The holding pens is one part of a pig slaughter line based on slaughter house design. For food safety purposes, many countries have management methods and rules about living pig or hogs being slaughtered by pig slaughter machines. It is necessary for all the abattoirs or slaughter houses to follow.
The article will introduce 6 key points to manage the holding pens (pre-slaughter area) for pig/hog abattoir or slaughter house line (click “demo video” to watch how a pig slaughter line equipment works).
1.Before unloading live pigs or hogs into pig slaughter house or abattoir plant,
- A certificate of conformity issued by the supervising agency of animal epidemic prevention of origin should be obtained.
- The truck should be observed. If no abnormalities found, unloading is allowed after conformity of certificate and cargo.
2.After unloading the truck
- The quarantine personnel must observe the health statue of the live pigs one by one, and divide and number the live pigs or hogs according to the inspection results.
- The qualified and healthy pigs are driven into the holding pens to rest.
- The suspected sick pigs should be sent to the isolation pen/area and continue to be observed.
- They sick or disabled pigs are sent to emergency slaughter room for treatment.
3.Regarding suspicious sick pigs or hogs
- After drinking water and adequate rest, those who return to normal can be driven into the holding pens.
- If the symptoms are still not relieved, they should be sent to the emergency slaughter room for treatment.
4.Before being slaughtered
- Live pigs or hogs to be slaughtered should stop feeding for 12-24 hours, in order to eliminate fatigue during transportation and return to their normal physiological state.
- During the period of rest, the quarantine personnel should observe regularly.
- If any suspicious pigs or hogs are found, they should be sent to the isolation pen for observation.
- Sick pigs should be sent to the emergency slaughter room for treatment.
- Healthy pigs/hogs should stop drinking water 3 hours before being slaughtered.
5.Shower or cleaning
- Before the pigs enter the slaughter house, they must first be showered to wash or clean the dirt and microorganisms on the pigs. At the same time it is also convenient and easy to stun.
- The water pressure should be controlled when showering, so as not to cause excessive stress to the pigs.
6.After the shower
- The pigs are driven into the slaughter workshop through the pig-driving passageway.
- The pig-driving passageway is generally designed as funnel type.
- At the beginning, the pig-driving passageway can be used for 2-4 pigs to forward side by side.
- Gradually only one pig can move forward.
- And the pig body cannot turn around and walk back. At this time, the width of the pig-driving passageway is designed as 380-400mm.
Next article will introduce “Pig Slaughter Line Process 1: Stunning“.