POULTRY STUNNER
The function of a stunner is to provide the minimum voltage necessary to stun poultry. Stunning renders the individual bird unconscious. It does not kill the bird. The bird is held by the legs and neck in a horizontal position. The underside of the throat or the back of the head is held against the two electrodes for approximately 3 – 5 seconds whilst an electric shock is administered.

The benefits of the stunning process are:

1. The bird does not struggle once stunned and therefore there is no damage to the meat.
2. The heart rate is accelerated and the heart continues to beat. When the artery on the left side of the neck is cut, the bird bleeds completely.
3. It is humane.

BLEEDER
The purpose of the bleeder is to facilitate the complete bleeding of poultry and to restrict movement and thus prevent damage to the meat. Once a bird has been stunned, it is placed head first into a bleeding cone where the artery on the left side of the throat is then cut. The time required for a complete bleed is approximately 90 seconds. Blood collects in the underlying trough, which is sloped towards an outlet for easy drainage and cleaning.

SCALDING TANK
The scalding tank is one of the most important items in a poultry abattoir. A consistent water temperature ensures that all feathers are removed with greatest of ease. The minimum operational temperature is 54ºC and the maximum is 60ºC for broiler type chickens. Water temperatures which are too high result in damage to the skin, whilst temperatures which are too low will result in incomplete feather removal.

Once the birds have been bled they are placed in the scalding tank. The bird must be completely immersed and agitated in the water until saturated. The 100-litre tank can accommodate 4 (four) birds at one time.

DRUM PLUCKER
The Drum Plucker is designed to operate in small poultry abattoirs. With a little practice it will easily handle most types of poultry and will remove all feathers from a bird in less than 30 seconds.

Once a bird has been correctly scalded, it is held against the rotating drum. The operator then manouvres the bird on the drum to remove all the feathers.
The machine is of robust construction with a mild steel powder coated or galvanized frame, galvanized plucking drum and fibreglass hood, feather bin and belt guard. The feather bin door and hood are both easily removed to facilitate complete cleaning.

FIXED BOWL PLUCKER
The Fixed Bowl Plucker is an easily operated machine and requires no prior experience or training. This machine is designed to pluck 4 (four) birds at a time. Once the birds have been correctly scalded, the birds are dropped one at a time into the stainless steel bowl. The rubber fingers on the vertical rotating drum, remove all the feathers completely. It takes approximately 40 seconds to pluck four birds.

SHACKLE, S-HOOK AND TROLLEY SYSTEM
The shackles are connected with a s-hook to the trolleys, which are suspended and run on the overhead poultry rail. The carcasses are hung by the legs on the shackle after the plucking process. From here the suspended carcasses are manually pushed along through the eviscerating area into the final cleaning and packing stage where the carcasses are removed from the shackles and the empty shackles are returned to the plucking area along a returning rail. The trolleys used in this system can be connected to one another if an automated system is chosen, however the manual system is both effective and economical.

OVERHEAD POULTRY RAIL SYSTEM
The overhead poultry rail supports the shackle, s-hook and trolley system. The rail is joined together by couplings, which also serve as hanging points to suspend the rail system. The rail system runs in a continuous route from the plucking area through the eviscerating area into the final cleaning and packing stage before returning. This system is recommended as it is the most hygienic means of allowing for carcasses to be moved through an abattoir.

EVISCERATION TROUGH
The evisceration trough stands under the rail system. Carcasses are eviscerated as they are moved over the trough. The viscera is collected in the trough from where it can be drained through a large opening at the end of the trough.

COOLING TROLLEY
After the evisceration process, the carcasses are removed from the shackles and placed onto a cooling trolley. The carcasses are hung by the wings on the v-hooks of the racks where they drip-dry and cool before packaging. The trolley also allows for easy transportation of the carcasses within the abattoir.

STAINLESS STEEL TABLE
From the cooling trolley, the carcasses are placed onto a table for final packaging.

KNIFE STERILIZER
Knife sterilizers are placed at strategic points in the abattoir to sterilize knives during use.

PORTION CUTTER
Prior to packaging and when he bird is cool, a Portion Cutter can be used to divide the bird into selected pieces such as wings, thighs, drumsticks etc.

PACKING CONE
This item facilitates the packaging of the carcasses. The carcass is placed into the cone from above, which consists of two halves connected at pivot points, and slides into the bag which has then been placed below and on the outside of the cone.