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In the life of every novice farmer, sooner or later there comes a moment when the grown animal must be killed for the purpose of further processing for meat. The slaughter of pigs requires certain skills and strict adherence to the sequence of the process from beginners. Responsible slaughter of the pig guarantees tasty meat.
When can you stab pigs
The best calendar period to kill an animal for meat is winter time. Frost reduces the likelihood of additional contamination of the pig from the surrounding air. In addition, in winter there are no insects that can have time to lay their larvae in the carcass. Cold is also a great help, as it allows an inexperienced person not to worry about the speed of slaughtering a pig, ensuring that the meat is kept fresh.
In autumn and spring, it is worth approaching the process of slaughtering a pig more responsibly. So, the complete absence of precipitation is desirable. In addition, it is important to carry out the procedure for slaughtering the animal during the colder time of the day to reduce the risk of meat spoilage. If the time for slaughtering a pig falls on summer time, you should choose an early morning. At this time, insects, in particular flies, have not yet become active. It is worth stabbing a pig quickly – the whole process, including cutting the carcass for meat, should take no more than 2-3 hours.
Preparing pigs for slaughter
12 hours before the slaughter of the selected pig, it is necessary to stop feeding it – this will avoid a large amount of feces in the intestines of the animal. Abstinence from food also improves the quality of meat. The only exception is water – drinking is necessary for pigs for the proper functioning of the genitourinary system. A hungry animal is much easier to lure out of the barn before slaughter – the pig itself will come out in search of food.
Washing a pig before slaughter is mandatory, especially if the animal was kept in a cramped barn. The skin of the pig should be as clean as possible. It is worth using warm water and a brush. It is believed that the less dirt on the body, the less microbes will get into the meat during cutting, thereby extending its future shelf life. Additional heat treatment of pork carcasses after slaughter will also help get rid of excess microbes.
If the animal is slaughtered for the further sale of meat, you should take care of obtaining a certificate from the veterinarian. This document contains confirmation that the pig is healthy and has no restrictions for slaughter. If it is supposed to use the meat only for personal purposes, a veterinary opinion is not necessary.
In what cases is it necessary to refuse slaughter
There are cases when the slaughter of pigs for various reasons is undesirable, if not completely prohibited. It is worth paying attention to the physiological state of the animal in order to optimally select the moment for slaughter. In no case is it recommended to slaughter a pig that is in the hunting stage. It is recommended to slaughter only 12-14 days after the last hunt.
Sick animals must not be slaughtered. The microbes contained in the body of a pig saturate the meat with substances harmful to humans. Sick pigs are treated with special medicines. But even after recovery, the term for slaughtering the animal must be significantly postponed. The fact is that the substances contained in vaccines are in the blood and meat for some time. The full period of drug withdrawal after vaccination is about a month.
Preparation of tools and equipment
The slaughter of pigs requires certain tools that must be prepared in advance. The list of necessary equipment assumes the presence of the following items:
- Pig splitter – a knife with a long, rigid blade. The point must be perfectly sharpened so that it can easily pass through the skin and meat of the pig.
- Burner for roasting pork carcasses. It is possible to use a blowtorch.
- Ropes for tying the limbs of an animal.
- Iron basin for draining blood.
You also need to take care of a large number of clean cloths or paper napkins. In the process of slaughtering a pig, a large amount of blood flows out of its body, so constant wiping of surfaces is required. It is undesirable to use water to wash off the blood – it spoils the surface structure of the meat.
Another important preparation factor is the availability of the right place for slaughter and future cutting of the pig carcass. The best option is a flat concrete surface. In the absence of such a platform, you can use wooden pallets. In extreme cases, in order not to slaughter the animal on clean land, you can use a large cloth blanket or a pile of dry, clean straw.
How to properly slaughter a pig or piglet at home
There are many ways to slaughter pigs. Some of them are universal, others are used specifically for slaughtering piglets or adult boars. Some methods, such as using a gun or a direct blow to the pig’s heart, are considered more humane, as they avoid prolonged suffering in the animal. The novice farmer must choose the most convenient method for slaughtering pigs for himself, based on his confidence and humanity.
How to cut a pig in the heart
Initially prepared for slaughter, the animal must be immobilized. The front and back legs are tied with a rope. The pig is then placed on its left side. The knife is inserted into the cartilaginous fusion between the 3rd and 4th ribs. To verify the exact location of the pig’s heart, you should put your hand on the animal’s chest and feel for a strong pulsation. The knife is driven in with a quick and confident movement and removed only after complete immobilization. The wound is tightly closed with a clean cloth and lightly burned.
The slaughtered pig must be lifted or hung up to bleed. The blood is poured into pre-prepared basins and pans. On average, complete bleeding takes up to 5 minutes. The disadvantage of this method is the possibility of blood entering the chest cavity and, as a result, spoiling the meat in this area.
How to prick pigs in the neck
For the correct slaughter of pigs in the neck, it is necessary to have a wooden crossbar and several ropes. This method requires 3 people. Two ropes are thrown over the crossbar and tied with the ends to the hind legs of the animal. Two people pull the ropes and push the pig against the bar until it calms down. Then a third person slits her throat in the neck with a sharp movement. The carotid artery in pigs is located in the middle on the right side of the neck. The blow must be strong so that the knife goes as deep as possible into the neck of the animal.
Next, the back of the pig carcass is lifted to drain the blood. Cutting the neck allows you to bleed the carcass as much as possible due to the still beating heart. With this method of slaughter, the blood is completely drained from the body of the animal in about 2-3 minutes.
How to shoot a pig with a gun
To many people, the method of slaughtering an animal with a shot from a gun seems to be the most humane, as it allows you to save him from unnecessary death throes. Of course, a firearms permit is required. There are 2 ways to kill a pig with a gun – a shot in the head and a shot in the heart.
First you need to tie the animal to a pole. A well-fixed target will allow you to limit yourself to one accurate shot to the head. The shot can be fired both directly into the forehead of the pig, and into other places – ears and eyes. It is believed that the faster the bullet reaches the brain, the faster the animal will die and stop suffering. A shot to the brain leads to paralysis of the heart in a pig. As a consequence, all the blood remains in the animal’s body, which can make the use of meat unusable.
A shot in the heart eliminates the problem of exsanguination of the carcass. The only thing to worry about is the accuracy of the shot and the penetration power of the weapon. Blood will flow out through the hole from the bullet. In addition, you can additionally cut the cervical artery in an already deceased animal.
How to electrocute a pig
There are special devices that make it easier to slaughter pigs. On private farms and large meat processing plants, specialized stun guns are used – devices that allow you to completely immobilize an animal. The current strength of such devices is from 65 V to 100 V, the power is about 1,5 A. Before use, it is advisable to wash the pig in order to create better electrical current conductivity. The procedure for this method is as follows:
- The animal is tied with a thick rope to the hind leg. The man pulls it on while holding the pig.
- The device is applied to the temples or chest of the animal as tightly as possible, after which the current is turned on. The current must be applied within 5 seconds.
- If the pig is still conscious, it is necessary to repeat the previous operation, slightly increasing the current.
An immobilized pig is killed by stabbing the heart or carotid artery, after which blood is released from it. Depending on the place of impact, the carcass is either laid on its side or hung by its hind legs.
Do I need to skin
Each farmer raises pigs for a specific purpose, so he selects certain breeds for himself. There are tallow, meat and meat-tallow breeds. When cultivating sebaceous individuals, a person means in plans to obtain lard for further processing. In such cases, the skin is not removed from the carcass, but only slightly singeed. When cutting a pig, the skin is cut off along with the tallow layer on it.
In a different way, things will be done with meat breeds of pigs. When slaughtering an animal, it is recommended to remove the skin for further convenience of cutting the carcass. The slaughtered pig is placed on its back, after which incisions are made behind the ears and around the head. Next, the knife is passed through the abdomen to the anus. It is from him that they begin to remove the skin, carefully separating it from the meat. When removing, it is worth constantly pulling the skin to avoid accidental cuts.
Which way is better
The most common method used in private farms is a blow to the heart. This method of slaughtering pigs is the simplest and most easily applicable at home. It does not require special equipment – you just need to apply the right blow to save the animal from torment.
In this case, the best meat is obtained by cutting the cervical artery. Most people choose this method as the most effective in terms of getting rid of excess blood from the carcass. The main disadvantage of this method can be considered the lack of humanity – the animal suffers quite a lot.
The question of humanity in the process of killing an animal is interesting in itself. On the one hand, slaughter is not automatically humane, on the other hand, the inevitability of slaughter requires reducing the pain experienced. From this point of view, the best choice would be to use a gun. A shot to the heart instantly kills the pig.
Rules for the slaughter of piglets, pigs and boars
Depending on the size of the individual, the approach to slaughtering it can change dramatically. So, in order to properly slaughter a small 6-month-old piglet weighing 80-100 kg, the efforts of one person of strong build will be enough. The legs of the piglet are tied, after which it is securely fixed with one hand. With the other hand, a blow is struck to the region of the heart, after which the blood is drained.
For larger pigs weighing 120-140 kg, the efforts of one person will not be enough. An adult will easily discard a person. In such cases, one person must hold the animal itself, the other must strike. In addition, it is already possible for two people to start using the method of cutting the cervical artery, since one person is unlikely to be able to lift the carcass on his own.
The greatest difficulties arise with the slaughter of boars and culled individuals weighing 150 kg or more. Pigs of this gigantic size are heavy, and the thickness of their skin and greasy layer can sometimes be a serious problem for slaughter. In such cases, it is recommended to immobilize the boar with a stun gun, and then finish it off with a long knife.
The technology of slaughtering pigs at a meat processing plant
In meat processing plants, pigs are slaughtered in two ways. The first technology is the use of high-tech shockers with subsequent slaughter. Special stun guns allow you to stun up to 100 heads per hour. Subsequent processing consists in hanging the carcass and cutting the neck. The bloodless carcass is transferred for further cutting. This method is not humane, but allows you to achieve the ideal quality of meat for the end consumer.
Another technology is the use of special kill chambers. Animals are driven into them, after which a special poisonous gas is supplied. Instant death allows you to avoid severe torment. In the future, the pigs are drained of blood and sent for processing. This method does not allow you to completely get rid of blood, but it can provide huge amounts of processing.
A few tips for beginners
The main problem for beginners when slaughtering an animal is pity. In no case should you get used to a domestic pig. It must be clearly understood that it grows for further slaughter. Extra feelings during the killing will not allow you to deliver a confident decisive blow, thereby bringing unnecessary suffering. Also, the wrong blow will inflame the pig, it will rush about in a rage, biting the offenders.
To make it easier to slaughter a pig, it must be immobilized. Sometimes the usual binding is not enough. Here, stunning comes to the rescue by hitting the forehead with a sledgehammer or using an electric current. Properly stunning a pig before slaughter is a guarantee of ease in further actions. An immobilized animal is still alive, so there will be no problems with the removal of blood during slaughter.
Do not underestimate the importance of a quick bleed of the carcass. The faster this procedure is carried out, the higher the quality of the final product will be. The ideal time is considered to be 3 minutes from the moment of death, but in some cases 5 minutes are allowed. The delay in the removal of blood leads to irreversible consequences – the processes of coagulation and putrefaction begin very quickly in it.
Conclusion
Slaughter of pigs is the final stage of animal rearing. By learning how to slaughter an animal yourself, you can save a lot of money. The choice of the optimal method of killing and the correct procedure will allow you to get meat of excellent quality.
