Abattoir Practices and Animal Products Technology

SLAUGHTER HALL

• The place where actual slaughter and dressing animals take place after stunning.
• Form of ‘bays’ or ‘booths’ of 6.5m x 6.5m or in the form of an open hall with generous floor space, well ventilated and lighted.
• The space requirements of this chamber will depend on the kill @ 3 sq. m per cattle and 0.5 sq. m per sheep or goat.
• The transfer of animals from lairage to slaughter hall will be easy in a well designed abattoir
• In upper kill floor the animals are walked directly on the slaughter floor by a ramp provided with battens and a catwalk
• Cattle and sheep and goat can readily be driven up a ramp as steep as 1 in 6
• If animals are stunned on the ground level then hoisted after bleeding for subsequent dressing on the top floor.  
• Cattle and sheep can be slaughtered in the same slaughter hall provided such operations are conducted at different periods.
• Hot water and steam facilities should be available for washing and sterilizing purposes.
• Floors should be impermeable, non-slip, monolithic screed, sloping at 1:50 into screened drains.
• The walls should be of solid construction, finished in a smooth impermeable granolithic screed and be tiled, grouted with a impervious material or covered with an epoxy resin paint designed to function as a ‘tile’ to a height not less than 2 metres.
• Above this level, the walls should be finished in flake free high quality, light coloured lead and arsenic free gloss paint.
• Ceilings and superstructures similarly finished.
• All floor/wall/ceiling junctures are rounded or coved.
• The illumination requirements are 220-lux units in the slaughter hall and 540 lux units in place where inspection is done.
• Overhead rails should be 3.3 m high for cattle dressing, although 4.5 m would be required for the bleeding rail.
• Small stock and pigs may be slaughtered and dressed from a 3 m rail.
• The overall height of the building should not be less than 6 m at the point of the cattle bleeding.
• Floor levels should slope in such a way that water and materials on the floor flow into drains from clean to dirty areas.
• Water should not flow from one room to another.
• The slaughter hall should be provided with conveniently placed chutes for disposal of offal.

Sterilisers

• An adequate number of efficient sterilisers operating at 82°C for hand tools, shackles, etc. to be provided on all slaughter/dressing floors, all conveniently placed for operator use.
• Bootwash / apron wash facilities are necessary for cleanliness of operative.