Bleeding Out/Home Slaughter

Help Support CattleToday:

Pnw Farmer

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 1, 2022
Messages
108
Reaction score
121
Location
SE Washington
Merry Christmas Eve to everybody here tonight. We just finished up our 3rd home slaughter today and while other parts are becoming easier the one part that has eluded me has been the process of exsanguination/bleeding out. I've been going in right in front of the breast plate, opening up about a 5" slice and wiggling the knife blade in around where I understand the carotid is. I get blood flow but not that "gusher" like the mobile guys get going. I don't want to get too carried away dicing in there and hit the trachea and esophagus. With the pigs we've done after they hit the ground we take the big knife in right behind the jaw and opened it up clear across the neck and had the blood just pour out in no time. My questions are these, do any slaughter guys or anybody here slit the throat on cattle right behind the jaw like with pigs? Is there any reason it wouldn't work? Do I need to open the carotid more than just puncturing it? All the videos I've watched use the breastplate entry for bleeding out, I haven't found anybody slitting the throat on cattle. Thanks in advance.

Farmer
 
Merry Christmas Eve to everybody here tonight. We just finished up our 3rd home slaughter today and while other parts are becoming easier the one part that has eluded me has been the process of exsanguination/bleeding out. I've been going in right in front of the breast plate, opening up about a 5" slice and wiggling the knife blade in around where I understand the carotid is. I get blood flow but not that "gusher" like the mobile guys get going. I don't want to get too carried away dicing in there and hit the trachea and esophagus. With the pigs we've done after they hit the ground we take the big knife in right behind the jaw and opened it up clear across the neck and had the blood just pour out in no time. My questions are these, do any slaughter guys or anybody here slit the throat on cattle right behind the jaw like with pigs? Is there any reason it wouldn't work? Do I need to open the carotid more than just puncturing it? All the videos I've watched use the breastplate entry for bleeding out, I haven't found anybody slitting the throat on cattle. Thanks in advance.

Farmer
Both the slaughter house and the mobile butcher we use cut their throat. From jaw bone to jaw bone.
Time is of the essence.
What are you using to knock the cattle? A small caliber is better. 22mag is very popular with a lot of butchers. The goal of knocking is just to render the animal brain dead not completely dead. You want their heart to still be beating when you cut their throat. Also gravity is your friend. The sooner you get them shackled and hung (after cutting their throat and not getting your leg broke) the better they bleed.
 
I think I'll try slitting the throat on the last one we have to do, that may be the better choice as it's further from the rear legs kicking about. Do the folks you use cut through the trachea and esophagus as well? As soon as they hit the ground I clear the rifle and get them bleeding. I've been using a 22 mag with FMJ for penetration, 12"-18" distance. The last 2 were a single shot, dropped like a sack of potatoes. Unfortunately the first one took 2, he was a bottle baby that we dehorned and I think that threw me on the "x marks the spot", he was in a small enclosure so I was able to get a quick follow up but it sticks with me. Hard lesson learned. What are the negatives of not getting a full bleed out, the beef we've done has had great flavor and I know I haven't gotten them completely bled out through the carotid so I'm curious as to what the thought is behind that. Thanks again.
 
I think I'll try slitting the throat on the last one we have to do, that may be the better choice as it's further from the rear legs kicking about. Do the folks you use cut through the trachea and esophagus as well? As soon as they hit the ground I clear the rifle and get them bleeding. I've been using a 22 mag with FMJ for penetration, 12"-18" distance. The last 2 were a single shot, dropped like a sack of potatoes. Unfortunately the first one took 2, he was a bottle baby that we dehorned and I think that threw me on the "x marks the spot", he was in a small enclosure so I was able to get a quick follow up but it sticks with me. Hard lesson learned. What are the negatives of not getting a full bleed out, the beef we've done has had great flavor and I know I haven't gotten them completely bled out through the carotid so I'm curious as to what the thought is behind that. Thanks again.
Shooting them just takes practice. The guys I know shoot them at a distance, 20-50'. Stand at the corner of the barn or fence and shoot across the lot. 12-18" is almost to close.
Yes the butcher goes through their esophagus and trachea. All the way down to the spine. They don't try to bleed through a breast plate stick at all.
Good luck.
 
Alternatively you can do a long parallel cut high up in the neck over the jugular groove and then work your finger through the tissue to pick up the carotid artery and then cut across it. If you use the right side you will miss the oesophagus and avoid any leakage of rumen contents.

Ken
 
I think I'll try slitting the throat on the last one we have to do, that may be the better choice as it's further from the rear legs kicking about. Do the folks you use cut through the trachea and esophagus as well? As soon as they hit the ground I clear the rifle and get them bleeding. I've been using a 22 mag with FMJ for penetration, 12"-18" distance. The last 2 were a single shot, dropped like a sack of potatoes. Unfortunately the first one took 2, he was a bottle baby that we dehorned and I think that threw me on the "x marks the spot", he was in a small enclosure so I was able to get a quick follow up but it sticks with me. Hard lesson learned. What are the negatives of not getting a full bleed out, the beef we've done has had great flavor and I know I haven't gotten them completely bled out through the carotid so I'm curious as to what the thought is behind that. Thanks again.
You can go all the way, helps prevent a Hollywood cut.
 

Latest posts

Top