How to slaughter your own goat without resorting to the services of a slaughterer? The easiest way is to first stun her and then cut her throat so that the blood flows out. You can kill an animal without first stunning it. In this case, the goat needs to be tied with ropes, since with its throat cut, in a state of agony, it can move and even run for some time.
Optimal timing
Usually a dairy goat is not killed, but kept for 7-9 years. After all, the older the animal, the more milk it gives (from 2 to 7 liters per day). Every year, sometime in the fall, goats are mated. Pregnancy lasts 5 months. In the spring, kids are born.It is them, though fattened and grown, who are sent to slaughter.
It is advisable to castrate young goats at the age of 1-2 months, for example, using an elastic band. Then the meat will not have a specific taste and smell. For the first 3 months, newborn goats are milk-fed. Closer to summer, they are gradually transferred to plant foods.
Animals can graze on pasture throughout the warm season. During this period of the year, feed costs are minimal. In summer, goats eat only grass. Additionally, they can be given finely chopped vegetables (carrots, pumpkin, beets). To quickly gain weight, they are fed small amounts of grain mixtures (barley, oats, wheat, corn). With the arrival of the first frost, animals can be sent to slaughter. By this time, the weight of the goat should be at least 15 kilograms. There will be 2 times less clean meat after slaughter. Animals are usually slaughtered at 6-12 months of age. It is not recommended to keep goats longer. After all, the older the animal, the tougher the meat.
Methods of slaughter
Goat breeders who raise goats for milk rarely decide to stab, that is, kill, their animals themselves. Usually a specially trained slaughterer is invited for such a procedure. This person works according to sanitary rules, that is, he requires a certificate from a veterinarian stating that the animal is completely healthy.
You can kill a goat yourself. There are two main methods of slaughter: with and without stunning. The animal is stunned with a hammer blow to the frontal part (above the eyes). The stunning tool must weigh a minimum of 2.5 kilograms. The animal, stunned by the blow, is bled (the throat is cut while suspended by the hind legs). You can kill a goat without first stunning it by cutting its neck vessels.
The dead animal must be hung from the crossbar by its hind legs so that all the blood drains out of the carcass.
Common methods of slaughtering goats at home:
- Stunning with a hammer to the head followed by cutting of the cervical arteries.
- Without preliminary stunning, in a horizontal position. The animal is laid on its side and its legs are securely secured with a rope. In this position, the arteries in the neck are cut.
- Without preliminary stunning, in a standing position. The animal is pinched between the legs. With the left hand they lift the head by the horns or chin, with the right hand they cut the throat.
Important! If a goat is killed without first stunning it, its legs must be tied tightly or held tightly while it bleeds to death for several minutes. In a state of agony, the animal may break free and run around the yard with its throat cut.
Preparation for the process
Before slaughtering a goat, you must carefully prepare for the procedure. In the last month, it is recommended to give animals higher quality food, more finely chopped vegetables and grains. By the time of slaughter, the goat should have recovered slightly. It is advisable that an animal being sent for slaughter be examined by a doctor. The goat must have all vaccinations. Vaccination is usually carried out at 3 months of age. Animals are given antiparasitic drugs once a quarter.The last deworming treatment is carried out 3 weeks before slaughter.
In recent days, it is forbidden to expose the animal to stress. This deteriorates the quality of the meat. The day before slaughter, the goats are stopped giving food. They are kept on the same water all day long. 3 hours before slaughter, animals stop drinking.
Before killing a goat, it is thoroughly washed with a hose. Fresh meat can absorb foreign odors, which reduces its taste.
It is necessary to carefully prepare the place where the slaughter will be carried out. All tools should be at hand. To bleed the carcass, hang it by its hind legs from a crossbar or on a tripod with a winch. For blood and meat you need several basins or pans. The cutting of the carcass is carried out on the table. The place and all objects where the slaughter will be carried out must be washed well with clean water so that the meat does not absorb the odors of manure or detergents.
What tools are needed
For slaughter you will need the following tools:
- a sharp knife 25 cm long for cutting cervical vessels;
- a well-sharpened knife 15 cm long for removing skins;
- oilcloth or plastic film for bedding;
- ropes for securely securing the animal;
- crossbar or tripod for hanging the carcass;
- basins, plates and pots for blood, meat and entrails;
- rags and hand wipes;
- clean water for washing the intestines.
How to slaughter a goat
You can kill a goat or goat in any convenient way: by stunning or by immediately cutting the neck blood vessels. You can carry out the slaughter yourself. True, for the first time, before slaughtering a goat, it is advisable to call another person for help.
The easiest way to slaughter an animal is this way:
- put a rope around your neck;
- tie a goat to a tree;
- hit the back of the head with a hammer;
- remove the rope from the neck;
- cut the cervical arteries to allow blood to flow out;
- while the heart is pumping, hang the animal by its hind legs to the crossbar;
- cut off the head so that the blood drains better;
- Place a basin below, about 2 liters should flow out;
- After 2 hours, when the blood has completely drained, remove the skin from the carcass.
The skin is removed from the carcass in the following order:
- wrap the neck with rope and cling film so that the skin does not get stained with blood;
- make cuts on the hind legs around the hock joints;
- cut the skin on the inner line of the thighs through the anus;
- trim the skin near the tail;
- they tighten the skin, trimming the meat, fat and ligaments with a knife;
- After skinning, the canvas is cut on the belly and left spread out on the table.
Important! After skinning, they immediately begin cutting up the carcass. This procedure is carried out while the goat is hanging on the crossbar. Cutting usually takes one hour.
Carcass cutting
You can cut the carcass in this order:
- carefully make a small incision on the stomach along the white line so as not to puncture the stomach;
- carefully pull out the bladder and genitals;
- the rectum and stomach are separated from the spine and all the gastrointestinal organs are pulled out;
- the intestines are placed in one bowl, and the liver in another;
- remove the liver, carefully separating the bile from it;
- last of all, the heart, trachea, remains of the esophagus and lungs are removed;
- allow the meat to cool;
- From a hanging carcass, the front legs with shoulder blades are cut off separately, then the sides with ribs;
- the spine is separated from the hind legs;
- at the end the thighs and legs are cut off, leaving the hooves.
Pieces of meat are placed in a pan. Then it is cut up on the table on a board. The meat is left in a cool room (4-5 degrees Celsius) for fermentation for 24 hours.When completely cooled, use it for cooking or put it in the freezer. The intestines are cleaned and washed with water if they are going to be used for sausage. The stomach is also cleaned, and then soaked for a long time in a salty solution.
Important! The carcass is not washed during cutting. The blood is wiped off with rags or napkins. The health of the goat is judged by the condition of the internal organs. The meat usually has a pleasant pale pink color. Healthy organs should not have tumors, white spots, or mucus.
What to do with the skin
The goat has a large and beautiful skin from which you can make a rug for the floor. Immediately after skinning, it is laid out on the table with the wool down. The skin is cleaned with a knife to remove any remaining meat, fat, or blood. Then leave it for 2 hours to cool down. Sprinkle the cooled skin generously with salt. One kilogram is enough for one skin. It is left in this state for 5-7 days. Then the salt is shaken off, and the skin is dried in a straightened form. Dry it in a cool room for 2 weeks.
After drying, soften in an aqueous solution of salt, soda, formaldehyde. This operation is called unwinding. Then fleshing is carried out, that is, the softened subcutaneous layer is removed with a knife. After which the skin is washed in water with powder. Then they do pickling, that is, they soak the skin in a solution of salt and vinegar.
After this stage, it is washed in clean water. The leather is softened by the tanning process using special preparations. Before drying it is softened with fat. You can simply salt the skin and hand it over to specialists for dressing.
