Micro Abattoir

hillman

Member
Location
Wicklow Ireland
Something from Sweden in the furrow mag
image.jpg
 

JD-Kid

Member
kinda intresting when wifes son did his masters in supply chain mangerment it was the meat industry any ways one of the guys he talked to sold pork he worked out a way to killing plant with less towns stop signs etc etc etc so less stress ..
years ago guy working for us killed some ewes for the house i don't know if he chased them with his willy out for 1/2 a day but they were as tough as nails ..
i have done the odd drive by still had grass in there mouths when they hit the deck others brought in cool and not knowing any thing there is alot to pre kill than hanging and other things have had some here heat of summer a good vet would of saved them by the time they were in the frezer yer could eat them with a spoon they were that tender
 

spin cycle

Member
Location
north norfolk
if you could do it dr wazzock i reckon you'd be onto a winner:)........perhaps if you had a ritual slaughter and it staffed by gay/lesbian ex offenders you'd probably get 100% grant:rolleyes:
 

Tim W

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Wiltshire
We had a small 'mobile' setup locally ---it never really went anywhere & I think it eventually burnt down? But it was in a trailer unit and designed to dock onto facilities on farm ---water/electric/concrete holding pen etc
A good idea that never really got going due to many other local small abattoirs that offered a good service
http://www.abachemeng.com/mobile_slaughter_hall.php
 

Muck Spreader

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Limousin
kinda intresting when wifes son did his masters in supply chain mangerment it was the meat industry any ways one of the guys he talked to sold pork he worked out a way to killing plant with less towns stop signs etc etc etc so less stress ..
years ago guy working for us killed some ewes for the house i don't know if he chased them with his willy out for 1/2 a day but they were as tough as nails ..
i have done the odd drive by still had grass in there mouths when they hit the deck others brought in cool and not knowing any thing there is alot to pre kill than hanging and other things have had some here heat of summer a good vet would of saved them by the time they were in the frezer yer could eat them with a spoon they were that tender

This looks a simple and inexpensive mobile unit from your neck of the woods.
http://www.netherbymeats.co.nz/processing/mobile-abbattoir
 
We are in a development corridor route but miles away from any residential areas. There isn't another abattoir within 20 miles. There used to be lots locally but they all got closed down because they couldn't meet EU rules.

I was hoping to do something modular container style.

We have quite a few livestock producers nearby who have to go either to Doncaster or sometimes Skegness for a reasonably priced service which is an 80 mile round trip to take the animals in then another 80 mile trip to get the carcasses back, which considering we are in the middle of an agricultural county, is a poor state of affairs IMO.

Looks like it could be quite a battle though. Thanks for help. I obviously need to do much more research.

No abattoir in Northumberland or the Scottish Borders either, which I would think would be more stock dense areas than Lincolnshire.

I would have to agree with Frank-the-Wool here, on a small scale the costs involved are likely to be prohibitive. One of the Scottish Islands did a feasibility study (Skye?) and couldn't make the numbers stack up. Might be worth looking for that report.
 

Dry Rot

Member
Livestock Farmer
There was some work done a while ago on having a mobile unit that was all up to spec.
Seem to remember the stumbling block was having enough chiller capacity and disposal of green offal. Vet & MHS charges are prohibitive on small scale plants as well.

It is a great idea but I fear the red tape and the costs would make it a non starter.

I was just thinking the disposal of offal would be a major stumbling block. 50% by weight?
 

Andrew1983

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Black Isle
I was just thinking the disposal of offal would be a major stumbling block. 50% by weight?
Sure the knackery would take that?

I have thought about the possibility of an on farm slaughter plant,I’m fairly sure we could get a decent number of animals in for a day a week or even fortnight from people doing home kills for themselves or others like us who sell direct but rely on a 3rd party to kill and another to butcher.

Is there not a farm in south Scotland with its own killing line, fairly sure I read an article on it, it cost £200k and they were supplying restaurants in London with AA beef. Looked a smart set up.
 
Sure the knackery would take that?

I have thought about the possibility of an on farm slaughter plant,I’m fairly sure we could get a decent number of animals in for a day a week or even fortnight from people doing home kills for themselves or others like us who sell direct but rely on a 3rd party to kill and another to butcher.

Is there not a farm in south Scotland with its own killing line, fairly sure I read an article on it, it cost £200k and they were supplying restaurants in London with AA beef. Looked a smart set up.
Yes, they're near Kelso. Can't remember the name but they have a website. Just kill their own Angus. Pity they couldn't do a little bit of private kill. Most of that type of stuff goes to County Durham from here.
 
kinda intresting when wifes son did his masters in supply chain mangerment it was the meat industry any ways one of the guys he talked to sold pork he worked out a way to killing plant with less towns stop signs etc etc etc so less stress ..
years ago guy working for us killed some ewes for the house i don't know if he chased them with his willy out for 1/2 a day but they were as tough as nails ..
i have done the odd drive by still had grass in there mouths when they hit the deck others brought in cool and not knowing any thing there is alot to pre kill than hanging and other things have had some here heat of summer a good vet would of saved them by the time they were in the frezer yer could eat them with a spoon they were that tender

Agree. Minimise short and long term stress.
 

Pigken

Member
Location
Co. Durham
L
Yes, they're near Kelso. Can't remember the name but they have a website. Just kill their own Angus. Pity they couldn't do a little bit of private kill. Most of that type of stuff goes to County Durham from here.

Is that to Cockfield, as not looking likely to reopen. And struggling for any where else. Is there not enough scope for mobile one to operate in North East borders southern Scotland. Have used Marshall Green recently but slaughter there then butchered else where. Not ideal.
 
L


Is that to Cockfield, as not looking likely to reopen. And struggling for any where else. Is there not enough scope for mobile one to operate in North East borders southern Scotland. Have used Marshall Green recently but slaughter there then butchered else where. Not ideal.
I was thinking of Jewitts at Spennymoor. Northumberland and the Borders is a huge stock-rearing area not to have an abattoir. There was one being planned near Berwick a few years ago but it came to nothing.
 

Smith31

Member
I was thinking of Jewitts at Spennymoor. Northumberland and the Borders is a huge stock-rearing area not to have an abattoir. There was one being planned near Berwick a few years ago but it came to nothing.

Unless someone has won the lottery and can't wait to to part with the winnings, it would be financial suicide to build/open an abattoir. It is the hardest job in the country.

The majority of medium sized abattoirs which operate today have either been handed down through generations and are debt free or were involved in the BSE cull, which was a licence to print money. Anyone new starting out has very little chance of making it a success unfortunately.
 

Poorbuthappy

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Devon
Unless someone has won the lottery and can't wait to to part with the winnings, it would be financial suicide to build/open an abattoir. It is the hardest job in the country.

The majority of medium sized abattoirs which operate today have either been handed down through generations and are debt free or were involved in the BSE cull, which was a licence to print money. Anyone new starting out has very little chance of making it a success unfortunately.
Maybe so but the current situation has given small local abattoirs a boost. The ones round here have a waiting list as long as your arm and cant keep up with demand.
People's buying habits are changing with covid 19 and let's hope it's a permanent change. Farm shops, butchers, online sales, delivery rounds are all struggling to keep up with demand.
 

Smith31

Member
Maybe so but the current situation has given small local abattoirs a boost. The ones round here have a waiting list as long as your arm and cant keep up with demand.
People's buying habits are changing with covid 19 and let's hope it's a permanent change. Farm shops, butchers, online sales, delivery rounds are all struggling to keep up with demand.

Throughput, speed and plant efficiency is needed to make an abattoir viable in the longterm.

Unfortunately many small abattoirs are just too small to adapt, many are still dressing beasts on cradles, things haven't changed since 1950, their hourly labour cost per animal must be astronomical.

However, small abattoirs are desperately needed, there is no disputing that.
 
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