The meat-packing industry is primarily engaged in the slaughtering of cattle, hogs, sheep, lambs, and calves for meat to be sold or to be used on the same premises in canning and curing and in making sausage, lard, and other products. Plants in which both slaughtering and processing occur are called integrated plants. The small plants are usually non-integrated and produce only a small amount of the total industry output.
A typical integrated plant employs 500 to 700 people, and produces either beef and lamb or pork products. However, the processes used and the operating schedules are similar in any large integrated plant producing meat products.
Animals are slaughtered, hair is removed, and the carcass is eviscerated and chilled. Fresh meat products can be sold at this point or processed further by curing, smoking, or cooking.
In the evisceration and viscera handling and washing operations, steam is used to heat make-up water to 140°F or as high as 180°F.
Typical energy requirements of a meat packing plant are the following:
