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David · Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 180 Location: Co. Clare

We kill quite a few creatures in a very humane and considered way. I started life as a city boy, and I still remember the first time I killed a chicken, after much agonising and reading several books/asking butchers etc. I have moved on from chickens, and I can honestly say that I have never let an animal suffer, and every time I have killed an animal it has been quick, clean and humane as possible.

Anyway. Here's the rant. From my reading of Irish law, I think it is illegal for anyone other than a licensed slaughterman to kill a chicken, and it seems to be illegal to kill a chicken in any place other than in an abbatoir.

The law makes 2 exceptions for home kill: You can kill a pig for home consumption, or you can kill an injured farm animal for home consumption. The pig was an exception, which recognises that killing a pig for home use is an old Irish tradition. So the law allows us to kill a pig for home consumption, but not a lamb, never mind a chicken, goose or duck. Now, a lot can go wrong if you don't kill a pig properly...not a job for the faint hearted, and it requires a fair amount of skill. But killing a chicken is relatively easy.

Have you killed a chicken for the pot lately? I have, and I'm not happy about this stupid law. It means I have to keep my activities quiet from the local "animal lovers" who somehow think that by sending animals off to the abbatoir is more humane than a correctly executed backyard kill. Excuse the pun.

I can see that the law has to protect consumers form having the meat market flooded with unlicensed meat originating from dodgy backyards...and I completely agree with restricting the sale of unlicensed meat. BUT if I want to kill and eat one of my own chickens, why shouldn't I be allowed to do so? By all means, lets have a law that lays down basic humane standards for slaughter under any circumstances...but I want to kill and eat my own chickens! (and ducks, and geese, and goats...)

Anyway, perhaps I have misunderstood the legalese...anyone out there know a lawyer who'd be prepared to go through the 1988 slaughter act? I don't intend to stop...but this law is really stupid. What's next, will fishermen be required to bring their catch alive to the local fish slaughterhouse? As far as I know, there is not a single slaughterhouse in Ireland registered for goats...so where do all the Billies go?

We can't blame brussels on this one...EU legislation allows for home-kill/home consumption so long as the meat is not sold. This is purely Irish law as far as I can see.

Anyway, Rant over!

D

squirrel01 · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 90 Location: co. roscommon

so what about turkeys? where would you take one to be dispached, was thinking of getting some turkeys next year and wondered what the best way was to kill them...
and as for the pigs, what would you do about the paperwork if you killed at home, i had 2 go last monday and in the afternoon the movements office rang me to see if i had any pigs go to the factory,

on another note, i rang last time on a weekend to notify movements expecting the recorded message, it rang for ages then a bloke answered, i told him my details and he said, ok but im only the security guard, i had rang the helpline by mistake, well the OH wet her draws....

David · Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 180 Location: Co. Clare

My advice is to keep quiet and do it yourself. Oh my god, i just advised you to (gulp) break the law! I wouldn't have a clue where to get them done...you'd probably have to drive halfway across Ireland.

There's a thriving black market anyway. I know a guy who kills geese to order...he sold 20 last year at 80 euro each...people are prepared to pay more when they know exactly where the birds come from.

The old practice of selling birds alive in the marketplace, when the seller broke the neck of the bird on the spot, has sadly been legislated out of (official) existence. My Dad did this when he was a kid years back (now he's 80)...walked into Limerick city with live turkeys, killed them on the spot when people bought them. Imagine the fuss nowadays. It still goes on, just very very quietly...

My main beef in the original rant was that you can't kill for your own consumption...but i don't see why people shouldn't be able to buy birds like turkeys from backyard producers, so long as they are informed as to the birds provenance.

Good luck witht he turkeys!
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David · Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 180 Location: Co. Clare

re: pigs, if they ask just tell them you killed em yourself...looks legal, as far as I can tell from reading the act. When they have called here to ask how many pigs I have I simply replied "none" and they didn't enquire further.

As a matter of fact, it would be legal to kill the turkeys yourself (for your own consumption!) so long as they were "injured"!

Cheeky suggestion...why not give geese a go, instead of turkeys? really hardy, excellent grazers, hardly need any housing, taste great and v versatile in the kitchen (confit, roasts, etc)...way better bet than turkeys regarding ease of keeping etc.

phil · Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 10:15 pm Post subject:

After reading all the blurb on home kill i agree it seems as though you can butcher your own animals.I think if you tested this law the relavent authoritys would make it almost impossible for you to carry on.Such as having a vet there while it was killed making sure you disposed of skin.guts.feet.spinal cord.blood.and probably the brains.I think the best thing to do is carry on as you are and tell nobody nothing

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

Just to re open this thread. I am told that there is no slaughter house in Ireland that is reg to kill Goats. The locals tell me that "Pat" up the road will slit their throats for me Confused

So can I sell Goat meat that is slaughtered at home?
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David · Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 180 Location: Co. Clare

Hi Wayland...you can't sell it legally, unless you create a registered slaughterhouse. That would be fun...

We humanely kill our own goats...which is apparently illegal, regardless of whether or not we sell the meat (we don't...it's for our own consumption). This is a very dodgy area...I've heard of the ISPCA getting the guards involved when people had killed their own goats, even though an "Easter kid" was an Irish tradition.

Probably not much help but there you go!

D

wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

The laws a bit of an ass. So no shop could sell Irish goat meat unless it was imported. Confused

This has a knock on effect with trying to add value at farmers markets with Goat sausages, burgers. Or even selling the skins to drum manufactures etc. Ho hum. It is going to be pigs next I think. cheers.

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