Process description

The present data refer to slaughtering and cutting of pigs in Danish pig slaughterhouses in 1997 and 1998. The main processes are following: 1) pigs are transported from the farms to the slaughterhouse in special trucks, 2) the pigs are doped with carbon dioxide, 3) the doped pigs are stunned in the throat and blood is tapped 4) the pigs die from blood loss and the dead bodies are scalded in water (60^oC) and fried lightly with a gas flame, 5) the intestines are removed and the bodies are cut into two pieces. The meat is controlled and cooled to 3-5^oC, 6) the meat is cut into smaller pieces, packed and eventually frozen and distributed to customers. Wastewater generated during the process is usually screened in internal wastewater treatment plants before it is diverted to the sewerage system for further treatment in municipal wastewater treatment plants. Manure is partly sold to biogas plants and partly returned to agriculture and applied as fertiliser. Scraps are sold to bone meal factories. Processes and machinery are modern with a high degree of automation.
 

Data collection and treatment

Data are partly derived from the 1997 and 1998 green accounts of 20 slaughterhouses organized in The Danish Pig Meat Industry and partly derived from the literature (Hansen, 1999).

A weighted average of data has been determined. Weighting is based on slaughterhouses’ yearly production. Emissions from combustion of fuels has been determined from emission factors, see Energy.

Technical scope

Production processes, administration, wastewater treatment and packing processes are included. Transportation of pigs from farm to slaughterhouse is not included. Cooling of meat is included, but freezing is not (electricity consumption for freezing range between 60 and 130 kWh/ton meat). Exchanges associated with bottled carbon dioxide and dry ice production are not included. Bottled and frozen carbon dioxide (dry ice) is considered non-fossil as it is usually derived from fermentation processes at breweries (Hede Nielsen, 2002). Maintenance of equipment and use of cleaning agents and chemicals have not been included. Packaging is not included.

Representativity

Data represent more than 90% of pig slaughtering Denmark in 1997/98.
 

Validation

Energy and water consumptions reported here are in reasonable agreement with observations reported in by Pontoppidan and Hansen (2001).
 

Inputs and outputs

Inputs and outputs associated with slaughtering and cutting of pigs are shown in the table below. Data are provided per kg cut meat at the gates of the slaughterhouses without packaging.

References

Hansen T (1999). Baggrundsmateriale for livscyklusvurderinger på kødprodukter fra svineslagterier. Denmark: Slagteriernes Forskningsinstitut. In Danish.

Hede Nielsen (2002): Personal communication with a salesperson in Hede Nielsen A/S, a major supplier of gasses for Danish food-industry.

Pontoppidan O and Hansen P-I (2001). Renere teknologi på svine/ og kreaturslaterier in Danish). Working report no. 9. Danish Environmental Protection Agency. In Danish.
 

Administrative information

Data URL: http://www.lcafood.dk/processes/industry/slaughtingofpigs.html
Version no.: 1.00
Authors: Per H. Nielsen and Anne Merete Nielsen 2.-0 LCA Consultants.
Data entry: Data have been entered in this format by Per H. Nielsen.
Data completed: July 2003.