daily nebraskan monday, november 13, 1978
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Photo by Bob Pearson
Students on East Campus slaughter hogs and cut the sides of ham into pork chops, roast and sausage. Students learn skills necessary in meat processing as well as safety rules for
slaughtering.
From slaughter to the freezer, students study hogs
By Sue Brown
Animal Science 217 courses offered stu
dents the chance to participate in the
evaluation and slaughtering of hogs this
month at the Loeffel Meat Lab on East
Campus.
The hogs were slaughtered Nov. 1 by
the Animal Science 217 students under the
instruction of Dwight Loveday, associate
professor of animal science.
According to Loveday, the meat lab is a
federally inspected plant and follows all
the rules and regulations set by the govern
ment. A USDA meat inspector is at the
plant during all times of slaughter.
"We follow the Humane Slaughter Act,
which says that all animals must be render
ed unconscious before they are slaughter
ed." he said.
Electric stunner
Loveday said the hogs are rendered un
conscious by an electric stunner.
Then, the main arteries around the heart
are cut, using the heart as a natural pump
to move the oxygen out of the body
tissues. The animals then die of suffoca
tion, he said.
Before being put in a cooler, the hogs
are cleaned and de-haired by being
submerged into a scadling tank. The hair
follicles undergo a change in the 140
degree tank and in about four minutes, the
Bonfire . . .
Continued from page 1 .
The incident attracted national
attention from at least one radio network.
ABC radio carried a story on the two bon
fires Friday morning.
The incident Friday morning prompted
a meeting between University administra
tors, fraternity representatives and police,
Dave DeCoster, UNL Dean of Students,
said the 17 students arrested would be con
tacted by his office, "to get the student's
point of view." Afterwards he said, the
matter will either be dropped, or the cases
will be turned over the University
Judiciary, depending on the conversation
with each student.
The charges against the 17 students in
clude arson, assaulting a police officer,
failure to disperse, larceny, disorderly con
duct and disturbing the peace.
Greek owned items
According to DeCoster, the property
that was burned in the fire was owned by
hog is ready to be mechanically de-haired,
Loveday said.
Safety is of paramount importance in
the course, according to Loveday, who said
that a safety film is shown early in the
semester. Students learn how to sharpen
the knives and use all equipment properly,
he added.
Fun class
Professor of Animal Science Mandigo
also emphasized the safety aspect, adding
that it is something that is constantly being
worked on at the lab.
The two credit hour course, which
Loveday considers "a fun class," meets four
hours and consists largely of lab work. Al
though lectures are included, Loveday said,
they are used where needed to allow more
time for the students to actively partici
pate in lab. Tests and pop quizes also are
part of the course, he added.
On Nov. 8, the students cut the sides of
pork into pork chops, roasts, and sausage,
under the instruction of Mandigo. The
meat was then wrapped for freezing, he
said.
Makin' bacon
The class will concentrate on curing
bacon and ham sections on Dec. 6, said
Mandigo.
According to Loveday, students must be
able to recognize cuts of meat and know
their location on the carcass. They also
Greek houses or the city of Lincoln. He
said none of it was university owned.
There were at least two injuries reported
at the game Saturday, but no arrests. Police
say one woman in her 60s broke her arm
when the crowd behind her pushed her to
the floor as they surged onto the field after
the game was over.
A student suffered an ankle injury when
he fell off one of the goal posts.
After tearing the goal posts down, fans
paraded across the university carrying the
long white souvenirs of the Nebraska
victory.
And, despite the fact that both goal
posts are missing, officials say there will be
two goal posts up for next Saturday's game
against Missouri. Sports Information
Director Don Bryont said the university
has an extra goal post in storage, and they
will borrow a second one from a practice
field.
learn many of the skills involved in meat
processing.
If a student becomes sick on the "kill
floor" they may leave the room and get
fresh air or watch the slaughter from the
observation desk.
"The way I lock at it is that certain
things bother certain people," Loveday
said. If a student could not handle the
slaughtering, they are still responsible for
the material and are given handouts, which
cover it, he said.
Forty-eight students are involved in the
animal science 217 course this fall with 24
students in each of the two sections.
Doug Schardt, a general agriculture
major, decided to take the course after a
friend recommended it to him.
Student experience
"I would definitely recommend it to
others. It's a very practical course," jie
said, adding that it will save him money to
do his own slaughtering on the farm.
Brent Whitefoot of Shelton, is taking
the course as an elective after seeing
slaughter demonstrations in another course
last year.
With the experience of taking part in a
slaughter, Whitefoot, who is in the Agri
culture Honors program, hopes to find
summer work in a meat packing plant.
Patti Lutter, a junior from Valentine,
says she feels no discrimination in being
one of four women in her section.
"Everyone works together and takes
turns," she said of the lab.
The animal science-agriculture educa
tion major is taking the course as an
elective and said that she would
recommend the course only to people who
were really interested, since the class is
limited in to a small number for individual
instruction.
The best hog
Prior to hog slaughtering, Animal
Science 101 students evaluated the hogs on
October 30 and 31.
The students spent a lab period evaluat
ing the live hogs in the judging pavillion on
East Campus. According to Keith Gilster,
associate professor of animal science, the
students evaluated the hogs on various
criteria including live weight, average fat
thickness, USDA grading, carcass length
and must be able to recognize them after
they are slaughtered.
Their estimates are compared to the
actual figures after slaughter and the stu
dents get the opportunity to view the car
casses before they are cut and wrapped.
Gilster said the evaluation of the live
animal is important since it is a common
way of buying hogs in Nebraska. The stu
dents are asked to pick the best hog, which
Gilster said is sound legged, long, smooth
and trim.
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