Slaughtering cattle: methods, step-by-step instructions, tips for carcass processing

To obtain cattle carcasses, animals must be transported to specially equipped enterprises (slaughterhouses or meat processing plants). In some regions, independent slaughter of livestock on private farms is allowed. This process requires certain knowledge and preparation, as it must be carried out quickly and, if possible, painlessly for the animal.

You will find useful recommendations for preparing bulls and cows for slaughter in this article. It also describes the most common slaughter technologies, as well as methods for cutting up carcasses and processing hides.

Cow cutting

Skinning

Carcass cutting

Slaughtering bulls at home - video

Bull preparation

Stun

Slaughter

Bull cutting

Skinning

Cutting up the carcass and processing the skin

Preparation for slaughter

Preparation begins not with the animal, but with the performer. Slaughtering a cow, especially at home, is an unpleasant and difficult task. People with weak psyches are not recommended to slaughter a cow with their own hands. It is best to trust the professionals. There are numerous meat processing plants and factories where you can deliver a prepared bull for slaughter and cutting. This, as well as the subsequent processing of the skin, can bring more profit than selling it yourself.

Veterinarian's permission

If the cow is slaughtered at home, then, first of all, you need to contact a veterinarian for the appropriate permission. It will be issued after a detailed examination of the animal, which will demonstrate the presence or absence of diseases.

Also, in order to enjoy beef, you must provide information about all vaccinations. This is intended to prevent the owner from killing a sick animal and then selling its meat contents. Here the presence of a stigma will come to the aid of doctors. A similar designation on a bull helps the veterinary service:

Monitor dangerous diseases using an internal database;
Ensure clean meat products reach the market.

Cow preparation

One day before slaughter, you should refuse to provide the cow with food. There are no restrictions on drinking, because it is necessary to cleanse the digestive tract of food debris. This element is called pre-slaughter. The presence of semi-digested feed in the stomach or intestines before slaughter can lead to complications during skinning and cutting of the carcass.

In addition, there is a possibility of contamination of meat tenderloin with the filling of internal organs. Other preparations for slaughter should take place away from animals. Often domestic bulls sense a person’s mood, so they begin to resist. In this case, you should avoid prodding, kicking, pushing and handling the cows calmly. Harmful substances released by the cow during stress must not be allowed to enter the blood from the heart. A balanced mental state of the animal is called a prerequisite for high-quality slaughter.

How to give an intramuscular injection?

Preparations in the form of emulsions, solutions, suspensions are administered intramuscularly. Antibacterial agents for mastitis in cows require precisely this type of administration. The medicine is quickly absorbed into the blood and distributed throughout the body. It is very important to choose the right place for injections. Large blood vessels and nerve plexuses should not pass through it. Injections should not be given near a bone or tendon. One of the areas in which the muscle fibers are thickest is selected:

gluteal muscles;
triceps brachialis;
chest muscle: dewlap.

For intramuscular injection, a 40 mm needle with a sharp bevel is selected. The calf is given injections with a 10 mm needle. The cannula should be sharp and straight, not bent. Dull needles will cause more pain to animals. If you inject with a crooked cannula, skin remnants may get into the wound, which will cause the development of an inflammatory process and suppuration.

To carry out the procedure, disposable syringes or automatic syringes are selected. They are equipped with extension cords, which makes it possible to give injections through the fence of the stall. Extended automatic syringes are used to give injections to bulls. How to give an intramuscular injection to a cow?

The area for injection is selected.
Washing is carried out with warm water and an antiseptic solution.
The needle insertion site is wiped with an alcohol solution.
Bring the syringe to the animal's body at a right angle.
The needle is inserted to 2/3 depth.
The piston pushes the solution out of the syringe.
The needle is removed from the body.
Treat the injection site with iodine.

If another medicine needs to be administered to the animal, then first a needle is inserted into the body and the correct location is checked. Then a syringe with medicine is attached to the cannula. After administering the solution, the needle is left in the body, and the second drug is injected with another syringe. After this, the needle is removed and the injection site is treated.

Veterinarians recommend securing the animal in the pen so that during an intramuscular injection it stands motionless. Otherwise, the cow may run away, push the veterinarian away, or hit him with her hoof. It is more convenient to use an automatic syringe. The procedure goes quickly. The cow does not have time to react to the pain.

Slaughter process

Having understood how to properly prepare a bull for slaughter, you should learn some recommendations on the slaughter process itself, so that this will help bring less suffering to the livestock and complications for yourself.

The animal's horns are attached to supports so that the head is well fixed. A sharp, deafening blow is applied to the frontal part with a heavy object in the form of a sledgehammer (weighing at least 2 kg) or a stun gun is used. While the cattle is unconscious, it must be quickly slaughtered. Therefore, the lower part of the bull’s throat is immediately opened with a cross-section of a sharp knife, damaging all the vessels. To drain the blood, prepare a deep container in advance. After the animal is slaughtered, complete bleeding occurs within ten minutes. This method can also be used to slaughter cows.

Using a stun gun

The use of a stun gun in slaughtering livestock began relatively recently, but this method has already gained popularity in small households. The humaneness and ease of the process simplifies the procedure for slaughtering cattle. The stun gun stuns the bull for some time, during which time you need to kill the animal. The advantage is that not everyone is able to deliver an accurate and heavy blow with a sledgehammer; a person can miss, cause unnecessary pain to the bull, or even kill it. To prevent such a situation, they began to use a stun gun. But you need to know that if you give an extra discharge of current, the animal’s blood may begin to clot, which will spoil the quality of the meat. The device should be placed behind the ear, where the sensitive part of the body is located. The stun gun is used not only to slaughter bulls, but also to slaughter pigs and even chickens.

Slaughter by means of a mask with shooting (Sigmund's 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.

Veterinary technique

This technique involves the use of specialized medications that are administered by injection. This leads to the immobilization of cattle for a certain amount of time, during which it is necessary to proceed directly to bleeding and cutting up the carcass.

The use of this technique is accompanied by increased risks during the bleeding procedure. This is due to the ambiguous reaction of each individual individual to the administered drug. In this regard, it is necessary to take additional safety measures when carrying out work. Also, the introduced drug negatively affects the taste of meat products.

Requirements for the production processes of slaughter and meat products.

20. Manufacturers, sellers and persons performing the functions of foreign manufacturers of slaughter products and meat products are obliged to carry out their production processes in such a way that these products comply with the requirements of these technical regulations and the technical regulations of the Customs Union, which apply to them.

21. Production facilities where the processes of slaughter of productive animals, processing (processing) of slaughter products and production of meat products are carried out are subject to state registration in accordance with the provisions of the technical regulations of the Customs Union “On the safety of food products” (TR CU 021/2011).

22. Organization of production premises in which the process of production of slaughter products and (or) meat products is carried out, technological equipment and inventory used in the process of production of slaughter products and meat products, conditions for storage and disposal of waste from their production, as well as water used in the process their production must comply with the requirements of the technical regulations of the Customs Union “On the safety of food products” (TR CU 021/2011).

23. At all stages of the production process of slaughter and meat products, their traceability must be ensured.

24. Materials that come into contact with slaughter products and meat products during the production process must meet the requirements for the safety of materials in contact with food products.

25. Packaging materials for packaging finished products are supplied through corridors or forwarding, bypassing production premises. Storage of packaging materials in production premises is not allowed.

Carcass processing

Before cutting, you need to make sure that all the blood is drained. How long does this last? Typically, these processes are short and take place in ten minutes. After this, you can begin cutting up the cow's body.

Skinning

Butchering a bull or cow begins with removing the skin. First, the ears are cut off, and the skin near the nostrils and lips is cut using a ring-shaped method. The incision then continues from the right nostril to the right horn. From there it is applied to the forehead. Under the horn, a good guide is the notch left after trimming the ear. A circular cut is made at the base of the horns. When part of the head has been cut, the incision is made to the middle of the lower lip, removing the last sections of skin. To simplify the procedure, you can turn the carcass on its back. Afterwards, the head is separated and the skin is cut according to the following scheme: from the sternum and belly, peeling off the ribs, all the way to the anus.

The legs are separated along the line of the wrist joints. The incision is made along the inside, connecting with previously made cuts just above the place where the hoof is located. In this case, damage to the tendons should be avoided. Painstaking and careful work with the limbs of cattle will eliminate problems with hanging. Afterwards, the cover is removed from the chest (in the area of the ribs), the lower part of the neck, and the incision is directed to the groin. You can’t rush to remove it here, because the skin is delicate. The cuts are made with the whole blade after tension by hand. Muscles appear between the ribs. Even the skin of a dairy calf is removed in this manner.

Skin dressing

For dressing, the skin of the bull is removed from the back using both hands. A clean skin for dressing is folded in half along the length of the spine, leaving the wool on the outside.

It is necessary to immediately remove meat parts and remaining fat. The skin is left to cool for a couple of hours, after which it is salted. In order to tan the skin, you need to wait three to seven days so that it is completely dry. Then you can take it to a procurement point or make it yourself. This material is often used in the leather or fur industry.

For example, the skin of a newborn calf is highly durable and has a smooth surface. Using embossed molds, you can even imitate crocodile skin! Cured calf skin can also be used for other types of this material, for example, nappa or velor.

Removing the entrails

After removing the skins, they begin to extract the entrails. First, the internal organs of the cow are removed from the chest cavity, then from the abdominal cavity. This operation should be carried out no more than an hour after slaughter, so that microorganisms living in the intestines do not get into the meat tenderloin. The insides are laid out separately. The cow's heart along with its lungs is placed in a sterile container intended for internal organs. In this case, the diaphragm is cut off at the ribs themselves. Next comes the extraction of the liver and gall bladder.

Carcass cutting

The carcass is always cut with continuous movements across the grain. It all starts near the 13th and 14th vertebrae - the line between them is cut in half. Then all parts are cleaned of meat, bones, fat, tendons, films, and fibers. After deboning and stripping the neck, the cow's meat is cut into pieces. In this case, it is necessary to remove the blade. The ribs are scraped out partially or completely. This choice of cleaning ribs depends on the type of meat. During boning of the back of the spine, bones are removed. Then come the top parts, drumstick, brisket and lastly the meat cut from the shoulder bone.

Veterinarian's opinion

After the operations have been performed, the carcass is examined by a veterinarian. If he does not detect the presence of pathologies, then cutting is carried out along the entire length of the ridge. At the exit, the carcass is transported to the refrigerator for 24 hours to dry and cut between the ribs into quarters.

Now the question is “How to slaughter a bull or a cow?” doesn't seem difficult. All you need for this is a hammer, coordination and a strong psyche. The slaughter technology was examined in detail, which will help avoid mistakes during slaughter and dressing. A correctly carried out procedure will ensure maximum meat yield. Now, homemade veal and beef is not something fantastic.

Providing the consumer basket with meat products directly depends on the slaughter and processing of cattle. Delicious beef and veal dishes are largely thanks to livestock breeders who know how to properly slaughter bulls and cows.

Bull cutting

Butchering a bull involves several stages. First, the skin is removed from the animal, then they begin to remove the entrails and cut up the carcass.

Skinning

Skinning and butchering of a bull is carried out in a clear sequence (Figure 4):

The animal must first be stunned by tying it by the horns to a pole to a tree and hitting the frontal part of the head with a hammer.
After the calf falls, the blood vessels located in the lower part of the neck are cut.
It is necessary to place a basin at the site of the incision to collect the flowing blood. The blood drains completely in about ten minutes.
After this, the animal must be skinned. First, the two ears are cut off at the base, and a ring-shaped incision is made around the mouth and nose. After this, you need to make an incision from the right nostril to the eye, horn and ear.
Circular incisions are made around both horns.
They begin to carefully remove the skin from the head, and to remove it from the body, the incision on the neck is extended to the lower lip.
After the skin has been completely removed from the head, the head must be separated from the body (make a deep incision between the skull and the first cervical vertebra).
For further removal, the carcass must be secured on its back, placing bars on the right and left sides.
To make removal easy, you need to make an incision in the middle of the neck, smoothly moving to the stomach to the tail to the anus (a circular incision is also made around the anus).
On each leg, circular incisions are made above the hooves, and small incisions are made on the inside of the leg until a cut is made in the middle of the carcass.
The bottom of the hind legs is separated from the legs at the hocks, and the front legs are separated at the carpal joints.
First you need to remove the skin from the leg, neck and chest, and only finally remove it from the udder, belly, back, thighs and scrotum.

Figure 4: Skinning and butchering an ox
A very sharp knife is needed when skinning, but it must be used carefully so as not to damage the skin, as this reduces its value. Often the skin is separated from the carcass by hand, pulling it tightly, but in some cases it may be necessary to make small cuts between the meat and the skin. However, you need to make sure that no fat remains on the skin itself, since in the future it will require additional effort and time to remove it.

Division into varieties

Every experienced housewife knows that there are different types of beef. But as practice shows, for some reason most people are sure that the division into grades refers to the degree of freshness of cow meat.

In reality, the grade only tells you what part of the carcass the flesh is cut from. The type of beef has nothing to do with the freshness of these parts. There are 3 grades in total - the highest, first and second. So that you do not make a mistake when choosing, we have prepared a short list:

The back flesh near the ridge is the highest grade;
Brisket – premium quality;
Sirloin and sirloin – premium quality;
Rump and rump are the highest grade;
Scapular and subscapular parts – 1st grade;
Neck and flank – 1 grade;
Front and hind shanks – 2nd grade;
Cut - 2nd grade.

The type of beef is, of course, an important, but not the primary factor when choosing. First, remember - calves are always better than adult bulls or cows. The meat of calves is pink and soft. A grade 1 shoulder or neck from a calf will almost certainly be much tastier than the back or breastbone of an old cow, although technically they are of the highest grade. And secondly, it is better to take your own meat for each dish, and we will talk about this later.

What will you need?

To give an injection to a cow or calf, you need:

disinfected needle;
syringe;
prescribed drug or vaccine;
a cage for fixing the body or a machine for immobilizing the animal's head.

The volume of the syringe depends on the dose of the medicine, and the size of the needle depends on the size of the animal, location and method of administration. So, you can inject a calf with a 2.5 cm needle. It is better to give an injection to a bull with an automatic veterinary syringe: this is a convenient option that allows the owner to stand at a sufficient distance from the pet.

Slaughter process

The slaughter of cattle is usually carried out by specialized enterprises. In most cases, cows are transported by various means directly to the slaughter site. After they arrive at the enterprise, a certain list of activities is carried out.

Initially, it is necessary to restore the physical performance of livestock. To do this, he is given 2 to 3 days to recover. In parallel, work is underway to sort livestock, including conducting a veterinary and sanitary examination. While waiting for slaughter, cattle are put into starvation mode. And immediately before the slaughter, approximately 2-3 hours, the supply of drink stops.

The slaughter procedure consists of the following steps:

The individual is stunned using one of the previously mentioned methods. The next stage is the implementation of measures to bleed the carcass. Subsequently, the skin is removed

This procedure must be performed with extreme caution. Removing the skin containing elements of the fat layer and meat fibers is accompanied by a decrease in commercial quality

At the same time, damaged muscle fibers contribute to the introduction of various microorganisms, which lead to rapid spoilage of meat. The final stage is gutting. In this case, the internal organs are removed, and the carcass is cut into separate parts, depending on the total mass. In this case, this procedure should be carried out no later than 45 minutes after the animal is bled. For the convenience of carrying out all necessary operations, the carcass is suspended at a certain height.

The final quality of the product, as well as the overall percentage of meat obtained, depends on the correct observance of all stages of slaughter.

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.

Methods and methods of cow slaughter

There are several ways to kill cattle. In slaughterhouses they use a special stun gun, and in private households they use hunting weapons, or by cutting the carotid arteries.

Preparatory stage

Cattle must be kept on a fasting diet for 12-24 hours before slaughter. At this time, feeding is completely excluded, and watering is not limited. Fasting a cow is necessary for the most complete bowel movement of the digestive tract in order to facilitate subsequent cutting and prevent the contamination of the carcass with pathogenic microorganisms. Prolonged fasting (over 24 hours) leads to serious exhaustion and weakening of the animal - cows lose meat yield. But pre-slaughter dehydration is even more harmful - it leads to difficulty in skinning and a decrease in muscle moisture and overall weight.

Immediately before killing, cattle are washed. This also helps prevent microflora and dirt from getting on the meat. Afterwards, the livestock is examined by a doctor or veterinary assistant. Temperature measurements are required and accompanying documentation is examined.

Slaughter with preliminary stunning

Stunning cattle allows you to reduce stress in the animal, improve bleeding, and also improves worker safety. To induce a coma, carbon dioxide, electricity, pneumatic or conventional blows to the forehead are used. Stunning allows you to immobilize the bull, while maintaining cardiac activity, which improves subsequent bleeding.

The most common, accessible and practical method is the use of electric current. A bull for slaughter is driven into a box, its chest limbs stand on a grounded stand, and the workshop operator pierces the skin on the animal’s neck with an electrode. Full immobilization time:

8-10 seconds for calves;
more than 10 seconds for bulls and cows.

The method of immobilization with a hammer blow is used much less frequently. To perform Rausch anesthesia, you need a wooden hammer weighing up to 2 kg and a long handle (about 1 m). The diameter of the hammer is at least 10 cm, the striking edge is convex. Do not use metal, narrower or pointed hammers - they can easily break the skull. The blow is applied above the eyes to the frontal lobe.

It is important to clearly calculate the force of the blow, otherwise you can either damage the brain or insufficient anesthesia. The cattle are secured in the pen, it is important to secure the head firmly by the horns and neck

An incorrect blow worsens bleeding and brings suffering to the animal. A number of slaughterhouses use pneumatic hammers. They allow you to adjust the impact

The cattle are secured in the pen; it is important to firmly secure the head by the horns and neck. An incorrect blow worsens bleeding and brings suffering to the animal.

A number of slaughterhouses use pneumatic hammers. They allow you to adjust the blow.

The use of carbon dioxide, medications and other methods is not widely used in the practice of slaughtering cattle. Sometimes a 70% mixture of carbon dioxide and air is used to put the cow into a comatose state.

Methods without preliminary stunning

They are used for door-to-door slaughter when anesthesia is not possible. Disadvantages of this method:

poor bleeding and large blood losses without the possibility of subsequent commercial use;
animal anxiety;
injuries to personnel;
deterioration of meat quality.

Slaughter of livestock by bleeding is still practiced in private farmsteads. It is also used for ritual purposes in a number of religious sects, where it is considered the only true one. To perform it, it is necessary to cut the cervical blood vessels. The blow is delivered behind the lower jaw below the spine. Usually the carotid artery is pierced, and after bleeding the trachea and esophagus are cut. An even more painful method is to cut the neck along the branches of the lower jaw to the spine. The animal behaves restlessly, collecting blood is difficult, and there is a great danger for humans, especially when slaughtering a large bull.

Also, home slaughter uses a technique similar to the use of an air gun in a slaughterhouse. The slaughter of a bull is carried out by a shot from a gun. You need to aim 5-8 cm above the eyes (the point of intersection of the lines from the horn to the opposite eye). If the bullet enters lower, it can pass without hitting the brain. In addition to the fact that the method requires the use of an additional tool, the main problem is the difficulty of bleeding - it occurs after cardiac arrest and the meat can be filled with blood.

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 cerebrum 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 learn about 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

So, we have decided on the characteristics and qualities of the product; it’s time to discuss the correct process for preparing and cutting the meat itself.

Timing and principles of selection

Obtaining tasty and high-quality rabbit meat is directly determined by feeding and breeding methods. Until recently, it was believed that slaughter should begin at 4 months of an animal’s life. But success in the field of genetic engineering and the creation of many meat breeds with excellent early maturity, the development of new types of food (compound feed) and new feeding methods made it possible to begin slaughtering much earlier, starting from the second month of the animal’s life.

Rabbits in a cage

Small farms practice slaughtering animals in the third month of life, when they reach a weight of up to 2.5 kg without significant fat deposits. Animals during this period have a slaughter yield of up to 50% (the amount of meat per carcass). In hybrid meat breeds (for example, Californian), the yield is 5% higher.

Adult

It is worth considering that age does not benefit the quality of the animal’s meat. Since both the chemical composition of the product and its proportion of fat change. With age, the amount of liquid in meat decreases, the caloric content and energy value of the product, and the proportion of fat and protein in it increases.

Start of slaughter

Before preparing for slaughter, stop feeding the animal 12 hours before the procedure; it is also necessary to clean the animal’s skin with a regular brush, which will reduce debris and dirt during cutting.

Next you need to grab the animal by the hind limbs. The animal will resist at first, wait until it calms down, then strike the area behind the animal's ears with a regular stick. The spinal cord ruptures, after which the animal dies. You can tell that an animal is dead when it starts bleeding from the nose and ears.

A freshly killed specimen with traces of blood on its head

Alternative methods of killing:

blow to the skull with a hammer;
striking the parietal region or the area between the ears and eyes with the edge of the palm;
an option not for the impressionable in the form of neck twisting, for which it is enough to grab the area from the back of the head to the chin with your right hand, twisting your neck to the side;
an archaic version with an electric shock in the area of the animal’s temple.

Collapsing neck

Gutting and skinning

For ease of understanding, we will describe the process step by step:

Step Description Photo 1 Before skinning, you need to prepare a clean and convenient board for cutting the carcass. We place the carcass on it, pinch the skin of the animal on the back and make a cut.

2 The cut is made, now you need to grab it with your fingers, gradually introducing the fingers of different hands there. After entering, we begin to pull them in opposite directions. The movements should be sharp and strong; you should not worry that part of the skin will remain on the carcass (usually the paws). With proper force, the tail can be separated without additional effort. Then you need to break the paw bones at the ankles, and then help yourself with a knife, cutting the remaining flesh.

3 Separate unnecessary limbs. You need to cut off the head, the cut line should run along the first cervical vertebra. If the tail does not come off when peeling off the skin, cut it off with a knife.

4 Removing internal organs

To do this, pay attention to the animal's abdomen; you will see a clear white line. It is along this that you need to make a careful cut right down to the bones of the sternum. You should be extremely careful when manipulating, in no case should you damage the urinary and gall bladders

The meat will lose its taste if the contents of these bubbles end up on the meat. To find the gallbladder, pay attention to the liver area, in rabbits it is located nearby

You should be extremely careful when manipulating; under no circumstances should you damage the urinary and gall bladders. The meat will lose its taste if the contents of these bubbles end up on the meat

To find the gallbladder, pay attention to the liver area, in rabbits it is located nearby

5 Before cutting meat, pay attention to the internal organs of the animal. A healthy animal has a juicy red liver, in which case you can safely use the carcass for food

Along with the blisters, the liver should also be separated from the carcass, but not as waste, but on the contrary, one of the most delicious parts of the animal’s body. Lungs, kidneys and internal fat can be either removed or left; they will not spoil the taste of the animal, and are rarely prepared separately.

Skinned rabbit

How rabbits are beaten for meat

To get a high-quality skin from a rabbit, you need to wait for a complete change of hair. If you plan to use only meat, then you can cut the rabbit at any time of the year. As soon as he looks sufficiently well-fed, the necessary procedure can be carried out.

Butchered rabbit carcass

General procedure.

112 hours before the procedure, you need to stop feeding the rabbit. This will allow him to empty his intestines. There is no need to limit your drinking. Adding salt to the water by analogy with poultry is also pointless.2 The rabbit is held firmly by the hind legs in a motionless position.3 The most appropriate method of slaughter is chosen. This could be a blow to the back of the head with a stick, a blow to the skull with a hammer, twisting of the neck, a stun gun, or a puncture with a knife.

If it is important for a person that the process be painless, then the rabbit must be stunned with a strong blow, and then quickly slaughtered. Any option is simple to implement, but unpleasant due to the small size of the rabbit and its mobility

Therefore, farmers often choose the services of professionals.4 The individual is hung on a hook for 5 minutes to drain the blood. Then the skin is removed, singed and the carcass is cut up.

Rabbits are slaughtered not only for meat, but also for their skins.

Livestock preparation

Pre-slaughter holding of an animal involves drinking plenty of water and not eating to cleanse the digestive tract of food debris. The presence of semi-digested food in the intestines or stomach can lead to problems during dressing and skinning. In addition, undigested feed residues can contaminate the cut of meat.

Other preparations for the slaughter of cattle should be carried out at a distance from the animals. Domestic bulls and cows sense a person's mood and can resist. To avoid such a situation, cattle should not be kicked, prodded or pushed, otherwise harmful substances released during stress may enter the bloodstream. A prerequisite for high-quality slaughter is a balanced and calm mental state of the animal.

Mini slaughterhouse for cattle

After the cattle has grown to slaughter age, the animal can be delivered to a meat processing plant. However, it is much more profitable to use your own mini-slaughterhouses. They have a modular composition. Modular mobile workshops are equipped with all necessary equipment.

It includes the following modules:

for slaughter;
for primary processing of carcasses.

It can be equipped with a module for the production of semi-finished products. For example, in such modules you can stew meat and produce stew.

Raising cattle is quite a profitable business. Therefore, having acquired the skills of slaughtering animals, you can obtain high-quality meat, both for your own consumption and for sale.

Slaughter methods

The procedures for slaughtering cattle at meat processing plants and at home differ. To avoid unnecessary suffering, animals are stunned before slaughter. At home, hitting cattle in the forehead with an ax or sledgehammer is common. Before slaughter, the cow is tied with its horns to any support. After this, a blow with a blunt object is performed on the forehead.

For maximum efficiency, it is recommended to use a tool weighing at least two kilograms. Some slaughterers use a sharpened dagger when slaughtering livestock. The place of impact when using this technology for cattle slaughter is the back of the head, or more precisely, the depression between the occipital bone and the cervical vertebra.

Many farmers, especially beginners, cannot determine the exact time of slaughter of a piglet or an adult boar. The optimal weight before this procedure also raises questions. General recommendations are as follows: the approximate weight of an adult pig suitable for slaughter is 110 kg, about 75 of which is pure meat and lard. Piglets are raised to 50-60 kg.

Well-fed pig, suitable for meat

Important factors determining the success of the slaughter procedure:

Feeding the pig must be stopped 12 hours before the procedure so that it cleanses its intestines (besides, it will be easy to lure it out with food);
You should not shout at the animal, kick it or push it, so as not to cause stress;
immediately before slaughter, the pig must be washed (the carcass will be easier to process, the meat will be of higher quality);
the place for the procedure must be chosen in such a way that it is easy to wash and tidy;
The container for collecting blood is prepared in advance, because the blood most often goes to the sausage.

Next, we will consider 4 common methods of slaughtering a pig.

Neck piercing

To implement this method you need 2 people. The first one secures the individual by the legs, the second one stabs the neck. The knife should be long and thin, the blade length should be at least 30 centimeters.

Step	Description
1	To carry out a puncture, you need to place the animal on a table or other surface. If the piercer is right-handed, then the pig's head is on the right side.
2	It is necessary to prepare a container for collecting blood in advance.
3	You should imagine a conditional line from the left ear to the throat of the pig.
4	You need to make a sharp injection with a knife into this line, at a distance of no more than 3 centimeters from the ear.
5	After the puncture, the pig will be shocked. You need to quickly put it on its side (preferably the left one), take it by the back leg and press it firmly to the surface. The blood will drain quickly and the pig will fall asleep in a matter of seconds.

The pig must be tied and placed on its side

Heart puncture

Step	Description
1	The individual is tied by the limbs. It is highly advisable to tie all 4 legs.
2	Helpers grab the pig by the limbs and hold it. If there is only one assistant, then he must hold the hind legs.
3	The animal is turned over on its side (right), a thinner knife, 30 cm long, is taken and an injection is injected directly into the heart. It is difficult to make a mistake, since the heart is located between the 3rd and 4th rib, similar to a human one. Everyone remembers the location of the human heart from anatomy textbooks; in a pig everything is exactly the same.
4	The blade is not removed, but kept inside until the individual stops moving.
5	At the end, the knife is removed using a cloth, strong or folded in 2-4 layers. You need to prepare the fabric in advance.

Heart puncture is a common method of slaughter

Meat knife

Stun gun

This method is considered to be not the most humane. But for the slaughter of large wild boars it is sometimes indispensable. Even 3 adult men cannot always cope with a large, strong animal, and it is simply impossible to do it alone. The principle of operation is extremely simple. The pig is stunned with a stun gun and the carotid artery is cut while it is unconscious. As an option, sometimes a puncture is made in the heart.

Electroshock is often used to slaughter pigs.

This method is not recommended, as it is inhumane and inconvenient. If the pig senses danger, it will run and be difficult to hit. Trying to kill a pig can injure and cause suffering, and there is a risk of damaging other animals or property. Therefore, the method is considered unsuccessful. But when executed correctly, its effectiveness cannot be denied.

Pork carcasses hanging after slaughter

How to slaughter goats for meat

The principle of slaughtering a goat is close to a similar procedure for other ungulates. The general algorithm looks like this.

1	A day before the procedure, the goat must be placed in a separate room for sitting. It is possible - in a separate compartment of the barn, but it is better to isolate the goat from the herd and by sound. The animal must stop feeding. There is no need to limit water; you can add a laxative.
2	When the sitting period ends, the goat's legs are tied and placed on either side.
3	The goat is raised to a height where its head is located in line with the knees of an adult. For successful lifting, it is convenient to use a crossbar.
4	The individual is held tightly by the head. Make a puncture with a sharp knife below the ear, near the corner of the lower jaw. The knife should not be narrow, as when slaughtering pigs; A wide knife works well.
5	Without removing the blade, it must be supported with the back side against the vertebrae. With a sharp movement, cut off the bloodstream of the neck.
6	The goat carcass is left to drain the blood. The process takes up to 10 minutes, but you need to make sure that blood clots do not clog the bloodstream or slow down the drainage process.
7	Blood, if necessary, is collected in a container and filtered for further purification.

Goat slaughter

The next steps are skinning and butchering the carcass. They do not differ from similar procedures for a bull, described in detail in the first part of the article. Let us only note that the esophagus must be tied with a cord first, preventing the leakage of waste products.

Butchering a goat

There are different slaughter methods for different domestic animals. Each has its own rules and characteristics. They are united by one common condition: it is necessary to approach the process with knowledge of the matter, so as not to cause unnecessary suffering to living creatures and not to complicate the task for yourself. By following simple rules, a farmer can even handle cattle on his own. But if he does not feel confident in his abilities, then he should use the services of a factory or slaughterhouse.

How to cut a carcass and how to properly process the skin?

First of all, you need to do the skin, and then proceed to the other steps. The skin is carefully folded along the midline, which passes through the projection of the spine. The fur should be facing outward. In this form, the cover must lie for several hours for cooling to occur. Subsequently, the skin will need to be salted.

While the skin is resting, you can start carcassing. All internal organs are removed first.

It is necessary to carefully remove the stomach and intestines, since if these hollow organs are accidentally damaged, their contents can spill out and spoil the valuable meat

The gastrointestinal tract is immediately washed with copious amounts of water. Then the remaining organs are gradually isolated and removed. All parts of the animal that are subsequently expected to be eaten must be carefully examined by a veterinarian, who must be present at this stage of cutting. Only after inspection and a verdict on whether the meat is suitable or not can cutting continue.

The carcass is cut in half along the spine and placed in a special refrigerator to mature the meat. Subsequently, the meat is divided according to a special scheme.

Requirements for setting up a slaughterhouse.

In order to build a slaughterhouse, its owner must obtain the necessary package of documents from the subject’s veterinary service and Rospotrebnadzor. Having received the necessary package of documents and agreed on all the details, the owner of the slaughterhouse can begin its construction.

What are the basic requirements that must be met when constructing a slaughterhouse:

Construction must be carried out according to a standard design.
The slaughter point must be located outside the populated area.
The territory of the slaughterhouse is enclosed by a fence.
Impermeable containers with well-closing lids are installed to collect manure and ditch.
Provided with water in accordance with GOST.
Area for holding and pre-slaughter inspection of animals.
Disinfection barriers are installed at entry and exit points.

The site for the construction of a slaughterhouse is allocated on the basis of an application by the state veterinary supervision authorities and Rospotrebnadzor. In this case, the slaughterhouse can only be located outside the populated area, at a distance from residential buildings, livestock premises, pastures, reservoirs, public places, children's and medical institutions no closer than 500 m.

The location for the slaughterhouse should be located on the leeward side of the populated area, and be convenient for the delivery of livestock, removal of products, and removal of sewage and slaughterhouse waste.

The territory of the slaughterhouse is fenced, the fences exclude the possibility of stray animals entering.

When entering and leaving the territory of the slaughterhouse, disinfection barriers filled with disinfection are installed. solution.

The slaughter station must be provided with a sufficient amount of drinking water, calculated at 9 liters for cleaning the slaughter room; production-3l; for watering the passages of the territory - 1.5-2; for pre-slaughter housing (per head) of cattle - 60 l, for pigs - 25 l, for sheep - 10 l, for other technological operations - from 100 to 130 l (for cattle).

To collect manure and horsetail, use a liquid-tight box or tight airtight containers with well-closing lids. Industrial premises are provided with the necessary drainage for disposal of flush water into a sewer or liquid receiver convenient for cleaning and disinfection. Liquid receivers and boxes for dense waste are also thoroughly disinfected when they are cleaned.

When planning the production premises of a slaughterhouse, it is necessary to exclude the possibility of finished food products meeting raw materials, and especially the routes of movement of animals delivered for slaughter.

Covers of work tables are made of stainless metal, hooks for hanging liver, heads and meat carcasses, floor bucket carts, basins and tanks for short-term storage of offal, raw fat and other food products are made of stainless steel or tinned.

Ceilings and walls are whitewashed, wall panels up to a height of 1.8 m are tiled or painted with light-colored oil paint. Walls and panels tiled or painted with oil paint are wiped daily with clean rags soaked in a soap-alkaline solution. Floors are made of cement or asphalt, resistant to aggressive environments and easy to clean and disinfect. The floor is cleaned during work and at the end of the shift. To protect buildings from the penetration of rodents, a steel mesh with cells of 12 * 12 mm is laid in the walls to a height of 0.5 m. from the base level. The production premises must be equipped with ventilation, heating and lighting.

The slaughterhouse must have a refrigerator.

In the Vladimir region, in order to obtain a veterinary certificate to operate a slaughterhouse, the owner of the slaughterhouse must provide the following package of documents to the veterinary department:

Agreement for veterinary services with the regional government institution “rai SBBZh”.
An agreement for the disposal of biological waste generated as a result of the slaughter of an animal with the owner of a biothermal pit.
An act of veterinary and sanitary inspection by veterinary specialists of the state veterinary service of the slaughter station, which describes in detail the fulfillment of the requirements necessary for the slaughter station.
Protocol for testing water samples used at the slaughter station.
Agreement for the disposal of solid household waste.
Certificate of state registration.
Certificate of registration with the tax authority (TIN).

Note: In accordance with the requirements of the technical regulations of the Customs Union dated 09.10. 2013 “On the safety of meat and meat products” all meat processing plants, incl. and slaughter stations on the territory of the Russian Federation must meet the requirements of technical regulations, namely:

Skinning and dressing

Removing the skin from a carcass is called skinning. Removing the skin from a carcass is a simple process, but it requires care and attention. In a hurry, you can damage it, depriving it of its presentation, and contaminate the meat with microbes.

Skinning the head is a separate stage of work. The ears are cut off and the skin is removed through an incision in the frontal part.

At home, work is carried out with the animal positioned horizontally on a straw or wooden flooring:

The carcass is placed on its back, with wooden blocks placed under its sides. They cut off the head and bandage the esophagus remaining on the body so that its contents do not stain the meat when cutting.
Using a cutting knife, cut the skin lengthwise from the throat to the anus.
On each leg, a circular cut is made around the hooves.
The skin is cut on the inside of the limbs from the top to the hooves.
Using a knife and prying the skin with your fingers, they remove it from the carcass. They begin processing the front legs, then move on to the neck and chest, moving towards the hind legs.
They remove the skin from the sides to the spine, and then pull it from the neck to the butt, trimming it with a knife if necessary.

Watch the video below on how to skin cattle:

Cow cutting

Before cutting, the carcass must be completely drained of blood. To do this, it is suspended vertically, and a clean basin is placed under the incision to drain the blood. Typically this process takes 10 minutes.

Skinning

After the cow is slaughtered, the skin is removed from the animal using a sharp knife. First, the ears are cut off, and then circular cuts are made around the nose, mouth and horns. Removal begins from the head. Then an incision is made between the head and the cervical vertebrae, and the head is separated from the carcass.

Further skinning is carried out as follows::

The headless carcass is placed on its back onto special drains;
A circular incision is made around the anus;
Circular incisions are made around the joints, and longitudinal incisions are made along the legs to the abdomen;
The lower hock joints on the legs are cut off.

Figure 2. Cutting a cow carcass
After this, they begin to remove the skin, first from the legs, then from the neck and sides, then from the chest and move to the back.

Carcass cutting

Cutting up a cow carcass begins with opening the chest. They split it with an ax, then bandage the trachea and remove it along with the stomach.

Note: The trachea must be tied to prevent the contents of the stomach from contaminating the meat.

The internal organs are removed from the chest and placed in a separate sterile container. During the cutting process, a veterinarian must be present who can confirm the quality of the meat. If no pathologies are found, the carcass is divided into two half-carcasses with a saw and sent to the refrigerator. Figure 2 shows what parts a beef carcass consists of.

Proper stunning of livestock

First of all, the animal must be securely restrained. To do this, its horns must be firmly fixed to the support. This should be done carefully, otherwise the animal may become agitated and break free.

To stun, use a wooden hammer or other blunt, hard object. The weight of the device must be 2 kilograms or more, the blow must fall in the center of the forehead.

Some slaughterers prefer to use a sharp object to strike at the junction of the occipital bone and the first cervical vertebra. Finding the right place is quite easy, and getting into it is also not difficult. During a stun, you need to act decisively and quickly, without hesitation. If you don't hit hard enough, you will hurt the animal instead of knocking it unconscious. Think in advance if you can do this.

All preparations must be carried out away from the place where the animal is kept, otherwise the bull will feel danger and will worry. This will lead to many problems. An agitated large animal will be more difficult to secure and strike. In addition, stress negatively affects the quality of the meat product.

How to give an intramuscular injection?

gluteal muscles;
triceps brachialis;
chest muscle: dewlap.

The area for injection is selected.
Washing is carried out with warm water and an antiseptic solution.
The needle insertion site is wiped with an alcohol solution.
Bring the syringe to the animal's body at a right angle.
The needle is inserted to 2/3 depth.
The piston pushes the solution out of the syringe.
The needle is removed from the body.
Treat the injection site with iodine.

Veterinarians recommend securing the animal in the pen so that during an intramuscular injection it stands motionless. Otherwise, the cow may run away, push the veterinarian away, or hit him with her hoof. It is more convenient to use an automatic syringe. The procedure goes quickly. The cow does not have time to react to the pain.

Slaughtering bulls at home - video

Slaughtering bulls at home is no different from slaughtering a cow. The only difference is that an adult bull is much stronger than a cow, and serious difficulties are possible in the process. That is why it is recommended to carry out this procedure at specialized enterprises.

Slaughtering bulls is a psychologically difficult task, as can be seen from the video. We recommend that children and people with weak mental health not watch this video.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=PpLYksyag3I

Bull preparation

When preparing a bull for slaughter, his diet includes more concentrates and green feed, which will improve the quality of the meat. It is recommended to send one-year-old bulls to slaughter, as they grow quickly, but do not consume as much feed as adult animals.

Figure 3. Methods for stunning a bull

Before slaughter, the bull cannot be fed for 24 hours, but is given plenty to drink. Preparing the bull also includes setting up a special place (if the procedure will be carried out at home) and consulting a veterinarian, who must issue the appropriate permission.

Stun

The slaughter of a bull in domestic and commercial conditions is carried out using stunning (Figure 3). To do this, use a heavy wooden hammer, which is struck firmly in the center of the forehead. You can also use an electric shock or a sharp dagger, which is used to make a deep puncture in the area of the transition of the back of the head to the cervical vertebra.

When the animal has lost consciousness, all other procedures must be carried out quickly until the animal wakes up, so all the necessary equipment is prepared in advance.

Slaughter

Once stunned, the bull will only be unconscious for a few minutes. Therefore, immediately after striking, they begin directly to slaughter. To do this, the carcass is hung up and a cross-section of the neck is made with a sharp knife, opening the blood vessels.

A clean basin is placed under the carcass to drain the blood. Bleeding lasts on average 10 minutes. After this, the carcass begins to be cut up.

How to slaughter poultry

Poultry slaughter is a procedure quite different from animal slaughter. The preparation of the animal and the “working space” is no different, and the slaughter process itself is completely different. There are 2 basic principles for performing this simple procedure.

Poultry slaughter

External principle

The procedure for implementing this principle.

1The bird is secured upside down in a specially designed cone. The head is pulled through the lower opening. They stun with a strong blow.2A deep cut is made with a sharp knife just below the ear

Left or right - it doesn’t matter. 3 They make a sharp movement in order to cut the carotid artery and vein. It is advisable to do this the first time.4 The carcass is left directly in the cone to allow the blood to drain.5 When the blood has completely drained, the bird is removed from the cone and prepared for the plucking procedure.

Poultry in a cone for external slaughter

Internal principle

This principle is implemented as follows.

1	The bird is hung upside down and stunned with a strong blow to the head.
2	Scissors are inserted into the beak. Blood vessels are cut. It is advisable to do this in one motion.
3	The scissors are directed towards the cerebellum and pierce it. The procedure is completed, the scissors can be removed.
4	The bird is left suspended, allowing the blood to drain.
5	When the blood has completely drained, the individual is removed and prepared for plucking.

Piercing the cerebellum is important for proper slaughter

Due to the need to insert scissors into the beak, this method is difficult to use with chickens, quail and other small birds. It is inconvenient to use small scissors, and large ones simply do not fit into the bird’s throat. Therefore, for small birds, the second principle of slaughter will be preferable.

Russian technique

This technique has become quite widespread. This is due to the speed of the process, as well as the involvement of a small number of people. It will take no more than 10 minutes to slaughter a cow. If you have practical skills, you can slaughter 10 individuals in 1 hour.

Let's take a closer look at the algorithm for this type of slaughter:

The essence of the method is to quickly insert a dagger into the space between the occipital bone and the first cervical vertebra. To do this, you must use a sharpened blade with a length of at least 26 centimeters.
The animal is first brought into the slaughter chamber. It provides special fasteners for the floor covering.
Initially, the cattle's horns are tied, followed by pulling the cow's head to the floor. This is necessary for the convenience of striking with a dagger. At the same time, additional measures are being taken to prevent cattle from falling over. They involve the use of a special block with pins, which is installed under the groin of the animal.
Immediately after wedging the blade into the occipital region, they begin to strike with a wide knife in the lower region of the neck, directing the tip towards the location of the heart.
As a result, a large flow of blood will gush out, which is accompanied by bleeding of livestock. The resulting meat products are distinguished by juiciness and high quality meat.

Slaughter using a buterol with a cutter

A buterol with a cutter is 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 any unsuccessful blow leads to torment for the animal. In addition, the meat is not sufficiently bled, and therefore becomes tasteless.

How to slaughter a bull or cow?

Slaughtering a bull is a responsible matter that requires experience and knowledge. The slightest mistake can lead to undesirable consequences - at least to a decrease in the quality of meat. Without knowing how to slaughter a bull, it is better to invite an experienced slaughterer or take the animal to a meat processing plant for the procedure. If this is not possible, then you should carefully study the slaughter instructions and strictly follow them.

General, preparatory stage

Today, farmers do not slaughter a cow without prior preparation. Both private farms and slaughterhouses use slaughter technology to produce high-quality, juicy meat. The quality of the product depends on many factors: preliminary preparation, stunning technique, method of killing, cutting of the carcass. For more information about what methods of killing exist, read our article “How cows and bulls are slaughtered.” We will now talk about preparation for slaughter and stunning techniques.

Preparation of animals begins 24 hours in advance. They stop feeding the bull or heifer, but do not forget to give water. This allows you to cleanse your intestines, but prevents your muscles from drying out. If you forget to water the cattle, it will be more difficult to cut the carcass.

Before stunning the cow and sending it to slaughter, it is thoroughly washed. If this is not done, then when dismembered, dirt may get into the meat and spoil the product.

Temporary restrictions

There are many ways to kill a bull, but when using any of them, a number of general rules must be followed. Thus, a calf under the age of 2 weeks should not be slaughtered for meat, since its body is not yet formed. 2 weeks before slaughter, bulls and heifers are vaccinated against anthrax.

Vaccination against foot and mouth disease should be carried out 21 days before the planned date of slaughter of cattle. Compliance with these vaccination deadlines is important because they help identify hidden diseases that are dangerous to humans. If the reaction to vaccinations is positive, you should contact a veterinarian and check the rest of the herd for diseases.

Antibiotics given to animals for illness or to stimulate growth play a major role in determining the date of slaughter. Before killing a bull, it is necessary to calculate how long it will take for the drug to completely leave the animal’s body, otherwise its meat will not pass control and it will not be possible to sell it profitably.

Pistol Stun

We have already said that slaughtering a cow is an unpleasant process. To make the work easier for yourself and reduce stress for the animal, the cow is stunned using a pneumatic gun. Pneumatics can be used both in slaughterhouses and on private farms - they do not require special permission.

The advantage of stunning is that the animal does not feel pain, does not twitch, or harm itself or the person carrying out the slaughter. A blow from an air pistol should be aimed strictly at the head, which will immobilize the cattle for 10 minutes.

This time is enough for the blood to leave the animal’s body painlessly. Gun stunning reduces stress in animals, reduces the risk of harmful substances from the blood getting into the meat and makes the product less bloody, which is especially valued on the market.