Humane Cattle Pens, Custom Designs and Behavior Consulting
High Speed Meat Processing Plant
This slaughter plant in Mexico is in the top 5 of the world’s largest, with a daily line speed that exceeds 240+ cattle per hour. With those numbers in mind, there’s no room for mistakes. I started the plans in 2012, and construction finished in 2015.
One of the company’s largest feed yards is less than a half-mile from the plant. When their time comes, the cattle walk to the lairage pens from the feed yard. The pens hold 1000 cattle in (10) 100-head pens. While in the pens, a cool mist is sprayed on the cattle until it’s time for the next leg of the journey. The misting also helps loosens up any caked-on mud. When they leave the holding pens, they walk into a pressurized “cow wash” in the alley and stand for a few moments before entering the wide curved lane. Washing before entering the plant is essential to prevent dangerous pathogens from contaminating the meat.
The wide curved lane before the crowd pen holds one-hundred cattle. As they pass through the crowd pen, a selector gate directs them into one of two single-file chutes (races). The right-side race leads to the famous conveyor restrainer designed by Temple Grandin. Considered the most efficient and humane way to kill large numbers of cattle, the conveyor, when pushed to its limit can handle 320+ cattle per hour.
The curved system has a primary and secondary race. The primary race leads to the conveyor restrainer. The secondary race serves two purposes; if an animal goes down in the primary race, they switch to the secondary to prevent breaks in the line. At the end is a single animal knock box they also use for Kosher slaughter one day per week.
Each race is 30 inches (76cm) wide and 66 inches(1.6m) high straight-sided. The rise to the center track restrainer is 7 feet 6 inches (2.1m) high. I designed it so cattle climb 22 steps at the start of the race, then have a chance to rest and catch their breath before they reach the restrainer.
Is the system humane? Look at it from the animal’s point of view, they get to take a walk on their last day at the feed yard. It must seem like an adventure being out of the pen they were in for months. After a walk in the hot desert sun, a cool shower and some shade at the lairage pens must feel pretty good.
After resting, the next leg of the journey probably seems familiar, like going to the processing barn or loading on a truck. The cattle go through some curves and into a single-file race, something they’ve all done before. But suddenly, at the end of the race, a short tunnel appears with small steps down to the conveyor—a conveyor shaped to cup the brisket and carry them along comfortably. It’s probably hard for them to understand, so they just follow. It’s over in seconds. Four seconds per animal to be precise.
I don’t believe cattle know where they’re going. If meat plant systems resemble handling systems they’ve been through at the feed yard or ranch, maybe they anticipate something similar ahead and experience some anxiety, but doing it right shouldn’t cause fear.
I don’t believe cattle know where they’re going. If meat plant systems resemble handling systems they’ve been through at the feed yard or ranch, maybe they anticipate something similar ahead and experience some anxiety, but doing it right shouldn’t cause fear.
The last thing they see in this system is the light at the end of the tunnel, and I’m good with that.
