Mobile Slaughtering Services Reduces Transport-Induced Stress In Animals
Just like other locally grown, organic foods, the demand for locally raised, grass-fed meat is also growing. Many states are experiencing a downfall in local meat processing facilities as many of these facilities are going out of business. The decrease in meat processing facilities has resulted in small-scale livestock farmers having to travel farther in order to find a meat processer, which means there is an increase in fuel costs, more time invested by the farmer, and more traveling stress for the animals. The solution to this problem may be a mobile slaughter service—a state-of-the-art mobile butcher service that goes directly to the farmers, ultimately reducing stress induced animals at the time of slaughter.
What Is a Mobile Slaughtering Service?
Mobile slaughtering units, also known as mobile abattoirs, which are transported in specially equipped trailers, bring the butcher services and sometimes the processing services as well, directly to the farms or a central location that is close to several farms. The thought process behind a mobile butcher service is that the high-tech operations provide a place to humanely kill and process the animals safely, avoiding undue stress from transport.
How Does Stress Affect Meat?
Although microscopic fat cells in the meat are responsible for its flavor and tenderness, it can also become tough and flavorless as a result of stress. Stress causes the muscle fibers to tense up, which triggers an increase in adrenaline, which forces the muscles to tense up even more and increases the animal's alertness, making it more aware of its surroundings. Stress-induced tension causes the animal to stiffen up, and, without an opportunity to break down and release the increase in chemicals, the tense muscles and hyper-alertness at the time of slaughter result in tough, flavorless meat.
How Are Mobile Butcher Services Beneficial?
In areas where mobile slaughtering services are available, the mobile butchering service travels to the farm, for on-farm slaughtering. This type of slaughter is preferred for a variety of reasons, including the slaughter is thought to be more humane because the animals are spared the stress of being transported. There is no need for the farmer to round up the animals and store them in a contained environment while driving long distances to the slaughterhouse. Mobile slaughtering services result in lower processing costs for the farmers and a higher-quality of meat for consumers.
Mobile slaughter services provide small farms another, sometimes more affordable option for processing their meat. These mobile units are especially beneficial for farms that are not located near any meat processing facilities. Many consumers are willing to pay more for meat that has been processed on the farm where the animals were raised, which also falls into the values of the growing farm-to-table movement.
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