Livestock raised to slaughter anyone with experience?

dannytsg · Post by **dannytsg** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 4:23 pm

I have the opportunity to potentially take on some livestock in a joint venture to raise them for slaughter. Something that has come up in conversation with an acquaintance and an offer that has been put my way.

Has anyone here had any experience in doing this and could provide me with any advice on what to do. Before we get into it the acquaintance of mine already has suitable land, CPH registered with relevant documents for transport. My involvement will be more the influx of cash for the new breed and also having a hand in raising them to slaughter.

We have conversed and sheep/pigs are on the table (no pun intended) for us to get and at the end of it we obviously benefit from the meat/quality of produce we get.

Any advice or information?

poppypiesdad · Post by **poppypiesdad** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:05 pm

We are very much horsey with 10 acres , 3 of us in a similar position , got a wee bullock at the local Mart , it was £120 , we took turn of having it at each of our places for 6 months , then we took it to the slaughter house got it processed and the took it to the butchers who divided it up
It wasn't just mince , there was steak , sausages , roasts , we opted for no offal as we don't like it but one of the others did , we each got a chest frezzer full out of it ,
The wee bull was called Gorse,and he was delicious.

Kepping it
We treated it like a horse , it was in at night and out with the horses during the day , it ate what the horses did
We have a smallholding number so could register it with the authorities
We transported it in horse boxes
The horse vet also did large animals and didn't need anything done to it apart from check ups
The fields were all electric fenced for the horses anyway . Need to do it again soon as it was about 5 years ago

poppypiesdad · Post by **poppypiesdad** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:07 pm

But remember, it's isn't a pet , it's walking food

preppingsu · Post by **preppingsu** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:37 pm

Here's our experience

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=3798&hilit=Weaner+to+freezer

preparedsurrey · Post by **preparedsurrey** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 8:07 pm

Don't give it/ them a name it makes things more difficult.
I always thought electric fences were no good for cows as they would just walk through them or keep pushing at them like they will do with plain wire until they go through. I know a pony with the same habit as well if the grass is greener on the other side......

BigF · Post by **BigF** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 8:33 pm

We have Sheep, chickens etc.

Treat them well, don't use a heap of drugs, don't think of them as pets.

Lots of satisfaction in giving them a good life and then having them in the freezer.

Yum!

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dannytsg · Post by **dannytsg** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 10:29 pm

Thanks for the replies.

I am definitely not planning on viewing them as pets, purely food only produce after 4-5 months of rearing. From weighing it up I'm looking at an investment of £120 per lamb to buy, raise, slaughter and butcher for a decent yield of around 22kg and £250 per pig for a 50-55kg yield.

I think it's going to be an interesting thing to do alongside my allotment and really want to see how much better quality the meat is compared to the supermarket.

Hamradioop · Post by **Hamradioop** » Sat Feb 28, 2015 11:08 am

Danny, a word of caution, animals need a lot of attention. I grew up on a Farm and the Animals always came first, never saw my dad during daylight. I am not saying you will be running a dairy herd but if you have animals you dread Foot and Mouth and Swine vesicular disease and we are due an outbreak soon.

izzy_mack · Post by **izzy_mack** » Sat Feb 28, 2015 3:12 pm

Agree with most of whats been said, we did name things, like susan the pig who turned into susan sausages, we still refer to home grown sausages as such. Also had 3 ducks called dinner, lunch and tea, to remind everyone of there fate, which was tasty.
Normally we take animals to the local abattoir and sometimes butcher ourselves(not easy or as good but handy to be able to at least tackle it), usually get a butcher friend to do it for a few quid (much more successful).My son did once kill (humanely) a sheep, skin and butcher it, but without all the facilities it is a mammoth task and we haven't done it again expect for deer.
Give your animals as happy and natural a life as you can, feed as natural as poss. and you'll feel better about it and they'll reward you with the best of meat.

junmist · Post by **junmist** » Mon Mar 02, 2015 7:27 pm

With the sheep I would go for one of the primitive breeds, a Wiltshire horn or the new breed called easy care sheep, simply because they naturally shred their coats and unless you are thinking of having a go at the back breaking task of sheering them your self trying to find some one to do a small flock can be a pain in the A** also they are less likely to get things like fly strike and if they do it is easier to spot.

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