Pig slaughter is the most unpleasant stage of raising a Vietnamese pig for a pig farmer, but it still cannot be done without it. You have two ways - contact professional slaughterers or learn the basics of doing the work yourself. It is recommended to carry out slaughtering for the first time under the supervision of an experienced butcher, who will provide insurance and give useful recommendations. Before him, it is advisable to attend the slaughter at least once - this way it will be easier for you to understand what’s what than just using methodological recommendations and videos. The main requirement for the correct execution of work is that everything must be done quickly, so that the animal does not have time to become very frightened.
Maximum weight and volume of piglets and adult Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs for slaughter
Before slaughter, the weight should be between 110 and 112 kg, it is not worth raising more than that, as it will become fat. Age in this case is not so important - they focus on weight.
On average, animals reach the weight required for slaughter within six months of breeding, provided proper feeding.
Since it is difficult to weigh a pig, we recommend that you focus on its parameters - namely chest girth and body length. First, the length of the body is measured - the tape is applied to the middle of the back of the head, then stretched along the neck, withers, and back in a straight line. You will need to reach the root of the tail. In this case, the pig should stand with a level (that is, horizontally positioned) head.
Measuring is much more convenient than weighing.
Slaughter at home
Slaughter can begin only when the animal is ready for it. The time of year can be any - the main thing is that the pig has time to gain the required weight. This article will tell you about fattening piglets for meat at home. Let's consider the main methods of carrying out work.
How to stab in the heart
A simple and effective method that is most often used by experienced carvers. The animal is secured with ropes by its front and hind legs. It is advisable that 2-3 people hold it - this way everything can be done as quickly as possible. Two people must hold the pig during slaughter, and the third one makes the puncture.
It is not advisable to pierce alone. At least two people are needed to hold the animal.
The restrained animal is placed on its right side, and then a long thin knife is thrust directly into the heart (in a pig it is located in the same place as in a person - between the fourth and third ribs). You should not immediately take out the knife - wait until the animal calms down, and only then remove it from the wound. Support the blade with a clean, thick piece of cloth.
The length of the knife blade should be at least 30 cm - you simply won’t kill a pig with a shorter one.
Puncture in the neck
A couple of people will be enough - one stabs the neck, and the second holds the animal by the legs . First, the pig will need to be placed on the slaughter table with the legs pointing up. Direct the animal's head so that it is comfortable for you (right-handed to the right, left-handed to the left). Pigs weighing at least 100 kg are used for slaughter.
Place a basin near the table - the blood will subside into it. The puncture is made 2-3 cm from the ear.
As soon as you give the injection, the animal will go into shock. Then lay him on his side and press him to the table by his right leg. The blood begins to flow immediately, the pig quickly calms down and falls asleep. A puncture in the neck is the best way to slaughter small breeds like Vietnamese.
How to score using a stun gun
The most inhumane method of slaughter, but it is sometimes used for wild boars. The fact is that males are quite strong, and even strong men cannot always hold them. If the fight is a single one, you simply have no chance - so first stun the animal with a stun gun, and then cut its artery or pierce its heart. Thanks to a stun gun, you can handle slaughter alone.
Firearms
The most inhumane and impractical way. It is quite difficult to hit a pig that has sensed danger with a gun, and inept attempts and inaccurate hits in the “atmosphere” are unsafe for others. Therefore, the use of this technique is considered a last resort - you should not resort to it unless absolutely necessary. Usually they resort to weapons when the animal has already broken free and started to run away.
Required Tools
When slaughtering Vietnamese pigs, the quality of the knives is of great importance, to which professional slaughterers have special requirements. These special tools should be:
- made of durable, well-hardened and rigid steel;
- have a blade length of about 18-22 cm;
- the metal blade of the tool must be solid and extend from the tip to the end of the knife handle;
- the handle should be wooden and not slip in the hand;
- The sharpening needs to be perfectly sharp.
Depending on the slaughter method, you can use a double-edged knife or a tool with a one-sided sharpening.
Remember that a double-edged knife can pose a threat to the slaughterer himself and his assistants, so handling it should be as careful as possible.
Be sure to prepare strong ropes to secure the animal, as well as an ax or sledgehammer to stun it if the situation gets out of control. Check the serviceability of the blowtorch, which will be required during the process of cutting the carcass. We talk about this in detail in the article “Cutting the carcass of a pot-bellied pig.”
Features of slaughter: age, weight, how to cut
The specifics of slaughter depend on the weight of the animal. You can cut a suckling pig alone, you only need a high stool. To make the procedure painless, wait until the animal falls asleep . Larger pigs need to be restrained, so enlist the help of at least one other person. The animal stops bleeding approximately six minutes after slaughter.
If you know for sure that you will not be able to hold the boar, first immobilize it with a shocker.
A large boar is slaughtered by a team, since the animal has impressive weight and considerable strength. For a 120 kg boar you need at least three people - one will lure the animal, and two will tie it up. After using any slaughter method of your choice, the blood must be drained - otherwise the lard will turn out red and the taste of the meat will change.
How to butcher a pig carcass
When a pig is slaughtered, the carcass must be properly dressed. The main task of performing the work is to properly separate the meat and lard so as not to damage the internal organs. Take special care with the urinary and gall bladders - if you pierce them, you will spoil the raw meat.
The procedure for performing cutting work:
- The head is cut off.
- An “apron” is carefully cut out on the peritoneum.
- The head is cut into two parts (in the center).
- The end of the esophagus is tied, after which it is removed from the carcass.
- The lungs, diaphragm, and heart are removed.
- The intestines are carefully removed, then the stomach.
- Cut off the liver, cut off the gall and throw it away.
- Remove all internal fat.
- Cut off the kidneys and bladder, the bladder will also need to be thrown away.
The diagram for cutting up a pig carcass can be found here.
Section layout.
That's all - all that remains is to wipe the carcass with napkins or rags and divide it into two parts.
You should not wash the inside of a cut pork carcass - this will cause the meat to quickly deteriorate.
If you learn how to slaughter pigs yourself, you will save a lot of money on their slaughter. Do not get attached to animals, do not give them nicknames and remember that the main task of wild boars is to go to slaughter. This will help overcome the psychological barrier. Read about the large white breed of pigs at this link.
Bleeding
The presence of blood in meat deteriorates its quality, so when slaughtering a pig, care must be taken to quickly bleed the carcass. As mentioned above, the ideal option is to open the carotid artery and jugular vein. Then almost all the blood will flow out of the animal itself.
If a pig has been killed by a blow to the heart, some blood will certainly collect in its chest cavity. When opening the animal, the collected liquid can be scooped out with any convenient container, and the resulting clots can be removed with a napkin or clean rag.
What a beginner needs to know to cut correctly
Useful tips for slaughtering pigs for a beginner:
- Immediately prepare a container where and into which you will drain the blood - otherwise you risk delaying, and the meat and lard will be spoiled.
- Look for an assistant - it will be difficult to kill the animal alone.
- Use for slaughter (to kill) a place that will be easy to clean after finishing the work (to score, to burn).
- There is no need to feed the animal before slaughter in order to quickly lure it with food immediately before day X.
- If possible, wash the pig at full length (completely) - this will make cutting it both easier and more enjoyable.
- Behave as calmly, peacefully and confidently as possible , do not shout at the pig, do not push him, as this will only increase the stress level.
You can find out more about meat and fat breeds of pigs here.
In order not to encounter a psychological barrier when slaughtering wild boars, give yourself the initial setting - the animal is raised (you kept and raised / the pig grew up) for slaughter.
Arrangement of the slaughter area
It is important to prepare the slaughter area, which should be at the maximum possible distance from the pigsty and not visible to other fattened animals.
It is also necessary to provide a wooden flooring on which the slaughtered pig will be butchered. The surface must be generously sprinkled with sawdust or straw, which will absorb the blood of the killed animal.
You must first prepare containers for collecting blood, as well as hot water, which will be used to wash the slaughterer’s hands and the carcass itself.
In industrial pig farming, special hangers for carcasses are used, which allow better drainage of blood, but for small producers it makes no sense to make such structures on purpose.
The owner of a pig farm can slaughter a small Vietnamese pot-bellied pig himself, but an assistant will be needed to slaughter a large animal.
conclusions
- Adult Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs are slaughtered at home when they reach a weight of 110-112 kg. Since it is difficult to weigh an animal, special tables are used to determine its weight.
- The main methods of slaughter are stabbing, piercing the heart or neck, using an electric shocker, or using a firearm. The last two are not recommended to be used in excess, since they are the most unsafe.
- You can only cut a suckling pig alone - in other cases, 2-3 people should participate in the process. If the boar is strong and violent, you can first immobilize it with a shocker.
- Blood after a puncture must be drained immediately to avoid spoilage of meat and lard. But it is highly not recommended to rinse the carcass with water after cutting.
Read about breeding Vietnamese pigs in this material.
Cleanse skin of dirt and deposits
After completion of the roasting process, the carcass of the lop-eared pig should acquire a dark golden color, which signals the need for the last stage of stripping the skin.
A pot-bellied pig laid on a wooden shield should be covered with a piece of clean canvas and doused with hot water, the temperature of which is about 60 degrees Celsius.
Within 7-10 minutes the skin will become wet and it will be possible to clean it of carbon deposits and dirt using a knife or a metal brush. Most often, a household dishwashing brush is used for this purpose, which can be purchased at any hardware store.
Cleaning and scraping is carried out until the skin of the Vietnamese pig becomes light and no traces of hair are visible on it. If you plan to sell meat and lard at the market, then you need to re-cover the pig with a piece of cloth or an old blanket, leaving it in that position. After about half an hour, you can start cutting up the carcass.
