Hello friends. Welcome to my blog FOODZAQ. Today I am going to discuss about Slaughtering : Humane and Religious methods of slaughtering. The term meat refers to the muscles of warm blooded for leg animal such as cattle, sheep and pigs. And also includes glands and organs of these animals. Meat contain protein, all essential amino acid, vitamin and minerals. Slaughtering is the process of killing of animal for food. Usually killing the domestic live stocks. In general the animal food being killed for food. They might also be slaughtered for other reasons such as being disease and unsuitable for human consumption. There are 2 methods of slaughtering : Religious method and Humane method.


Religious method of slaughtering

It also called ritual method of slaughtering. There are mainly three types of religious method : Jewish method, Jhatka method and Muslim/ Halal method. Here stunning is not allowed and animal bleed directly using a sharp knife to cut throat and main blood vessel. This results sudden massive lose of blood with lose of conciseness and dead.

1. Jewish method

It is controlled by Britten by the Jewish board of slaughtering. Jewish slaughter man have to undergo several years of training before being license. They are also subjected to annual examination of skills by the commission. In order to fulfilling the right requirement of Jewish law, animal must slaughtered (Cutting the esophagus and trachea) and dressed according to ritual method. This is performed by a cutter whose cut the fully concise animal with a sharp knife.


2. Jhatka method

Jhatka method of slaughtering is followed by Sikhs in India in few pocket area only. The animals are slaughtered with a sward and head is separated.

3. Muslim or Halal method

Many of the particle relating to the slaughter of animal and the consumption of meat by the members of Jewish faith also apply to Muslim. The welfare of animal is the major consideration in both cases and eating of dead animals meat is forbidden. The Quran describe the procedure as the cutting and draining the blood of an animal with a very sharp knife on throat. Usually cut windpipe, jugular vein and carotid arteries. The act of slaughtering is allow in the name of god in the usual practice. This is to remains the slaughter  man that he is taking the life of a living organism. unlike Jewish and Jhatka method, Muslim method is not controlled by a central board. It over seared by local Islamic authorities. 


Human method of slaughtering

In humane method, the animal must be unconscious before it is slaughtered in order to eliminate the pain, discomfort and stress from the procedure. Here actually occurs death without pain or dis stress. Stunning has two purposes : 

  1. To induce an immediate state of insensibility.
  2. To produce sufficient immobility to facilitate sticking process.

Many countries had adopted this method for slaughtering of animal. This ensure rapid death with minimal suffering. The first stage of process usually calling stunning, renders the animal unconscious and thus not susceptible to pain. But no necessary to dead. In the second stage the animal is killed usually by slitting is throat and allowing the blood to drain countries differ in the method.

There are three main technology used in humane stunning method.

  1. Percussion stunning
  2. Electrical stunning
  3. CO2 stunning or Gas stunning

Percussion stunning

This method produces a physical shock to brain. This method works on the principle of gun and fires method and it propels a short ball from barrel. The ball penetrate to the skull and it effects the brain. Properly boost the bold pistol. This very effective in cattle, sheep and calves but less in pigs.

There are 2 types of percussion stunning

  1. Penetrating stunning
  2. Non penetrating stunning
Penetrating type of percussive stunning produces immediate and permanent insensibility by destruction of deeper parts of the brain. Non penetrating percussion stunning are sometimes used in calves when brain are used for edible uses. Proper use of this method is capable of producing immediate insensibility for effective stunning. It is important that the operator is well trained.

Electrical stunning

This method of stunning is well suited for pigs, sheep, poultry and ostrich. Electrical stunning induces epileptic stage in brain. This stage last for long enough for bleeding to carried out. So that animal die by cerebral anoxia. Here on alternating electrical current is applied by means of two electrodes, which are placed either sides of the brains using tongs. It is necessary for electricity is passed through the brain in a sufficiently short period of time. If too high voltage is employed meat quality may compromised. If too low current is used, the animal may be paralyzed but still conscious of pain.   

There are two types of electrical stunning

  1. Low voltage electrical stunning : Using less than 150v and it is most common type of stunning.
  2. High voltage electrical stunning : High voltage stunning system using 300v or above. It is more effective than low voltage stunning.

CO2 stunning or Gas stunning

CO2 gas is the only gas widely used for stunning animals commercially. It is usually stored in cylinders, Bulk tank or in a room. A concentration of 80-95% CO2 is the most suitable for pre slaughtered anesthesia. If the concentration is too low, the pigs will not properly stunned and if it is too high, there is tendering for the pigs to become stiff.

Advantages : It include relax carcass, allowing easier dehairing and dressing, less noise and reduce labor requirements.

Dis advantages : More expensive.


Guys, Thank you for reading my blog. I hopes you should understands about different types of slaughtering. If you have any suggestion or query please feel free to comment below. If you like my blog you can also read my previous blog as well. Thank you again. Have a great day.