Pig slaughter at home and at meat processing plants

The content of pigs is a troublesome business, but it is also quite profitable. One of the most complex operations of all, produced on home mini-farms, is, of course, the slaughter of pigs. This procedure should be carried out correctly. Accurate compliance with the technology eliminates the anguish of the animal and at the same time provides a good taste of meat.

Time of slaughter of pigs on farms and in household plots

The fattening of piglets can be done in two main methods. In the first case, on the output, meat carcases are obtained, in the second - bacon. It is from what technology was used in growing, and the timing of slaughter depends. Meat swine is usually cut at the age of 7-8 months. The fact is that at this time the animals begin an intense fat release. Piglets, grown for both meat and fat, before slaughter, in most cases, keep a little longer.

Actually, the feed cycle in household plots and small farms usually ends in late autumn. It is at this time that the pigs are killed most often. At large agricultural enterprises, this procedure can be performed periodically, as the different age groups of the young grow up.

The main methods of slaughter at home

On farms and household plots, pigs are most often cut with a sharp knife. In this case, as a tool, a rope is used. At the beginning of the last century, the village also practiced a method in which a pig was first deafened with a weapon (a single shot in the ear), and then finished off with a double-edged dagger.

Nowadays, on mini-farms, in addition to a knife, slaughter of a pig can be performed with the use of a sledge hammer. Using this tool, the pig is deafened by a blow to the occipital part. In this case, there is a vertebral fracture and an instantaneous paralysis of the nervous system. That is, the slaughtered animal does not suffer. However, such a method of slaughter has one rather serious drawback. The fact is that when using a sledgehammer, it's impossible to completely drain the blood from the carcass.

Owners of household plots usually cut pigs on their own. Farmers, however, containing a large number of animals, often entrust this unpleasant work to specialists meat processing plants.

Preparatory activities

Before the slaughter, the pig, of course, should not be watered and fed. An animal is not given food for 12 hours. Water is removed from the machine for 4-5 hours before slaughter. The last time the animal is watered with sugar solution. In this case, the meat will be more delicious.

It is advisable that the pig is also examined by a veterinarian. Of course, in a small household farm, in the event that meat is not planned to be sold, slaughter of domestic pigs is usually performed without inspection. After all, calling a veterinarian is quite expensive. But on farms and meat processing plants, animals must be inspected without fail.

How to cut at home properly

On homestead farms slaughter pigs are usually performed as follows:

• A hungry animal is lured out of the shed with some food.
• Tie a strong rope to his right back leg.
• Fix both right legs together. As a result, the pig falls to the side.
• Cut the animal simultaneously jugular vein and carotid artery with a sharp knife. The impact on the neck should be applied as sharply as possible. It is undesirable to do this too long. Otherwise, later in the process of singing the carcass will burn a large amount of meat, which will have to be thrown out or fed to the dogs.

During the agony, the pig usually kicks the legs. If the animal is large, the impact of its hoof can cause serious injury. Therefore, the pig should be cut carefully.

Sometimes the slaughter of pigs at home is performed by a blow not in the neck, but in the heart. This method is also quite effective and humane. However, this technology requires certain experience. After all, to get into the heart of an animal must necessarily be the first time. Otherwise, perhaps, it will have to chase around the yard, listening to a wild squeal. And this, of course, is extremely unpleasant.

How to cut small piglets

Such pigs can also be hammered in many ways. Most often, milk pigs are cut on a stool alone. The most humane in this case is the piercing method in the neck. With a sharp thin long knife, the pig should be struck at a point about 1-1.5 cm from the left ear.

Helpful Tips

For the slaughter procedure to be successful without incidents, the following recommendations of experienced farmers should be observed:

• Do not make the pig nervous - to drive it, kick it, scream at it, etc. Otherwise, it will be much more difficult to cope with it later. Moreover, frightened pigs often behave aggressively.
• Slaughter should be carried out in a suitable place. It must be such that in the future it can be easily cleaned and washed. Of course, the place should be chosen such that the slaughter itself should be as convenient as possible.
• Cut the pig should only be with an assistant. If the animal weighs more than 80 kg, there should be several assistants. In any case, the legs of a piglet (sitting on them or stepping on a rope) must be kept by someone.
• Before the procedure begins, the pig should preferably wash, among other things. In this case, handling the carcass will be much easier in the future.

Before slaughter, among other things, you should prepare a basin. It will be needed to drain the blood of the animal.

The technology of slaughter of pigs, used in meat-packing plants

At home, in this way, you can cut pigs in many ways. At meat processing plants, the slaughter procedure is usually also performed using a knife. However, in this case, the animals are preliminarily suspended from the hind legs on the crossbeams (using a special winch). To minimize the incision, specialists usually cut the piglet only the carotid artery. The jugular vein remains intact.

Often the slaughter of pigs at meat processing plants is also carried out by another technology. In this case, a special device is used - a metal stiletto. Two electrodes per 1-1.5 A and 70-90 V are suspended to it. Current is created either using a step-down transformer or using a rheostat. Strengthened stiletto on a special strong shaft.

During the slaughter, the sharp part of the instrument is placed on the back of the animal and held in this position for about 7 seconds. The method is very simple. But at home use any similar technique, and even more so with the use of self-made devices, is highly discouraged. For obvious reasons, this can easily lead to an accident.

Sometimes for large boars in personal households use an electric shock. This technological slaughter of the pig, of course, allows you to save a lot of time and effort. However, this method is considered not too humane. And therefore it is used quite rarely.

What to do after slaughter

The pig must be treated first with a blowtorch. In this way, almost all of the bristles can be removed relatively easily. Sometimes straw is used instead of a lamp. She is surrounded by an entire carcase and set on fire.

After the heat treatment, the skin should be properly scraped off with the knife from the carbon deposit and rinsed. It is better to clean each scorched area immediately. Therefore, remove the bristles with a lamp followed by an assistant. Care should be taken when treating the peritoneum. The skin of the pig in this place is very thin and can easily be burned.

Nut a slaughtered pig as follows:

• In the middle of the stomach make a cut from the chest to the back of the carcass.
• Pull out the liver, stomach, intestines.
• With care, the gallbladder is separated.
• Remove fat from the stomach and intestines and wash them, pre-extruding the contents.
• Cut out the diaphragm, take out the lungs and heart.
• Thoroughly wipe the carcass from the inside with a clean rag.
• Separate the legs and the head of a pig.
• Saw a carcass along the line of the spine into two parts.
• Carry out the cutting according to the scheme.

What you need to know about

To wash the carcass from the inside when cutting is in no case impossible. Otherwise, the meat will not be stored for long. Cutting is recommended only after the carcass has cooled. That is, about 6 hours after the slaughter. At the final stage, the chopped meat is sent for sale, for making stew, and so on.

What are the cutting schemes

Cut the carcass into pieces can be by different technologies. Professional cutters usually cut them according to American, Moscow, German or English methods. The simplest is English. In this case, after cutting off the head and legs, the carcass is simply divided by an ax into three parts - the rear, the middle and the front.

This is the way that such procedures are performed, such as slaughter and processing of pigs (their carcasses) at home and at a meat-packing plant. Of course, both of these operations should be done correctly, using humane methods and observing safety techniques.