LPT 312: Abattoir Practices and Animal Products Technology (1+1)

NEW METHOD OF DRESSING

• The New Zealand Meat Industry Research Institute (MIRINZ) has developed a superior method of automatic pelt removal to produce blemish-free and hygienic carcasses with the minimum of labour.
• The valuable hindquarter is completely untouched and there is no stretching of the pelt.

The inverted method

• The carcass is suspended by the forelegs or in a near-horizontal position on twin conveyors. 
• A ‘Y’ cut is made from forelegs to throat releasing the ‘vee’ flap, is split by hand.
• The head is removed and discarded.
• The pelt is further prepared for automatic removal by skinning the belly and groin.
• The carcass is now ready fir the operation of two pelting machines – the shoulder puller and final puller, the former drawing the shoulder flaps in a downward/backward direction while the latter (a hydraulically-operated arm and clamp) grips the fleece centrally and strips it downwards off the hindquarter and shanks.
• The fleece is then released through a floor chute to the pelt room.