Buy from farmer

damo34

Was just reading a thread there from about a week ago about food processors!

So was wondering, is there anything I should know before I go buying direct from a farmer... no offence to anyone here and not trying to imply anything, but Id be afraid of getting sold something half dead or diseased and told its top class.

Say I was buying a lamb of a farmer... is there anything I should check for/be aware off?

What about medications that might have being given to the lamb that I wouldnt know about? Is there anything that would make me sick. I think read something about a "waiting" period that animals have to go through until the medicine is out of its system before its killed. If I was buying direct the farmer could just give a lamb and tell me was healthy and didnt have medication... instead of himself having to keep him for a few months losing him money.

I realise Im asking alot with this.... but any help or advice at all would be great!

bbam

To be honest most farmers only sell live animals ( or try to anyway :rolleyes:).
Wahat will you do with a live lamb? You can't just buy it and kill/butcher it yourself..

I'd recommend asking round your area for a good local butcher, maybe one who kills himself.. They will be a good source for meat and you won't have to buy a whole animal..

damo34

Sorry meant to say, buying live isnt a problem. My cousin trained as a butcher when he was younger, hes a chef now, but Id say he'd still remember enough to be able to butcher the odd lamb here and there

aujopimur

As far as I know DIY slaughtering is illegal, it must be done in a licenced slaughter house.

bbam

aujopimur wrote: »

As far as I know DIY slaughtering is illegal, it must be done in a licenced slaughter house.

Indeed.. I know we wouldn't sell an animal to some bloke with no lisence to slaughter

snowman707

damo34 wrote: »

Was just reading a thread there from about a week ago about food processors!

So was wondering, is there anything I should know before I go buying direct from a farmer... no offence to anyone here and not trying to imply anything, but Id be afraid of getting sold something half dead or diseased and told its top class.

Say I was buying a lamb of a farmer... is there anything I should check for/be aware off?

What about medications that might have being given to the lamb that I wouldnt know about? Is there anything that would make me sick. I think read something about a "waiting" period that animals have to go through until the medicine is out of its system before its killed. If I was buying direct the farmer could just give a lamb and tell me was healthy and didnt have medication... instead of himself having to keep him for a few months losing him money.

I realise Im asking alot with this.... but any help or advice at all would be great!

we sell circa 15 to 20 lambs to private customers each year, you are correct in been concerned re the withdrawal periods for doses and medicines,

we bring the lambs to the abattoir, and they are killed and bagged to the customers requirements, they are inspected by a vet before and after slaughter ,

each lamb bears an ear tag and we also sign a declaration confirming that the animal complies with the requirements Food Chain Information,

our farm is inspected under the lamb quality assurance scheme and all records of medicines are made available to the inspector, we will only sell through an abattoir, or to another registered flock owner

bbam wrote: »

To be honest most farmers only sell live animals ( or try to anyway :rolleyes:).
Wahat will you do with a live lamb? You can't just buy it and kill/butcher it yourself..

I'd recommend asking round your area for a good local butcher, maybe one who kills himself.. They will be a good source for meat and you won't have to buy a whole animal..

we are presently supplying freezer ready lamb minimal 25 kgs dead weight for approx €140 , will a butcher give that value,

also we only use vendeen and vendeen X lambs which personally and my repeat customers agree is by far the nicest meat.

damo34

snowman707 wrote: »

we sell circa 15 to 20 lambs to private customers each year, you are correct in been concerned re the withdrawal periods for doses and medicines,

we bring the lambs to the abattoir, and they are killed and bagged to the customers requirements, they are inspected by a vet before and after slaughter ,

each lamb bears an ear tag and we also sign a declaration confirming that the animal complies with the requirements Food Chain Information,

our farm is inspected under the lamb quality assurance scheme and all records of medicines are made available to the inspector, we will only sell through an abattoir, or to another registered flock owner




we are presently supplying freezer ready lamb minimal 25 kgs dead weight for approx €140 , will a butcher give that value,

also we only use vendeen and vendeen X lambs which personally and my repeat customers agree is by far the nicest meat.

Thank you for your informative reply.

Supposing I was buying a lamb from you whats the procedure? (sorry for the basic question, I just didnt realise there was so much rigmarole with legalities )

Also you said I was right to be concerned about the medicine withdrawal period? But really, apart from the farmers word, how do I ask about this, or how can I be sure hes not lying to me? Is there some sort of "log book" (for want of a better term) that I could ask to see.

Again sorry for the questions...

bbam

snowman707 wrote: »

we are presently supplying freezer ready lamb minimal 25 kgs dead weight for approx €140 , will a butcher give that value,

also we only use vendeen and vendeen X lambs which personally and my repeat customers agree is by far the nicest meat.

Very good value indeed...
Great to be in the food chain right to the consumer..

I did say "most farmers", obviously ye aren't most farmers..

Tipp Man

To the Original Poster

I really hope you have checked out what is written below. There are very strict rules regarding the slaughter of animals.

aujopimur wrote: »

As far as I know DIY slaughtering is illegal, it must be done in a licenced slaughter house.

5live

damo34 wrote: »

Thank you for your informative reply.

Supposing I was buying a lamb from you whats the procedure? (sorry for the basic question, I just didnt realise there was so much rigmarole with legalities )

Also you said I was right to be concerned about the medicine withdrawal period? But really, apart from the farmers word, how do I ask about this, or how can I be sure hes not lying to me? Is there some sort of "log book" (for want of a better term) that I could ask to see.

Again sorry for the questions...

If you want to buy a lamb from a farmer you must have a herd/flock no. Your best course would be to get the farmer to send the lamb to an abbatoir, as snowman707 said. All relevant checks will be carried out there and any residue testing will also be carried out there by the relevant competent authorities.

As to farmers selling animals before the relevant withdrawl period has elapsed, the current testing and penalty systems in place ensure that no farmer would try to cut corners deliberatly. The cost and bureaucracy involved in failing to comply with withdrawl periods are more than sufficent deterrants

snowman707

damo34 wrote: »

Thank you for your informative reply.

Supposing I was buying a lamb from you whats the procedure? (sorry for the basic question, I just didnt realise there was so much rigmarole with legalities )

Also you said I was right to be concerned about the medicine withdrawal period? But really, apart from the farmers word, how do I ask about this, or how can I be sure hes not lying to me? Is there some sort of "log book" (for want of a better term) that I could ask to see.

Again sorry for the questions...

you pay me for the lamb and slaughter fees, I deliver to abattoir,

as already mentioned I would only sell you if you were a registered flock/herdowner

if you are a new customer you ring the butcher and discuss the amount of meat you wish in each bag, depending of family size etc.,


after approx 14 days you collect from the abattoir, or we will deliver for a small fee, (within reason)

yes we have a log of used medicines which anyone is free to inspect,

As iv'e already said I will be signing a FCI declaration, also we tend to err on the safety side ie withdrawal period 14 days , we never kill until at least 21 days and possibly longer

Muckit

bbam wrote: »

maybe one who kills himself...

Now that's just suicide..

epfff

Sell 20 lambs each year to a group of people I worked with at one time.140 each this year.i drop them to butcher in town (good guy killed with another butcher once gave me back a dog our something) customer picks them up in baged and boxed to their spec.i pay butcher.they pay me.