They slaughter cattle. Slaughtering and cutting up bulls at home

It is customary to slaughter livestock in specialized places - at meat processing plants and slaughterhouses, but in some regions you can kill and butcher a domestic animal yourself. The quality of meat products depends on how correctly the animals are slaughtered. That is why an experienced slaughterer must kill cattle and cut up carcasses.

It is customary to slaughter livestock in specialized places - at meat processing plants and slaughterhouses, but in some regions you can kill and butcher a domestic animal yourself.

A thorough examination of the animal and permission from a veterinary clinic employee that the meat is suitable for food is a prerequisite before such a procedure as slaughtering cattle. Killing an animal for the purpose of further cutting and selling the meat is under no circumstances allowed when there is a suspicion of anthrax, rabies, plague, carbuncles, fever, malignant edema, or tetanus. Typically, such animals are immediately separated from the rest and subjected to therapy; if it turns out to be ineffective, the livestock is killed for the purpose of further disposal of the corpse. The slaughter of sick animals cannot be carried out on a regular farm or in a private household; for this purpose there must be a special slaughterhouse or other premises intended for this purpose where infected cattle can be killed.

There are also a number of time restrictions according to which the killing of a cow or other cattle should be postponed for a while. Such restrictions include the following factors:

Preparation for slaughter

Regardless of the conditions in which cows are slaughtered - domestic or commercial - the procedure should only be performed by a professional who knows all the nuances well.

When cows are slaughtered, the first thing to do is ensure that the cow, horse or other animal intended for slaughter does not eat for 24 hours. You should also strictly limit access to water: drink can be given no later than 3 hours before slaughter. Before the slaughter procedure, the horse or cow must be washed.

An equally important role is played by the calmness of the animal, since it begins to feel approaching death long before it occurs. Therefore, places for slaughter should be prepared at some distance from the main habitat of livestock.

Self-conducting

Before slaughtering an animal, it must first be stunned. To do this, it is taken to a specially designated place, where it is tied by the horns and neck to the crossbar. After this, the animal can be stunned; usually the back of an ax or some other heavy object is used for this purpose. You need to hit extremely carefully, since you need to hit it strictly at the junction of the first vertebra and the occipital bone. As a result of the blow, the stunned animal faints. At this time, his carotid artery is cut and suspended so that the blood can flow freely.

Another way to slaughter a cow is to cut the neck blood vessels. In this case, the blow is delivered slightly below the spine behind the lower jaw.

Often at home, in addition to cutting the carotid artery, firearms are used. In this case, you need to hit exactly the point on the forehead between the eyes, located in the middle. Sometimes when using a firearm, one shot may not be enough, since the animal does not die immediately.

Industrial conditions

The slaughter of cows and other large animals on livestock farms has been put on stream. The cattle are placed on a small rectangular moving platform. Then each cow is driven into a small compartment in which all movements are quite constrained. In this case, the slaughter is carried out by means of a shot fired from a special impact pistol. The shot is fired precisely into the central part of the animal’s forehead, and it dies immediately.

Slaughter technologies (video)

Cutting process

After the animal is slaughtered, it follows. The main condition of this procedure is that the carcass of a horse, cow, or other animal must be completely drained of blood by this time. If hung correctly, this should not take more than 10-15 minutes.

The butchering of cows, goats and other animals begins with skinning. They start cutting the cow from the head; to do this, first cut off the ears, then make cuts around the nose, mouth and horns. You should especially focus on the cut around the horns, as the skin there is much thicker than on other parts. Then an incision is made between the head and the cervical vertebra, the skin is removed and the head is cut off.

The body without the head must be placed on its back and circular incisions made around the anus, joints, then longitudinal incisions are made along the legs to the belly, the lower hock joints must be cut off. Then, along the cuts, they begin to skin the legs, sides, sternum and back.

Cutting a carcass without skin begins with opening the chest with an ax blow, after which the trachea is tied up and removed along with the stomach. Then all other internal organs of the animal should be carefully removed so as not to damage the intestinal lining and gall bladder, and placed in a sterile container.

Usually a cow or other cattle is slaughtered and then butchered in a horizontal position, but if there are special goats or poles for hanging the carcass, then all cutting activities are carried out in a vertical position. The dressed animal carcass is sent to the market or meat processing plant for processing.

It's pretty obvious that beef is muscle meat. cattle, but how does it get to our table? For beef to be served at dinner in steak form, animals must be killed to obtain that steak. In other words, the life of the animal must be taken in order to put the meat on the table. It seems sad and terrible, but it is reality. Cattle, like all ungulates, are raised to be killed and eaten. However, the way that humans kill and eat is different from animals, from what a pack of wolves or lions must do in order for them to eat. People care for animals with kindness and respect until the animal is killed. This is especially true for those who care for and breed animals for themselves. However, some opponents disagree with this statement due to their beliefs that all animals should be protected and none should be killed under any circumstances.

However, it should be noted that this article is not created for the purpose of discussing people's beliefs, as this should be addressed elsewhere and at another time or can be discussed in the discussion tab of this article. Before we begin, definition: slaughtering is the killing, skinning, cleaning and butchering of animal carcasses. This is a process that begins when an animal steps onto the kill room floor or area where it can be easily accessed to be killed, and ends when the animal's carcass ends up in the refrigerator.

There are three ways in which cattle are slaughtered: commercial, self-slaughter and religious slaughter. The last one is the most controversial issue, and this is beyond the scope of this article. We will not discuss such a diverse subject here, since there is more than one way to slaughter an animal in compliance with religious norms and regulations. The steps below will show only two methods, describing the methods of slaughtering livestock and the associated details.

Steps

• The details below are just examples of how to properly slaughter cattle. Every factory or butcher shop, large or small, kills animals, and their methods will always be different from each other. Slaughterers will have different equipment that they deem appropriate to use for a humane slaughter, and different farms and counties have different methods and instructions, respectively, that must be followed when carrying out a slaughter. Fundamental Concepts These two methods, however, are the same and involve similar methods.
• Note: Details on how to slaughter cattle commercially will be described after the section "Home Slaughter".

Home slaughter

Prepare carefully for the slaughter process. This will help you stay calm and make sure you make the process as quick and painless as possible. When the animal is killed, you will have a big adrenaline rush, but you will have to make sure that you manage your emotions to do the job right and not screw anything up. .

Make sure that the animal you are going to slaughter is of the required age. This is especially important for beef. If your goal is to slaughter an animal, do it when it reaches approximately 15 to 18 months of age. Some people choose to slaughter their cattle between 10 and 15 months. The best age may be between 24 and 30 months of age if the cattle are raised on pasture.

Make sure you kill at the right time of year or even on the right day. Try not to kill cattle or any other animals during fly season, which is generally between May and October in most countries except Australia. In some areas you can score at any time, especially in areas where the temperature remains 10 degrees Celsius throughout the day.

• However, the time window suitable for slaughtering cattle is much narrower for those areas that receive snow from November or December to May. For these areas, slaughter must be done before the first snowfall.
• You should also note the time your animals were born and what is the best time to slaughter them. For example, if you expect the animal to be born in April and you wish to kill it at approximately 18 months, then you would do so in October of the following year. However, if the animal was born in February and you want to kill it at the same age (18 months), then you may have to wait a few months longer (in October or November rather than the following August).
• Do not feed the animal for 24 hours before slaughter. This is not so necessary, but it is easier to gut the animal when its gastrointestinal tract is empty. But if you feel bad about slaughtering your cattle, which are hungry before the slaughter, then leave it as is. But be very careful when cleaning its internal organs, as this must all be done carefully.

1. Consider which parts of the animal you want to preserve until slaughter. Some people want to use all parts of the animal for different purposes. If you decide not to use the available parts, it's just a matter of learning and experimenting and knowing what you can save and use. .

   Find the location where you are going to euthanize your animal. The best place will be in an area where it is most comfortable and where you can easily pull it with a tractor after slaughter.

   Load your weapon and make sure your knife is sharp enough. You can use any weapon you have available, it could be a rifle or a pistol, aim until you are sure your shot will be accurate.

   Point and shoot. Aim carefully (between the animal's eyes) and then pull the trigger. If your shot is accurate, the animal will die instantly or instantly lose consciousness.

   • To know where to fire a gun to kill an animal, imagine a cross: start at the top of the animal's horn or ear and trace to the center of the opposite eye. Do the same with the other ear or eye. Or mentally draw two lines - the left ear / horn of the right eye, the right ear / horns on the left side, and your bullet should hit the center where the lines intersect.
   • If the gun is between the eyes, the shot may miss the brain and quite possibly not kill. Thus, it is very important to know how to properly aim the weapon to allow the animal to meet a quick and painless end. Leg movement should not be taken as a sign that the animal is still alive (see next step below).

2. Cut the throat immediately after the animal falls. Using a large and very sharp knife (a hunting knife is better), do this so that the blood flows out onto the ground. Never cut into the skin through the fur, as the blade will slip and you may cut yourself or hit a part of the animal that you do not want to cut. Make sure all major blood vessels are ruptured.

   • It is common to pump the front leg up and down several times as this helps get rid of all the blood.
   • Note: Before and during this dirty process, many people who watched videos of animal slaughter or witnessed the process in person noticed that the animals' legs were still moving, as was their throat, which could be open, leading them to believe that the animal was still alive. It's a lie. The movements of the legs are only unconscious reflexes, initiated by synapses that come not from the brain, which is already dead, but from the spinal cord, which is still working.
     • To determine whether an animal is unconscious, leg movement must be ignored. Eye reflections, eye blinking, vocalizations and rhythmic breathing or movement of the sides of the animal must be absent to be considered dead.
   • It is essential that the animal is completely unconscious and bled to death before it is butchered.

3. Cut off the head, and if the animal is not damaged, then immediately remove the testicles. This is necessary so that the meat does not spoil. Be careful when removing the testicles because the animal may still be mobile. The head should be removed by cutting with a hunting knife, being careful not to damage the blade between the skin and the flesh, never cut through the hair, cut outward, but in the opposite direction from you.

   • You will need a meat saw to cut the spine.

4. Cut off the front shin. Hold the point of the knife at the knee joint and cut outward, keeping the point of the knife in the cartilage and cutting around until you can remove the leg completely.

   Use the tractor. Make sure it has a front loader attached, otherwise you won't be able to do the rest of the slaughter process unless you can do it on the ground, like with wild animals (deer, elk, bear, etc.). If you decide to use this process, note that you could do this to skin the front of the animal, but not to remove the entrails and split the carcass.

   Make a gap between the Achilles tendon and the hock bone (our ankle/heel) and insert a hook called a hip or beef hook, which will be attached to the wood.

   • Attach the chains to the loader. Raise the loader as high as you can comfortably lift it, without the animal's head dragging along the ground, and high enough where you can start working on the animal's rear end.

5. If you decide to start slaughtering an animal on the ground, all you need to do is move the animal onto its back and place a support on either side of the chest (below the elbow) to support it. Move the carcass to a designated slaughter area where you can do the rest of the slaughter procedure.

   • Make sure the area is centered. And what is she:
   • Dry, dust-free and well-drained area.
   • Closed to the public, from roads, neighbors' houses, etc.
   • In a well-lit area, such as a sunny location or where you can access electricity if you need to do the slaughtering process in the evening or at night.
     • Closed enough to protect yourself and the carcass from wind and precipitation.

6. Perhaps you already have a specific kill spot that doesn't require a tractor, just a cable and winches. Winches are the best for cattle and can be used to lift the animal to the height that is most comfortable for your work. Remove hooves and cuttings.

   Skin the hind legs in the same way as the front legs as mentioned earlier (just up to the hocks, don't go beyond them), then cut through the bone below the hock (above the hock if the carcass is suspended). Start skinning the animal.

   You should work from the back legs to the neck from front to back. To do this you will need the following steps: Remove the animal's giblets and internal organs.

   1. You will have to first separate the colon from the body and tie it up, then remove the penis if it is a bull, then proceed to remove the rest of the internal organs as follows.
   2. Lower the animal so that you can comfortably work on its rear end. Cut around the anus with a short, sharp knife, being very careful not to make any holes in the intestines, as this could contaminate the meat. This anal area is known as.
   3. cork
   4. If the animal is male, remove the penis before cutting through the belly.
   5. Cut through the belly, cutting from the inside, working your way down from the udder or scrotum to the sternum. Use your other hand to hold the internal organs away from the knife edge going through the belly fat.
   6. Place a large container at the bottom for the organs to fall into.
   7. Get rid of the fat surrounding the giblets and tear any tissue that connects the intestines to the back of the abdomen. Remove the plug through the internal cavities, then out through the cracks to access the internal organs. Take your time to separate the intestines from the cavity, as you don't want to spill its contents into the carcass. Also be careful not to rupture your bladder.
   8. Remove the intestines and bladder from the body, as well as the stomachs, as these should also be “free”. Pull it all down to lift it all into the container, tearing away the remaining flesh and connective tissue that connects the stomachs (aka the "belly"). This involves tearing the esophagus from the stomach at the point where it goes through the diaphragm.
      • If there are some innards that you want to keep, use a separate bowl. This may concern, for example, the kidneys and liver. The kidneys must be removed after the intestines are cut out. Belly fat, by the way, can be cut out and fed to chickens (if you have chickens). Remove the liver and place in a bowl along with the kidneys.
   9. Cut out the diaphragm and remove the heart and lungs. To do this, you must pull them forward and down, cutting the large blood vessel attached to the ridge. You should be able to remove the heart and lungs from the esophagus and trachea. You will need to sever the connective tissue between them if you want to save the heart along with the liver and kidneys.
      • You may have to squeeze your heart a little to get the blood to drain completely.
   • You should check the insides to see if there are any irregularities that could affect the quality of the meat. If you don't know what to look for, it may be best to have a veterinarian do the inspection.

7. Divide the carcass in half. Start by cutting through the inside of the sacral vertebra and the cartilage that connects the pelvic bones. Once the pelvic area is cut through you will be able to see the back, but some prefer to saw through the back as the vertebrae are much easier to see from the front than from the back, especially if the animal has a lot of fat. Continue sawing on the neck. Cut through the center of the rib cage to divide it in half.

   • You can also divide the carcass into four parts for easy processing. Cut between the 12th and 13th ribs, leaving the 13th rib intact to allow air to circulate over the kidneys and prevent bacterial growth if the carcass has to hang on the hook for any longer.

8. Rinse the carcass with cold water to remove excess blood and dirt. You may need to trim away contaminated meat, bruises, or bloody pieces of meat.

   Hang the carcass to dry. How long it takes to dry depends on the air temperature, fat coverage and desired flavor. The carcass should hang for seven to five days (some say two weeks), longer if it is in colder conditions and if there is a large amount of fat on the carcass. If the carcass is completely covered with fat, it is recommended to hang it for 10 days.

   • A good way to tell if meat is being dried at the right temperature is to measure the temperature of the hind quarters and other thick parts, this should drop to 4-7 degrees Celsius within 24 hours of slaughter.
   • Hang the carcass in an area where there are no odors and they will not be absorbed. Odors such as manure, gas, paint or mold can easily be absorbed into the carcass.
   • The area where carcasses are hung should not only be cool and dry, but also free of dust, odors, and relatively sterile.

   Commercial slaughter

   1. Cattle are grazed and herded through chutes or chutes, weighed, and then kept in pens. These pens typically contain about 20 to 50 head each, and they separate the different grades and even coat colors of the cattle that must pass through the slaughterhouse. This is because it makes it easier for staff at the slaughter plant to distinguish between the different carcasses that pass through it.

      • Corrals are also a way to test livestock with the help of a licensed veterinarian, who can detect any symptom of disease or any abnormal condition that would indicate that a particular animal is sick. If any animal is found, it is marked with a metal earring for a special post-mortem examination.
        • If there is definite, convincing evidence during examination, the animal is not fit for human consumption.

   2. The group that is ready for slaughter is taken out of their pen and taken through chutes to the factory. It is important that livestock are grazed and kept in calm state so as not to affect the quality of the meat. Cattle that are in a state of anxiety or panic will have darker colored meat (called "darkies") than cattle that are calm and relatively relaxed.

      When slaughtered, cattle are grazed on a movable cradle or ramp, like the one pictured to the right. This cradle is designed to block the animal's view of what is going on outside, restrict the animal's movements, allow a person to stun it, and move the stunned or killed animal aside to restrain one or both of its hind legs.

      • The box is open at the top, and the sides are high enough so that the animal cannot see anything around it, even if it tries to raise its head. The right side of the box opens to release the stingray from the stunned animal once the killing or stunning process is complete. This gives access to the legs so that they can become stiff. More on this in further steps.
      • In addition, there is a solid one-way gate at the rear of the stall to prevent the cattle from seeing what is going on in front of them. This is necessary so that they stand quietly and calmly.

   3. This is followed by an instant transfer of the animal into an unconscious state. A retractable hammer gun (also known as a slaughter gun) is the primary tool used to stun and kill cattle in a commercial plant. This device uses a steel rod that instantly enters the animal's forehead. The weapon is placed in the middle of the forehead, never between the eyes, to kill the animal effectively and quickly.

      • The gun's steel rod is powered by compressed air or a blank cartridge and retracts for the next animal.
        • The pistol remains an effective weapon for quite a long time if handled properly. Cartridges should be stored in a dry place and the steel rod should be cleaned regularly. The gun itself must also be cleaned to ensure it causes instant death to the animal when used.
      • Calves are often killed with carbon dioxide.

   4. When the animal has become motionless, it is released from the restraint. The side panel of the cradle falls down to give access to the animal's legs. Chains attached to a hook in the conveyor system that lifts the animal upward are chained to the animal's hind legs.

      Bleeding. A very sharp knife is used in this process: the tip of the knife cuts the animal's throat and immediately cuts through the dewlap, trachea, esophagus and jugular vein below the jaw line to allow blood to flow out. The cut can be made perpendicular or parallel to the neck, depending on what standards the factory has. Animals are skinned because this prevents blood from condensing in the tissues and thereby spoiling the meat.

      Flaying. The hind legs are skinned and hung on hooks. Beef hooks are inserted between the leg ligaments (which are the tendons that run from the tip of the knee tendon to the tibia) and the tibia, releasing the chain on one of the hind legs that was used to lift the animal. An incision is made along the midline of the abdomen, and the skin is removed from the abdomen and sides. Lifters are used to remove the remaining skin, including scalp cleansing.

      • This method greatly improves skinning efficiency and meat production from the head and cheeks.

   5. Removal of head and limbs. The head is not separated from the carcass until it is completely removed. Until the legs, head, chest and rump bones are separated from the carcass by sawing or using a power saw, similar to a chainsaw except that it is designed to cut through bone rather than wood.

   6. Removing the entrails. All internal organs are removed (except for the kidneys). The anus is cut out and the waste is dumped into a basket or barrel. They will be removed and disposed of.

      • Most slaughterhouses do not consider it cost-effective to throw out entrails, legs, heads, or even blood. A large number of This kind of waste is sold at various butcher shops or other businesses that use the leftovers for a variety of products - from cosmetics to car seats, home insulation and road paving materials.
      The frame is divided along the center of the spine, the tail is removed. The spinal cord must also be removed during this process because, as mentioned above, it is designated as high-risk material.
      • There should be only one shot, very well-aimed, and not several.
      • Always keep tension on the skin, especially in the initial stages.
      • Treat animals quietly and calmly, just as you would on any other day.
      • Keep knives sharp. This is very important for proper skinning and removal of entrails, as well as for safety. A dull knife is much more dangerous to use than a sharp knife because slippage occurs much more often. Keep a knife sharpener or sharpen your knives on a stone while you work so you can sharpen your knives every day.
        • Keep as much fat off animals as possible. Fat helps in the skinning process as it helps the skin come off more easily.
      • Kill cattle between October and early December.
      • Always do the work yourself and see things through to completion. This will help you stay calm, as it is not always pleasant to work in this position.
      • Grass-fed cattle carcasses should hang for less time than grain-fed cattle. Typically, carcasses with very thin surface fat hang for 3 to 5 days, and for those with more fat, five to seven days is sufficient.
      • Be prepared and make a plan for when, where, how, who, why and what to do - this is the work that needs to be done.
      • Do not feed the animal 24 hours before slaughter.
      • Try not to kill the animal in front of other livestock, as this may cause unnecessary panic and agitation.
      • You can wrap the halves in damp, clean muslin to help smooth out any external fat during the cooling process. Use skewers or string to tighten the shroud.
      • Some people choose to remove the head after removing the skin. It depends on personal preference and what you want to do.
      • Wash the animal before slaughter if it is very dirty.
        • This is not required if the animal appears completely clean.
      • Some people choose to separate the chest and pelvic bones before cutting into the abdomen. This is due to the fact that it is easier to remove the giblets. However, it doesn't matter whether you cut off the ribcage or not.
      • Hang the carcass immediately after posting, just as you would with a head removal or chest cut, depending on how you feel comfortable working with the resources you have access to.

      Warnings

      • Animal slaughter is not for everyone! If you can't do it yourself, then let a professional do it for you.
      • Do not disturb or excite the animal before slaughter, as this can cause the meat to deteriorate or even cause worse bleeding and give the carcass a bloody appearance, which could potentially ruin the meat.
      • Be EXTREMELY be careful with the belly skin! This is the most difficult area to skin because it is hidden and there is a fairly thin layer of skin there; the knife can easily slip and cut the abdominal membrane.
      • Be EXTREMELY be careful both when cutting out the cork and when working with the intestines and stomach! You must make sure you cut in such a way that your knife will not slip and cut into the stomach and intestines, which could affect the meat. A sharp knife will help prevent such incidents from occurring during chopping.
      • Never, never, EVER work with a dull knife! You will make a lot of mistakes and will most likely cut yourself repeatedly. The knife must be sharp enough to shave with.
      • Do not kill animals during the summer months or during the height of summer. You will be more likely to receive contaminated meat than in the fall, winter, or early spring.
      • Never shoot between the eyes, always aim higher - in the middle of the forehead.
      • Draining an animal's blood is a fairly messy process, so you need to know where and how to cut the throat and where to stand.
      • Never cut through hair or fur. Your knife may slip and injure you. Always cut between skin and flesh.
      • Be very careful when handling the knife. It is designed to do one thing and one thing only, so you must be careful how you handle it.

Content:

The appearance of a bull on a farmer’s farm already presupposes its further raising and slaughter for meat. And no matter how compassionate the owners of this animal are, this procedure will need to be completed. Experienced farmers, in order not to succumb to the inherent feelings of excitement or pity, initially consider livestock to be a commodity, not a living being, this helps to survive the feeling of shame, affection, and remorse.

Place of slaughter

As the animal grows, the farmer needs to take care of the place where it will be slaughtered. It is better to create a specialized slaughter area for this, placing it away from the place where the animals are kept. Equip this place with two strong pillars, firmly fixed into the ground, and installing a crossbar between them that can withstand the weight of the slaughtered thug. You can also adapt two adjacent trees for these purposes, from the lower branches of which the carcass will be suspended.

It is necessary to consider how the slaughter will be carried out, with or without stunning. To stun you need to prepare a special tool. A supply of bulky clean dishes will be very necessary for collecting blood, collecting intestines and chest organs. Some internal parts of the carcass and offal will need to be washed, this will require running water.

Preparation

Pre-mortem examination of the animal by a veterinarian is a prerequisite. Based on the results of the examination, the doctor issues an official certificate stating that the examination has been completed and the bull is accepted for slaughter. Such a conclusion will be in demand in the future on the market when selling meat.

One day before the upcoming slaughter, the animal is stopped feeding in order to completely free the proventriculus from the feed mass. This will facilitate the upcoming manipulations with cutting the carcass, prevent ruptures of the stomach and intestines and avoid contamination of the meat with microbes. At the same time, water is given ad libitum, without restriction.

Washing the bull's coat before slaughter is mandatory. Clean wool is the key to the quality of the resulting meat.

As a rule, this procedure begins in the morning hours of a sunny day without any precipitation, having received God's blessing.

Delivering the slaughtered animal to a prepared site can create many difficulties. Usually the animal begins to feel a danger to itself and refuses to move in the indicated direction. It is highly undesirable to use physical force to force a bull to move to the designated place. It is better to somehow try to deceive the bull by using affection and treats.

Stun

The method of stunning the bull must be determined in advance and the necessary equipment prepared. The best tool for stunning an animal may be a hammer specially made for this purpose, which is made from a single piece of wood with a diameter of at least 12 centimeters, to which a strong handle about one and a half meters long is attached. If there is no such equipment, use the butt of an ordinary ax. Using these instruments, a person delivers a strong blow to the bull's forehead. The force of the blow must be controlled. A weak blow will infuriate the animal without producing the desired result. A strong blow can create a fracture of the frontal bone and cause the death of the animal.

In addition to a blow, an ordinary long knife can be used to immobilize a bull. With a strong movement, the knife is stabbed into the area of ​​the first cervical vertebra, the point of penetration is located behind the ear of the future victim. In this case, the spinal cord is damaged in the immediate vicinity of the head, and the entire body becomes paralyzed.

Some wealthier farmers use a special electrical device to stun a bull, putting the animal into a state of shock. Similar devices are used in large meat processing plants and slaughterhouses. Cases of immobilizing animals with a mixture are described carbon dioxide and oxygen. This method is used much less frequently.

Very often, stunning of animals is not carried out at all, without taking into account the stress received by the bull, human humanity and other related factors.

Bleeding

After stunning the animal, the blood must be drained from the carcass. This stage must be completed very quickly. From the moment of immobilization until the blood comes out, no more than 5 minutes of time should pass. To quickly drain the blood, by making an incision in the neck, the carotid artery is accessed and cut. For more complete drainage and convenience when collecting blood, the animal can be tied upside down by the hind limbs. After complete bleeding, the head is removed from the carcass. The cut esophagus in the body is tied with strong twine.

Flaying

Skinning and removal of all internal organs must be done very quickly. No more than one hour should pass from the moment of stunning to the completion of complete skinning. In this case, the meat will be of the highest quality and tasty.

To begin removing the skin from the throat, along the chest and abdomen to the anus, a long incision is made, which should not damage the internal muscle layers and fatty tissue. Circular cuts are made around all the hooves, which are connected along the inner surfaces of the legs to a cut along the body. The skin is removed by hand, only occasionally using a sharp knife.

The skin is separated in the following order: first from the forelimbs, then the neck, chest, hind limbs, groin area, abdomen. Next, the left side is released up to the spine and the right side in the same way. The animal carcass is thus freely skinned.

Nutrovka

The internal organs are removed through a long incision in the muscles and bones of the chest cavity and abdomen. The pelvic bone, for more convenient removal of the rectum, is chopped with an ax.

It is desirable to initially remove the gastrointestinal tract from the carcass. Extreme caution is required when doing this. Damage to the stomach, intestines or bladder is unacceptable. A mistake can lead to complete spoilage of meat. Subsequently, the organs of the chest cavity are removed, here special attention must be paid to the integrity of the gallbladder, the contents of which, once inside the carcass, can also ruin a significant part of the goods.

If separate extraction is not possible, the abdominal organs are removed together with the thoracic organs. This does not contradict the processing rules.

Preparation for transportation

For more convenient storage and transportation of meat products, the carcass is divided into 4 parts. Each part should include one leg and meat from the adjacent part of the body. First, a longitudinal incision is made into the carcass into 2 halves; it is made along the entire length of the spine. Next, each half is divided further in half. This is achieved by cutting the muscles between the 11th and 12th ribs and dividing the spine into 2 parts.

The meat will become conditioned only after 12 hours from the moment it is completely cut. For this purpose, parts of the carcass are hung so that there is no contact between them and left hanging in a cool place for a specified period. During this time, a thin layer will appear on the meat. protective film, and the meat becomes ready for sale and consumption.

By-products

The removed skin is examined and, if necessary, additional fat is removed, then it is carefully straightened and covered with salt. The skin should not harbor putrefactive microbes or insects, and it should not turn into crackers. This skin is in demand among producers. The stomachs and intestines are washed in running water and subjected to further processing at the discretion of the owner.

It is necessary to pay attention to the liver, lungs and spleen. Any violations in their integrity, consistency or form should be a reason to contact veterinary specialists.

With the development of livestock farming, farmers tried to come up with new most effective ways slaughter of cattle, which would be the most humane and help preserve certain qualities of meat. Therefore, there are quite a few methods of slaughter, and we will describe the main ones.

Slaughter by stunning

This is a blow with an axe, gouge, hammer or mallet to the forehead or neck of a bull - the most primitive method and at the same time the most cruel. It was practiced here in Russia in ancient times in all cities. This slaughter is carried out as follows: the animal is tied to some kind of stationary post or ring screwed into the floor and several blows are applied to the head in the same place, as a result of which the animal falls stunned, and the eyes lose expression. It is clear that the purpose of this method is to cause a concussion, which will entail the loss of consciousness of the animal, in order to safely and painlessly carry out further slaughter operations (bleeding, etc.), but judging by the anatomical and physiological data, this method hardly causes the desired concussion, and why it is recognized as extremely cruel.

In Gum's experiments, blows were applied to a flask filled with a solution of fish glue - a substance similar in consistency to the brain when it hardens in the flask. It had delicate threads stretched in all directions. When the flask was hit with a hammer, the adhesive mass shifted quite a bit and the threads were not interrupted, therefore, there was no shaking in the adhesive mass, but only a displacement, and with violent actions on the skull we can only talk about a bruise, but not about shudders or tremors brain

The experiments of Koch and Filene showed that a concussion with a characteristic clinical picture can be caused more likely by a number of small blows to the skull than by a single strong blow to the head. All this suggests that the described method of slaughtering livestock is unsuitable either from the point of view of humanity or from the point of view of hygiene; The quality of the meat also undoubtedly deteriorates due to the death throes of the animal. Finally, the agony can be very long and is always accompanied by a large hemorrhage in the brain, which becomes unusable due to the rapidity of decay in the summer. Bleeding with this method is performed by cutting the blood vessels of the neck.

To evaluate this method, it is necessary to take into account that a blow, even in people whose skull is much thinner than that of a bull, does not always and not in all cases cause a concussion and loss of consciousness. The relatively small brain of a bull, which is very well protected by bone walls, can only receive a concussion from a blow of enormous force, followed by loss of consciousness. That’s why you have to hit the bull several times on the head with a butt until he loses consciousness and falls. To bring the bull to the point of falling and being completely stunned, he is given, by different butchers, from 5 to 16 blows. To reduce the number of blows during slaughter, the British make a special mallet - an iron one with a handle 0.9 meters long. The total weight of the beater is 2 kg. Its sharp part has the size of a ridge between the horns, where the blow is delivered. It takes a lot of dexterity to hit the ridge and push the beater into it. Very often the beater gets stuck between the horns of a dead animal, which, despite this, makes strong convulsive movements.

It sometimes happens that the bull does not die immediately, but shakes its head and throws out the mallet with such force that the mallet, hitting the workers, causes them serious injuries. In any case, to finish off a bull, you have to insert a willow twig into the hole made by a mallet in the head to kill the brain. The use of this cruel method of slaughter in England finds some justification by the fact that mainly young animals (two to three years old) with still weak forehead bones are slaughtered there, and in general, English breeds of cattle have softer bones.

Slaughter with Bruno's mask

A killing mask, or as others call it, a “buterol with a mask,” is made of leather or copper and placed on the bull’s head. The mask, which also covers the animal’s eyes, is secured with straps in such a way that a metal plate, sewn into the skin and having a round hole in the middle, fits exactly in the middle of the forehead. A chisel is inserted into this round hole, which ends on the outside with a round button. A strong blow with a wooden hammer (Bruno's buterol, weighing 2.3 kg and 30 cm long) drives this chisel 25 cm into the brain. A strong probe (or willow rod) is inserted into the hole made in the skull in order to destroy the medulla oblongata from the side cerebral hemispheres. This operation lasts from 30 to 40 seconds, and often more. After the brain is destroyed, they begin bleeding by cutting the cervical vessels.

Speaking about the evaluation of this method, it is necessary to mention that damage to the large brain does not always lead to loss of consciousness. This is proven to us by the mass of cases known in surgery. In general, as we know, it happens that people experience extensive damage to the large brain that occurs during life without any symptoms, and they become aware of them only after death. Therefore, Bruno’s method cannot be considered the most rational. If we take into account that even with this method the brains are made unfit for sale, and due to damage to the blood centers with subsequent paralysis of blood vessels, bleeding is greatly delayed, then it becomes clear why this method, which initially caused a lot of noise when tested in various slaughterhouses in Europe, has found its way application in France alone. It was also tried in St. Petersburg slaughterhouses, but it turned out to be very troublesome, slow and in many respects unsuitable for Russian bullfighters.

Slaughter by mask with shooting (Sigmund method)

This mask differs from Bruno’s mask in that its metal part is much larger and more massive, and it is also attached to the animal’s head opposite the forehead. The short barrel of the pistol, equipped with a bullet cartridge, is screwed into a piece of metal. This method has the advantage that it acts automatically and does not depend on the skills and experience of the fighter, and also when using this method, no special destruction of the medulla oblongata is required through a probe or rod inserted into the opening of the skull. On the other hand, this method not only makes the brains completely unsuitable for sale, but also has the significant inconvenience that the sounds of shots in the slaughterhouse cause the remaining animals to be slaughtered to become very nervous, which affects the quality of the meat. And finally, fresh meat absorbs the disgusting smell of gunpowder combustion products.

Slaughter using a buterol with a cutter

Buterol with a cutter - a butcher's hammer on a handle, weighing 2.3 kg and 0.9 m long, having a cone-shaped cutter at one end and a hook at the other. The fighter places the bull's head and hits it hard with the buterol, plunging the incisor into the middle of the forehead or between the horns into the back of the head. An animal with a broken skull falls, then a willow rod is inserted into the hole to destroy the medulla oblongata, after which the cervical vessels are cut, and the animal dies very quietly, as with an injection into the occipital foramen. This method is also accompanied by damage to the brain, and most importantly, it requires great dexterity on the part of the fighter, since every unsuccessful blow leads to torment for the animal. In addition, the meat is not sufficiently bled, and therefore becomes tasteless.

Slaughter with skull crushing

The bulls are driven into a narrow passage, and the leading bull himself steps onto a movable platform, where he is secured behind and in front with bolts, and his head is tightly tied between two vertical iron beams. The platform with the bull descends along a rail inclined plane, at the end of which there is a massive iron beam, against which the bull seems to crush his entire skull. The bull immediately falls and his neck vessels are cut, and then the platform rises up behind the next bull.

English method of slaughter

The English patented slaughter method is used in some cities in England to produce so-called “patent meat”. The animal is stunned with a blow to the forehead, then a hole is made in the chest between the fourth and fifth ribs and through this hole they begin to blow air under the rib wall using special bellows. As a result, the lungs are severely compressed and the animal dies from suffocation. It goes without saying that the meat turns out to be extremely bloody, but the British love this kind of meat. However, this method is very cruel and cannot be recommended, not to mention the fact that bloody meat is prone to rapid decomposition in the warm season.

Kalmyk method of slaughter

They tie the animal by the horns with a rope, one person holds the rope, and the other quickly hits it in the forehead. When the animal, sufficiently stunned, falls, they immediately sit on its head and neck, make an incision between the fourth and fifth ribs of the left side of the chest or behind the shoulder blade, remove the heart through this hole and tie up the vessels coming out of it.

Kalmyks and other nomadic peoples are very fond of such bloody, juicy meat and serve it raw while still warm. But this method itself is even more cruel than the patented English method.

Method of slaughter by slow bleeding

This method of slaughter is practiced by the nomads of northern Europe and Siberia. With the animal standing quietly on its feet, a long knife is quickly pushed into the lower part of the neck, towards the heart, and thus the large blood vessels near the heart are cut. Blood flows out of the wound in a stream, the animal is very worried and sometimes runs for a long time until a lot of blood flows out, and then begins to stagger, falls and dies. Of course, this method of slaughter is below any criticism.

Slaughter by electricity

In America they tried to use electricity to paralyze an animal during slaughter. According to Brown's experiments, it turned out that a calf weighing 30 kg fell from an alternating current of 50 volts and after 9 minutes stood up without damage. After that, with the voltage increased to 770 volts, the current was passed for 8 seconds and the calf fell without any signs of life. Apparently he was killed instantly. An autopsy revealed that the brain vessels were filled with blood without hemorrhages, and the heart and lungs were without any damage.

Another experiment was carried out on a 65 kg calf with a resistance between the electrodes of 1300 ohms. The calf was under the influence electric current voltage of 750 volts for 5 seconds. Death followed instantly. During these experiments, two methods of connecting wires were used: one of the electrodes was applied to the forehead, and the other to the back. In order to conduct current directly into the brain, a large round electrode 5 cm in diameter was applied to the forehead, while the other electrode was 10 cm long and 5 cm wide. Both electrodes were covered with a sponge soaked in a solution of zinc sulfate, and at the place of application electrodes were used to trim the fur smoothly.

As a result of these experiments, it was concluded that the resistance of the animal depends on the degree of contact between the electrode and the skin. The current should be passed so that the brain is in the direct current circuit, alternating current produces a kind of paralysis or tetanus in the animal, and the animal suffers little, while direct current causes the animal very strong convulsions. The method of slaughtering cattle and horses using an inductive apparatus with an electromagnet is currently practiced in America, England and Italy, but it is very expensive and unsafe for people. The main thing is that the meat comes out with a special taste, probably due to the chemical effect of the current on the decomposition of meat elements.

Jewish way

The Jewish method of slaughter has been practiced for thousands of years by Jews, as well as in many places in Western Russia and by Christians, since there the slaughter industry, as well as the entire meat trade, was exclusively in the hands of Jews.

The rules of this slaughter are commanded to the Jews by religion. They are used from the moment the knife is applied, but felling of the animal is allowed to be done in one way or another.

The slaughter procedure is as follows: the bull is tied at the legs using a block and thrown onto the ground, against which it hits hard with its ribs. The assistant (always a Christian) pulls his head back and tries to bring the horns under the back, in such a position that the skin and all the soft parts of the neck are strongly stretched. Then a cutter comes up, armed with a very sharp and long knife especially for this purpose, and makes a cut back and forth in the area of ​​the first and second cervical vertebrae, with one stroke of the knife, and the skin and all soft parts up to the spinal column are cut. Carotid arteries, veins, all nerves of the neck, windpipe and esophagus.

The blade of the knife must be twice as long as the diameter of the neck of the animal being killed, but not less than 35 cm in length and 5 cm in width, without the slightest notches and so sharp that a hair placed over the blade is cut when blowing on it. Deviation from these rules makes the meat of the slaughtered animal unfit for food for a Jew.

After the stabbing, the following occurs: the animal begins to shake its head violently, blood gushes from the gaping vessels in a strong stream, and then strong and prolonged convulsions, severe wheezing and death appear.

Defenders of the Jewish method of slaughter try to prove that the brain immediately bleeds after cutting the cervical vessels, resulting in darkness and rapid loss of consciousness. They also give the argument that even with the loss of half of all blood, blood pressure drops to one third of the original height, i.e., from 150 mm of mercury to 50, and with even greater losses, blood pressure drops to zero and death occurs. All this supposedly depends on whether the blood flows out slowly or very quickly, and from which vessel it flows.

The physiological explanation for this fact is given by the defenders of Jewish slaughter as follows: with slow bleeding, the vascular bed, especially small arteries, have time and the opportunity to adapt to a smaller amount of blood, due to contraction of blood vessels from irritation of the vasomotor nerves, which is caused, in turn, by the influence of anemia of the brain on vasomotor centers in the medulla oblongata. If rapid blood loss occurs, then the vessels do not have time to adapt to a smaller amount of blood - vascular paralysis, cardiac arrest and death occur.

Based on these provisions, Jews argue that loss of consciousness with the Jewish method of slaughter should occur very quickly and no later than three to four seconds from the moment the knife is applied, therefore, the suffering of the animal should not exceed several seconds, since the animal’s consciousness is lost, then there can be no talk of pain.

Thus, those convulsive twitchings of the body and limbs that are observed after a sufficient amount of blood has flowed out during the Jewish method of slaughter and which seem so painful for the animal to people not initiated into physiology, are in fact not painful. These convulsions occur after the animal has lost consciousness and are therefore painless.

Opponents of Jewish slaughter do not deny that after a sufficient amount of blood has flowed out using the Jewish method of slaughter, all convulsions are painless. However, they ask the question - what does the animal feel when a sufficient amount of blood has not yet flowed out, and why does the animal, immediately after applying the knife, begin to shake its head violently, which lasts 10-15 seconds, while unconscious convulsions have not yet occurred? It should also be added that head shaking occurs when the central brain system is not damaged.

Russian method of slaughter

This method of slaughter by a stab in the back of the head consists of stabbing a bull into the occipital foramen between the occipital bone and the first cervical vertebra. First, the bulls are brought into the slaughter chamber and, by means of a thick rope between the horns, the head is pulled down to an iron ring, which is screwed into the floor of the slaughter chamber.

An iron hook attached to a block is placed under the bull's right groin so that the bull always falls on its left side.

For a better and clearer understanding of this method of slaughter, it should be noted that between the occipital bone and the first cervical vertebra, the atlas, there is a so-called foramen ovale, covered by a ligament, muscles of the back of the head and skin. This hole becomes more accessible as the bull's head tilts downwards, and since in the upper part of the first vertebra the bull has an elevation in the form of an arc, then walking with a stylet along the occipital bone from front to back and cutting the skin, muscles and ligaments, it is not difficult to get the stylet into this hole.

A fighter, armed with a 26 cm long dagger, pointed at the end, stands in front of the bull and with a strong movement of the dagger from front to back, plunges the dagger into the bull's hole. The bull falls instantly without movement on his left side, without any visible signs of life. After this, the same fighter (or even better, a second one) plunges a wide knife into the lower third of the neck towards the heart and cuts the large pericardial vessels. Blood flows out like lava from the wound and is collected in zinc boxes for disposal. This is how the bull is bled.

The time from an injection in the back of the head to bloodletting varies, and the shorter it is, the less the animal suffers. So, if blows to the back of the head and to the heart followed immediately after each other, then such a slaughter would be the easiest for the animal. On the contrary, if the time between these blows stretches out, then the animal’s suffering becomes longer.

With this method of slaughter, the cervical part of the spinal cord is destroyed, and as a result, all underlying organs are paralyzed, including the entire circulatory system, causing the blood to stagnate somewhat in the vessels and bleeding is not complete. The meat turns out to be very juicy, not as dry and not as tasty as Jewish slaughter, precisely as a result of excessive bleeding.

After an injection in the back of the head, the animal is paralyzed and breathing immediately stops, but the heart continues to beat, therefore, blood circulation continues and brain activity also continues despite damage to the cervical part of the spinal cord. Based on this, defenders of the Jewish method of slaughter argue that the Russian method of slaughter is very painful for the animal, since it is not the medulla oblongata with its vital centers that is destroyed, but the cervical part of the spinal cord.

Defenders of the Russian method find in it the following advantages: it requires less people(one fighter does a great job with the angriest bull); from the injection the bull falls paralyzed, not having time to make a sound; the time required is incomparably less, so that one fighter can kill 10 oxen within an hour and transfer the carcasses to another, the so-called gutter, for cutting. The most important advantage is that there is no need for a fall, because the injection itself serves as a fall. This method was first used in St. Petersburg by the butcher Sidorov and from there it spread to other cities.

Veterinary method of slaughter

The Russian method of slaughter is based on killing the medulla oblongata, which is achieved by striking the dagger from back to front, and not from front to back, as the artisans have distorted: in the first case, the dagger actually penetrates into the skull itself and destroys almost the entire medulla oblongata with its vital centers there. The practical use of this direction of the dagger requires, however, the participation of specialists, such as veterinary paramedics, and not ordinary fighters, who willingly take advantage of every excuse to facilitate and speed up the work, and therefore strike not from back to front, but from front to back.

True, for the practical use of a blow from behind there is no such sight or such a fulcrum as is used for a dagger when struck from the front. Therefore, it seems more convenient to combine these two blows together: first strike from the front, and then, when the bull falls instantly, without removing the dagger from the hole, repeat the blow from back to front, while tilting the bull’s entire head forward, then the dagger will enter the very skull and destroy the oblong brain.

Modern methods of slaughtering livestock

Currently, the most developed farms use special automated workshops for slaughtering animals. Such workshops allow the slaughter of up to 20 animals per hour and require the work of only a few people. These complexes use the fastest and most humane methods of slaughtering animals.

Raising cattle for meat is a good source of income for many private owners, because beef is in consistently high demand among the population. In most cases, livestock is slaughtered in slaughterhouses and meat processing plants, where optimal conditions are created for this. But there are those who prefer home slaughter, especially if the animal was fattened for their own consumption. The slaughter procedure requires certain knowledge, a steady hand and compliance with certain conditions, so without thorough preparation nothing will work.

According to sanitary standards, slaughtering livestock without prior examination by a veterinarian is prohibited in order to exclude the slightest risks spread of dangerous diseases. Even in ideal living conditions, animals can become infected with various infections - through the grass on the pasture, water, from other cows, and so on.

Exists list of diseases for which slaughter of cattle for meat is prohibited:

If these diseases are detected, there are two options - treatment and forced slaughter. The second option is used if the disease is advanced and cannot be treated. In case of forced slaughter, the carcass must be disposed of, and all processes are carried out only in a sanitary slaughterhouse and under the supervision of a veterinarian.

There are also reasons for temporary restrictions on slaughter:

• vaccination of animals against foot and mouth disease and anthrax (21 and 14 days);

  

• treatment with antibiotics (until the drugs are completely eliminated from the body);

  

• The animal is up to 2 weeks old.

  

Slaughter technology

Depending on the method of killing, animal slaughter can be industrial or domestic. In both cases, proper preparation of the animal is required, which makes the process of cutting the carcass easier.

Preparatory stage

After examination by a veterinarian, adult cattle selected for slaughter are kept on a starvation diet for 12 to 24 hours, young animals - for at least 6 hours. Water is provided without restrictions, stopping the supply a couple of hours before slaughter. As a result of such exposure, purification occurs digestive system, which greatly facilitates cutting and reduces the risk of meat contamination due to accidental rupture of intestines or stomach. With longer exposure, the animals become exhausted, experience stress, and the loss of live weight is 3-4%. Dehydration also leads to weight loss and also complicates the skinning process.

Next, they weigh or measure the torso to calculate live weight. During preparatory procedures, animals should not be frightened or beaten, since their emotional state affects the quality of the meat. In stressful situations, the consumption of nutrients in the body increases and the production of lactic acid, which is a natural preservative, decreases. As a result, the taste of the meat decreases, it looks less attractive and is stored worse.

Strong blows provoke the appearance of bruises under the skin, which makes it difficult to bleed the carcasses. Such bruises serve as a breeding ground for various microorganisms, so after slaughter and skinning they have to be carefully cleaned, and the cutting process is delayed.

Home slaughter

To begin with, prepare a place: this can be a spacious enclosed paddock or a flat area somewhere on the site, protected from the wind and dry. No other livestock should be nearby. The ground is covered with clean straw or tarpaulin, boards, or other material, and a structure is installed from thick beams for hanging the carcass. If the slaughter is carried out indoors, a winch is attached to the ceiling beam for hanging. Be sure to prepare containers for collecting intestines, blood, and entrails, and place tanks with clean water. In winter, the water should be heated to 30-40 degrees. For cutting and skinning the carcass, set up a strong large table or a wooden board on stands.

Stunning an animal. Cattle are stunned for one purpose - to weaken the sensitivity of the animal, to immobilize it, so that nothing interferes with further actions. In home slaughter, stunning is done by hitting the forehead with a long-handled wooden hammer. The hammer must have a diameter of at least 10 cm and a convex striking part. Metal and pointed tools should not be used so as not to break the animal’s skull. With the right blow, important centers of the brain are paralyzed, while the lungs and heart continue to work, which contributes to high-quality bleeding. A blow that is too strong will cause blood to accumulate in the lungs and heart; a blow that is too weak will only cause pain to the animal.

So, first, a strong rope is thrown over the horns and neck and tied to a crossbar or pole, fixing the head. Next, a strong, precise blow with a hammer is applied to the center of the frontal lobe, slightly above the eyes. Usually this is enough to stun the animal for 2-3 minutes. This is one of the most crucial moments and steadfastness of hand and composure are very important here.

While the animal is unconscious, take a sharp knife and cut the carotid artery. If you lack experience, it is difficult to do this in one movement, so you can first cut the skin, and then the artery itself and the jugular vein. To drain the blood, the carcass must be hung by the hind legs so that the head does not touch the litter. A container for collecting blood is placed underneath. As a rule, cattle drain blood for about 6-10 minutes, depending on the size of the animal.

You can determine how correctly the slaughter was carried out by the amount of blood collected. In cattle, the volume of blood in the body is 7-8% of the total mass, in small livestock it is about 6%. Bleeding is of high quality if the blood yield is at least half of this volume.

Upon completion of bleeding, the head is separated from the body and the opened esophagus is carefully bandaged. If this is not done, the contents of the esophagus may stain the meat when cutting. The carcass is removed and laid on its back on a wooden board. To fix it in this position, small bars are placed on the sides.

Step 1. Using a sharp knife, make a longitudinal incision from the throat to the anus.

Step 2. Circular incisions are made over each hoof.

Step 3. Cut the skin into inside limbs from top to hooves.

Step 4. Lifting the skin with your hands, remove it from the front legs, then on the chest and neck, moving to the stomach and hind legs.

Step 5. Remove the skin from the sides to the spine, trimming with a knife if necessary, and pull it completely from the neck to the tail.

As a rule, the skin is removed without much effort, but this must be done with the utmost care. If done carelessly, meat and fat residues remain on the skin, and the carcass itself becomes contaminated with microorganisms. Of course, this reduces the marketable appearance of the meat, deteriorates the quality of the skin and often provokes rapid spoilage of the product.

The head is skinned separately: the ears are separated, a longitudinal incision is made in the frontal area, the skin is removed from the forehead, cheeks and jaws, and the back of the head is processed last.

Cutting up the carcass. To avoid spoilage of meat, you need to start cutting no later than 40-45 minutes after slaughter. At this stage, it is very important to follow the procedure for removing the entrails and sanitary rules, because the microflora of the intestines and stomach if they come into contact with the meat will make it unsuitable for storage.

Step 1. The first to be separated is the udder or genitals (in males). The incisions are made very carefully so as not to pierce the intestines.

Step 2. The breast bone is cut in the middle and the esophagus and trachea are carefully separated.

Step 3. A longitudinal incision is made in the abdominal wall, and the pubic fusion is cut with a hatchet.

Step 4. The fat layer from the stomach (omentum) is separated and placed in a container of cold water.

Step 5. Very carefully remove the intestines, then the stomach and spleen, cutting with the tip of a knife.

Step 6. The heart, liver and lungs are cut out, after which the diaphragm and trachea are removed.

Step 7 The muscles are cut along the entire length of the spine and the carcass is divided in half lengthwise using a hatchet. To ensure that the spinal cord remains intact, it is cut not in the middle, but with an indentation to the right of half a centimeter.

Step 8 Cleaning is carried out: blood clots, remaining fat and diaphragm, and bruises are removed. Dressed carcasses are washed with clean water (25-30°C) and laid out to dry.

Slaughter without stunning

Often, private farms carry out slaughter without stunning the animal. To secure it firmly and protect yourself from injury, use a strong rope. They throw a rope over the cow's head like a bridle, wrap a loop around the sternum and pull the head to the chest. Next, they tie the hind legs, stretch the rope to the front legs and, pressing on the lower back, force the animal to lie on its side. After this, the rope is tightened and the blood vessels on the cow's neck are cut.

With such slaughter, bleeding can be carried out in a horizontal position, but this does not have the best effect on the presentation of the meat and its taste. In addition, the slaughterer must have extensive experience in order to immediately cut the jugular vein and reduce the suffering of the animal.

Industrial face

Slaughterhouses use a variety of methods to stun livestock, but the most popular are pneumatic hammers and electrocution. With the help of pneumatics, it is easy to adjust the impact force; moreover, such hammers are cheaper than electric devices, so they are preferred by owners of small slaughterhouses.

Large slaughterhouses are equipped with electrical stunning systems. Before slaughter, the skin on the back of the animal's head is pierced with a special stack through which a current of a certain strength is supplied. It passes through the head and causes temporary loss of sensation.

The voltage and duration of exposure are regulated depending on the age of the cattle.

Industrial slaughter is carried out as follows:

• after transportation, the cattle are sent to a pen where a veterinary examination is carried out;
• animals kept on a starvation diet are transferred to the slaughter workshop and one by one tied to a conveyor belt;
• the live weight of each individual is determined, after which they are stunned with electric shock and the carotid artery is cut;

  

• the carcasses are pulled up over the conveyor, the heads and lower joints of the limbs are removed;
• trim and skin;

  

  The skin is removed from the cow (whitening)

  

• separate the udder and rectum;
• perform cutting and sawing of carcasses.

  

  

Industrial slaughterhouses are distinguished by the automation of basic processes and strict adherence to sanitary standards, in contrast to private slaughterhouses. After each new batch, conveyor lines and tools are treated with disinfectants, so the risk of meat infection is negligible.

Important nuances of slaughtering livestock

Examination of animals by a veterinarian makes it possible to identify diseases that have passed a certain stage of development, when characteristic external signs appear. That is, a specialist’s conclusion after an examination does not yet guarantee that the livestock is absolutely healthy. Therefore, during the cutting process, it is necessary to carefully examine the internal organs and notice any atypical signs. You need to stop work immediately and call a specialist if:

• on internal organs there are spots, ulcers, purulent formations;
• gelatinous clots or tumors are observed;
• enlarged liver or spleen;
• the blood is almost black and does not clot.

Before arrival veterinarian the carcass itself, the skin, and the separated organs must remain at the slaughter site. If the specialist confirms the presence infectious disease, the carcass and everything else should be immediately disposed of, the bedding should be burned, and the tools should be thoroughly disinfected. Neglecting these rules can lead to serious consequences, even death.

If everything is normal and no deviations have been identified, in order to sell the meat it is still necessary to submit samples of the carcass for analysis in order to obtain a veterinary and sanitary examination certificate.

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