slaughtering a cow?

Question

ok, for a school project, i have to find out how they slaughter cows for meat like in a factory. does anyone know how? oh, and be serious.

Answer 1

There are a few links on this page that explain the whole process, good luck on your project.

Answer 2

The methods used depend on the factory, and the country you are in.

In countries such as the UK, there are very strict welfare requirements in slaughterhouses. The methods used have been fine-tuned over the years to make them as quick an efficient as possible. The slaughterhouse has no want or need to make the death take longer than is absolutely necessary. A skilled slaughterman will cause death extremely quickly, with the absolute minimum of pain to the animal. In a standard slaughter, the throat is cut after stunning, although the animal may appear to be conscious if you are watching, as their muscles go into spasm and it may start to kick. Similar muscle spasms can also happen in a natural death. There is some information on this Government website about the UK requirements

http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/livestock/cattle-dairy/healthwelfare.htm

Some religions require specific slaughter methods, such as Halal. This is often seen as one of the cruellest methods of salughter, as stunning is not allowed, and only a single cut to the throat is acceptable. This method is pretty much universally unacceptable to all but those persons whose religion demands it.

As someone previously said, please take care if using animal rights information as part of your project, whilst I can't deny that some places have poor practises, they will not give you balanced information and show the many, many places that carry out a difficult task in the best way possible.

Answer 3

I don't know if they do it the same way they do hogs or not but I worked at a pork plant and they shock the hog as it is coming thru the shute with what looks like a giant set of electric tongs. They slip a chain around one of its back feet and it hangs it upside down then its throat gets slit and it bleeds out. It dies very quickly. After that it is sent thru a flaming furnace that sort of cooks the hair off of it, then it moves on down the line where people start cutting it into pieces. Hope this helps.

There are always veterinarians on site to make sure that it is being done humanely. There are also U.S.D.A. inspecters there to make sure things are done right.

Answer 4

I am not seeing the link in the bold section of your question. I would think if your land/business was dedicated to producing meat you would find the cheapest way to do so. Money. 10 new cows $500 10 old horses $150 Just a guess.

Answer 5

Go to the library & check out *Dominion* by Matthew Scully. There is a chapter on how 'food' animals are slaughtered. I think *Fast Food Nation* also deals with this, but don't have that book @ hand so I'm not positive.

Answer 6

Don't go reading some BS put out by the terrorists at PETA. Go straight to the people that make and enforce the rules.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Key_Facts_Humane_Slaughter/index.asp

Answer 7

Slaughterhouse process:


Animals are received by truck or rail from a ranch, farm, or feedlot.
Animals are herded into holding pens.
Animals receive a preslaughter inspection.
Animals are usually made unconscious by applying an electric shock of 300 volts and 2 amps to the back of the head, effectively stunning the animal. If unsuccessful, secondary methods include the use of a captive bolt pistol to the front of the animal's head. Livestock are also rendered unconscious by CO2 captive bolt stunning and CO2/inert gas stunning (This step is prohibited under strict application of Halal and Kashrut codes).
Animals are hung upside down by one of their hind legs on the processing line.
The main arteries and veins are severed with a knife mainly in the neck and the animal's blood drains, causing death through exsanguination.
The hide/skin/plumage is removed by down pullers, side pullers and fisting off the pelt (sheep and goats)
The internal organs are removed and inspected for internal parasites and signs of disease. The guts, referred to as viscera, are separated for inspection from the heart and lungs, referred to as the "pluck." Livers are separated for inspection, tongues are dropped or removed from the head and the head is sent down the line on the head hooks or head racks for inspection.
The carcass is inspected by a government inspector for safety. (This inspection is performed by the Food Safety Inspection Service in the US, and CFIA in Canada.)
Carcasses are subjected to intervention to reduce levels of bacteria. Common interventions are steam, hot water, and organic acids. Carcasses are chilled to prevent the growth of microorganisms and to reduce meat deterioration while the meat awaits distribution.
The chilled carcass is broken down into subprimals and primals for boxed meat unless customer specifies for swinging sides of meat. Beef and horse carcasses are always split in half and then quartered, Pork is split into sides only and Goat/Veal/Mutton and Lamb is left whole
The remaining carcass may be further processed to extract any residual traces of meat, usually termed mechanically recovered meat, which may be used for human or animal consumption.
Waste materials such as lard or tallow, are sent to a rendering plant.
The waste water, consisting of blood and fecal matter, generated by the slaughtering process is sent to a waste water treatment plant.
The meat is transported to distribution centers that then distribute to retail markets.

Answer 8

There are many different way all as humane as one can be in these types of circumstances.

Normally they are not shot in the traditional sense, rather it is a steel bolt that is shot into the brain to cause instant and painless death, the throats are slit after to let the blood out.

Answer 9

Alot of times meathouses claim they use the bolt gun, but more often they dont use it to save the 3 cents it costs to run it.

Many times, they simply rip out the cows trachea while still alive.

Answer 10

different houses use different methods. Probably be best to look one up and find out what they do or they will also direct you to a web site that will give you pleanty of info. Please do not use sources that are politically motivated to complete your school project. Good Luck