The fundamental principles of hygiene, as well as economic considerations, demand that the

slaughtering of animals for human consumption be carried out in establishments specially

constructed for the purpose and kept under constant sanitary control. More. There is no doubt
that the public slaughterhouse system is costly from the standpoint both of installation and of
management. Hygienic conditions are ensured but the system in practice involves the loss of a
substantial proportion of by-products of specific commercial value. . It was found that the chief
causes of superficial contamination were :
(l) dirt and skins of animals . (approximately
33%) ;
(2) pollution in the abattoir atmosphere . (approximately
5%) ;
(3) the visceral content—in normal (approximately
conditions 3%) ;
(4) transport and storage (50% or over) ;

(5) halving, quartering, and packing of car-

casses . (approximately
2%) ;
(6) miscellaneous—utensils, personnel, etc.(approximately
. 3%).
It was also found that the use of sawdust for the cleaning of the premises was indisputably
unhygienic.
These findings led to recommendations which were attended by successful results. Measures
applied included preliminary washing of the live animals, rapid removal of skins from
workrooms, thorough cleansing of premises, utensils, and transport installations, supervision of
cleanliness of personnel, provision of adequate water-supplies (the average amount of water
required per head of livestock is 1000-2000 litres), prohibition of the use of sawdust, etc. As a
result of these precautions, the risk of contamination during the slaughtering phase was reduced
by 80%.
Slaughter implies putting an animal to death and subsequently preparing the carcass and organs for
human food
 The three chief methods are
(a) slaughtering without previous stunning; This may be carried out by a stab in the chest or
throat, or by cutting the animal's throat
(b) puncturing the back of the neck prior to bleeding (pithing): To puncture the neck, a knife
is inserted between the first cervical vertebra and the occipital bone. The medulla oblongata is
damaged and the animal at once collapses and remains motionless even during the subsequent
bleeding
(c) stunning prior to bleeding: Immediately prior to bleeding, the animal is rendered
unconscious by one or other of these means: a striking instrument, a pistol (with bolt or bullet),
electricity, or gas
Collection of blood
Where bleeding is effected by stabbing, the blood is allowed to drain freely from the wound and is
collected and emptied into a vessel that is fitted with a stirring device to separate the fibrin and thus
prevent coagulation