Table of Contents
Steps for Hog Slaughter Step 1: Check the weather. Step 2: Heat the water. Step 3: Set up your equipment. Step 4: Move the hog into the area where you will stun it. Step 5: Stun the pig. Step 6: Exsanguinate (bleed the animal). Step 7: Hang the carcass. Step 8: Scald.
Can I process my own pig?
Once the pig is skinned and gutted, the hard part is actually pretty well over, but the work is just beginning. Cutting the pig into 1 to 2-pound packages and vacuum sealing, along with chopping sausage meat into small pieces to fit through the grinder takes us 3-4 hours in total.
How long should you hang a pig before butchering?
When And Where To Slaughter Your Hog Most farmers prefer to wait for the chilly days of late fall, or even early winter, before killing swine. You see, the finished carcass must hang and cool for at least 24 hours before the meat can be sectioned and cured or frozen.
How long does it take to process a pig?
Unlike the beef industry, pork production is very fast paced and always changing rapidly. On average, it takes around six months for a hog to reach market weight of 280 lbs. It all begins at the farrowing stage.
Where do you stick a pig to bleed out?
After they are down, stunned- You to bleed them out. Slit the throat- best done by sticking a 6″ boning knife into front base of neck and moving the knife around until you hit the carotid arteries. You will know as the blood will gush and bleed the pig out quickly. You want this.
What is the slaughter process?
The slaughter of livestock involves three distinct stages: preslaughter handling, stunning, and slaughtering. In the United States the humane treatment of animals during each of these stages is required by the Humane Slaughter Act. The basic slaughtering process.
How do you bleed a pig?
Bleeding should be carried out by an incision made with a sharp knife in the jugular furrow at the base of the neck, the knife being directed towards the entrance of the chest to sever all the major blood vessels arising from the heart (Figure 23).
How many hams do you get from a pig?
How much of each cut can I expect to get from one pig? 2 hams per pig- You can get these processed into fresh hams, cured hams, smoked hams, ham steaks or even ham hocks. Expect about 28 pounds of meat.
How long do you hang a cow before butchering?
Q: Do you have to hang a beef carcass in a cooler before cutting and processing the meat? (February 2012) A: Hanging beef in a cooler (at about 38° F) for at least 10 days is recommended to improve tenderness. This process is called aging.
How hard is it to raise pigs?
They are hearty, simple to raise and produce an extreme amount of meat in an amazingly short amount of time. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to raise pigs, look no further! Easy, Fun, Cute I think pigs are one of the easiest farm animals to raise.
How much does it cost to slaughter and process a pig?
Total feed costs per pig amounted to roughly $115 each. The pigs were processed at home, so there was no cost for slaughter or butchering, but slaughter generally costs about $60 plus another $100 for butchering.
How are pigs processed?
Pigs are moved in small groups using plastic paddles and sorting boards or curtains. Pigs are commonly stunned using CO2 (animals are lowered into a chamber that is 90 percent CO2) stunning or electrical stunning, whereas cattle are stunned using captive bolt.
Why do you scald a pig?
Hogs are covered with hair. The purpose of the scalding box is to heat the hog so that the hair can be pulled out and scraped off with a minimum of effort. If heated too long, the hair would set in the follicle, making the scraping and pulling more difficult.
What is the most humane way to slaughter a pig?
For older boars and sows, use a 0.30 calibre firearm. Most captive bolt pistols are suitable for small pigs; however, large pigs require the use of high-velocity captive bolt pistols. Animals should be bled out immediately after shooting with the captive bolt, while they are unconscious, to ensure death.
Where do you cut a pig’s throat?
Cut the pig’s throat. After you’ve killed or stunned the pig with a shot, feel for the pig’s breastbone, and insert your knife a few inches above it, making an incision across the front of the throat, at least, 2–4 inches (5.1–10.2 cm) long.
How much freezer paper does a pig need?
Plan to have 1 cubic foot of freezer space for every 15 pounds of pork. A small 7 cu ft freezer works great for a whole pig with extra room for chickens and fruit and veggie preserves, and half a hog will fit in a standard freezer compartment.
Do pigs suffer when slaughtered?
Animal rights groups have recorded images of pigs being transported to slaughter in cramped and unhygienic conditions. They state that the transportation does cause suffering, which has economic rationale. The pig is then eviscerated, the head is usually removed, and the body is cut into two halves.
What is the best pig feed for flavor?
Barley is probably the best all-round grain for pigs. Feed it crushed or steeped in water to soften. Meat meal provides good protein. Here are the other feed options I use to give the meat great flavour, all grown myself.
How long can a hog sit before gutting?
If the temperature is warmer, and the area is not too humid or rainy, then you might have as long as 12 hours; anything past that and you’re pushing your luck significantly. If the temperature is cooler, then 24 hours is around the maximum amount of time you want to wait before the meat starts to spoil.
