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I am bringing my first 2 gos piggies to slaughter on Sunday, I have read that some people feel guilty about taking their animals to be killed, understandably. But I have to say I dont feel at all guilty........YET, Im looking on it as another step in the process, just like preparing their run, fencing, building their ark, choosing, feeding and looking after them. What are other peoples experiences, will it hit me when I see them trot happily into the abbatoir, will I drive home in tears.....dont expect to but maybe. What is for sure is that Im really looking forward to the pork!!!!

Shane,

I was raised with the notion that there are animals for food, and thats it, I've never had a problem when we've taken a pig or veal calf to the butchers, or had to butcher a meat goat here at home.

It is hard sometimes for first timers-its most likely to hit you, if at all, when you get home and see the empty pen.

So start planning a use for that pen for something new, turn that area into a garden and move your pen (you should anyway-to prevent new animals getting any parasites.) and go on with your self-sufficiency project looking forward to pork chops and bacon.

Lois

I have only been keeping pigs for 3 years and taken 10 to slaughter in that time. I have never felt guilty at all, but then again, I only ever saw them as food on legs, complete with 'cut here' lines. Daily feeling the meat grow, taking great care with the welfare, feeding them the best of tackle means they have the best possible life.

I have always considered trying to see the process through completely - but I doubt if the abattoir would let me through the chain curtain.... Our butcher certainly would let me watch/assist in cutting up and processing, so perhaps next time I might see the whole process through.

The only pang of guilt I ever get is the day after they go away. The sight of the empty ark and pig run fills me with sorrow - mainly because I won't have the pleasure of pigs on the holding for a few months rather than feeling guilty about sending them away. Mind you, the anticipation of collecting the meat from the butchers usually makes that sorrow short lived.

Roll on February when we will be getting more weaners!

well i dropped them off earlier today, and as i guessed i dont feel guilty at all. I have also been looking on the pigs as ham on legs so im looking forward to the meat as much as i was to getting the pigs in the first place. i learned a lot from keeping them and have confidence to get more next summer. will do a few things differently and a few the same. a great experience all in all. really enjoyed having them and really looking forward to eating them!!!!

I would be very interested to hear the ages/weights once they are done.

Hi all, I'm new here so just getting used to the formats. We breed free range organic pigs for our own use and process them on the property. I look after the pigs and husband and youngest son (17) do the processing side. That works well for us. I don't feel guilty at all with the processing (although have to admit I wouldn't like to have to do the killing side) - cutting up I don't have a problem with. Anyway, I know that my animals are well looked after, have a great life (unlike many of the commercially grown ones) and humanely slaughtered - figure that is about the best you can do. The added advantage of course is that you know what you are eating, and in this day and age, that is a big thing.

Looking forward to getting to know you all better.

I've learnt to do all the killing and cutting up myself. I once asked my missus to help and she trimmed every scrap of fat off everything. Can you imagine that? Pork chops without the yummy fat part!

call me a softy but i've made half a dozen trips to the abbatoir with i suppose 18 0f our we wains and i still feel guilty



and i'm glad that i do, i don't ever have second thoughts or question my motives but they trust me implicitly and i feel bad when they trot off quite the thing into the abattoir



which is just where these two will be in may

how could anyone not feel guilty

camillitech wrote:how could anyone not feel guilty

Not me. I just think, 'yum, yum'.

Nice looking Tamworths, BTW.

Stonehead wrote:

camillitech wrote:how could anyone not feel guilty

Not me. I just think, 'yum, yum'.

Nice looking Tamworths, BTW.

cheers stoney, that's ginger for you, he's just served a couple of old spots so we're looking forward to seeing those

cheers, paul

Hi all
we havent got pigs [yet] but have just killed our first turkeys yesterday. I thought I would feel bad but I actually found it quite a positive experience. Not the killing - hopefully no one would ever actually enjoy that ! - but knowing that my turkeys had the best life ever, totally free range, fantastic diet, company of their own kind etc.
I was a complete vegetarian for 16 years because I was concerned about how meat was produced. Its very liberating to know that I can eat my christmas dinner totally guilt free.

good on you! - how did you get on with raising turkeys?

hi all
didnt feel guilty at all and still dont, especially after having a lovelybacon and cabbage dinner!!!!! just in from killing our two turkeys. I had only ever killed a chicken before, not much different with turkeys, a bit more work plucking though!!!!
will definatley get pigs again though, great experience, and fantastic meat.
I gave a little bacon joint to our local priest, he was so grateful, he mentioned it at mass last Sunday!!!!
I would encourage anyone thinking about getting pigs to go for it, put the work in because its worth it!!!!

I found the turkeys great to keep. Ive actually kept a trio on for next year to have a go at raising my own. They are slates - not the massive white commercial hybrids. The ones weve killed were Norkolk bronzes.
They were very tame - I expected them to be a bit nasty - I dont know why - but they were not in the slightest bit temperemental!
Took ages to pluck. Im not looking forward to gutting them. Any tips anyone !