Slaughterhouse operations are evolving. Propelled by advancements in technology and methodologies, plants are producing higher quality proteins with a greater emphasis on food safety and the humane treatment of animals.
And with government regulators, third-party auditors and operators more closely scrutinizing plants, slaughterhouses are functioning more efficiently and effectively.
“Plants have never been better,” says Temple Grandin, professor of animal science at Colorado State University and a livestock industry consultant on facility design. “The U.S. Department of Agriculture has gotten really strict in monitoring the humane slaughter of animals, and the U.S. is much better than a lot of countries in that area.”
Slaughterhouses are leveraging myriad tools and techniques to enhance animal welfare and operations, including newer stunning apparatus.
Erika Voogd, president of Voogd Consulting Inc. — a West Chicago, Ill.-based consulting firm specializing in animal welfare, food safety, regulatory support and meat plant training — notes such equipment includes pneumatic captive bolt stun guns.
In search of straight shooters
The devices, which are geared for higher-volume plants, can be easily changed from a standard to a higher pressure setting for larger animals, such as older cattle and bulls.
Also available are handheld captive bolt stun guns for lower volume plants. The devices — which are designed for larger cattle, dairy cows, bulls, boars and older sows — have a longer barrel and penetrating bolt with more cartridge power to deliver ample force to effectively stun on the first shot, Voogd says.
A new captive bolt gun, meanwhile, has a fully retractable bolt and a heavier barrel for easier maneuvering. Such a bolt saves time and helps eliminate the possibility of the gun sticking in an animal’s head.
Advanced slaughterhouse technologies also are enabling plant operators to pinpoint the optimal points on cattle for stunning, Voogd says. “The best location is higher on the forehead and assures stun accuracy into the mid-brain,” she says.
Newer tools in the poultry sector, meanwhile, include guns that automatically adjust stunning amperage in accordance with a bird’s resistance and horizontal cones that hold birds in place and eliminate the need for hanging. Such gentle restraining during slaughter reduces stress and damage to wings and legs.
Another technique that is intended to reduce stress in birds is low atmospheric pressure system (LAPS) stunning. During the procedure, poultry are placed in chambers and rendered unconscious by a gradual reduction in the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere. It eliminates the discomfort associated with live-bird shackling.
The details are in the data
Cutting-edge technologies also are providing additional options for the electrical stunning of pigs.
Some devices, for instance, can detect a pig’s potential resistance to stunning and, in response, automatically adjust the amperage. Resistance can quickly change in accordance with such factors as how quickly tissue breaks down during the stun, the wetness and thickness of the skin, the amount of hair and the level of hydration.
Accurate assessments are essential as excessive amperage can cause broken bones, bruising and blood splash, in which blood leaks into muscles and causes discoloration. Such issues can affect product quality.
Technologies also enable stunning information and other slaughterhouse measurements to be automatically recorded on computer databases.
“Plants are becoming more data driven in looking for signs of animal insensibility as well as registering the accuracy of stun gun placement, amperage and voltage readings, and how long a stun lasts,” says Kurt Vogel, assistant professor of animal science at the University of Wisconsin in River Falls. “Monitoring stunning is like having a black box in that we can tell when something has gone wrong. Slaughterhouses, by collecting information, can catch potential problems before they become severe animal welfare issues.”
While more statistics give managers a clearer and more accurate assessment of plant operations, enabling them to make better decisions, it also creates challenges, Vogel says.
“Managers have more options to think about with the extra details,” he says. “The best operators will get information quickly and find ways to use it in a streamlined manner.”
Enhanced technologies, meanwhile, also are leveraged in niche sectors, including plants that specialize in the religious slaughter of animals.
A sharper cutting image
Joe M. Regenstein, professor of food science and head of the kosher and halal food initiative at Cornell University, says newer knife sharpening equipment is able to quantitatively measure the state of instruments.
Optimal blade sharpness helps reduce muscle and tendon strains in workers and limits such potential injuries as carpal tunnel syndrome during slaughter. Sharper blades also contribute to the humane treatment of animals, he says.
“With the proper sharpness there is less chance an animal will feel a cut,” Regenstein says. “It is important that the animal expires calmly and does not feel pain.”
Devices that measure knife sharpness are intended to replace such manual procedures as gauging the state of the blade with microscope examinations, Regenstein says, adding that methods which rely on qualitative rather than quantitative evaluation are often inaccurate.
“There are extremely strict rules for kosher slaughter, which includes having knives that are the right size, shape and sharpness,” he says. “It is critical that the knife is used correctly.”
In addition to upgrades in slaughterhouse tools and devices are advances in the monitoring of slaughterhouse operations by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and plant administrators.
“The USDA is doing more enforcement on stunning and is tightening up its procedures, which includes giving out more noncompliance records and requiring plants to suspend operations,” Grandin says. “That level of activity was not happening just three years ago.”
Such added scrutiny was triggered in part by the release of an undercover video in 2012 that revealed animal abuse at a Central Valley Meat plant in Hanford, Calif.
And unlike the 1980s and 1990s when broken equipment was common and workers often abused livestock, Grandin says today’s slaughterhouses “have never been better,” though upgrades are not often acknowledged.
Missing the big picture
“College students and others go to Web sites and read about the bad things that have happened in the treatment of animals, but they don’t know what is occurring overall within the industry,” Grandin says. “It’s frustrating because there are improvements, but many people are not aware of them.”
Indeed, she notes that only within the last year have plants’ noncompliance records (NR) and suspensions been posted online for public access. With only recent data available, viewers are unable to compare the number of incidents with those in the past.
“The situation is getting better but Web sites don’t show history,” Grandin says. “In the early 1990s, there would have been 10 times more violations listed. Ten years ago the USDA never would have shut down a plant for a noncompliance violation, but that has changed.”
Grandin says the USDA is more closely monitoring stunning and, as a result, “stunning is getting to be about as good as it is going to get.”
Such measures as having outside parties monitor plant operations through video auditing also are contributing to greater animal welfare.
Third-party video audits are typically only leveraged by the largest plants and it solves the problem of many workers being on their best behavior only when they are watched by managers, Grandin says.
While such technologies enhance operations throughout plants, Grandin says there still is room for improvements.
For instance, many animals continue to be stressed by practices such as plant workers parking vehicles near fences holding livestock, having workers stand in front of animals as they move into chutes and causing lights to reflect off floors.
Future upgrades to slaughterhouses will likely be incremental and involve changes to employee behavior, Grandin says.
“Enhanced animal welfare often results from small alterations, such as eliminating distractions, changing handlers, not routing too many cattle and pigs into a chute at one time and being quiet with the animals,” she says. “People are always looking for the magic new technology for animal welfare, but it’s the management that will make the biggest difference.”
Further changes will likely include additional cutbacks in the use of electrical prods to route animals into chutes. Prodding often causes stress in cattle and results in tougher meat.
“Plant workers are becoming much better,” Grandin says. “Especially because the USDA has gotten stricter and will shut down a plant if there is too much electrical prodding.”
Focusing on less stress
Other stressful behaviors that affect product quality include the herding of animals into areas of plants and trucks that lack adequate space, which can cause discomfort and bruising. Added stress to pigs, meanwhile, can result in the development of pale, soft and watery meat because of increases in lactic acid and decreases in pH.
Technical enhancements, however, are also contributing to a better understanding of animal handling techniques by workers. Electronic training modules, for instance, enable new workers to become more easily versed on proper slaughterhouse procedures and current workers to stay current on the newer devices and methodologies.
Future advancements in technology and procedures, Voogd says, will address ongoing challenges, such as effectively handling animals that continue to increase in size and maintaining an efficient operation despite continuing employee turnover.
The growing breadth of animals, some of which is the result of genetic engineering intended to increase weight, contributes to greater stress because of inadequate plant capacity and equipment. (See sidebar).
Voogd notes, for instance, some slaughterhouses are using stun guns that were bought 30 years ago for 1,000-pound animals and are now are being used on 1,600-pound cattle. Such devices, she says, might cause concussions but not insensibility.
“There have been dramatic improvements in plants over the last 15 years, but the work is not done,” she says. “Slaughterhouse operations need to be managed like any process and it is important that the industry continue to move to a better direction and does not slip backward.”
Advanced technologies, along with greater government and plant oversight, have been instrumental in making slaughterhouse operations more productive and less stressful for animals. While future improvements will largely be incremental, additional enhancements to devices and animal handling procedures will further reduce the prospect of violations with subsequent upswings in animal welfare and food quality
Newer knife sharpening technologies enable workers to more accurately gauge the state of blades.
The heavy-duty captive bolt stun gun with a larger penetrating rod is best for bigger animals.
The growing size of animals is making it difficult for many to comfortably fit into restrainers.
A need for harvest, fab makeovers
While advancements in equipment are enhancing animal welfare and slaughterhouse operations, additional improvements also will result from non-technical changes.
A key focus will be the renovation of plants to ensure facilities can effectively handle larger sized animals without causing stress or effecting food quality.
Enhanced employee training also is on agendas as slaughterhouses seek to remain efficient despite rapid worker turnover.
“If any cog on a wheel is not working properly, things can go wrong in plants,” says Erika Voogd, president of Voogd Consulting Inc., a West Chicago, Ill.-based consulting firm specializing in animal welfare, food safety, regulatory support and meat plant training.
She says many plants are designed to accommodate small animals, yet the size of livestock has increased over the decades. As a result, some animals no longer fit in restrainers and cattle often are reluctant to enter chutes because they are afraid they will scrape their backs — an issue that can necessitate the use of electrical prods.
While many large plants have expanded to accommodate larger animals, some small- and medium-size slaughterhouses have yet to revamp their facilities.
“Many slaughterhouses were built 20 years ago to handle 180- to 200-pound pigs and now you are trying to put 260- to 300-pound pigs in the plants,” Voogd says. “Some facilities also have sharp corners, doors that are not tall enough and entrances that are not wide enough for the livestock. Trying to push animals through the doors and chutes can result in agitation and cause bruising.”
She notes, however, that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is giving more oversight to the state of facilities and “the majority of plants are putting more emphasis on humane handling whether the slaughterhouse is small, medium or large.”
Handling, she adds, is particularly challenging as each animal can behave differently with workers. Some cattle, for instance, are comfortable with people while others might come from ranges where they encountered humans only once or twice a year and therefore are afraid of employees.
“There is a lot of worker turnover in plants and the new employees often don’t know how to work properly with the animals,” she says. “The employees need to be seasoned and understand the process to be effective.”
Voogd says it is crucial for new employees to be trained adequately prior to working with livestock or poultry.
“An effective method is for the workers to ‘buddy’ with mentor employees that are humane-handling champions with excellent skills and calm demeanors and who can make sure that newer employees receive the right guidance and instruction on the job,” she says. “It also is important that the new and existing employee are versed on procedures at both the start of their jobs and afterwards.”
Uendeshaji wa mashamba ya wanyama unabadilika. Kwa kuongozwa na maendeleo katika teknolojia na mbinu, mimea inazalisha protini za ubora wa juu na msisitizo mkubwa juu ya usalama wa chakula na matibabu ya binadamu ya wanyama. Na kwa wasimamizi wa serikali, wakaguzi wa tatu na waendeshaji wakichunguza zaidi viwanda, mashamba ya kuua yanafanya kazi kwa ufanisi zaidi na kwa ufanisi. "Mimea haijawahi kuwa bora zaidi", asema Temple Grandin, profesa wa sayansi ya wanyama katika Chuo Kikuu cha Jimbo la Colorado na mshauri wa sekta ya mifugo juu ya muundo wa kituo hicho. "Wakati huo huo, Wizara ya Kilimo ya Marekani imekuwa na ""mfumo mkali sana wa kufuatilia mauaji ya wanyama, na Marekani ni bora zaidi kuliko nchi nyingi katika eneo hilo."" ""Mafuniko ya wanyama yanatumia vifaa na mbinu nyingi ili kuboresha ustawi wa wanyama na shughuli zao, ikiwa ni pamoja na vifaa vipya vya kuangamiza." Erika Vogt, rais wa Vogt Consulting Inc., kampuni ya ushauri ya Chicago, Illinois, inayohusika na ustawi wa wanyama, usalama wa chakula, msaada wa udhibiti na mafunzo ya mimea ya nyama, anasema vifaa hivyo ni pamoja na bunduki za pneumatic za kifungo cha kifungo. Vifaa vya kusafirisha, ambavyo vimeundwa kwa ajili ya mimea ya kiasi cha juu, vinaweza kubadilishwa kwa urahisi kutoka kwa kiwango cha kiwango cha juu kwa wanyama wakubwa, kama vile ng'ombe na ng'ombe. Pia inapatikana handheld captive bolt stun bunduki kwa ajili ya mimea ya kiasi cha chini. Vifaa hivyo, ambavyo vimetengenezwa kwa ajili ya ng'ombe wakubwa, ng'ombe wa maziwa, ng'ombe wa ng'ombe, mbwa mwitu na ng'ombe wa ng'ombe wazee, vina pipa refu zaidi na bolt ya kupenya yenye nguvu zaidi ya cartridge kutoa nguvu ya kutosha kuangusha kwa ufanisi kwenye risasi ya kwanza, Voogd anasema. Bunduki mpya ya bolt ya utekwa, wakati huohuo, ina bolt inayoweza kuondolewa kabisa na pipa nzito zaidi kwa ajili ya uendeshaji rahisi. Mfumo huo huokoa wakati na husaidia kuondoa uwezekano wa bunduki kugonga kichwa cha mnyama. Teknolojia za hali ya juu za mauaji pia zinawawezesha waendeshaji wa kiwanda kutambua sehemu bora za ng'ombe kwa ajili ya kuzingatiwa, Voogd anasema. "Mahali pazuri zaidi ni juu ya paji la uso na inahakikisha usahihi wa stun katika ubongo wa kati", anasema. Vifaa vipya katika sekta ya kuku, wakati huo huo, ni pamoja na bunduki ambazo huingiza moja kwa moja amperage ya kushangaza kulingana na upinzani wa ndege na koni za usawa ambazo zinashikilia ndege mahali na kuondoa haja ya kunyongwa. Kudhibiti kwa upole wakati wa kuchinjwa hupunguza mkazo na uharibifu wa mabawa na miguu. Njia nyingine ya kupunguza mkazo kwa ndege ni kutumia mfumo wa shinikizo la chini la angahewa (LAPS). Wakati wa utaratibu huo, kuku huwekwa ndani ya vyumba na kuangushwa kwa kupunguzwa hatua kwa hatua kwa kiasi cha oksijeni katika angahewa. Inasafisha hali mbaya inayosababishwa na kufungwa kwa ndege walio hai. Maelezo ni katika data Teknolojia za hali ya juu pia zinatoa chaguzi za ziada kwa ajili ya umeme stunning ya nguruwe. Baadhi ya vifaa, kwa mfano, inaweza kugundua nguruwe ya uwezekano wa upinzani wa stunning na, katika majibu, moja kwa moja kurekebisha amperage. Uvumilivu unaweza kubadilika haraka kulingana na mambo kama vile jinsi tishu inavyovunjika haraka wakati wa stun, unyevu na unene wa ngozi, kiasi cha nywele na kiwango cha hydration. Uchunguzi sahihi ni muhimu kwani amperage ya kupita kiasi inaweza kusababisha mifupa iliyovunjika, kupasuka na mtiririko wa damu, ambapo damu huvuja ndani ya misuli na kusababisha rangi. Masuala kama hayo yanaweza kuathiri ubora wa bidhaa. Teknolojia pia huwezesha habari za kuangamiza na vipimo vingine vya mauaji kurekodiwa moja kwa moja kwenye hifadhidata za kompyuta. "Mimea inazidi kuelekezwa kwa data katika kutafuta ishara za kutokuwa na hisia kwa wanyama na pia kurekodi usahihi wa uwekaji wa bunduki ya stun, amperage na usomaji wa voltage, na ni muda gani stun hudumu, ""anasema Kurt Vogel, profesa msaidizi wa sayansi ya wanyama katika Chuo Kikuu cha Wisconsin huko River Falls." <unk>Ufuatiliaji wa stunning ni kama kuwa na sanduku nyeusi katika ambayo tunaweza kujua wakati kitu kimeenda vibaya. "Wachungaji wa wanyama wanaweza kukusanya habari ili kugundua matatizo ya uwezekano kabla ya kuwa masuala makubwa ya ustawi wa wanyama, ""wakati takwimu zaidi huwapa wasimamizi tathmini ya wazi na sahihi zaidi ya shughuli za kiwanda, na kuwawezesha kufanya maamuzi bora, pia huunda changamoto,"" anasema Vogel." "Wameneja wana chaguzi zaidi za kufikiria na maelezo ya ziada", anasema. "Wafanyakazi bora watapata habari haraka na kupata njia za kuitumia kwa njia rahisi. Teknolojia zilizoimarishwa, wakati huo huo, pia zinatumiwa katika sekta za niche, ikiwa ni pamoja na viwanda ambavyo ni maalumu katika mauaji ya kidini ya wanyama. """ Joe M. Regenstein, profesa wa sayansi ya chakula na mkuu wa mpango wa chakula cha kosher na halal katika Chuo Kikuu cha Cornell, anasema vifaa vipya vya kusugua visu vina uwezo wa kupima hali ya vyombo. Uwezo wa kupasua upana wa kisu husaidia kupunguza misuli na misuli ya mfupa kwa wafanyakazi na kupunguza majeraha kama vile ugonjwa wa handaki wakati wa kuchinjwa. Yeye asema kwamba visu vyenye ncha kali pia huchangia kutendewa kwa kibinadamu kwa wanyama. "Kwa ukali unaofaa kuna uwezekano mdogo kwamba mnyama atahisi kukatwa", Regenstein anasema. "Ni muhimu kwamba mnyama anapumua kwa utulivu na haoni maumivu. ""Vifaa vinavyopima upole wa kisu vinakusudiwa kuchukua nafasi ya taratibu za mikono kama vile kupima hali ya kisu kwa uchunguzi wa darubini, "" Regenstein anasema, akiongeza kwamba mbinu ambazo hutegemea tathmini ya ubora badala ya kiasi mara nyingi ni zisizo sahihi." "Kuna sheria kali sana kwa ajili ya mauaji ya kosher, ambayo ni pamoja na kuwa na visu ambavyo ni ukubwa sahihi, umbo na ukali", anasema. "Kuna uwezekano mkubwa kwamba mashine hiyo itaweza kufanikiwa kwa sababu ya ""mfano wa mashine ya kuua wanyama"" na ""mfano wa mashine ya kuua wanyama"" na ""mfano wa mashine ya kuua wanyama"" na ""mfano wa mashine ya kuua wanyama"" na ""mfano wa mashine ya kuua wanyama.""" "USDA inafanya utekelezaji zaidi juu ya stunning na inaimarisha taratibu zake, ambayo ni pamoja na kutoa rekodi zaidi za kutofuata na kuhitaji viwanda kusimamisha shughuli, ""Grandin anasema." "Uchunguzi huo wa kina ulisababishwa na kutolewa kwa video ya siri mnamo 2012 ambayo ilifunua unyanyasaji wa wanyama katika kiwanda cha nyama cha Central Valley huko Hanford, California, na tofauti na miaka ya 1980 na 1990 wakati vifaa vilivunjika vilikuwa vya kawaida na wafanyikazi mara nyingi walitumia vibaya mifugo, Grandin anasema ""viwanda vya mauaji vya leo havijawahi kuwa bora, ingawa marekebisho hayajatambuliwa mara nyingi.""" "Wanafunzi wa chuo kikuu na wengine huenda kwenye tovuti na kusoma juu ya mambo mabaya ambayo yametokea katika matibabu ya wanyama, lakini hawajui nini kinachotokea kwa ujumla ndani ya sekta hiyo", Grandin anasema. "Ni jambo lenye kukatisha tamaa kwa sababu kuna maboresho, lakini watu wengi hawajui juu yao. " Kwa kweli, anabainisha kwamba ndani ya mwaka uliopita tu, rekodi za kutofuata (NR) na kusimamishwa kwa viwanda vimewekwa mtandaoni kwa upatikanaji wa umma. Kwa kuwa kuna takwimu za hivi karibuni tu, watazamaji hawawezi kulinganisha idadi ya matukio na yale ya zamani. "Hali inazidi kuwa bora lakini tovuti za mtandao hazionyeshi historia", Grandin anasema. "Mwaka wa 1990 na 1990 kulikuwa na ""mashambulizi"" zaidi ya mara 10 ya idadi ya watu waliohusika." "Mwaka mmoja uliopita, USDA haingekuwa imefunga kiwanda kwa sababu ya ukiukaji wa sheria, lakini hiyo imebadilika. ""Kama matokeo, kiwanda cha USDA kinazidi kufuatilia kwa karibu, na kwa hivyo, kiwanda cha USDA kinazidi kuwa sawa na kinachopatikana, hatua kama vile kuwa na watu wa nje kufuatilia shughuli za kiwanda kupitia ukaguzi wa video pia zinachangia ustawi wa wanyama." "Uchunguzi wa video wa mtu wa tatu kwa kawaida hutumiwa tu na viwanda vikubwa na hutatua tatizo la wafanyikazi wengi kuwa na tabia yao bora tu wakati wanaangaliwa na wasimamizi, ""alisema Grandin." Ingawa teknolojia hizo huongeza utendaji wa viwanda vyote, Grandin anasema bado kuna nafasi ya kuboresha. Kwa mfano, wanyama wengi wanaendelea kusumbuliwa na mazoea kama vile wafanyakazi wa kiwanda kuegesha magari karibu na uzio wa mifugo, kuwa na wafanyakazi kusimama mbele ya wanyama wanapokuwa wakiingia kwenye chutes na kusababisha taa kutafakari sakafu. Grandin anasema kwamba kuboresha mashamba ya kuchinjia wanyama katika siku zijazo huenda kukawa kwa hatua kwa hatua na kuhusisha mabadiliko katika tabia ya wafanyakazi. "Ubora wa ustawi wa wanyama mara nyingi hutokana na mabadiliko madogo, kama vile kuondoa vitu vinavyofadhaisha, kubadilisha wasimamizi, kutoelekeza ng'ombe na nguruwe wengi sana kwenye chute kwa wakati mmoja na kuwa kimya na wanyama, "anasema. "Watu daima wanatafuta teknolojia mpya ya kichawi kwa ustawi wa wanyama, lakini ni usimamizi ambao utafanya tofauti kubwa. ""Mabadiliko zaidi ya uwezekano yatatia ndani kupunguzwa kwa ziada katika matumizi ya prods za umeme kuelekeza wanyama kwenye chutes." Mara nyingi kuchochea wanyama husababisha mkazo na hivyo kutokeza nyama ngumu zaidi. "Wafanyakazi wa kiwanda wanakuwa bora zaidi", Grandin anasema. "Hata hivyo, ""Ufanyakazi wa umeme wa umeme"" ni moja ya sababu za kuathiri ubora wa bidhaa, na kwa sababu ya kuunganisha wanyama katika maeneo ya mimea na malori ambayo hayana nafasi ya kutosha, ambayo inaweza kusababisha usumbufu na kuumiza." Mkazo wa ziwa kwa pigs, wakati huo huo, unaweza kusababisha maendeleo ya nyama nyeupe, laini na maji kwa sababu ya ongezeko la asidi ya maziwa na kupungua kwa pH. Hata hivyo, maendeleo ya kiufundi pia yanachangia uelewevu bora wa wafanyakazi wa mbinu za kushughulikia wanyama. Kwa mfano, vifaa vya mafunzo ya elektroniki huwawezesha wafanyakazi wapya kujifunza taratibu sahihi za kufanyia kazi kwenye mashamba ya wanyama na wafanyakazi wa sasa kujifunza vifaa na mbinu mpya. Maendeleo ya baadaye katika teknolojia na taratibu, anasema Voogde, itashughulikia changamoto zinazoendelea, kama vile kushughulikia kwa ufanisi wanyama ambao wanaendelea kuongezeka kwa ukubwa na kudumisha operesheni ya ufanisi licha ya kuendelea kwa mzunguko wa wafanyikazi. Kuongezeka kwa idadi ya wanyama, baadhi ya ambayo ni matokeo ya uhandisi wa maumbile kwa lengo la kuongeza uzito, huchangia mkazo mkubwa kwa sababu ya uwezo wa mmea na vifaa visivyofaa. (Tazama sehemu ya upande). Kwa mfano, baadhi ya makundi ya wauaji hutumia bunduki za kugeuza fahamu ambazo zilinunuliwa miaka 30 iliyopita kwa wanyama wenye uzito wa pauni 1,000 na sasa zinatumiwa kwa ng'ombe wenye uzito wa pauni 1,600. Anasema kwamba vifaa hivyo vinaweza kusababisha mshtuko wa akili lakini si kukosa hisia. "Kulikuwa na maboresho makubwa katika mimea katika miaka 15 iliyopita, lakini kazi haijakamilika", anasema. "Uendeshaji wa mauaji unahitaji kusimamiwa kama mchakato wowote na ni muhimu kwamba tasnia iendelee kusonga kwa mwelekeo bora na haipatikani nyuma. ""Teknolojia za kisasa, pamoja na usimamizi mkubwa wa serikali na kiwanda, zimekuwa muhimu katika kufanya shughuli za mauaji kuwa na uzalishaji zaidi na chini ya mkazo kwa wanyama." Ingawa maboresho ya baadaye yatakuwa ya hatua kwa hatua, maboresho ya ziada kwa vifaa na taratibu za utunzaji wa wanyama zitapunguza zaidi uwezekano wa ukiukaji na kuongezeka kwa ustawi wa wanyama na ubora wa chakula, teknolojia mpya za kusugua visu zinawawezesha wafanyakazi kupima kwa usahihi hali ya mbao. Bunduki yenye nguvu ya kuangusha yenye fimbo kubwa zaidi ni bora kwa wanyama wakubwa zaidi. Ukubwa unaoongezeka wa wanyama unafanya iwe vigumu kwa wengi kuviweka kwa urahisi katika vifungo vya kuwalinda. Wakati maendeleo katika vifaa ni kuboresha ustawi wa wanyama na shughuli za mauaji, maboresho ya ziada pia itatokana na mabadiliko yasiyo ya kiufundi. "Mtazamo muhimu utakuwa ukarabati wa viwanda ili kuhakikisha vifaa vinaweza kushughulikia kwa ufanisi wanyama wakubwa bila kusababisha mkazo au kuathiri ubora wa chakula. """ Mafunzo ya juu ya wafanyikazi pia ni kwenye ajenda kama mashamba ya kuchinjia kutafuta kubaki ufanisi licha ya mzunguko wa haraka wa wafanyakazi. "Ikiwa hakuna kiungo kinachofanya kazi vizuri, vitu vinaweza kwenda vibaya katika mimea, ""anasema Erika Vogt, rais wa Vogt Consulting Inc., kampuni ya ushauri ya Magharibi mwa Chicago, Illinois, maalumu katika ustawi wa wanyama, usalama wa chakula, msaada wa kisheria na mafunzo ya mimea ya nyama." "Makampuni mengi ya kutengeneza bidhaa za aina hiyo yanajengwa kwa ajili ya wanyama wadogo, lakini idadi ya wanyama hao imeongezeka kwa miaka mingi.""" Matokeo yake, baadhi ya wanyama hawawezi tena kufaa katika vifungo na ng'ombe mara nyingi ni kusita kuingia chutes kwa sababu wanaogopa wao scratch nyuma yao - suala ambalo inaweza kuhitaji matumizi ya prods umeme. Ingawa viwanda vingi vikubwa vimepanuka ili kuandaa wanyama wakubwa zaidi, baadhi ya mashamba madogo na ya kati ya kuua wanyama bado hayakubadilisha vifaa vyao. "Vituo vingi vya kuua wanyama vilijengwa miaka 20 iliyopita ili kushughulikia nguruwe wenye uzito wa kilo 180 hadi 200 na sasa unajaribu kuweka nguruwe wenye uzito wa kilo 260 hadi 300 katika viwanda hivyo,"" alisema Voogd." <unk> Baadhi ya vifaa pia vina pembe kali, milango ambayo si ya juu vya kutosha na milango ambayo si pana vya kutosha kwa ajili ya mifugo. "Kujaribu kushinikiza wanyama kupitia milango na chutes inaweza kusababisha msukosuko na kusababisha majeraha. ""Hata hivyo, anasema, Idara ya Kilimo ya Marekani (USDA) inatoa usimamizi zaidi kwa hali ya vifaa na ""mashamba mengi yanasisitiza zaidi juu ya utunzaji wa kibinadamu ikiwa nyumba ya mauaji ni ndogo, ya kati au kubwa.""" Kwa mfano, baadhi ya ng'ombe hufurahia kuwa pamoja na watu, huku wengine wakitoka katika maeneo ambayo wanakutana na wanadamu mara moja au mbili tu kwa mwaka, kwa hiyo wanaogopa wafanyakazi. "Kuna mabadiliko mengi ya wafanyakazi katika viwanda na wafanyakazi wapya mara nyingi hawajui jinsi ya kufanya kazi vizuri na wanyama", anasema. "Wafanyakazi wanahitaji kuwa na uzoefu na kuelewa mchakato kuwa na ufanisi. ""Vogd anasema ni muhimu kwa wafanyakazi wapya kuwa na mafunzo ya kutosha kabla ya kufanya kazi na mifugo au kuku." "Njia bora ni kwa wafanyakazi kuwa ""ndugu"" na wafanyikazi washauri ambao ni mabingwa wa kushughulikia kibinadamu na ujuzi bora na tabia ya utulivu na ambao wanaweza kuhakikisha kwamba wafanyikazi wapya hupokea mwongozo sahihi na maagizo kazini", anasema. <unk>Ni muhimu pia kwamba mfanyakazi mpya na wa sasa wanajua taratibu zote mbili mwanzoni mwa kazi zao na baadaye.<unk>