The present invention relates to a meat processing system, and more specifically to a mobile meat processing system.
As Americans and humans generally develop more sophisticated tastes for meat, free range bison has become a more popular option. As this interest has increased, there has been increased focus on humane treatment of bison as part of the process.
Unfortunately, for decades, known bison meat processing practices have involved handling of bison similar to the standard industrial model devised for cattle, including corralling and trucking of the bison, along with use of feedlots and industrial slaughter plants. While those processes and facilities are adequate and humane for cattle, bison are a different beast. The cattle feedlot model is too stressful for these nearly wild animals. Since bison have not been, and should not be, selected for docile natures that accept confinement, forcing them to endure the cattle model is tantamount to animal cruelty.
There is a need in the art for an improved system for harvesting or processing bison meat.
Discussed herein are various mobile meat processing units and systems for on-site meat processing and related methods.
In Example 1, a mobile meat processing system comprises a mobile unit, an animal processing room disposed within the mobile unit, a refrigeration room disposed within the mobile unit, and an animal intake door hingedly coupled along a bottom edge of the door to a wall of the animal processing room. The animal processing room comprises a spreader bar retractably coupled to a spreader bar winch attached to a ceiling of the processing room, and at least one processing rail attached to the ceiling of the processing room. The refrigeration room comprises at least two refrigeration rails attached to a ceiling of the refrigeration room, the at least two refrigeration rails being operably coupled to the at least one processing rail such that a carcass can be transported from the at least one processing rail to one of the at least two refrigeration rails. The intake door is configured to move between a closed position and an open position in which the intake door extends downward away from an outer wall of the mobile unit, whereby the intake door forms a ramp in the open position.
Example 2 relates to the mobile meat processing system according to Example 1, wherein the mobile unit is a wheeled trailer unit.
Example 3 relates to the mobile meat processing system according to Example 1, wherein the animal processing room further comprises a mobile cradle disposed therein.
Example 4 relates to the mobile meat processing system according to Example 1, further comprising a cooler door disposed between the animal processing room and the refrigeration room.
Example 5 relates to the mobile meat processing system according to Example 1, further comprising a mechanical room disposed within the mobile unit.
Example 6 relates to the mobile meat processing system according to Example 1, further comprising at least one intake winch disposed near the animal intake door.
Example 7 relates to the mobile meat processing system according to Example 1, further comprising a carcass offloading door disposed in another wall of the processing room.
Example 8 relates to the mobile meat processing system according to Example 7, wherein the at least processing rail extends to or near the carcass offloading door.
In Example 9, a mobile meat processing system comprises a mobile unit, an animal processing room disposed within the mobile unit, a refrigeration room disposed within the mobile unit adjacent to the animal processing room, a refrigeration door disposed between the animal processing room and the refrigeration room, a track system disposed from a ceiling of the mobile unit, and an animal intake door hingedly coupled along a bottom edge of the door to a wall of the animal processing room. The animal processing room comprises a spreader bar retractably coupled to a spreader bar winch attached to a ceiling of the processing room. The track system comprises at least one transport rail extending from the animal processing room into the refrigeration room through the refrigeration door, and at least two refrigeration rails disposed within the refrigeration room, the at least two refrigeration rails operably coupled to the at least one transport rail such that a carcass can be transported from the at least one transport rail to one of the at least two refrigeration rails. The intake door is configured to move between a closed position and an open position in which the intake door extends downward away from an outer wall of the mobile unit, whereby the intake door forms a ramp in the open position.
Example 10 relates to the mobile meat processing system according to Example 9, wherein the refrigeration door comprises two swinging doors.
Example 11 relates to the mobile meat processing system according to Example 9, wherein the animal processing room comprises a mobile cradle disposed therein, at least one sink disposed therein, at least one drain disposed on a floor of the animal processing room, and at least one basket disposed on a wall of the animal processing room.
Example 12 relates to the mobile meat processing system according to Example 9, further comprising an offal disposal door disposed along one external wall of the animal processing room, and a carcass offloading door disposed along another external wall of the animal processing room.
Example 13 relates to the mobile meat processing system according to Example 9, further comprising a mechanical room disposed within the mobile unit, wherein the mechanical room comprises at least one water tank disposed within the mechanical room, at least one water heater disposed within the mechanical room, and at least one controller disposed within the mechanical room.
Example 14 relates to the mobile meat processing system according to Example 9, further comprising first and second intake winches disposed near the animal intake door.
Example 15 relates to the mobile meat processing system according to Example 9, wherein the at least one transport rail extends from the refrigeration room to the carcass offloading door.
In Example 16, a method of processing meat in proximity with a living environment of target animals comprises stunning a target animal in the living environment of the target animal, hauling the target animal to a mobile harvesting unit with a stunning truck, urging the target animal into a processing room in the mobile harvesting unit, processing the target animal in the processing room into a harvested carcass, and transporting the harvested carcass from the processing room to a refrigeration room via a track system.
Example 17 relates to the method according to Example 16, wherein the target animal is a bison.
Example 18 relates to the method according to Example 16, wherein the urging the target animal into the processing room further comprises opening an animal intake door such that the intake door extends downward away from an outer wall of the mobile harvesting unit such that the intake door forms a ramp, urging the target animal up the ramp and through the animal intake door, and closing the animal intake door.
Example 19 relates to the method according to Example 16, wherein the processing the target animal in the processing room into the harvested carcass further comprises coupling the target animal to a spreader bar and raising the spreader bar toward a ceiling of the processing room via a spreader bar winch.
Example 20 relates to the method according to Example 16, further comprising transporting the mobile harvesting unit from the living environment to a processing plant and transporting the harvested carcass from the processing room out of a carcass offloading door via the track system.
While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.
The various embodiments disclosed or contemplated herein relate to new methods and systems for bringing bison meat to market. Certain implementations include efficient, cost-effective, ecologically sound, and humane methods and systems that can replace the cattle feedlot model. Because buffalo are essentially wild animals, they suffer greatly when put through the crowding pens, squeeze chutes, close-quarters stunning, and bleeding that are standard procedures of industrial agriculture. The various bison meat harvesting embodiments disclosed herein are designed to alleviate that suffering. In fact, the suffering and stress caused to bison by the industrial cattle model can influence the taste of the bison meat such that the various implementations disclosed or contemplated herein can result in better tasting bison meat.
It is understood that the various embodiments disclosed or contemplated herein can be used for other types of animals as well, including cattle, etc.
According to one embodiment as shown in
The mechanical room 16 includes at least one water tank 18 (in this specific example, there are two water tanks 18A, 18B), a water pump 20, a water heater 22, and a controller (also referred to as a “control panel”) 24 that is used to control such things as the air conditioners 142, 144 (discussed below), water pump 20, and other equipment on the trailer 10. In one embodiment as shown, a separate controller 26 is provided to control the generator 140 discussed below. Alternatively, one controller (such as controller 24, for example) can control all of the various pieces of equipment in the trailer 10. As best shown in both
The processing room 12 is the space in which the animal is processed. For example, processing includes skinning and eviscerating the bison. In one specific implementation as best shown in
It is understood that the processing room 12 can contain any variation of known equipment for carcass and meat processing, including any variation of the equipment disclosed herein.
Further, as best shown in
In addition, as best shown in
The offal disposal door 72 is disposed next to the intake door 70 and allows individuals inside the processing room 12 to discard offal through the disposal door 72 during processing. The cooler door 74 is disposed between the processing room 12 and the refrigeration room 14 and provides access thereto. In one embodiment, the cooler door 74 is a set of two swinging doors 74. Alternatively, the cooler door 74 can be a set of two or more hanging plastic curtains 74 that hang from the ceiling and can be moved aside to move a carcass or a person through the curtains 74 from one room to the other. The carcass offloading door 76 is an external door 76 that allows for removal of the processed carcasses from the trailer 10.
It is understood that alternative embodiments of the trailer 10 can include versions having only one or two external doors (rather than three) providing access between the processing room 12 and the outside. In a further alternative, there can be four or more such external doors.
The processing room 12 also has at least one track or rail (also referred to as the “center rail” or “center track”) 112 that is part of a track system 110 coupled to the ceiling in the trailer 10, as discussed in further detail below. With respect to the rail 112 coupled to the ceiling in the processing room 12, the rail 112 extends from the offloading door 76 (as shown in
The refrigeration room 14 is used to hold or store the processed carcasses prior to offloading the carcasses from the trailer 10. As such, the cooler 14 is maintained at a temperature ranging from about 30° F. to about 60° F. during use. Alternatively, the cooler 14 is maintained at a temperature ranging from about 30° F. to about 50° F. In further alternatives, the cooler 14 is maintained at a temperature ranging from about 30° F. to about 40° F. or from about 30° F. to about 32° F. It is understood, according to one exemplary implementation, that the air conditioning unit coupled to the refrigeration room 14 is set to a temperature of 30° F., and that the actual temperature in the room 14 can vary from 30° F. to any warmer temperature up to and even warmer than 60° F. for at least limited periods of time as a result of various factors, including the warmth radiated by the carcasses, the ambient temperature outside the trailer 10, etc. Much of the track system 110 mentioned above is disposed in the refrigeration room 14, as best shown in
As best shown in
In another embodiment, the trailer 10 can also have an external drain hose (not shown) extending under the trailer 10 from the drain 56 to some point or distance away from the trailer 10 to allow gray water from the animal processing to exit the drain 56 and be deposited away from the trailer 10. In a further implementation, a tank or other receptacle (not shown) can be coupled to or otherwise associated with the drain 56 to receive and collect the gray water.
As mentioned above, the mobile meat processing unit 10 is used as part of a humane system for harvesting bison meat. Alternatively, it can be used to process meat from any animal. As such, in use, the unit 10 can be incorporated into such a system in the following fashion.
In one implementation, the bison to be harvested are raised on a large landscape for winter and summer grazing. It is understood that buffalo evolved to move great distances over large landscapes and eat nothing but grass, sedges, and forbs. Hence, the ability to move miles each day and to have free range access to fresh, natural forage is very beneficial to their health and well being. As such, according to one embodiment, the field harvest process system contemplated herein includes first raising the animals in a large landscape that allows for movement of at least one mile per day. In certain implementations, the buffalo are not fed any supplemental grain—they are provided solely with the food that was historically available to them.
Prior to harvesting, the bison are preconditioned to be comfortable with the presence of the stunning truck 150, which is discussed in further detail below. That is, in certain implementations, a large vehicle, such as a truck, is driven or parked in the same landscape as the buffalo for certain predetermined periods of time so that the buffalo are comfortable with the presence of the vehicle. More specifically, according to certain embodiments, a regimen of training visits are scheduled in which a truck or other vehicle is placed in the presence of the buffalo herd. The truck is driven to move slowly at right angles to the herds and park quietly nearby to habituate the herds to gentle pickup traffic and thereby prepare them for the eventual introduction of the stunning truck 150. This creates the least stressful environment possible for the buffalo prior to the long-range stunning.
When it is time to harvest one or more buffalo, the stunning truck 150 as depicted in
It is understood that the USDA Meat Inspection Act allows for buffalo to be stunned by a rifle (or a captive bolt apparatus). In one embodiment, the bullet and load used for the long-range stunning is a 30-06 caliber, hand loaded cartridge with 29 grains of 5744 powder and a 168 grain, all copper, Barrens bullet. This bullet and load are designed to stun the buffalo without passing through and endangering other buffalo in the herd. In accordance with one implementation, the bullet is fired at close range, usually within about 25 to about 50 yards of the animal. The shot, in one embodiment, is placed in one of two places: a front shot or a rear/side shot. The front shot can be placed in one exemplary embodiment at the junction of an imaginary line drawn from the left eye to the base of the right horn and one drawn from the right eye to the base of the left horn. The rear/side shot is, in another embodiment, a quartering, 45% rear to front shot, striking about an inch below and about an inch behind the visible ear. Alternatively, the stun shot is placed in any known location on the animal. In a further alternative, any other known stunning mechanism or method can be used.
Once the stunning shot is made and the animal is stunned, a known bleeding process follows immediately. Once the bleeding is completed, the stunning truck 150 is positioned in an appropriate position next to the bled buffalo 154 so that the buffalo can be coupled to and raised by the hydraulic animal hoist 152 as best shown in
As best shown in
Once the animal is inside the unit 10, the processing of the carcass proceeds in a fashion similar to known buffalo meat processing, according to one embodiment. In one implementation, the first step is to remove the buffalo's head and place it on the head rack 60, where it can be inspected by the USDA and/or state meat inspector per regulation. The carcass is then lowered onto the removable skinning cradle of
At this point, according to one embodiment, the carcass is transferred to one of the meat trolleys 51 (as shown in
This process can be repeated until the desired number of processed carcasses have been placed in the cooler 14. At this point, the unit 10 is transported to a processing plant for further processing of the carcasses.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, persons skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application 62/534,492, filed Jul. 19, 2017 and entitled “Mobile Meat Processing System and Related Methods and Devices,” which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62534492 | Jul 2017 | US |