Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
An alternative to pre-slaughter clipping is clipping
after slaughter on the dressing line. This has the advan-
tage of removing all animal welfare and handler health
and safety concerns. However, the facility must be so
designed as to eliminate all risk to the exposed carcase
from dust created during the clipping process. This can
be achieved by physical separation of the clipping from
the exposed carcase by, for example, in a two-level
slaughterhouse, clipping after the bleeding channel but
before the carcase is elevated to the floor above for dress-
ing, making use of air curtains or other physical barriers.
The amount of dust can be reduced by using vacuum
incorporated into the clipper mechanism.
A mechanical version of the 'pig board' used routinely
to move pigs is employed in many pig lairages. A devel-
opment of this
automatic lairage system
with pens
divided into sections each holding a maximum of 15
pigs. Automatic filling and emptying of the pens is
achieved using computer controlled lifting/driving gates.
The system is said to improve welfare standards with
reduction of damage due to fighting.
A fine water spray and/or litter in the lairage pens are
useful means of reducing fighting among pigs, cooling
them and reducing the incidence of pale, soft, exudative
(PSE) pork.
Deer lairage
Although the majority of farmed deer in Britain are still
slaughtered by shooting in the field, some are handled in
special on-farm abattoirs and others in larger abattoirs.
Because of the nervous nature of these animals, which
are very subject to stress, it is essential that good facilities
for holding and slaughter are provided. It is also vital that
expert handlers are on hand.
The UK Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) has
recommended that the slaughter of deer should take
place only in specially licensed premises and that deer
should not be slaughtered while other species are being
handled/slaughtered unless separated from those other
activities by solid walls to exclude noise.
Reception areas for unloading and lairage pens should
have smooth high-impact walls and a circular crush gate
of 5 m maximum diameter with two solid swing gates,
centrally hung at least 1.83 m (6 ft) high. Unlike the
requirements for cattle and sheep, lighting should be
subdued throughout the lairage and stunning areas,
which should interconnect.
Manure disposal
Considerable quantities of lairage waste in the form of
bedding and dung require periodic removal, preferably a
covered site near the lairage, from which it can be con-
veniently loaded for removal. It may be possible to load
it directly onto a large trailer which can be removed as
necessary. The digesta obtained from the stomachs and
intestines of slaughtered animals requires separate treat-
ment. It is sometimes used as compost for horticultural
purposes and is sometimes spread on land without any
further treatment.
The siting and operation of the store should minimise
the hazard presented by flies which may accumulate
especially in warm weather.
Slaughterhall
The transfer of animals from lairage to slaughterhall is
easy if the abattoir is well designed. If an upper kill floor
is used and the site is on a slope, the animals can be
walked directly on the slaughter floor; using a ramp as
necessary. Cattle and sheep can readily be driven up a
ramp as steep as 1 in 6, though the ramp should be pro-
vided with battens and a catwalk.
The size and type of slaughterhall depends upon the
species to be slaughter, the maximum possible capacity
and the slaughter and dressing systems to be adopted.
Sufficient space must be provided to allow hygienic pro-
cessing, to avoid cross-contamination. Good lighting
and ventilation must be provided.
Clipping or cleaning of livestock
Although washing of animals, for example, cattle, bison,
horses, etc., is practised in tropical and subtropical coun-
tries, it is contraindicated in temperate regions, for
example, the United Kingdom, except possibly for pigs.
Facilities usually consist of a footbath spray system or
bath and an adequate draining area prior to slaughter. A
system for recovering solids and a final potable water
wash must be included.
In the United Kingdom, clipping of cattle and sheep in
the lairage is a common method of reducing the level of
faecal contamination of the hide or fleece prior to the
dressing process. If it is intended to use pre-slaughter
clipping as part of an overall hygiene management system,
then suitable facilities need to be provided at the construc-
tion stage. For cattle, a holding facility which gives the
handler good access to the animal while ensuring ade-
quate controls for health and safety should be provided.
Stunning area
The area in front of the stunning pen where the bovine
animal falls should be at least 3 m in width to the oppos-
ing wall or bleeding trough and be fitted with upright
bars 5 cm in diameter and 1.2 m high, spaced at 40 cm
intervals, for safety purposes, should improperly stunned
animals regain their feet. The floor of this area, usually
called the dry landing area, must be properly drained
