Beef Slaughtering, Cutting, Preserving, and Cooking on the Farm

by H. Russell Cross; E. Curtis Green; William R. Jones; Anthony Kotula; R. L. West

SLAUGHTER

Stunning

Figure. 3.—Location of the brain.

The animal must be killed as quickly and humanely as possible. In a slaughter house the cattle are driven into a knocking pen where they are stunned with a compression gun. On the farm a mechanical stunner is usually not available; therefore, stunning is best accomplished with a well-directed long or long rifle bullet from a .22-caliber rifle. As with the use of any firearms, normal precautions should be taken when stunning the animal.

The purpose of stunning is to render the animal unconscious so that its throat can be cut. When stunning is accomplished with a .22-caliber rifle, the bullet should penetrate the skull and strike the brain. The location of the brain is shown in [figure 3]. If done properly the animal will be immobilized for several minutes.

It is best to have the animal secured to a tree or strong post. Direct the bullet at the intersection of two imaginary lines extending from the right edge of the poll to the center of the left eye and from the left edge of the poll to the center of the right eye as shown in [figure 4].

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Figure 4.—The X shows where to stun.

Bleeding

Bleeding is a very important part of the slaughtering operation and should be done not more than 2 minutes after the animal is down because the increased blood pressure may break the capillaries and cause an unattractive condition in the meat called “blood splash.”

The easiest and safest method for quick bleeding is to bleed the animal while it is still on the ground. Standing behind the animal, grasp the lower jaw ([fig. 5]), pull the head back slightly, and cut across the throat from ear to ear as deeply as possible ([fig. 6]). If the blood does not flow freely, cut deeper. A sharp skinning or boning knife is appropriate for this part of the operation.

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Figure 5.—Sticking. Stand behind the animal and grasp the lower jaw.

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Figure 6.—Cutting throat.

“Pumping” the animal will assure more complete bleeding. This can be accomplished by lifting the hindquarter with the tail, pulling the foreleg, and applying a pumping motion with a foot in the flank ([fig. 7]).

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Figure 7.—Pumping to assure complete bleeding.

Removal of Legs

If the animal has to be moved to another location for hoisting, tie a rope or chain around the hindlegs above the hocks ([fig. 8]). Position the animal with the hindlegs directly beneath the hoist. Roll the animal onto its back and prop it in place with two concrete or wooden blocks ([fig. 9]).

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Figure 8.—Dragging to tree. Secure both hindlegs.

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Figure 9.—Position of carcass for hide removal.

Begin removal of the hindlegs by cutting through the hide and tendons between the sole of the foot and the dew claws ([fig. 10]). Split the hide from the dew claws down the leg to the hock and over the rear of the round to a point about 6 inches below the hock and remove the hide from each hindleg ([fig. 11]). Remove the hindleg by cutting through the joint closest to the foot with a knife or saw (figs. [12] and [13]). Be careful not to cut the large tendons just below the hock for they will be needed when hoisting the carcass.

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Figure 10.—Cutting beneath dew claws.

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Figure 11.—Removing hide from hindlegs.

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Figure 12.—Removing hindleg by cutting through joint.

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Figure 13.—Removing hindleg by sawing through joint.

To remove the foreleg, cut through the hide and tendons at the joint closest to the foot. This joint is approximately 1 inch above the bony rise in the knee. Split the hide from the dew claws to the original cut and skin out the forelegs. Remove the forelegs with a knife or saw at the original cut ([fig. 14]).

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Figure 14.—Removing the forelegs with knife or saw.

Siding

After all legs have been removed, split the hide down the midline from the throat to the anus ([fig. 15]). This split should be made by inserting the point of the knife under the hide with the blade turned up as shown in figure 15. This procedure is referred to as cutting from inside out and protects against meat contamination from materials on the hide.

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Figure 15.—Splitting hide down midline.

If a cow is being slaughtered, do not split through the center of the udder. Cut the hide around each side of the udder and remove by lifting it and cutting along the body wall. Removal of a large udder will make siding easier and prevent any fluids contained in the udder from spilling onto the meat.

Begin siding by splitting the hide on the inside of the round ([fig. 16]). Starting with the cut made in removing the hindleg, cut downward to the midline split, just behind the scrotum or udder. Cut “inside out” and do not cut through the fat into the meat. Skin the inside round around to the front of the leg, leaving all fat and connective tissue on the carcass and not on the hide ([fig. 17]). Inexperienced butchers have a tendency to cut too deep in this area, so cut slowly and carefully.

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Figure 16.—Splitting the hide on the inside of the round.

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Figure 17.—Skinning the round.

Removal of the hide from the belly or abdomen is the next step. Beginning at the midline split, cut under the hide until it can be grasped with the other hand ([fig. 18]). Loosen the hide along the flat surface of the belly from the round forward to the brisket ([fig. 19]). The insides of the forelegs can be skinned but not the outside, which protects the carcass from contamination when it is hoisted ([fig. 20]).

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Figure 18.—Removing hide from belly.

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Figure 19.—Loosening the hide from round to elbow.

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Figure 20.—Skinning the inside of the forelegs.

Siding (removal of the hide from the sides) is the next step and is very difficult to do perfectly. This requires a knife with a sharp, smooth edge; therefore, frequent steeling of the knife may be necessary. Grasp the loosened hide and pull it up and outward ([fig. 21]). This places tension on the hide, removes wrinkles, and allows the knife to glide smoothly. Holding the knife firmly, place it against the hide with the blade turned slightly outward to avoid cutting the thin flat muscles which cover the sides of the carcass. With smooth, sweeping strokes of the knife, skin from the front of the hindleg to the point where the hide was cut over the elbow. At this point, the muscles become thin and so tightly bound to the hide that it will be necessary to leave them on the hide. Cut through the muscles and continue skinning as far down the side as possible ([fig. 22]).

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Figure 21.—Removing hide from sides (siding).

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Figure 22.—Siding completed.

Return to the rear of the carcass and remove the hide left on the inside of the rounds ([fig. 23]). Do not skin the outside of the round because this can be done more easily after the carcass is hoisted.

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Figure 23.—Removing hide from the inside of the round.

Skinning the Head

The head should be skinned by splitting the hide down the midline ([fig. 24]) and by skinning down each side of the head and neck as far as possible ([fig. 25]).

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Figure 24.—Skinning the head.

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Figure 25.—Hide removed from neck and head.

Remove the tongue by cutting just inside each jaw to the forward point where the jaws join ([fig. 26]), making sure the tongue is straight so that it will not be cut. Pull the tongue out and complete its removal by cutting through the cartilage at its base ([fig. 27]). Wash the tongue thoroughly in clean water and put it in ice or ice water.

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Figure 26.—Loosening the tongue.

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Figure 27.—Removing the tongue.

Remove the cheek meat from each side of the jawbone by cutting close to the bone and down to the rise of the bone just over each eye ([fig. 28]). Wash thoroughly in clean water and put it in ice or ice water.

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Figure 28.—Removing cheek meat from jawbone.

Opening the Brisket

Beginning at the cut made for bleeding, split the muscles along the midline of the neck up to the end of the brisket. Cut only as deep as the windpipe. Cut lengthwise along the center of the brisket from the neck to its rear edge (figs. [29] and [30]). Be careful not to cut beyond the tip of the brisket because the viscera may be punctured. Split the neck open along the midline and loosen the windpipe and esophagus. Saw completely through the brisket as shown in [figure 31]. Tie the windpipe and esophagus with string to avoid spilling paunch materials when the carcass is hoisted ([fig. 32]).

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Figure 29.—Splitting fat and lean of brisket.

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Figure 30.—Fat and lean of brisket—split to bone.

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Figure 31.—Sawing the brisket bone.

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Figure 32.—Tying the windpipe and esophagus.

Hoisting and Rumping

Insert the spreader or single-tree between the large tendons on the hindlegs ([fig. 33]). For safety, the hocks should be tied securely to the spreader. After the spreader is firmly in place, hoist the carcass to a convenient working height, usually waist high, for skinning the rounds. Skin along the outside of the rounds leaving the fell, the thin membrane that lies between the meat and skin, on the round ([fig. 34]). This membrane protects the meat from rapid drying. After skinning around the anus, loosen it by cutting around it deep into the pelvic canal ([fig. 35]). Pull the large intestine about 6 inches from the pelvic cavity ([fig. 36]) and tie it with a string near the opening as shown in [figure 37]. To facilitate later hide removal from the tail, remove a thin strip of hide from its top side ([fig. 38]).

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Figure 33.—Hoisting the carcass.

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Figure 34.—Removing the hide from the round (rumping).

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Figure 35.—Skinning around the anus (bung).

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Figure 36.—Pulling anus from pelvic canal.

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Figure 37.—Tying the anus.

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Figure 38.—Skinning the tail.

Skin the outside of the round, leaving the fell membrane on the round ([fig. 39]). You can usually pull off the hide in this region by hand, leaving the fell intact. At the bottom of the round, the fell is severed as shown by the arrows in [figure 40]. If a steer or bull is being slaughtered, remove the penis by cutting under it and severing its connection at the anus. Remove the hide from around the anus.

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Figure 39.—Skinning the outside of the round.

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Figure 40.—Hide removed from rounds.

Evisceration

Split the pelvic bone by first locating the seam between the rounds, then following this seam to the bone and cutting through the bone with a knife or saw (figs. [41] and [42]).

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Figure 41.—Splitting the pelvic bone with a knife.

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Figure 42.—Splitting the pelvic bone with a saw.

Hoist the carcass until the front shanks clear the ground by about a foot. Cut down the midline by inserting the knife handle inside the body cavity with the knife blade extended outward as shown in [figure 43]. This procedure ensures that the paunch and intestines are not cut. Continue cutting down the midline to the cut made when opening the brisket (figs. [44] and [45]). Loosen the large intestines as shown in [figure 46], making sure that the pelvic and kidney fat, as well as the kidneys, are left attached to the carcass. Pull down on the paunch and intestines and allow them to fall into a container or onto the ground. As the paunch falls, a small cut with a knife will free the liver from the connections to the intestines and paunch ([fig. 47]). Do not cut the esophagus, which extends through the diaphragm. The esophagus will be left attached until the lungs are removed.

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Figure 43.—Opening the belly—knife blade outward.

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Figure 44.—Opening the belly.

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Figure 45.—Belly opened to the brisket.

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Figure 46.—Loosening the large intestine.

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Figure 47.—Freeing the intestines and paunch from the liver.

Remove the liver by reaching behind it and pulling while cutting the connective tissue ([fig. 48]). During removal, check for any abscesses (yellow or white pus pockets) or scar tissue, which are indications of infections. If these are present, the entire carcass should be checked thoroughly for other signs of infection or disease (discussed later in the section on examining the carcass). Once the liver is removed, separate the gall bladder by cutting under it ([fig. 49]). Wash the liver thoroughly and put it in ice or ice water.

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Figure 48.—Removing the liver.

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Figure 49.—Removing the gall bladder.

To remove the lungs and heart, cut through the diaphragm, the thin sheet of muscle, and the white connective tissue that separates the lungs and heart from the stomach and intestines. This cut is made at the edge of the thin muscle as shown by the arrows in [figure 50]. Cut beneath the hanging muscle and the large blood vessels just below the kidneys to the backbone. Remove the heart, lungs, and windpipe as one unit by pulling them down while cutting between them and the backbone ([fig. 51]). Be sure to note any adhesion of the lungs to the body wall because this is a sign of infectious diseases.

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Figure 50.—Cutting through the diaphragm.

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Figure 51.—Removing the heart and lungs.

The heart is removed from the lungs by cutting across the top of the heart ([fig. 52]). Wash it thoroughly and put it in ice or ice water for rapid chilling. If the tripe, or stomach, is to be saved, empty the stomach as quickly as possible and rinse it. Thorough cleaning can be done later.

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Figure 52.—Separating the heart from lungs.

Dropping the Hide

Split and remove the hide remaining on the front shanks ([fig. 53]). Skin down each side of the shanks and neck, meeting at the backbone (figs. [54] and [55]). Skin around the loin and under the tail. The remaining hide on the tail can be pulled or cut off at this time ([fig. 56]). Remove the tail at its base ([fig. 57]), wash it thoroughly, and put it in ice or ice water. Skin over the poll of the head and down the face, removing the hide at the muzzle (figs. [58] and [59]). The head can be removed at this point; however, if it is left touching the ground, it will give support during splitting.

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Figure 53.—Skinning the front legs.

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Figure 54.—Skinning the front legs.

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Figure 55.—Removing hide from neck.

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Figure 56.—Pulling hide from tail.

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Figure 57.—Removing tail.

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Figure 58.—Skinning the head.

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Figure 59.—Skinning the head.

Splitting the Carcass

Split the warm, dressed carcass into halves. This allows for free circulation of air around the halves, to get a quicker chill. Also, a dressed beef carcass is heavier and harder to handle if it is not split.

To split the carcass, first saw through the sacral vertebrae or tail region from the inside ([fig. 60]). As soon as you have made the cut to the rise of the pelvic arch, saw from the outside. To make sawing through the center of the vertebrae easier, mark the correct line you wish to take down the backbone with a knife. Mark over the top of the bony spinal processes, which can be easily located with the fingers ([fig. 61]). Make the split through the loin and rib. In the chuck region, lower the handle of the saw to make sawing easier ([fig. 62]). If the split gets off center, continue through to the next vertebra and realign the saw.

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Figure 60.—Splitting the sacral vertebrae.

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Figure 61.—Line of cutting.

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Figure 62.—Sawing through the chuck.

If brain removal is desired, continue the split through the poll and down the center of the face. After sawing half way down the face, pull the halves of the head apart and remove the brains ([fig. 63]). Wash the brains thoroughly, checking for bone fragments. If the animal has been shot the brain will contain metal fragments and should not be saved.

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Figure 63.—Removing the brains.

Remove the head at the first joint next to the poll. Head removal is much easier after splitting ([fig. 64]). Then remove the kidney and kidney fat ([fig. 65]).

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Figure 64.—Removing the head at the atlas joint.

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Figure 65.—Removing the kidney and surrounding fat.

Wash the carcass with clean water, especially down the split backbone where bone dust accumulates. With a knife, remove any contamination which cannot be washed off. Pumping the front legs up and down a few times helps drain the blood from the forequarters.

Examining the Carcass

All the internal organs and the dressed carcass should be examined carefully for any abnormalities or conditions that might affect the fitness of the meat for food. Usually, a meat inspector or graduate veterinarian is the only person qualified to do this, but under farm conditions it becomes necessary for you to look for the obvious signs of disease or damage. If any part of the viscera or carcass is questionable, you should obtain expert advice.

Bruises, minor injuries, parasites in the organs and enclosed abscesses, and single tumors are frequently local conditions that can be easily removed. However, the presence of congestion or inflammation of the lungs, intestines, kidneys, inner surface of chest or abdominal cavity, and numerous yellowish or pearl-like growths scattered throughout the organs should be viewed seriously. Carcasses and viscera having such abnormalities should be examined by a graduate veterinarian and his opinion obtained as to the wholesomeness of the meat. You should check with a cooperating veterinarian before slaughtering the animal to be certain he will be available if you should seek his advice.

Loading the Carcass

Separate the halves into quarters by cutting between the last two ribs, leaving one rib on the hindquarter ([fig. 66]). Leave a 4-inch section uncut on the flank side and saw through the backbone [(fig. 67]). Make small handholds between the first two and the last two ribs of the forequarter to make loading of the forequarter easier ([fig. 68]).

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Figure 66.—Ribbing the carcass.

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Figure 67.—Sawing through the backbone.

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Figure 68.—Grasping the forequarter prior to loading.

When ready to load, place a clean cloth (old sheets work fine) or plastic in the vehicle. With someone holding each forequarter, cut the attachment left on the flank side ([fig. 69]). If alone, be sure to hoist the carcass so that the opposite side does not fall to the ground. Lower hinds until they can be reached and removed from the spreader ([fig. 70]). Place the forequarter in the vehicle with the bone side down and the hindquarter on top with the bone side up ([fig. 71]). Cover the meat to prevent contamination during transportation.

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Figure 69.—Separating the forequarter from the hindquarter.

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Figure 70.—Removing the hindquarters from the spreader.

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Figure 71.—Carcass loaded in auto.