Etc... Freezer Beef Prices

[greathorse]

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I think we are in the etc. phase lOL

 

[CARS]

I think your right greathorse

 

[Buster52]

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So you make sure you get the whole head instead of part of it as in that pic.

Trust me, you cut a chicken's head off, it's dead. Instantly.

I'm not trying to question those who prefer slitting. Maybe they are better at it than I am. It's just that I have tried it and for me, chopping is quicker.

 

[the simple life]

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Well lets see, Temple Grandin is a professor here at colorado State University and is world reknown for the work she does with packing plants in terms of designing the best way to keep animals calm and quiet on their way to their ultimate demise. I have met her many times and have served on more than one panel with her. The work she does is with all packing plants even the largest of them and has probably made more of an impact on the treatment of animals from the time they arrive at a plant until they die there. Here biggest contribution is that she has devised systems whereby plants can closely monitor their animals from start to finish.

I am not sure the big plants care a lot about how the animals are treated but they for sure pay a lot of attention to it as the consumer interest is at an all time high. None of them want negative press about animal handling and animal harvesting. I would submit she has made a bigger impact with the large plants than she has with the small. I do not know that she has a real issue with feedlot situations but again has given feedlot operators great tools for monitoring and creating ways to make the animals more comfortable. She monitors things like lameness, slipping and sliding, animal vocalization which can be a symptom of discomfort.

She clearly beleives that her biggest impact can be made with the larger players, because that effects the largest number of animals.

The differnence in animal treatment between now and 10 years ago is night and day and Temple was instrumental in making these changes. Plants that used to be nearly deafening with cattle vocalizing in the holding pens are now nearly silent due to some of the simple changes she has instituted.

Um... yeah. Not sure about the point here. Her design is the one that I mentioned and the one that the processing plant uses where I buy my beef.
Its half the reason I buy my beef there and not somewhere else that has grass fed organic beef.

 

[mountainpridefarm]

Though beef seems to be the main topic here...I am wondering if anybody has tried to "stun" a chicken before slitting the jugular for bleeding. I have a rough time with slitting their jugular while fully conscious. Can you "ring" their necks? What about a sharp blow from behind the head while they are walking around?

 

[Buster52]

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I think Jaku does that but I'm not sure.

I whacked a few when I was experimenting with slitting. I held them upside down by the feet which sort of relaxes them or hypnotizes them or something and whacked them behind the head with a steel pipe. It was effective, but still not 100%, at least for me. One I killed one outright, which sort of made the whole thing pointless for slitting, and a couple of times a bird woke up during the bleed out. So, I switched to the sure thing.

I have heard of knives that give an electric jolt to the bird when it touches them and thus stuns them at the same time it is slitting. I would imagine those would be expensive, though.

 

[dancingbear]

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I think Jaku does that but I'm not sure.

I whacked a few when I was experimenting with slitting. I held them upside down by the feet which sort of relaxes them or hypnotizes them or something and whacked them behind the head with a steel pipe. It was effective, but still not 100%, at least for me. One I killed one outright, which sort of made the whole thing pointless for slitting, and a couple of times a bird woke up during the bleed out. So, I switched to the sure thing.

I have heard of knives that give an electric jolt to the bird when it touches them and thus stuns them at the same time it is slitting. I would imagine those would be expensive, though.

Yeah, I know one of the guys on here mentioned whacking them on the head with a piece of 2X4, knocking them out, then chopping or slitting, I forget which. I watched Joel Salatin's (or Grady's) You Tube video about slaughtering, and tried that method the next time I butchered. They died pretty quick, even the flapping reflex passed a lot faster than before. Probably because I was able to make deeper cuts faster, and they were dead or unconscious from blood loss in about 5 seconds or less.

I don't know how you could use a knife that electrically stunned a bird, without zapping yourself. If you're pulling down on the head to pull the skin taut, and find the bare spot, so you can make a good cut, your hand will be in contact with the skin right next to where the knife touches the bird....ZAP!

 

[greathorse]

Um... yeah. Not sure about the point here. Her design is the one that I mentioned and the one that the processing plant uses where I buy my beef.
Its half the reason I buy my beef there and not somewhere else that has grass fed organic beef


My point was that most plants ecspecially the large ones that get blasted all the time are using her methods as well. She does not by the way design plants she advises plant owners and operators how to create systems to help keep stock more safe and more calm, and as importantly gives them measurable criteria to use for monitoring the success of her systems. That's all. I was not being arugumentative, just letting all know that plants all over the world including the big ones use her as an advisor.

 

[Buster52]

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That makes sense but apparently they do exist, and are in fact required use in processing plants in some states...

Required in some states, an SKVS should be your first investment when it's time to improve your slaughtering efficiency. With the SKVS a controlled voltage shock is delivered to birds (or rabbits) the instant before sticking. This immediately stops their struggle, preventing broken bones and bruised bodies. Heart action is speeded up to actually pump the blood out so bleeding is faster and more thorough, too. Even clean-up is made easier.

Operation of the SKVS Knife is so simple and safe that even the beginner can use it efficiently in just a few minutes. One of the four available settings will stun nearly any bird, but when the operator removes his thumb the knife is absolutely dead. A specially designed tranformer with ground shielded windings provides full protection at all times.

Each unit comes complete with large metal control cabinet, heavy-duty power and knife cords, a safety knife assembly, and complete instructions. Installation is quite simple. All you need is a source of 110 v, 1 hp power and a metal grounded support (such as a Knase shackle) from which to hang the bird. The SKVS Knife reduces handling labor and permits stacking the birds in the KTCS Killing Cabinet or Tunnel. It is required for any Pickwick and Knase System that is to be run at full capacity, recommended whenever turkeys are to be processed, and will prove to be very helpful in any plant.

SKVS* SKVS ELECTRIC STUNNING KNIFE, Variable Settings, Insulated Glove, 110v/60hz $ 2,150.00

Source: http://www.knasecoinc.com/accessories.html​

 

[Wildsky]

I think you'd find a lot more folks chiming in if you started a new thread with a new title - you probably find lots of folks arn't even reading this thread.