to the abattoir. However, you need to have the correct equipment and I guess to be fairly strong.

http://www.emmaspigs.co.uk/ButcheryCourse.shtml

[jansman]

http://thislittlepiggiestayedathome.org/

Tom Hodgkinson writes: I set up this site in order to draw attention to the confusion around keeping and killing pigs at home. It’s my intention to clarify the law on this matter so people have a clear guide.

Last November, we killed two pigs at home and shared out the meat in our household. But one morning, following my description of the killing in a Sunday Times article, we were visited by a man from the local environmental health department, who told us that we should have had the pigs killed at the slaughterhouse.

We argued that it is more humane to kill them at home: one moment they are happily snuffling, the next they are dead. There are none of the inevitable stresses of the slaughterhouse. No one doubts to that the taste of the meat is better from home-killed pigs.

I was sent a pile of material from the Food Standards Agency, accompanied by a stern letter ticking me off.

However, Three Counties radio contacted DEFRA who say that it is in fact lawful to kill your own pigs at home. You can eat the meat and share it out with your household, but you would not be allowed to sell it on the market.

This is perhaps where the confusion lies, as Food Standards consider giving food to your family to be a version of putting on the market, even though no money changes hands.

Thats all good and well. IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!
There are too many 'River Cottage' experts with a book in one hand and a knife in the other. When it SHOULD be an electric stunner and humane killer.
Bloody amateurs.

[the-gnole]

So did they use "humane killers and electric stunners" in the UK 150 years ago, 100 years ago, 75 years ago?

A lot of "home slaughter" was done by the travelling slaughterman with a slaughtermans poleaxe.

Animal welfare has come along way admittedly, but there is no reason why a home slaughter shouldn't be within the law and abilities of a home stock raiser.

[itsybitsy]

So did they use "humane killers and electric stunners" in the UK 150 years ago, 100 years ago, 75 years ago?

A lot of "home slaughter" was done by the travelling slaughterman with a slaughtermans poleaxe.

Animal welfare has come along way admittedly, but there is no reason why a home slaughter shouldn't be within the law and abilities of a home stock raiser.

But we're not living 150 years ago. We're living in an environment where these items are available. And just because something 'should be' within someone's abilities, doesn't mean that it is.

[diamond lil]

150 years ago they thought it was ok for children to work 12 hour shifts and not have shoes on their feet ! We dont want to go back there in any way

[the-gnole]

150 years ago they thought it was ok for children to work 12 hour shifts and not have shoes on their feet ! We dont want to go back there in any way

And why not? in a world without oil etc things will be a very different place will they not.

As "preppers" we may need to know these things one day, and learning the skills then will be too late, we need to prepare now for future life styles, and if that includes how to slaughter and butcher our own animals (if we are lucky enough to have them) then that is something we need to take "head on" rather than shy away from because modern society says we must do these things in the way we are told to do them by TPTB.

[Carrot Cruncher]

I would have thought that the home slaughter of animals is a good prepping skill to learn. I don't think the op stated he didn't have the skills, but was just asking for advice on what to expect as it was his first pig

There are plenty of topics about what we will do if the oil, electricity, gas etc stop, surely knowing how to humanely slaughter an animal using older methods is as relevant as learning how to cook etc without those resources

I just noticed gnoley has said much the same.....must learn to type quicker

[itsybitsy]

I would have thought that the home slaughter of animals is a good prepping skill to learn. I don't think the op stated he didn't have the skills, but was just asking for advice on what to expect as it was his first pig

There are plenty of topics about what we will do if the oil, electricity, gas etc stop, surely knowing how to humanely slaughter an animal using older methods is as relevant as learning how to cook etc without those resources

I just noticed gnoley has said much the same.....must learn to type quicker

Yes CC - precisely - humanely being the operative word.

So what would a traditional humane slaughter method be?