Poultry production guide Part 6:
The correct steps in the slaughtering process A
few steps need to be taken to get the chicken from the farm onto your plate. This process can make some people uncomfortable. The good news is that in modern abattoirs the utmost care is taken to ensure that the poultry is despatched in the most humane way possible, without causing the animals any undue stress. The following will guide you through the process step by step, to aid you in planning your own poultry abattoir. The process consists of several phases. The first is transport and receiving facilities for live birds. Second, the birds then need to enter the production line where the next steps of stunning, scalding, defeathering and evisceration will take place. After this, the poultry can be portioned, packaged, and kept in cold storage for distribution to the retail market.
Receiving live birds This part of the process starts on the farm. It is important to choose the abattoir closest to your farm to limit transport costs, and to limit the stress that the transport may cause the birds. Stress can have a negative impact on the quality of the product, as well as causing mortalities while in transit. Birds that are dead on arrival will be discarded for hygienic reasons, and can therefore lead to a loss of income for the farmer. The abattoir must have a roofed receiving area where the crates can be unloaded. Gates are essential to ensure that access to the facility can be controlled with strict bio-security measures in place. The production line After the birds have been received, they are attached to the production
ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 13
line. This is done by attaching their feet to the conveyor and hanging them upside down. The live poultry receiving and stunning areas must have dimmed lighting. One minute must be allowed between the hanging and stunning point. Approximately 15 to 18 birds per minute per handler are permitted. Hangers hanging the birds must treat them in a humane and calm way. Birds must be hung facing the same direction. Both legs must be secured into the shackles. A guide rail is usually provided, which will relax the birds. Bends in the slaughtering line should be kept to a minimum, and any disturbing obstructions should be removed. Supervision is important. Stunning An alternating current of 60 or 110 mA is required for small and large chickens respectively. The current should 21
