NZ250841A - Bi-modal abattoir plant for processing calves and beef cattle - Google Patents

Description

0 8 4 1 t i " « NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 "Improvements in and/or Relating to Animal Dressing, Abattoir Plant and Related Procedures" We, AFFCO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED, a company duly incorporated under die laws of New Zealand of 14 Tooley Street, Auckland, New Zealand hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- -2- 250 8 4 1 The modern hygienic and efficient abattoir plant and procedures for the killing of beef animals is specialised to the extent that it includes equipment and procedures to handle the vigour of the animals to be slaughtered and processed as well as the hides, carcass and offal thereof.

Specialised calf processing abattoirs also exist but since the calf processing season is in relation to dairy beef usually over a finite period after weaning from the cows of a dairy herd the use of plant for that purpose is not efficient in the sense that there is a long stand down time between uses.

The present invention relates to improved plant, procedures and methods which will enable a reduced stand down time for high cost capital plant required for both beef and calf processing.

In a first aspect the present invention consists in a method of deriving beef and veal meat products and related by products from cattle beasts and calves, which comprising (i) in an abattoir and processing facility, whilst configured in a first mode, assembling, killing, butchering and performing related processes in respect of non-juvenile beef producing bovine animals, and (ii) before and/or after the assembling, killing, butchering and related processes of step (i) in respect of non-juvenile beef producing bovine animals, and whilst the same facility is configured in a second mode, assembling, killing, butchering and performing related processes in respect of juvenile veal producing bovine animals, the method being further characterised that in either of the modes of steps (i) or (ii) the same building infrastructure, chilling, offal treatment, and stock yarding facilities are used without major change for each of (i) and (ii) yet animal restraining, killing and evisceration facilites are changed.

Preferably the method is performed su tantially as hereinafter described with or without reference to the accompanying drawings.

In a further aspect the invention consists in a plant when used as an abattoir and processing facility in a method of the present invention, said plant comprising, in a first mode suitable for processing non-juvenile animals, means defining an abattoir having the usual facilities therefor, and, in a second mode suitable for processing 250 84 1 juvenile animals, means likewise providing the usual facilities therefor, the plant being characterised in that the same building infrastructure, chilling, offal treatment, and stock yarding facilities are used without major change for each of (i) and (ii) yet animal restraining, killing and evisceration, facilities are changed between modes.

Preferably the riant is substantially as hereinafter described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings.

A preferred form of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 shows the layout of a plant in plan when in its beef processing mode, and Figure 2 is a similar view to that of Figure 1 but showing the same site modified for use in the calf processing mode.

As depicted in figures 1 and 2 the components identified are as follows; O Knocking Box (is) Offals (3) Lander © Foetal Calves/Pet Food (j) Blood Trough (^) Paunches Beef Rail Legging Table Hide Puller Evisceration MAF Stand Saw Stand Trim/Detain Stand Flank Stand Hca \ Rail Chutes to Basement Rail to Chillers/Boning Room Tripe Stock Race Walkway Removable Section of Race Wall Augers from Basement Plant Area Prebreaker Blow Tanks Hides Conveyor Hides Tank Stockyards Offal Conveyor Workstations KEY TO FIGURE 1 : BEEF PROCESSING Apron Washers 3 FEB 1997 V © Calf Live-weigh Scales ® Calf Restrain Conveyor ® Sticking Table Blood Troughs Rearleg Conveyor Foreleg Conveyor © © © "6 © © Flank © Puller © (To) © T5) Pneumatic Inverter Viscera Table Chutes to Basement Detail Rail Calf Lifter <5 (S <S (g (g (24 (g (g [27 250 84 1 Movable Hides Conveyor Hides Conveyor Hides Tank Walkway Stock Race Blow Tanks Prebreaker Augers from Basement Plant Area Stockyards (with raised mesh in calf pens) Offal Area converted for Calf Veils Offal Conveyor Beef Rail (lj) Rail to Chillers/Boning Room & Workstations □ Apron Washers KEY TO FIGURE 2 : CALF PROCESSING As can be seen from the aforementioned description of .he inventive features of the present invention and the keys in relation to the drawings common stock handling facilities and preferably a common ingress point for the beef animals or calves is provided to erase which in the case of beef processing goes to a knocking box but which in the case of calf processing goes to a calf restraining conveyor thereafter in each of the two modes specialised equipment as detailed in the key for each is utilised but preferably the hide of the animals in each case is handled by common hide conveyors and tanks (while common regions of the system conveyor to a common chiller and/or boning room) also shown is the use in each mode of the common auger and prebreaker and blow tanks.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that with die brief calf processing season die down time from normal beef processing is minimal yet the cost of a specialised stand alone calf processing plant is avoided while at the same time the adaptability of the r V. t. 'AT OFFICE -3 FEB 1997 . V.i'x'ED sight/plant between the modes of figures 1 and 2 means that nevertheless <Bn4>el processed sufficiently. f- i • x;t office •3 FEB 1997 . HLCeiVED 250 84 1

Claims (4)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A method of deriving butchered beef and veal meat products and related by products from cattle beasts and calves, which comprising (i) at an abattoir and processing facility, whilst configured in a first mode, assembling, killing, butchering and performing related processes in respect of non-juvenile beef producing bovine animals, and (ii) before and/or after the assembling, killing, butchering and related processes of step (i) in respect of non-juvenile beef producing bovine animals, and whilst the same facility is configured in a second mode, assembling, killing, butchering and performing related processes in respect of juvenile veal producing bovine animals, the method being further characterised that in either of the modes of steps (i) or (ii) the same building infrastructure, chilling, offal treatment, and stock yarding facilities are used without major change for each of (i) and (ii) yet animal restraining, killing and evisceration facilities are changed.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 substantially when performed substantially as hereinbefore described with or without reference to the accompanying drawings.

3. A plant when used as an abattoir and processing facility in a method of claim 1 or claim 2, said plant comprising, in a first mode suitable for processing non-juvenile animals, means defining an abattoir having the usual facilities therefor, and, in a second mode suitable for processing juvenile animals, means likewise providing the usual facilities therefor, the plant being characterised in that the same building infrastructure, chilling, offal treatment, and stock yarding facilities are used without major change for each of (i) and (ii) yet animal restraining, killing and evisceration, facilities are changed between modes.

4. A plant as claimed in claim 3 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings. DATED THIS DAY OF A.J. PARK & SON