Plant Management

Personal hygiene of the meat handlers has profound effect on the quality of the product. The workers should be motivated and trained to follow good hygiene practices. 

• The clothing should be clean and in good repair. 
• No staff member working with meat should wear any kind of jewelry, badges or buttons that may come loose and accidentally fall on the product. 
• All the staff members working with exposed meat should have clipped nails and their head should be completely covered with a clean cap or hair net to prevent the hair falling on the product. 
• Aprons and mesh gloves worn during work must be clean and in good repair. 
• No one should smoke or use tobacco anywhere in the plant area when handling meat, workers should not scratch their heads, place their fingers in and around the nose or mouth or sneeze and cough on the product. 
• Hands should be washed frequently to remove all visible soiling. 
• No person suffering from infections or contagious disease shall be allowed to work in the factory. 

As we know a modern abattoir is highly advanced and organized industry for its successful running on day-to-day basis we require skilled workers and dedicated technical staff. 

The following requirements are important in abattoir management: 

Proper maintenance of livestock yard and lairage: These are the areas where animals are exposed to environmental stress. It is necessary that there should be proper arrangement of unloading ,weighing and receiving stock.The animals are kept in lairage house for proper rest and replenishing meat as the glycogen level is depleted during journey which directly affects the meat quality. Lairage should be provided with sufficient drinking water and feed. 

Organization of animal owners: In general there may be two types of slaughtering practices as per owner organization. 

(i) Butcher slaughtering their own animals: Here butcher himself is the owner of animal slaughtered. S/he used to purchase the stock from nearby village and then slaughter at market place to sell it. 

(ii) Service slaughter on payment: Here the animal owner himself brings the animal to slaughter place. S/he pays some nominal charges and get its animal slaughtered by skilled butcher in abattoir premises. S/he either took away the meat for own consumption or sell it at the same place. 

Inspection of Livestock: It is of prime importance that only healthy animals should be passed for slaughter. A thorough antemortem check for health/disease condition of animal should be performed by a qualified veterinarian. 

Proper maintenance of plant and equipment: The abattoir has to be maintained properly throughout the year. Clean, calm and aesthetic environment in working area must be ensured. All the equipment whether in uses or not must be cleaned and examined regularly. 

Training of staff: The meat production from live animals involves a number of skilled workers. All the workers should be given proper training according to assigned work. It ensures efficient production of quality product. 

Production schedule and target for daily slaughter: According to reason, available stock, manpower and capacity of abattoir, target of daily slaughter and meat production must be fixed. Such type of systematic approach helps in meeting the target of production and therefore, further necessary planning. 

Handling of carcass and products: In a modem abattoir with rail system the unnecessary exposure of carcass can be reduced easily. Whatever the system, it must be taken care that unnecessary manual touch to carcass, exposure of carcass to direct open climate, a higher temperature zone or contaminated carcass could be prevented. 

Post-mortem inspection: Once the animal has been slaughtered and carcasses as well as viscera are being presented for examination, careful postmortem inspection in a systematic manner should be performed to correlate the results of antemortem report. It should be taken care that viscera belong to same carcass which is being examined. 

Quality control laboratory: Now a days in every modern abattoir there is a quality control laboratory which examine the meat sample for biological, chemical and physical hazards. Particularly for export purpose it is necessary to enclose a detailed report from quality control laboratory. 

Maintenance of plant hygienically: To ensure the quality of meat same regular cleaning and disinfection's of plant premises and equipment's is brought in practice. Fumigation, sterilization by flame or hot water also performed in some plant. The slaughterhouse should have provisions for the cleaning and disinfection of trucks, trolleys, gamblers, hooks, inspection tables and similar equipment's at the end of each working day. Foot-knee activated or timed hand washing facilities should be provided and should be located so that personnel can readily wash their hands. Liquid or other dispensable type of soap, paper towels in suitable dispensers and receptacles for used towels should be provided. Besides these the plant workers must be told about hygienic practices in detail and persons with habits of spitting and other malpractices must be removed. 

Rendering of non-edible products: As discussed earlier a huge amount of byproduct is also produced besides main product i.e., meat as a result of slaughter. Some of these byproducts are utilized for specific purpose and have great value. Therefore, it is necessary to utilize these products in judicious way. Rendering of non-edible products is one of commonly used practices where fat is separated with the help of heat and rest is used for animal feed and fertilizer. 

Processing of byproducts: It has been correctly said that each and every part of an animal is utilizable except the last cry. Only meat production from slaughtered animals can not be a profitable business and therefore, all the byproducts must be processed and utilized for economic operation. Byproduct of meat industry can be defined as everything from the abattoir which is not directly sold as food i.e., everything produced from the animal except dressed meat may be termed as byproduct. Trimmings, bone, blood, liver are good source of proteins and several compounds such as enzymes, hormones etc. can be recovered from the organs which are required by pharmaceutical and other industries. Bone meal, meat meal preparation, use of skin and hide for leather goods etc. are example of ideal utilization of byproducts. If these byproducts are left in the abattoir without any processing then they may lead to unhygienic condition. Therefore, proper handling storage and utilization of meat byproducts is not only important from economic point of view but also essential to prevent the pollution in and around the factory. 

Social welfare of staff: As discussed under heading utility block some basic requirements related to staff-welfare must be fulfilled. Proper care for health of the workers should be ensured. They must have some recreational facilities also. 

Supervision of regulation of HACCP and IS0 standards: The quality of product should be of standard level and as per limits fixed. Hazard analysis critical and control point (HACCP) should be supervised and regulated. To meet the export quality we should try to stick to the International Standard Organization (ISO) norms and limits. 

Noise Control: Noise barriers such as screens around noisy equipment and operations should be provided. All ventilation and extractor fans should be fitted with silencers. If the slaughterhouse is located near the dwelling or noise sensitive place, then perimeter noise barrier walls of 2-4 m high and off site noise barrier wall of 3 m high should be provided. 

Pest Control: All windows and other exterior openings that could admit insects, birds, bats etc., should be equipped with screens. Fly chaser should be provided over outside doorways where screening is not practicable. Expanded metal or wire with a mesh should be embedded in the walls and floor at their junctions. 

Manpower Requirement 

Manpower requirement of a regular abattoir for slaughter of about 30 to 100 large animals or 150 sheep/goat per day are presented in the following table.

 Manpower Requirement in an abattoir

In an integrated modern abattoir, the key personnel involved in the plant management are as follows: 

General Manager 

A general manager is responsible for: 

• Production planning, achieving sustained output of assured quality and maintaining cordial relations with the workforce.
• Controlling resources both men and material and reducing wastage and direct them to proper use.
• Making endeavours to maintain consistent productivity levels and meeting production targets.
• Examining every contract for its feasibility of compliance with respect to the specifications of the product and meeting the delivery schedules. 
• Enforcing the quality policy and the quality objectives and constantly monitoring their compliance and sorting out all the interdepartmental problems. 
• Ensuring conformity of all the quality parameters mentioned in the contract, entering into the contract with the customers and market research for export market. 
• Ensuring customer satisfaction, attending to their complaints and initiating corrective and preventive action for all customers complaints. 
• Identifying the customer's needs and ensuring that all the requirements of the customers including those implied needs are adequately defined and documented. 
• Motivating the departmental managers to create a climate of quality at all levels. 
• Goal setting and monitoring performance of the managers and sectional In-Charges concerned in achieving the plant's objectives. 
• Introducing and implementing good manufacturing practices.  
• Monitoring performance of production executive and maintaining consistency in production output. 
• Ensuring cleanliness of premisess and equipment coming into contact with meat and meat products. 

Production coordinator 

A production coordinator is responsible for: 

• Overall planning, scheduling, monitoring and management of product production processes and maintaining consistent quality of product, monitoring productivity levels and quality standards. 
• Production of finished products as per specifications of the customer and meeting the delivery schedules. 
• Quality of inputs and all the technical parameters at each step of the processes. 
• Evolving the parameters for control of processes and ensuring their adherence before the product is transferred from one process to the next. 
• Enforcing suitable controls necessary to prevent production of sub-standard products and damage and deterioration during handling of products. 
• Proper packing and handling of products. 
• Ensuring segregation of non-conforming product to avoid inadvertent mix-up/further processing. 
• Ensuring timely corrective action of non-conformity appearing in the system and preventive measures to eliminate recurrence of non-conformity. 
• Monitoring resources both men and material and reducing wastage and direct them to proper use. 
• Maintaining consistent productivity levels and meeting production targets. 

Manager administration 

Manager administration is responsible for: 

Policy making regarding industrial relation, collective bargaining and matters related to growth of the organization, giving direction and providing coordination and support to administration. 

All statutory obligations for operation of the plant.  

Development of appropriate HRD policies in line with the organization's objectives, values, vision and mission and also facilitation, implementation of the same. 

Introducing effective concepts of management practices like total quality management, strategic planning, etc. and to facilitate their implementation by creating resources and training others. 

Interacting and interfacing with all the sections and activities to develop faultless inter-personal, inter-sectional coordination for harmonious and effective industrial relations in the plant. 

identifying the training needs of all new personnel and ensuring that they are adequately trained with reference to the operational features of the machines, and also quality of the product. 

Identifying the on going training needs of the employees with effective interactions with department/section heads. Arranging training, monitoring and recording the same. 

Manager Quality Assurance (Veterinarian)

A manager quality assurance: 

• Ensures that all the required inspection and tests are carried out in accordance with the laid down procedures and techniques. 
• Ensures that quality assurance personnel take necessary samples that they require using the correct sampling procedures. 
• Ensures that test methods are strictly adhered to and test reports are forwarded to the designated authority. 
• Identifies and organizes calibration of inspection, measuring and test equipment to maintain their continued suitability. 
• Ensures that the final product conforms fully  to the laid specifications provided. 
• Ensures that corrective action are timely on non conformity appearing in the system and institute preventive actions to eliminate recurrence of non- conformity. 
• Checks the cleaning and hygienic conditions in the process hall and abattoir and prepares check report. 
• Being nominated person under Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, S/he is responsible for all statutory obligations for quality of products. 
• Facilitates and monitors implementation of systems introduced'and the Total Quality Management (TQM). 
• Ensures adherence to cleaning schedules for maintaining proper hygiene. 

Veterinary Officers 

A veterinary officer is responsible for: 

Organizing animal health programmes in the animal procurement areas.

Ensuring that only healthy animals are accepted for slaughter and performing ante-mortem examination of animals. 

Proper maintenance of lairage and cleanliness of animals before sending for slaughter. 

Ensuring that only healthy and disease free carcasses are taken for processing through hygienic slaughter and effective postmortem examination. 

Ensuring proper disposal of condemned carcasses and record keeping. 

Examining the animals in isolation pen and under quarantine. 

Manager Commercial 

A manager commercial is responsible for: 

Assessing, evaluating and appointing subcontractors for supply of materials and services. 

Procuring of live animals. 

Preparing raw material purchase statement and subcontractor payment balance sheet and day to day production costing report. 

Arranging byproducts sale and executing the related activities. 

Manager Purchase and Stores 

A manager purchase and stores: 

Codifies all items of store including accessories and spares. 

Receives items of stores and keep records of all items. 

Issues all items with proper documentation and updates all stocks and issue of material. 

Returns all rejected material to suppliers. 

Coordinates with purchase and all other user departments for proper flow of material. 

Maintains proper inventory control, plans proper storage to prevent damage and deterioration,check receipts for right quality and quantity. 

Stocks the required items of the consumer departments properly. 

Supervises day to day administration and function related to all purchase activities. 

Develops specification for different materials including packaging material, consumables, spare parts etc. 

Rendering Plant In-Charge

The In-charge will ensure that the inedible offals are received in covered trolleys to the rendering plant and are processed on the same day. 

The In-charge ensures that bone meal, meat meal, tallow etc. are to be properly packed, stored and marketed regularly. 

Effluent Treatment Plant In-Charge

The In-Charge ensues that the waste water containing faeces, urine, blood washing and meat material from abattoir are led to the effluent treatment plant (ETP) after screening of grease, solids etc. S/he also ensures that the anaerobic fermentation is followed by aerobic fermentation and finally the treated effluent has a BOD of 30 ppm and the water is utilized for irrigation.