Harvesting of Livestock

  • Antemortem Slaughter

    • livestock should be fasted for 12-24 hours prior

      • makes evisceration easier

      • minimizes migration of bacteria in GI tract

    • Free access to water

  • Antemortem inspection

    • 4 Ds:

      • Dead

      • Dying

      • Diseased

        • EX: signs of BSE

        • if it is coughing because of pneumonia; becomes US suspect

      • Disabled

        • animal must be able to walk onto harvest floor

    • If an animal falls into any of the 4 Ds, it will not be killed for food

  • Animals should be handled with 2 main goals:

    • freedom from fear

    • freedom from pain

      • Dr. Temple Grandin

  • Humane Methods of Slaughter Act of 1978

    • Human handling and stunning practices and procedures

    • Only exception is ritualistic slaughter— Kosher and Moslem

    • Approves methods of stunning before shackled, hoisted thrown, cast or cut

  • Animal Transfer

    • Feed and water regulations apply to all species

    • Lairage holding pens

      • allows animals to calm down efficiently

  • Methods of Stunning

    • Mechanical stunning

      • Concussion— does NOT penetrate stunning

        • EX: captive bold, Schermer stunner

      • Penetration— penetrates the skull

        • EX: cash knocker

      • Used for bovine and ovine species

        • beef, lamb, and goats

    • Chemical Stunning

      • CO2 is ONLY approved substance for ONLY swine

        • 70% first position, 90% bottom of pit

      • Principles:

        • no broken bones

        • no kicking

    • Electrical Stunning

      • 3 types:

        • Head only, head to back, head to rib

        • used for both swine and ovine species

      • Problems with electrical stunning:

        • bone breakage

        • Ecchymosis - “blood splash”

        • kicking is a normal response from the body after death

  • Pork Slaughter

    • electrical stunning is most common

    • Determine Insensibility

      • ignore the kicking

      • head must be loose and floppy

    • Shackling must be QUICK

    • Sticking/bleeding — exsanguination

      • severance of carotid arteries and jugular veins

      • horizontal vs vertical sticking

        • horizontal— reduces stun to stick time

    • Scalding and Dehairing

      • hard hair season vs soft hair season

      • Scurf: layer of dirt, oil, and epidermis cells on the surface of the body

    • Scraping

      • swine are hung by the gambrel tendon

    • Singeing

      • hair removal

      • go through a tunnel of fire that causes the hair to turn black so it can be seen more easily

    • Head Removal

      • remove head between occipital condyles and the atlas joint

      • break sternum in cartilage

    • Head cleaning and inspection

    • bunging, evisceration

      • Bunging: tying the anus/vulva off for removal

      • Evisceration: removal of the viscera

    • Removal of Leaf Fat

      • utilized as a biofuel

    • Splitting and Inspection

      • Splitting: the vertebrae breaks into a chine bone

      • Inspection of the carcass for no feces, milk, or ingesta

        • Zero Tolerance

    • Washing, Lactic Acid, Chilling

      • prewash with hot water, lactic acid spray, applied to entire carcass

  • Swine have the highest dressing percentage; historically fat, dressed with feet, tail and skin instead of removal

  • Lamb slaughter

    • Fiery Fat: results from short term excitement, overheating, and or rough handling

    • Bruising — DO NOT lift lamb by the pelt

    • Overcrowding: number one reason death in pens is suffocation for the ovine species

    • Stunning and Sticking

    • Pelt removal

      • Fisting: upward and over sirloin, rump & legs

      • Facing: abdomen and flanks

      • Backing Down: over loin, rack, and shoulder

      • DO NOT rupture the fell membrane

    • Break Joint vs. Spool Joint

  • Beef Slaughter

    • Antemortem Inspection

    • Stunning/Immobilization

      • Captive bold stunner

    • Foreshanking/Heading

      • remove foreshanks, weasand, beheading

    • Dentition

    • Hind Leg Transfer

    • Hide Removal

      • Hide is the most valuable by-product from cows

    • Evisceration

      • Moving-Top Viscera Table

    • Highly Regulated Inspection

      • 30 mos. or older = higher chances of BSE

        • BES: bovine spongiform Encephalopathy

        • SRM’s: specified risk materials

      • All cattle— remove tonsils, distal ileum

      • Ovver 30 mos.—brains, skull, eyes, trigeminal ganglia, spinal cord, dorsal root ganglia, and vertebral columns

    • Postmortem Inspection

      • US Passed: eligible for marks of inspection

      • US Retained: must be retained for a veterinarian analysis

        • drug residue tests, waiting for veterinarian

      • US Condemned: Cannot enter commerce

  • Ritualistic Slaughter

    • Kosher and Halal

      • describe what is “fit and proper” to eat for two groups of people, Jews and Muslims

      • both laws ave their roots in scripture

        • the Torah and first five books of the bible for Kosher

    • Shochet: from Hebrew root Shi-Chet-Tav, meaning to destroy or kill

      • quick deep stroke across the throat with a sharp blade called “chalaf”; no stunning

    • Clean and Unclean animals

    • Consuming blood

    • Porging: removal of veins and arteries

    • Jewish Dietary Laws — Four “Genders”

      • Meat

        • religiously slaughtered

        • Salting and soaking to remove blood

        • Includes processing equipment (becomes “meat”)