Back to the subject PIGs.Today is Monday (well when I wrote this)
Last Wednesday I rang the abattoir and spoke to a girl about booking the pigs in.
"Can I bring them Friday" ME
"Er er Yes. Before half ten." Girl
"Ok thanks see you then." Me
"Can I have a name. " Girl
"Yes Stuart...." Me
"See you Friday" Girl
A friend turns up to help load. I have been loading the girls every other day for weeks, the pigs have been sleeping in the trailer. So it was quick and easy to get them in.
So I turns up Friday about nine. No one about! Ring the main number and....
"We do not do pigs on Friday only on Monday and Wednesday no liquid on see...." Slaughter man "Yes your booked in .....I am gonna give someone a B@ll@rking."
The Slaughter man came and explained that because they do not have the liquid on they can not dip the pigs (to take of the hairs) so if I wanted them doing I would loose all the rind (fat and taste). He said it would be a shame as they looked good.
Booked them in for Monday.
I checked them in the trailer and they just yawned at me!!! Stressed no. Relaxed yes.
So back they came home. Now they have 30 mins of motorway and 15 mins of bumpy A and B roads back home and when they got back they where very stressed and panting. Oh poo I thought, never going to get them back into the trailer.
I had given away all my feed to the freind that had helped me load! So got them unloaded and when a purchased feed.
They would not eat allot as not in the mood.
It they would not even go near the trailer.
I left them to get cool down.
At that night they did not sleep in the trailer I went out at 21:00hrs and they where sleeping out. I followed them round and where ever they lay (normaly on waste hay) I wet the hay and them. I then called them to the trailer and they came but did not stay.
I left them to it.
Saturday slept out
Sunday day they came in once and slept.
Sunday night I checked at 22:00 and they where sleeping out.
Early start have to be there before 08:00!!! So up at 6 (normal) and out.
They where asleep in the trailer.
Tiptoed up and closed the ramp while they slept.
Loaded and then filled out the AML2 movement form. I was there at 07:40 the pigs where cool and calm. Waited for the person in front to unload then the pigs. While I was waiting I looked at the other pigs. OMG mine are huge compared with the others. My turn came to unload and would they come out of the trailer.
NO
It took three people to "encourage" them out. Two by the ears and me behind. Once there heads where out they wandered off sniffing the new smells.
"There a bit bigger than you said, I about 120KG's" Slaughter man
That is twice the weight they should have been!!!!
Oh well live and learn.