How exactly are lambs slaughtered?

eorna

Hi,
We've just sent a load of lambs to the factory. I've always wondered as they leave the yard what do they go through when they go to be slaughtered? Has anyone seen lambs been slaughtered in one of these huge big factories? I've heard that they the use a conveyer belt type system -is this true? I don't want to get in to a big debate about it, I would just like to know what exactly happens to the animals in their final hours and minutes.
Thanks :cool:

razor8

as far as i know there are stunned with a stun gun and then their throats are cut, they are then hung from the legs and skinned which i think is done manually and then gutted

greysides

Unloaded into pens in lairage, counted and accounted for, vet ante-mortem exam, loading pen, conveyor race (moving sides slanted inwards at bottom, no footing) to stunning area, bled while stunned, skinned, emptied out, vet post-mortem check and grading, chills.

Butcher Boy

spot on razor that is what we do in the slaughter house .they are checked before and after they killed by the vet.

eorna

Thanks for the info lads.
They've no footing on that conveyer race thing? So they're kinda suspended are they? Anyone know of any videos of this so that I could see exactly the process? I'm the wife of a farmer and always feel a bit bad when the lambs are taken off -slag me all ye want - I don't mind!:) How about cattle is it much the same for them? I saw a program before of how pigs are slaughtered in Denmark and was horrified!

greysides

The sheep are not upset by the conveyor. They are held steady and stay quiet.

pakalasa

Remember that when animals are slaughtered it is in the interest of the factory to do it as humanely and as stress free as possible. If the animals get stressed, the quality of the meat isnt as good and the flow or throughput of the production line slows down.
I saw cattle killed under Halal a few years back. It didn' sit well with me, to be honest. Animals shoudl be killed as humanely as possible.

Charlie Charolais

I agree with pakalasa; animals will not be stressed as it negatively affects the meat.
Check out Temple Grandin on you tube or www.grandin.com.

razor8

if you feel bad i wouldnt be watching any videos's, wouldnt do you any good at all.

on another issue, when cattle are killed for certain religions, they arn't stunned at all, just throats cut and a prayer said over the knife each time by a chief/head of group

eorna

Thanks for all that. Temple Grandin talk alot of sense. Would her principles on slaughtering be practiced in Irish abatoirs does anyone know?
The design of the conveyor seems to be crucial. How long would the whole process take once the animal has left the holding pen?

As for the religious method - what can I say? - Well I won't be watching them video's! Halal is practiced in Ireland though isn't it?

sellerbarry

Never eating meat again after watching that. Jasus the poor things.

gowley

some factories now put about six in a cage that goes into a chamber and gasses them instead of stunning them

razor8

eorna wrote: »

Thanks for all that. Temple Grandin talk alot of sense. Would her principles on slaughtering be practiced in Irish abatoirs does anyone know?
The design of the conveyor seems to be crucial. How long would the whole process take once the animal has left the holding pen?

As for the religious method - what can I say? - Well I won't be watching them video's! Halal is practiced in Ireland though isn't it?

it is, some factories use this method on certain days of the week, as alot of this is exported so we can hardly complain as it is really helping prices at the moment

razor8

sellerbarry wrote: »

Never eating meat again after watching that. Jasus the poor things.

there isnt a better way

LostCovey

greysides wrote: »

The sheep are not upset by the conveyor. They are held steady and stay quiet.

+1

The conveyor is far more humane and gentler than the alternative (people hurrying them along a race.

These conveyors are getting more affordable and are increasingly used for sheep handling on farms.

If you need reassurance on their use as a humane aid to handling sheep, look at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-D5G8k1nYs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPJoxSEc8Hk&feature=related

If you are sending your lambs to an Irish slaughterhouse, they will be well handled.

Best regards

LostCovey