Experience dictates that an animal intended for slaughter should be kept from eating for twenty-four to thirty-six hours before killing. If kept on full feed the system is gorged and the blood, loaded with assimilated nutrients, is pumped to the extremities of the capillaries. It is impossible to thoroughly drain the blood from the veins when the animal is bled, and the result will be a reddish-colored, unattractive carcass. Again, food in the stomach decomposes very rapidly after the animal is slaughtered. Where the dressing is slow, as it must be on the farm, the gases generated from the stomach often flavor the meat. It is well to give water freely up to the time of slaughter as it aids in keeping the temperature normal and helps in cleaning out the system, resulting in a nicer colored carcass.
It is but natural that the condition of animals prior to slaughter should have a positive effect on the keeping qualities of the meat. There should be no excitement sufficient to raise the temperature of the body. Excitement creates fever, prevents proper drainage of the blood vessels, and, if intense, will cause souring of the meat very soon after dressing. No animal should be killed after a long drive or rapid run about the pasture. It is always better in such cases to permit the animal to rest over night rather than to risk spoiling the meat. The flesh of an animal that has been overheated and then killed is usually of a dark color and frequently develops a sour odor within a few hours after dressing. Bruises cause blood to settle in the affected portions of the body, often causing loss of a considerable part of the carcass. A 24-hour fast, ample water, careful handling and rest are necessary in order that the meat may be in the best condition for immediate use or curing.
KILLING AND DRESSING CATTLE.
Fig. 2—Beef: Illustrating method of securing to stun. Intersection of dotted lines show place to strike.
The first step in killing is to secure the animal so that, in no emergency, it can escape. Use a rope one inch in diameter. Put a slip noose in one end with a knot just far enough from the noose to prevent choking when drawn tight, but it should at the same time allow the noose to draw tight enough so that there is no danger of escape, in the event of the rope becoming slack. If the animal has horns, pass the noose over the head, back of the ear and horn on the right side, but in front of the horn on the left side of the head. This operation leaves the full face of the animal bare and does not tighten on the throat. When a dehorned or polled animal is to be slaughtered it will of course be necessary to put the noose around the neck. Attach an ordinary pulley to a post or tree close to the ground, to the barn floor or sill, pass the rope through it and draw the animal’s head down as close to the pulley as possible.
Administer a heavy blow in the center of the forehead at a point where lines from the base of the horns to the eyes would cross. Shooting has the same effect as stunning and may be resorted to. Frequently where an animal can not be brought to the pulley it is necessary to shoot. In shooting use only a rifle of good caliber.
Bleed the animal immediately by sticking just in front of the breast bone as shown in Fig. 3. Stand in front of the animal with back toward the body after the manner of a horseshoer. Reaching down between the front feet, lay open the skin from breast-bone toward the chin for a distance of 10 to 12 inches, using the ordinary skinning knife. Insert the knife with the back against the breastbone and the tip pointing to the spinal column at the top of the shoulders, cutting just under the windpipe and about 5 to 6 inches in depth at the junction of the jugular vein near the collar bone; at this point if the vein is severed the blood will run out rapidly. If stuck too deep, the pleura will be punctured and blood will flow in the chest cavity, causing a bloody carcass. It requires practice to become expert in the sticking of beef. Not so much skill is required to simply cut the animal’s throat back of the jaws but the time required for bleeding is very much longer and the bleeding less thorough.
SKINNING AND CUTTING.
Begin skinning at once while the carcass is lying on its side by splitting the skin through the face from the head to the nose as shown in Fig. 4. Skin the face back over the eyes on both sides and down over the cheeks, cutting around the base of the horns so as to leave the ears on the hide. Split the skin down the throat to meet the cut made in bleeding. Start the skin in slightly on the sides of the neck and down to the jaws. Now remove the head by cutting just back of the jaws toward the depression back of the head as shown in Fig. 5. The atlas joint will be found at this point and may be easily unjointed with the knife.