Every farmer who raises piglets has repeatedly encountered the slaughter of animals. For some, this process is quite simple and does not present any difficulties. However, many new farmers face problems. Most often, people refuse physical slaughter and use special paralyzers for pigs.
Is it possible to kill a pig with a stun gun?
Many farmers use stun guns during slaughter for fear of injury.Traditional slaughter must be carried out by men with good physical strength who can hold the pig. In this case, several men kill the piglet at once, and not just one person. If the farmer is slaughtering for the first time, it is recommended to use a special electric shocker. It is worth noting that it cannot be used to kill an animal. It is used to stun and immobilize pigs.
Using such a device has several advantages and disadvantages. Among the advantages of the shocker are the following:
- Using this method of slaughter, you do not have to turn to strangers for help. One person will be enough to slaughter a piglet.
- Economical. Electrical stunning is considered the most economical method of stunning.
- No additional equipment needed. The only thing you need to stun an animal is a stunner.
However, this method of stunning also has its disadvantages that people may encounter if they use an electric shocker incorrectly. These include:
- high probability of fracture of limb bones;
- decrease in pH level in muscle tissue;
- damage to the skin surface;
- minor hemorrhages.
Types of stun guns
Before you start slaughtering piglets, you need to familiarize yourself with the types of stun guns that can be used to stun animals.
Remote
This model is often used when stunning animals, as it can be used to stun a pig from a distance. Such devices are equipped with a special shooting cartridge, with which it is possible to stun the animal from a distance. The firing range of different models of electric stun guns differs.However, most of them allow you to hit a target at a distance of 5-6 meters. Some expensive stun guns have a firing range of 10-12 meters. The main disadvantage of remote shockers is that they are only suitable for one-time use.
Contact
People who want a device that can be used multiple times should choose remote stun guns. They can be disabled, enabled, and reused as needed. The category of such products includes conventional stun guns, stun guns and models that have a knockout effect. These devices have considerable current and spark output. With their help, you can paralyze an adult wild boar for 20-25 minutes.
Clubs
Some farmers use baton-shaped stun guns when slaughtering piglets. It is recommended to use this model if you need to quickly stun several animals at once.
DIY transformer for stunning pigs
It is not necessary to buy a stun gun to stun pigs, as you can make one yourself. To make the product you will need the following parts:
- converter;
- transformer;
- arrester;
- capacitor.
The operating principle of a homemade shocker is quite simple. First, the capacitor transmits an electrical discharge to the transformer, after which an electrical pulse is generated. Making a shocker begins with creating a transformer. To do this, you will need a B22 core, on the surface of which enameled wire is wound. You can purchase this part in a store that specializes in selling electrical parts.
After winding, there should be five layers of winding on the core. It is recommended to lay electrical tape between them. Having finished this, we begin to create the output transformer.You will need a polypropylene tube with a diameter of 20-25 millimeters. A piece 45 millimeters long is cut from it, which will be used as a frame. Then, a drill makes grooves one and a half millimeters deep inside the pipe.
After this, a wire is wound around the tube, onto the edge of which a wire with several wires is soldered.
Having finished with the transformer, a wire one millimeter thick is wound onto the ferrite rod. It is then isolated and inserted into the tube. This must be done very carefully so that the winding phases are not in different directions. After this, the transformer is placed in a box and filled with paraffin. The assembly of the stun gun should be carried out according to the following scheme.
Preparation for slaughter
Before you start slaughtering, you need to do some preparatory work. Experienced farmers do not recommend feeding animals the day before the event. A daily hunger strike contributes to the complete emptying of the animal’s intestines and stomach. This will have a positive effect on the quality of lard and meat after the procedure is completed. A few hours before slaughter, the amount of water consumed by piglets is limited or they are completely stopped giving it.
It is also necessary to prepare in advance the equipment that may be needed for the work. Among the necessary tools are the following:
- Rope. It may be necessary if the piglet's limbs have to be tied.
- Stun gun. A tool that will be used to stun an animal.
- A sharpened knife or cleaver. With their help, stunned piglets will be slaughtered.
- Containers with warm water. The liquid may be needed to wash the pig's skin and entrails.
- Empty containers.They will be needed to contain the animal's blood and entrails.
Rules for the process
Before stunning a piglet with an electric shocker and subsequently slaughtering it, you need to familiarize yourself with the peculiarities of this procedure. First you need to stun the animal with an electric shock.
In this case, it is necessary to select the power of the stun gun so that the selected discharge is sufficient to stun the animal. Then you need to stab with a knife in the area of the heart or neck.
After slaughtering the pig, it is necessary to start cutting up the carcass. To do this correctly at home, you must adhere to the following recommendations:
- Hair removal. To get rid of hairs on the surface of the pig's skin, you need to use a torch or blowtorch. The procedure must be carried out very carefully so as not to accidentally damage the skin.
- Washing the skin. After removing the hairs, you need to rinse the carcass with hot water to get rid of traces of burning. If necessary, you need to scrape off any remaining stubble from the skin.
- Limb trimming. Hoof trimming should be done with a well-sharpened, sharp knife.
- Removing the entrails. Before getting rid of them, the carcass is turned over on its back, the chest is carefully cut and the lungs, heart and esophagus are removed. To get the gall bladder and liver, you will have to make an incision along the entire peritoneum. When all the insides have been removed, the inner walls of the carcass are washed with warm water.
Possible mistakes
There are several mistakes that farmers make when slaughtering piglets:
- Abundant feeding before slaughter. This cannot be done, since the food in the stomach during the slaughter process may cause the animal to have involuntary defecation.
- Wrong day chosen. You should not slaughter piglets on frosty days, as this makes cutting the meat much more difficult.
- Sloppy cut. If you cut the carcass carelessly, blood will enter the internal organs, causing the quality of the meat to deteriorate.
Conclusion
Many farmers who are interested in raising piglets have to slaughter them. Before doing this, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the features of this procedure in order to do everything correctly.
