Animal Slaughter

Question 1

General slaughter process

Answer 1

1. Fasting
2. Stunning/Immobilization
3. Sticking (exsanguination)
4. Evisceration
5. Washing
6. Immediate refrigeration

Question 2

What extra steps are needed for the slaughter of pork/poultry?

Answer 2

1. Scald
2. Dehair
3. Shave
4. Singe
5. Polish

Question 3

What extra steps are need for the slaughter of beef?

Answer 3

1. Removal of feet, head hide, and tail
2. Complete removal of viscera and pluck (kidneys exception)

Question 4

Livestock should be fasted for ____ hours pre-slaughter

Answer 4

12-24 hours

Question 5

Why are livestock fasted?

Answer 5

1. Makes evisceration easier
2. Minimizes migration of bacteria from GI tract into meat

Question 6

Why are livestock still given access to water?

Answer 6

1. Facilitates electrical stunning
2. Provides for easier blood removal
3. Provides for easier pelt removal
4. Brightens lean color

Question 7

Goals for animal handling are freedom from _____ and ______

Answer 7

Fear and pain

Question 8

Humane Methods of Slaughter Act

Answer 8

An act passed in 1978 that made humane slaughter and handling of livestock mandatory

Says that the animal must be unconscious and unable to feel pain before it is “stuck”, shackled, hoisted into the air, or dropped onto the floor

Question 9

What is the exception to the Human Methods of Slaughter Act?

Answer 9

ritualistic slaughter in the cases of Kosher (Jewish) and Halal (Muslim)

they do not use stunning

Question 10

Stunning

Answer 10

process of immobilization

done before bleeding

Question 11

Types of Stunning

Answer 11

1. Mechanical (pole-axe, captive bolt)
2. Electrical (70-90 volts, 3 amps)
3. Chemical (CO2)

Question 12

Captive bolt

Answer 12

common method of mechanical stunning for cattle, sheep, and goats (penetrative or non-penetrative)

applied by where the skull is thinnest/ brain is closest to the surface

Question 13

Electircal stunning

Answer 13

method for cattle, sheep, swine, and poultry

Applied head, head-to-back, and head-to-rib

Question 14

Problems with electrical stunning? Prevention?

Answer 14

1. Bone breakage because it is cardiac stimulator
2. Ecchymosis (“blood splash”) because it is a vasoconstrictor

Prevent by minimizes “stun-to-stick” interval

Question 15

Guidelines for electrical stunning

Answer 15

1. Wet pigs before stunning
2. Correct electrode positioning
3. 1.25 amps for less than 3 seconds
4. No hot wands
5. No double stunning

Question 16

Signs of effective electrical stunning

Answer 16

1. Head must be limp and floppy
2. No blinking
3. No rhythmic breathing
4. No response to ear or nose pinching
5. No arched backs
6. No vocalization
7. Ignore limb movement (kicking)

Question 17

CO2 is mostly used for _______

Answer 17

swine

Question 18

CO2 concentration in first position? at bottom of pit?

Answer 18

70% CO2 in first position
90% at bottom of pit

Question 19

Principles of CO2 stunning

Answer 19

1. No broken bones
2. No kicking
3. Stun-to-stick interval not as critical
4. Length of unconsciousness or death is related to length of time in CO2

Question 20

Purpose of carcass treatments

Answer 20

kill any possible bacterial contamination

Question 21

Carcass treatment methods

Answer 21

1. Steam vacuum
2. Organic acid rinses
3. Hot water rinses
4. Steam pasteurization
5. Antimicrobial chemicals

Question 22

Rapid and efficient cooling is essential to __________

Answer 22

slow microbial growth

Question 23

Walk-in Coolers

Answer 23

1. Used for beef, pork, and lamb
2. Set to 30-40F with high air-velocity

Question 24

Spray coolers

Answer 24

1. used on poultry
2. chilled water is intermittently sprayed on the carcasses to cool and minimize moisture loss
3. may contain antimicrobial agent

Question 25

____ may be "hot-boned" prior to cooling

Answer 25

pork

Question 26

True/False: Sheep stunning stops the heart

Answer 26

False