Method for the humane slaughter and processing of ratites, including ostrich and emu

A method for humanely slaughtering and efficiently processing ratites on a mass scale in a facility having various processing areas, comprising the steps of:

• providing an overhead rail system in said facility for permitting movement of said ratites through said various processing areas;
• rendering a ratite unconscious;
• after rendering said ratite unconscious, suspending said ratite in an inverted position on said rail system;
• moving said ratite to a bleeding area and then killing said ratite by cutting the arteries in the neck region of said ratite and by permitting the blood of said ratite to leave said ratite;
• moving said ratite to a de-feathering area and then de-feathering said ratite;
• moving said ratite to a beheading area and then beheading said ratite;
• moving said ratite to a hide skinning area and then skinning said hide from said ratite;
• moving said ratite to an evisceration area and then removing viscera from said ratite;
• and
• moving said ratite to areas where edible meat products are removed from said ratite.

A method for humanely slaughtering and efficiently processing ratites on a mass scale in a facility, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a rail system in said facility for permitting movement of said ratites through various processing areas;
• (b) rendering a ratite unconscious;
• (c) hanging said ratite in an inverted position on said rail system by the following steps:
• (i) placing a shackle around each leg of said ratite;
• (ii) hoisting said ratite to an inverted position;
• and
• (iii) affixing each said shackle to a rail system to permit mobility;
• (d) killing said ratite by cutting the arteries in the neck region and permitting the blood of said ratite to leave said ratite;
• (e) decapitating said ratite;
• (f) de-feathering said ratite;
• (g) removing the hide from said ratite;
• and
• (h) removing organs and edible meat products from said ratite.

A method for humanely slaughtering and efficiently processing ratites on a mass scale in a facility, comprising the steps of:

• providing a rail system in said facility for permitting movement of said ratites through various processing areas;
• rendering a ratite unconscious;
• hanging said ratite in an inverted position by placing a shackle around a leg of said ratite, hoisting said ratite to an inverted position, affixing said shackle to said rail system to permit mobility;
• killing said ratite by cutting the arteries in the neck region of said ratite and permitting the blood of said ratite to leave said ratite;
• decapitating said ratite;
• de-feathering said ratite by removing feathers after injecting air between the ratite hide and the ratite muscle structures;
• tieing the colon, urinary track, and reproductive organs of said ratite by making a circular cut around the vent opening of said ratite and then affixing a constricting device around said colon, urinary track, and reproductive organs of said ratite;
• removing the wings from said ratite;
• removing the feet of said ratite by the cutting said feet from the legs of said ratite, while maintaining said ratite in said inverted position by affixing a trolley hook between each of said legs and said rail system;
• removing the neck region of said ratite;
• removing the hide from said ratite;
• removing the viscera from said ratite;
• and
• removing the edible meat products from said ratite.

A knocking box for confining and stunning ratites, comprising:

• an enclosure having a door for permitting entrance of a ratite, said enclosure for confining said ratite after closure of said door;
• said enclosure having a top with an opening therein for allowing the head of said ratite to extend therethrough and thereby confine said ratite in a generally upright attitude;
• an electrical discharge mechanism situated within said enclosure, said electrical discharge mechanism for applying an electrical charge to a substantially featherless lower body region of said ratite when said region contacts said electrical discharge mechanism;
• and
• a control means for selectively applying electrical power to said electrical discharge mechanism.

A method for confining and stunning ratites, comprising the steps of:

• providing an enclosure having a top with an opening therein for allowing the head of said ratite to extend therethrough and thereby confine a ratite in a generally upright attitude;
• energizing an electrical discharge mechanism in close proximity to a substantially featherless lower body region of said ratite;
• moving said electrical discharge mechanism in a substantially horizontal plane into contact with the lower body region of said ratite;
• and
• applying an electrical charge to said ratite.

A facility apparatus for humanely slaughtering and efficiently processing ratites on a mass scale, comprising:

• a stunning area comprising a knocking box for confining and stunning said ratite;
• a killing area;
• a decapitation area;
• a defeathering area;
• a dehiding area;
• and
• an overhead rail system passing through said areas for permitting the movement of said ratite in an inverted position from said stunning area to said killing area, from said killing area to said decapitation area, from said decapitation area to said defeathering area, and from said defeathering area to said dehiding area said rail system comprising a rail for receiving a roller and adapted to serve as a guide for said roller as said roller is moved through said areas, said roller having an attachment means for connecting said roller to a ratite so that said ratite may be transported through said areas.