Slaughtering a pig is not only unpleasant, but also difficult, as it requires certain knowledge, skills and even physical strength. For its implementation, you can hire a specialist or use the services of a slaughterhouse, but in the case of constant breeding of pigs for meat and fat, it is more profitable to master this business on your own. To do this, take into account a number of nuances, as well as acquire all the necessary equipment.
Pig weight for slaughter
After just 4 months of feeding, the wild boar can be sent for slaughter. He scored enough meat and fat, but weighs no more than 90-100 kg. The meaning of slaughtering a young animal is that it has soft and tender meat. Moreover, it is not as greasy as in older relatives.
If you support the pig longer, then with good care the mass will quickly increase to 120-150 kg. In this case, a pig is led to slaughter, in which the mass gain has stopped, that is, it does not gain weight in 2-3 weeks. The early maturity of pigs depends on the breed and diet.
Of course, the greater the mass of the pig, the more fat and meat it will produce after cutting:
- yield with a weight of about 100 kg - 75%;
- yield with a weight of 120 to 140 kg - 75-80%;
- choice with a weight of 160 kg - up to 85%.
Recently, Vietnamese pigs, which are slaughtered at 4-6 months of age, are gaining more and more popularity, since further maintenance is unprofitable.
Dairy piglets (cubs not older than 8 weeks old) are killed in rare cases, if the farm has excess offspring or they are culled. They do the same with boars, as there are usually not so many of them on farms. More often, hogs, castrated males, are sent for slaughter.
If we talk about breeding sows, then usually they are allowed to farrow up to 12 times, and then allowed for meat. With age, pig meat loses its tenderness and softness, so you should not delay it with slaughter. In addition, it is possible that the meat will completely lose its taste and will not be suitable for food.
Which animal is not subject to slaughter?
Regardless of the age of the animal, in some cases, slaughter is prohibited.
Hunting pig
The meat of such an animal has an unpleasant taste and smell, and it is impossible to kill it. This is due to the fact that during the hunting period the animal increases the concentration of sex hormones. Pig farmers with experience recommend waiting from 5-7 days to 2 weeks after the end of the hunt, and only then kill the pig. This time is necessary for the hormonal background of the animal to return to normal.
A “walking” individual can be identified by such signs:
- refuses food;
- sometimes aggressive towards their relatives;
- shows concern;
- grunts constantly.
In addition, during the hunting period, the pigs swell and redden the nipples, as well as the genitals. Frequent urination is noted.
Pig with signs of illness.
It is forbidden to let sick animals under the knife. They are either treated, or killed in case of serious infections, and carcasses are destroyed. Such meat cannot be eaten. A sick pig often loses his appetite, moves little and suffers from atypical discharge. With such symptoms, you need to urgently call a veterinarian.
Read more about pig diseases - read here.
Pig after treatment or vaccination
It is necessary to wait 2-3 weeks after vaccination or treatment of the animal with a course of antibiotics, anthelmintic drugs. This time should be enough for the harmful substances accumulated in the animal’s meat to disintegrate and be eliminated from the pig’s body.
Slaughter
Slaughter is best planned for the cool season - autumn or spring. In private farms, the procedure is carried out before the winter, as this saves the pig farmer from a number of problems, namely:
- meat is easier to store;
- food costs are reduced.
In the summer months, animals actively weight-gain, so slaughter at this time is impractical, but if necessary, no one forbids slaughter in the summer. However, it is important to do all the work early in the morning until there is no heat and a lot of flies.
Pig preparation
Before slaughter, it is important to properly prepare the animal:
- 2 months before the slaughter of the boars, the boars should be neutered, otherwise the meat can be sent to the trash, because it will be very tough and also smell bad. Neither heat treatment nor soaking in vinegar will help with the smell.
- Do not give food 12 hours before slaughter, and water - 3 hours. During this time, the pig’s intestines will be empty and well cleaned, which will favorably affect the quality of the meat. In addition, it will be easy to lure a hungry pig from the paddock by offering her something tasty.
- If a boar or a pig lives in a cramped enclosure, is heavily stained with manure and dirt, then the animal must be washed well with warm water. This will reduce the number of microorganisms in the skin and extend the shelf life of the carcass. If the animal is kept clean, this procedure is optional.
- If the meat is intended for sale, a few days before slaughter, show the pig to the veterinarian, even if it is healthy, vaccinated and kept in sterile conditions. If all is well, the doctor issues a certificate, which is attached to the results of the sanitary-veterinary examination after the slaughter and allows you to put the meat on sale. If the pig is slaughtered for personal use, you can not show it to the veterinarian.
After the slaughter, you will have to turn to the veterinary laboratory again, where the doctor will make the necessary tests and write out a certificate of product safety.
The main thing is that the animal should be calm before slaughter. In order not to cause stressful situations, you should not scare him, scream at him, kick him and show any aggression towards him. It is believed that in a boar a meat quality deteriorates in a stressful situation, and this is not unfounded, since under stress, fear or aggression in the blood, the level of the hormone adrenaline rises. Thus, experienced slaughterers slaughter a pig when it is in a calm state. A bowl of delicious food and drink soothes a hungry animal perfectly.
Preparation of the workplace and equipment
To slaughter a pig, you need to prepare a workplace and equipment:
- a wooden pallet or other convenient platform where it will be easy to cut the carcass;
- a lot of warm water;
- sharp long knife with a blunt end;
Such a blade will not increase bleeding after applying a wound. Optimum blade size: length - at least 20 cm, width - 2 cm.
- blood collection containers, but galvanized buckets cannot be used;
- ropes for fixing;
- gas burner or blowtorch to scorch the bristles, but if the smell of gas bothers you, the carcass can be burned on straw
- clean rags that absorb liquid well;
- hook - for hanging carcasses so that blood is faster than glass;
- sledgehammer - it is necessary, first of all, for beginners to stun the animal, and only then proceed to slaughter.
It is better to sprinkle the place for slaughter with sawdust. It must be dry and clean. Disinfect all equipment in advance.
Slaughter methods at home
There are several methods of slaughter. Some pig farmers prefer to act in the old fashion using a knife, while others use new methods. Both those and others have a place to be.
Heart beat
This method requires a minimum of 2 people: one keeps the animal in a lying position, and the second acts with a knife, delivering a precise blow to the heart. The technology is as follows:
- The pig is laid on its left side and its legs are held tightly.
- Having felt the ripple, the blade is quickly inserted between the 3rd and 4th ribs.
- Only after making sure that the animal is dead, carefully remove the knife, and close the puncture with a clean rag.
- The skin is scorched and allowed to drain completely. Complete bleeding usually takes 5-7 minutes.
To facilitate the procedure, the animal can first be stunned with a sledgehammer, a heavy hammer or an ax ax, striking it in the frontal part of the head. However, even in an unconscious state, a pig can start to kick strongly reflexively, so you should not relax after an impact. The carcass must be held, and the knife should be left in it until the movements completely stop.
The advantage of this method is that the pig dies instantly, without experiencing torment. However, blood, although in small quantities, but enters the chest and lungs, which is not very good effect on the quality of meat.
Kick in the neck
This is a more painful method for the animal, because it does not die immediately, but the meat is better in quality than with a puncture of the heart, because the blood does not get inside. The two of us can’t cope here, so we need a team of at least three people. The technology of the method is as follows:
- While the wild boar is eating, his hind legs are tied with a strong rope.
- Throw it over the crossbar and pull the animal sharply up. If the carver is right-handed, then the head of the animal must be placed on the right side.
- As soon as the pig calms down, quickly cut the throat with the knife near the carotid artery - from the left auricle to the pharynx. It is important to make the puncture with confident pressure to a point that is located 2-3 cm from the ear.
- During the first seconds after the puncture, the pig falls into a state of shock. During this time, they lay it on a special table and turn it on its side, taking its right leg and pressing it to the surface of the table. Blood will begin to gush intensely, and the animal will gradually fade away.
Often this method is used when slaughtering a small pig, for example, a Vietnamese one.
Use of firearms
The most inhumane and cruel way. To get into an animal that felt danger is very difficult the first time. A wounded boar emits heartbreaking “screams” and starts rushing around the corral, damaging buildings. In addition, on the way, he can injure other inhabitants of the farmers. Not the best way, this affects the quality of the meat, as the adrenaline in the animal “bounces” to its maximum concentration. So, a firearm for killing a pig is unacceptable.
Shock Stun
The modern way. It is considered less costly and does not require assistants. The pig is stunned with a special stun gun through the head or heart. The disadvantages of the method include the formation of hemorrhages, bone fractures and ruptures of soft tissues. In addition, this method requires speed of action. After stunning for 45 seconds, the carcass should be bled. This requires an injection in the heart or neck, using the previously given methods.
Carbon dioxide stunning
The best method if you want to score several pigs at once. For this method, a hermetic chamber is prepared where several pigs are placed and carbon dioxide is admitted. Animals fall asleep after 2-3 minutes, and the reflex contraction of their muscles lasts longer than in the case of the previous methods. The disadvantage is that pigs experience stress when they are placed in a small room, which adversely affects the quality of the meat.
The method requires additional costs for equipment, and it is more interesting for large farms, because you can stun 6-8 heads at once, and animals can be of different weights.
Of all the methods, pig farmers often use the first two technologies - a blow to the heart or neck.
Features of the slaughter of the pig and boar
With a small weight of the pig, you can slaughter yourself, but it is better if the assistant will hold the hind legs of the animal. Usually they use a blow to the neck for slaughter, since this is a more humane way of all the others - the animal will simply fall asleep and will not feel pain. Piglets are cut on a special high stool.
When slaughtering a large individual, at least 3 people will be needed, since it is very difficult for animals to cope with more than 100 kg alone. The owner lures the animal out of the corral, and the assistants deftly and quickly tie the front and rear legs to it. Having immobilized the pig in this way, they begin to slaughter it in any of the above ways. Be sure to drain all the blood, otherwise the lard will have a red color.
Slaughter in industrial slaughterhouses
In modern slaughterhouses, almost the entire process is automated:
- The pig population is first washed and then sent to the workshop.
- Animals are suspended by their hind legs, head down over the conveyor.
- Slaughterers cut blood vessels with precise and quick strokes. Next, let the blood drain.
- Bloodless carcasses are sent to the furnace, where the bristles are removed.
After slaughter and bleeding, the carcasses are sent for butchering.
Useful tips for beginners
For those who are new to slaughtering a pig, you can give some practical advice:
- A heart beat should not be used, since this method is more acceptable for experienced miners. The fact is that you need to know exactly where to insert the knife. For beginners, a blow to the neck is more suitable.
- Before slaughter it is recommended to stun the pig.
- For better bleeding, the carcass should be hung on a hook. Remember that blood spoils the taste of meat, because it gives it an unpleasant aftertaste.
Before you start slaughtering a pig, you need to thoroughly prepare and take into account all the nuances of this process. An injured and wounded animal not only suffers, but also becomes very aggressive, and the picture of a running man behind a bloodied creature causes only horror and disgust. In this regard, it is also worth taking care of the moral aspect of the procedure.