Abbatoirs in Carmarthenshire/Pembrokeshire?

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Abbatoirs in Carmarthenshire/Pembrokeshire?
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roobarb

Joined: 15 Apr 2008
Posts: 139
Location: Carmarthenshire

Posted: Thu Jun 09, 11 11:13 am Post subject: Abbatoirs in Carmarthenshire/Pembrokeshire?

We're some time off yet, but have started thinking about the final days of our pigs. Looking at the sticky list of Good (or not good) abbatoirs above, there appears to be only one that is near Carmarthenshire/Pembrokeshire in Tregaron which is in the neighbouring county of Ceridigon. This is 40 miles away, so would be a fair trip to get there. Does anyone have any experience of any other abbatoir (for pigs) nearer to the area. I'm thinking Haverfordwest or Cross Hands? Or is Tregaron really our only option?

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Thu Jun 09, 11 11:20 am Post subject:
PM Faithmead. I know she has used Tregaron but think she also uses somewhere south.

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4563
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Thu Jun 09, 11 12:57 pm Post subject:
Don`t believe Crosshands kill pigs, Several people have given bad reports of Withybush,when concerned to Small numbers of private slaughtered pigs,but not used them myself,so hear say. Tregaron,i`ve used for 24yrs ,with all stock,small,friendly and helpful,Never heard a bad word against it.

Jo S

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 5174
Location: Somerset

Posted: Thu Jun 09, 11 1:09 pm Post subject:

If it's the same as when I lived in the area, then you need to book into Tregaron with plenty of time to spare. I think I kept my first pair of weaners for at least a month longer than anticipated as I didn't realise this. The other one I used is near Bridgend, but I'm drawing a mental blank and cannot for the life of me remember where it is or what it's called.

I met Faithmead in the queue there though

roobarb

Joined: 15 Apr 2008
Posts: 139
Location: Carmarthenshire

Posted: Thu Jun 09, 11 2:20 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the replies. I will try contacting Faithmead directly.

I phoned both Tregaron and Haverfordwest (Withybush) this morning, and both were very helpful. Costs of slaughtering were a bit variable. However, Tregaron required around one months notice (as Jo S implied) while Haverfordwest only needed 1 week. Not sure what that says!

I've also been to see some of the local butchers today to find out a bit more about that end of things. Only one said they would butcher them (but they weren't too keen on the prospect of us bringing the carcasses in the back of the car). They however, use the abbatoir at Haverfordwest (albeit for lambs) and seemed happy with them. This also gives us the possibility of being able to get our pig carcasses back in the chilled lorry with the lambs rather than the back of the car.

So many things to think about. Our local farmer has also planted the home slaughter seed in our minds, which is a whole new area to think about.

Jools

Joined: 28 Jul 2006
Posts: 1028
Location: South Wales

Posted: Thu Jun 09, 11 3:53 pm Post subject:

Jo S wrote:

The other one I used is near Bridgend, but I'm drawing a mental blank and cannot for the life of me remember where it is or what it's called.

I met Faithmead in the queue there though

I think there's one in Maesteg, was it that one?

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Thu Jun 09, 11 5:55 pm Post subject:
If it helps Tregaron do a very nice job of butchering as well. They are very nice and very helpful (if a bit far from you).

earthsoul

Joined: 10 Feb 2011
Posts: 320
Location: Ceredigion West Wales

Posted: Thu Jun 09, 11 6:41 pm Post subject:
I use Tregaron, they are excellent and kill super fast

Jo S

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 5174
Location: Somerset

Posted: Thu Jun 09, 11 6:42 pm Post subject:

Jools wrote:

Jo S wrote:

The other one I used is near Bridgend, but I'm drawing a mental blank and cannot for the life of me remember where it is or what it's called.

I met Faithmead in the queue there though

I think there's one in Maesteg, was it that one?

That's it, thanks.

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35056
Location: Devon

Posted: Thu Jun 09, 11 6:54 pm Post subject:
Anything in here any use? https://forum.downsizer.net/about56417.html

faerienono

Joined: 28 May 2011
Posts: 363

Posted: Thu Jun 09, 11 8:52 pm Post subject:

Haverfordwest slaughtered two outdoor reared large black sows for us and delivered two tamworths to the butcher instead.

The way we realised was that the heads were wrong, and they had orange hair growing is spiked up ears.

Their attitude was that they would replace the pork, either by letting us keep the tamworth carcasses or by giving us something else, but our pigs were nowhere to be found.

Since we had taken all the time and effort into rearing the pigs, making sure we were happy with what they were fed etc. so that we would then know what we were eating, we told them in no uncertain terms that we didn't want tamworths of unknown origin, so they had to give us a substantial refund, and we had to let our customers down. Not good!

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4563
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Thu Jun 09, 11 11:18 pm Post subject:
Thats not the first time thats happened in Withybush either, I know someone who took pigs there to be slaughtered,and wanted sausages,having got home after collection,cooked some,only to find out they were Lamb sausages

roobarb

Joined: 15 Apr 2008
Posts: 139
Location: Carmarthenshire

Posted: Fri Jun 10, 11 11:44 am Post subject:
Maesteg would be even further than Tregaron, so that's not really an option, but thanks anyway. The comments you make about Withybush make us very wary of them. As you say when you've taken the trouble to rear your pigs the way you want to, you don't want to end up with any old meat at the end of it all. It's such as shame so many of the local abbatoirs have disappeared.

Louisdog

Joined: 22 Mar 2005
Posts: 716
Location: South Wales

Posted: Mon Jun 13, 11 6:19 pm Post subject:

I used Withybush several times with no problems. They showed us around beforehand and were really helpful. They killed our lambs quickly (we waited for the skins) and the one pair of pigs we took, we definitely got the right ones back (we went to see them at the butchers!)

I also used Crosshands a couple of times and found them ok, but a lot bigger scale and we weren't sure if the wethers were done quickly or not as we didn't wait for the skins.

I must emphasise though that I only used each less than five times.

Cheers
Alex

markjadams

Joined: 06 May 2006
Posts: 109
Location: South West Wales

Posted: Wed Jun 15, 11 6:02 pm Post subject:
The other option is Hugh Phillips in the gower, they are a small family run abbatoir. I use them for my pigs and I also sell them free range ducks for sale is there shop. They are friendly and I have never had a problem with pigs being mixed up. Mark.

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