Buy a big pig.

B'o'B

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Rutland
I, and I would guess many others on here, would be able to sort out an oversized pig or 2. These are strange times, is it time to try and come together and set up something that saves needless waste and gives some money to pig produces?
I know it would likely be only a tiny fraction of the pork output, and there are quite likely to be obstacles that I am completely unaware of, but is there anything we could do to help out fellow farmers?
 
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B'o'B

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Rutland
Have to have pigs registered on each holding with APHA, but no big deal. Nice idea!
If I just got them home and killed them for home consumption, would that be sufficient to need to register?
I’ve killed and butchered sheep and deer in the past, but obviously this is a bit different as I/we would be buying the animals in.
 

B'o'B

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Rutland
i was thinking today i could buy one and freeze it

i guess its not legal for me to shoot and butcher it myself however ?
I don’t think there is a big issue as long as it’s for home consumption, you may want to check your firearms license as I specifically requested dispatch of animals to be included on mine. Should probably go and read it again to make sure it says what I think it does!
 

David.

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
J11 M40
You do know that you shoot a pig between the ears, pointing downwards, don't you?
And you mustn't allow a woman on her period to stir the pigs blood, or it will not set.
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
I don’t think there is a big issue as long as it’s for home consumption, you may want to check your firearms license as I specifically requested dispatch of animals to be included on mine. Should probably go and read it again to make sure it says what I think it does!

you need a license to move them don’t you ?

could i keep a couple in a well fenced grass paddock until i wanted to butcher? or could i legally buy a couple dead pigs ?

contentious i know but what are they worth ? i know less than nothing right now technically but rather than waste good food what is fair ?

i know a retired butcher !
 

David.

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
J11 M40
They used to chuck the dead pig one bonfire to scorch the bristles off before scraping the skin. An old boy in the village claims to have seen a "dead" pig jump squealing out of the fire on one occasion, to much amusement.
Did anyone else sit shaking their head, listening to the idiots advocating either releasing 100000 pigs into the wild, or rehoming them, on Jeremy Vine yesterday?
 

Anymulewilldo

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Cheshire
Just wondering, as the thought has crossed my mind too get 5/6 pigs and get our local family abattoir too kill and cut up for me (no waiting list longer than normal there) and flog on half pigs too my collection of 1/2 lamb customers.
Are the big pig outfits allowed too sell to common folk? I thought some of the contracts stipulated that “all pigs must be sold too us the processor”?? The smaller units around here seem too be carrying on pretty much as normal. It’s just the massive finishing unit up the hill that’s stalled so far. 😳
 

scholland

Member
Location
ze3
Pigs are really an abattoir job, unless you can get setup at home to remove the hair.
You could skin them but then there's no crackling.

But a great idea for folk to buy a big pig nonetheless
 

JeepJeep

Member
Trade
Just Straddle it in a pair of socks and Speedos and butcher it with an uber sharp & pricey Croc Dundee Knife bigger than a man... Oh yeh and film it. 10 Man Points and 15.5 Minutes of Kudos.

Serious Note... Cracking Idea.(y)
 

B'o'B

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Rutland
Pigs are really an abattoir job, unless you can get setup at home to remove the hair.
You could skin them but then there's no crackling.

But a great idea for folk to buy a big pig nonetheless
a blow torch makes short work of the hair, just need to be careful not to heat the fat up too much and send it rancid.
 

Bruce Almighty

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Warwickshire
you need a license to move them don’t you ?

could i keep a couple in a well fenced grass paddock until i wanted to butcher? or could i legally buy a couple dead pigs ?

contentious i know but what are they worth ? i know less than nothing right now technically but rather than waste good food what is fair ?

i know a retired butcher !
It wouldn't matter how well fenced your grass paddock was, it wouldn't stay grass for long ! 😂
 

Muddyroads

Member
NFFN Member
Location
Exeter, Devon
If I just got them home and killed them for home consumption, would that be sufficient to need to register?
I’ve killed and butchered sheep and deer in the past, but obviously this is a bit different as I/we would be buying the animals in.
A movement licence would be needed to allow removal from the holding, either direct to an abattoir which removes the need for pigs to be registered to your CPH or to a registered holding. Movement restrictions will apply to a holding once pigs have been moved on.
Still a nice idea. The bureaucracy isn’t too bad.
We were surprised how much meat we got from a Kune Kune, so you’ll need a big freezer!
 

Henarar

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
Back just after foot and mouth when you had to get a movement licence (vet) a mate sent some on but there wasn't enough room for all of them so a group got together shot them on farm and all ended up with a freezer full of pork, not really sure of the legalities of it but it was some cheap meat.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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