Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for stunning animals, such as pigs, for slaughter and may include a conveyor for conveying stunned animals for slaughter, at least one stunning device coupled to the conveyor, and a measuring and control device for detecting the number of animals stunned by the stunning device and actuating the stunning device based on the detected number of stunned animals. The invention also relates to a method for stunning animals for slaughter, such as pigs, that includes feeding stunned animals for slaughter to a conveyor at a rate based on the previous outfeed of the stunning device.

Abstract: The invention disclosed in this document relates to an apparatus and method for parallel processing of a plurality of cattle carcasses suspended from a conveyor. At least two processing stations are provided that displace, or move, in a direction parallel to the conveyor. Each of the two stations performs generally the same processing operation on a carcass and each station has an individual coupling means for releasably engaging on the conveyor, wherein the processing stations are displaceable along a common guide. The processing stations are preferably connected flexibly to each other such that the interval between the processing stations in a position coupled to the conveyor is greater than in a position disconnected from the conveyor.

Abstract: A device for separating bone material from meat tissue in a meat piece, such as a spine from a half part of a slaughtered animal, which device is provided with a support for the meat piece for processing and a separating member with a curved separating edge which is movably driven relative to the support and includes plate material, wherein the separating edge is provided with a series of teeth, each of which is embodied with a guide surface directed toward the inner side of the bend such that when bone material is severed it is carried away to the inside and contamination of the meat material is thereby avoided.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for separating meat from bones comprising meat remainders, comprising: a cylinder with a cylinder wall; a piston movable in the cylinder; infeed means for carrying bones comprising meat remainders into the cylinder; a plurality of holes arranged in the cylinder wall for passage of meat out of the cylinder placed under pressure; outfeed means for discharging bones from the cylinder; and a drive device for driving the piston, wherein the smallest passage of the holes lies between 3 mm and 12 mm and the drive device is adapted to apply a pressure in the cylinder with magnitude of between 30 bar and 120 bar.

Abstract: A method for anaesthetizing animals for slaughter is provided using gas by transporting the animals for anaesthetizing through a gas-filled anaesthetizing space. The gas is introduced into the anaesthetizing space by a gas feed and gas is drawn out of the anaesthetizing space at a distance from the gas feed by a gas discharge. An apparatus for anaesthetizing livestock for slaughter using gas is provided with an anaesthetizing space having a supply opening and a discharge opening for gas.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for portioning a food mass, comprising: a path to be traversed by the food mass which is connected on one side to a feed device for feeding the food mass for portioning; a cutting device incorporated in the path for severing the food mass situated in the path; and a channel incorporated in the path which is connected to the feed device at its feed end and which is open at its other end, wherein control means are arranged in order to control the feed means and the cutting device such that the distance between successive cuts made in the food mass is adjustable. The invention further relates to a cutting device for severing a food mass situated in a channel, comprising a cutting blade which extends substantially perpendicularly of the axis of the channel and which is movable substantially parallel to itself, wherein the cutting blade is formed by a plate provided with at least one hole.