Slaughter question?

[townfarmer]

We've found a home butcher who will come to our place, kill a steer, hang it in a portable cold room for several days and then come back and butcher/ pack the meat. My question is; is it okay to kill, bleed and gut a beast in the yards where you work cattle? This may seem like a stupid question but will the smell of blood, etc make other cattle reluctant to enter the yards?

Andrew

 

[dun]

Nothing to worry about, we do it all the time.

 

[Jogeephus]

The only thing I've seen it upset are the bulls. Not all of them but usually at least one will get upset when he smells the blood and will bay and carry on for about a day.

 

[Alan]

Not a bad question at all, we butcher a steer about every year, have a guy come out kill and dress to quarters. He takes the quarters back to his facilility hangs and cuts and wraps. There was one year the cow herd was across the driveway being curious and watching. This was years ago and looking back I don't know if it was me and the cattle, but they seemed spooked. Or maybe it was just me not thinking it was right for mom seeing her son being shot and gutted in front of her. :lol: Anyway I always move the herd before a slaughter now and it was probably just in my head caused be my soft, kind heart. 8) . As far as blood goes after a few days it will not effect the cattle at all in my opinion.

 

[dun]

We've found a home butcher who will come to our place, kill a steer, hang it in a portable cold room for several days and then come back and butcher/ pack the meat. My question is; is it okay to kill, bleed and gut a beast in the yards where you work cattle? This may seem like a stupid question but will the smell of blood, etc make other cattle reluctant to enter the yards?

Andrew

There are only a couple of things you will have to contend with. Does he take the offal, if not you'll have to dispose of it. If he takes the offal he will dump the rumen contents, you'll have to deal with that. The other thing is that the blood will draw flys, you can water it in, takes a lot of water and time, or cover it with a layer of dirt.

 

[Bigfoot]

I wish somebody did that in west Ky. Anybody know of one?

 

[townfarmer]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

We've found a home butcher who will come to our place, kill a steer, hang it in a portable cold room for several days and then come back and butcher/ pack the meat. My question is; is it okay to kill, bleed and gut a beast in the yards where you work cattle? This may seem like a stupid question but will the smell of blood, etc make other cattle reluctant to enter the yards?

Andrew

There are only a couple of things you will have to contend with. Does he take the offal, if not you'll have to dispose of it. If he takes the offal he will dump the rumen contents, you'll have to deal with that. The other thing is that the blood will draw flys, you can water it in, takes a lot of water and time, or cover it with a layer of dirt.

We have to provide a hole for the offal,skin hooves and head. The suggestion of covering the blood with a layer of dirt makes sense.

 

[townfarmer]

Not a bad question at all, we butcher a steer about every year, have a guy come out kill and dress to quarters. He takes the quarters back to his facilility hangs and cuts and wraps. There was one year the cow herd was across the driveway being curious and watching. This was years ago and looking back I don't know if it was me and the cattle, but they seemed spooked. Or maybe it was just me not thinking it was right for mom seeing her son being shot and gutted in front of her. :lol: Anyway I always move the herd before a slaughter now and it was probably just in my head caused be my soft, kind heart. 8) . As far as blood goes after a few days it will not effect the cattle at all in my opinion.

This was another thing I was concerned with. Like you the idea of the rest of the cattle watching one of their peers being killed didn't seem right. I think I'll definitely move the other cattle well away.

Andrew

 

[dun]

Not a bad question at all, we butcher a steer about every year, have a guy come out kill and dress to quarters. He takes the quarters back to his facilility hangs and cuts and wraps. There was one year the cow herd was across the driveway being curious and watching. This was years ago and looking back I don't know if it was me and the cattle, but they seemed spooked. Or maybe it was just me not thinking it was right for mom seeing her son being shot and gutted in front of her. :lol: Anyway I always move the herd before a slaughter now and it was probably just in my head caused be my soft, kind heart. 8) . As far as blood goes after a few days it will not effect the cattle at all in my opinion.

This was another thing I was concerned with. Like you the idea of the rest of the cattle watching one of their peers being killed didn't seem right. I think I'll definitely move the other cattle well away.

Andrew

We had one total lunatic so I put a real calm cow in with her. Put a dab of grain in a trough and the lunatic took off for the far side of the barn, the calm kept eating. The lunatic peaked around the corner of the barn and 1 7.62x39 at 75 yards right between the eyes dropped her. The clam cow walked over and sniffed her while she was kicking then went right back to eating some hay. Didn;t seem to disturb her any

 

[Jogeephus]

Like Dun says, most don't seem to care. Only seen the bulls act a little upset but other than baying they've never done anything else.

 

[townfarmer]

Like Dun says, most don't seem to care. Only seen the bulls act a little upset but other than baying they've never done anything else.

I guess death is a normal part of life in nature. That red calf certainly doesn't seem fussed in the slightest. I find your observation about the bull fascinating. Who would have thought they would be the sensitive soul.

Andrew

 

[Jogeephus]

The odd thing about the bulls was it was only the lead bull that was baying. I don't know if it was just him or if it was his place in the pecking order that made him upset. The other bulls didn't seem to care. Also, seconds after the picture was taken the red calf was on the ground too and the black on in the background walked around its body and finished off the treat. If that's not apathy I don't know what is.

 

[Atgreene]

Did one a few years ago. Had the excavator handy to move it/hang it while we gutted and skinned. The only issue was we were 50' off the main road during foliage season. A few tourists got an eyeful. Best to do it out of sight.

 

[Jogeephus]

Did one a few years ago. Had the excavator handy to move it/hang it while we gutted and skinned. The only issue was we were 50' off the main road during foliage season. A few tourists got an eyeful. Best to do it out of sight.

Not sure about that. Once had to haul off a dead cow and had it in the back of the truck with the tailgate down. Stopped by Burger King for lunch and we thought it'd be best to park in the back - sortof out of sight. Manager gave us our meals if we would take them to go instead of dining in.

 

[Alan]

Did one a few years ago. Had the excavator handy to move it/hang it while we gutted and skinned. The only issue was we were 50' off the main road during foliage season. A few tourists got an eyeful. Best to do it out of sight.

Not sure about that. Once had to haul off a dead cow and had it in the back of the truck with the tailgate down. Stopped by Burger King for lunch and we thought it'd be best to park in the back - sortof out of sight. Manager gave us our meals if we would take them to go instead of dining in.

:lol: :lol:

 

[Alan]

Like Dun says, most don't seem to care. Only seen the bulls act a little upset but other than baying they've never done anything else.

I guess death is a normal part of life in nature. That red calf certainly doesn't seem fussed in the slightest. I find your observation about the bull fascinating. Who would have thought they would be the sensitive soul.

Andrew

I guess in my head and influenced by my truly big, soft kind heart.

 

[Dave]

I have only had one who was affected. It was a bull. I had moved cows and him into an area where a steer had been killed several days earlier. When he found that blood he went ape s**t crazy. He was butt the heck out of the cows, beating on trees, and carrying on something terrible. It lasted about an hour. I was two fences over and behind the barn. I made sure I stayed out of sight. The next day he calmed down and was back to normal. But I sure wouldn't have wanted to be out there with him at the time.

 

[dieselbeef]

my bull wne to bucking and carrying on too..lasted a cpl hrs. we just dont do it in the same pasture

 

[Jogeephus]

my bull wne to bucking and carrying on too..lasted a cpl hrs. we just dont do it in the same pasture

Same thing happens when I cut the calves. Never had him buck but he does let it be known that he's not happy.

 

[dieselbeef]

i gotta start spellchecking....geez