Processing of hogs

SLAUGHTER HOUSE OPERATIONS

Stunning

Pigs are driven to the stunning box inside the slaughterhouse where they are stunned at a voltage of 180v one at a time.  They are stunned below the ears i.e. shortest distance to the brain. Stunning immobilizes the pig, for easy exsanguinations. The stunned pigs are hoisted on a monorail with the head facing down.

Sticking

Piercing the heart and arteries using a sharp knife does sticking. These aims at draining all the blood from the stunned pig thus improve the meats keeping quality

Bleeding area

The carcass is moved to a bleeding area where pumping of the heart and gravitational force aid in draining the blood out of the carcass.

Scalding

The method employed is Vat scalding. Water is heated thorough steam injection into a vat able to hold 3 carcasses at ago.

 The carcasses are railed into the scalding tank, where water is at between 65-70^oC to soften the hairs for de-hairing.

Dehairing

A de-hairer machine removes the body hairs of the carcass.

Summary

Summary work on the carcasses begins after de-hairing at a hoisting table where the carcass is hoisted with the head facing down and hind legs claws are removed. Fore legs claws are then removed and then a knife is used to remove residual hair on both the fore and hind sides.

Singeing

 The carcass is then moved to a singeing area where a gas flame is used to burn out the residual hairs on the carcass body.

First, second washing and tongue exposure

 The carcasses are sprayed with treated water after this the tongue is exposed for inspection purposes.

Evisceration

Evisceration is then done where viscera are removed and then the carcass is split along using a splitting saw into two halves i.e. left and right halves

Washing and chlorination

 The carcasses are sprayed with clean treated water and then with chlorine water. This reduces the microbial load on the carcasses’ skin.

Inspection

 The carcasses are then railed to an inspection area where a meat inspector inspects the meat to accept or condemn. A carcass is condemned if any signs of infection are observed.

Weighing

After inspection the carcasses are then weighed to record the live weight. The fat depth is also determined.

Grading

 The pork meat is graded according to the distribution of fat and the proportion of lean to fat meat. It is graded as from one to five.  The head is cut off and separated from the carcass

Chilled storage

 The carcasses are then stored in chillers operating at between  -2 and+2^oC. This allows for rigor mortise to take place and also allows for the aging of the meat and these principles contribute to meat tenderness and improve the meat flavor.

The offals are taken to pet foods processing including the liver and the spleen while the pork heart is packed for export. High levels of hygiene are observed and there are foot pedal warm water taps and soap for hand washing and sanitized footbaths at the entrances to the slaughterhouse.