Abattoir’s arrival akin to childbirth for Firth farmer
Spring start expected for mobile slaughter facility, as politicians herald ‘innovative solution’
The arrival of a mobile abattoir unit in Orkney marks a milestone moment for Jane Cooper.
The Firth shepherdess likened the long-awaited arrival of her Tiny Trailer Abattoir to giving birth to a child.
“Nothing compares to holding the baby in your arms, even if you had to go through a difficult labour,” Ms Cooper said, reflecting the huge effort which has been made to get to this point.
The “innovative solution” to the loss of Kirkwall’s abattoir in 2018 was hailed by Orkney politicians, following a visit to the facility on Friday.
The two-trailer unit has been in development since 2024, when Ms Cooper first come up with the idea.
She has been at the forefront of efforts to safeguard the Orkney Boreray breed for over a decade.
Her hope is to reduce lengthy journeys to an abattoir in Dingwall, by having a custom-built facility to operate in the county.
The slaughter trailer arrived off the ferry from Aberdeen on Thursday evening.
The facility was designed by Andy Gray, who drove the trailer on the 700-mile journey from Dorset.
A refrigeration unit is to follow at a later date, as Ms Cooper focuses on the task of sorting the licensing for her creation.
After seeing many photographs of the trailers as the work progressed, getting inside the facility was a huge moment for the woman behind the project.
“I was amazed. When I went in, it actually feels spacious,” Ms Cooper added.
She told The Orcadian this week that it will likely be early spring before the abattoir is in use.
The work is to be done by a trained slaughterer, with a local veterinarian providing oversight.
Ms Cooper said that bodies like Food Standards Scotland and the Animal and Plant Health Agency have been incredibly helpful with the project.
“They really have gotten behind this and are so supportive,” she added.
Trying to insure the mobile slaughter facility looked like it was going to be a real challenge for Ms Cooper.
One company suggested she might have to go to Lloyds of London, but the shepherdess contacted NFU Mutual who have stepped in to help.
From their visit on Friday, both Liam McArthur MSP and Alistair Carmichael MP have been very impressed with the project.
Mr McArthur said: “The Tiny Trailer Abattoir provides an innovative solution to the loss of a local abattoir facility in Orkney, which I know has been incredibly challenging for local farmers since 2018.
“Jane Cooper and Andy Gray deserve enormous credit for their hard work and creativity in bringing the TTA to life, which will strengthen the sustainability of farming here in Orkney, as well as improving animal welfare.
“It was a pleasure to get to view the abattoir this afternoon, and I know farmers across Orkney will be very grateful for the opportunities this facility will create locally.”
Mr Carmichael said that the lack of an abattoir in Orkney has inhibited the opportunities for growing local red meat production for years.
“The initiative will not of itself fill that gap but I hope it might stimulate a conversation about how we may get back to a place where local slaughter is again possible,” he added.