|
During an impoverished period while pursuing a masters degree at a local university, I worked for three weeks one summer at a local meat packing plant.
During this time, I was privileged to observe the slaughter of beef cattle.
The cow was led in at the top of the ramp out of a chute. The cattle were already rather crazed because they could smell the blood of the previous inductees into the T-Bone Hall of Fame.
The executioners were two Mexicans. They hit ther cow in the head with a tool that drove an air-powered bolt into the cow's head, then as the cow fell down the ramp, they inserted their hook bladed knives into the cow belly and just let gravity do the work.
In under three seconds, all of the internal organs of the cow were spread out (steaming in the refrigerated air) on the slaughter house floor, and whether the cow was dead or still alive was strictly academic.
I think that some cultures use edged weapons better than other, Filipinos and Mexicans come to mind.
|