Condemned

[Bugsy]

In the last 3 weeks I’ve had a few phone calls about deer being condemed by a Game dealer in Scotland . One in question had been head shot and in the chill for no more than 3 days but he was told it had decomposed and got hit with a £40 bill. Just wondering if anybody out there has had the same , is this becoming a trend and another tactic . Pm if you want .

 

[tonyhall200]

I have hadf this discussion with a game dealer I sell to. He maintains that some carcasses can "turn" in a very short time.
If it happens again go and collect the carcass. If its genuine they will let you have it. If they are cheating you it will already be gone !
If they say its gone argue the disposal cost as its still your property until paid for.

 

[Bugsy]

Only thing is the guys in question get there deer lifted and the depot is 170-200 mile away , I’m trying to get somebody close to the depot who would go and retrieve any carcass that are supposedly not fit for human consumption and remove them and save the £40 .

 

[Malxwal]

Hmm, 170-200 miles. Be interesting to be at the depot when the driver gets back and opens the doors.... All hung up nicely with plenty air space around each carcass

 

[Klenchblaize]

This stinks!

K

 

[David Barker]

I have heard this from the top man in the LDNS he was not happy but could not prove this . "Highland Game were the Game dealer named". Im told this happens right across the board eg FCS to the one a month man. Sad really because there is not proof. I would tell the chap that picks the deer up to make a decision at that time not at entry to game dealer. The pick up chap is ment to be trained to spot any failing,s.

 

[Donkey Basher]

Hmm, 170-200 miles. Be interesting to be at the depot when the driver gets back and opens the doors.... All hung up nicely with plenty air space around each carcass

I had similar thoughts… add to the equation the possibility that the collection didn’t get back to the chiller till the morning after.

Of course, without knowing the full facts, there’s also the possibility that despite being head shot the beastie in question wasn't gralloched till back at the chiller on a hot day, it doesn’t take much for the green to set in.

As said, when the driver collects he leaves a chit to say what he’s collected & if he doesn’t want it he should leave anything he thinks is not good behind & not take it. Personally I’d be insisting on this if it was me.

 

[homer]

Ive also seen them being picked up in a non chilled van, so if you get a fresh one collected, it wasn't going to chill much till arrival at dealers.

 

[lochty]

We had 3 condemned by what sounds like the same dealer. Claimed they were contaminated but when we asked for photos they couldn't provide them. But we're stuck with them.

 

[Bugsy]

Hmm, 170-200 miles. Be interesting to be at the depot when the driver gets back and opens the doors.... All hung up nicely with plenty air space around each carcass

It’s a chilled lorry , even without space they ain’t going to stink or go off so I can’t see that happen . If the carcass was thrown in on top of each other which I’ve seen before then that’s the dealers problem , if you chill a deer for 3 days and do your part then it’s not the suppliers problem , to easy to condemn at £40 charge , would the dealer need to produce a disposal certificate to prove it was disposed of in full .

 

[Bugsy]

I had similar thoughts… add to the equation the possibility that the collection didn’t get back to the chiller till the morning after.

Of course, without knowing the full facts, there’s also the possibility that despite being head shot the beastie in question wasn't gralloched till back at the chiller on a hot day, it doesn’t take much for the green to set in.

As said, when the driver collects he leaves a chit to say what he’s collected & if he doesn’t want it he should leave anything he thinks is not good behind & not take it. Personally I’d be insisting on this if it was me.

That’s the thing , the driver took them away no problem , but he is only a driver not a veterinary inspector so they need a cross breed between the 2 to deliver an on the spot smell and inspect test

 

[HonestJohn]

It’s called the game dealers tax

 

[308rws]

I would be asking Trading Standards or the Food Standards Agency:

• When does the food safety chain of custody transfer between parties?
• When is the 'contract made' between both parties and/or any sub-contractor collecting on behalf of the GD?
• etc.

 

[Tikka 270]

In the last 3 weeks I’ve had a few phone calls about deer being condemed by a Game dealer in Scotland . One in question had been head shot and in the chill for no more than 3 days but he was told it had decomposed and got hit with a £40 bill. Just wondering if anybody out there has had the same , is this becoming a trend and another tactic . Pm if you want .

I had the same, shot 6 in an hour one night, all lardered at the same time, stored in the same chill - sika stag condemned as it was apparently decomposing.
Emailed them asking how that's possible and was told they don't have a clue as it's down to the vet inspecting, offered to ask him for me but told me they do that many he wouldn't remember probably.
An absolute joke at times.

 

[Buchan]

I wonder if bleeding has anything to do with it. If head shot the only effective bleeding will be the major vessels leaving residual blood in the carcass and so more at risk of microbial growth.
In fairness, I am struggling to find quality evidence for or against this!

 

[SOE]

Blood is the first to decompose in a carcass it will pool by gravity and break down within an hour in the over 7 degrees C as will the green from a damaged rumen,also the liver is an early visceral risk being blood rich.....

 

[Klenchblaize]

I'll just leave this here:

K

 

[Bandooki]

Had a similar issue with the GD mentioned - the correspondence
" I’ve received notification that one of my deer carcasses was rejected due to decomposition, I’m struggling to understand this as I shot both deer that day

• Tag no xxxxx shot at 16.15 and lardered at 18.15 on 22nd Jan 2025
• Tag no xxxxx shot at 20.00 and lardered at 20.45 on 22nd Jan 2025

Both deer cleanly shot, gralloched immediately and transported in clean trays, not dragged through any possible contaminant, both hung in the same chiller set at 2.5deg, the ambient temperature was close to zero during this time and well below zero at night. When we left on 25th both were absolutely fine and then both collected on the same day, yet one has been rejected due to decomposition??"

The response was as follows

"Hi XXXX
I can see that both carcasses were handled in a similar way both by yourself and here at Highland Game. The were even a similar weight which can sometimes make a difference. I cannot explain what has happened. I have copied in the vet who rejected the carcass, and she may be able to give more information about what can happen but the decisions are make independently of Highland Game staff.

Sorry I can’t be of more help on this occasion.
Regards"

Needless to say, I received no response from the Vet in question - seem that the Vets are a making the calls??
B

 

[HonestJohn]

Had a similar issue with the GD mentioned - the correspondence
" I’ve received notification that one of my deer carcasses was rejected due to decomposition, I’m struggling to understand this as I shot both deer that day

• Tag no xxxxx shot at 16.15 and lardered at 18.15 on 22nd Jan 2025
• Tag no xxxxx shot at 20.00 and lardered at 20.45 on 22nd Jan 2025

Both deer cleanly shot, gralloched immediately and transported in clean trays, not dragged through any possible contaminant, both hung in the same chiller set at 2.5deg, the ambient temperature was close to zero during this time and well below zero at night. When we left on 25th both were absolutely fine and then both collected on the same day, yet one has been rejected due to decomposition??"

The response was as follows

"Hi XXXX
I can see that both carcasses were handled in a similar way both by yourself and here at Highland Game. The were even a similar weight which can sometimes make a difference. I cannot explain what has happened. I have copied in the vet who rejected the carcass, and she may be able to give more information about what can happen but the decisions are make independently of Highland Game staff.

Sorry I can’t be of more help on this occasion.
Regards"

Needless to say, I received no response from the Vet in question - seem that the Vets are a making the calls??
B

Tag swapping by the GD to create this. Creative accounting

 

[Jimboblincs2]

Us Yorkshire lads have had a lot of condemned deer up there, but never given an opportunity to collect, as they know we've headed home, so now give it all away rather than get ripped off. Only on phoning and asking what's going on did we get told they'd rejected carcasses.