Kosher slaughterer

Kosher slaughterers slaughter animals and process carcasses of kosher meat for further processing and distribution. They slaughter animals as stated in Jewish law and according to rituals.

The following job titles also refer to kosher slaughterer:

kosher slaughterperson
kosher method slaughterer
kosher slaughterman
kosher slaughterwoman
slaughterer following kosher method

No formal educational credential is generally required to work as kosher slaughterer. Training is usually provided by the employers.

A kosher certificate is highly recommended for such position, although not necessary.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Kosher slaughterer is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to kosher slaughterer.

halal slaughterer
slaughterer
meat cutter
fish trimmer
wine fermenter

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of kosher slaughterer. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of kosher slaughterer with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

green coffee coordinator
animal feed supervisor
dairy processing technician
green coffee buyer
food safety inspector

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of kosher slaughterer.

• Legislation about animal origin products: The applicable legal rules on temperature, waste materials, traceability, labelling, trading, and the transport of animal origin products.
• Warm blooded animal organs: The difference between white and red organs of warm blooded animals and their position in the body. A white organ can be the stomach, red organs can be the heart, the liver, or the lungs. The norms to treat these organs properly.
• Documentation concerning meat production: Understand legal identification documents and marks which cover animal movement, identification, and health status. Understand information in commercial books of meat production.
• Torah: The study of the teachings and interpretations of the foundational narrative of the Jewish people, as well as the encompassing Jewish traditions and culture.
• Animal anatomy for food production: The anatomy of animals, their organs and their functions, as well as the usage of these organs for food production after slaughtering.

These skills are necessary for the role of kosher slaughterer.

• Slaughter animals: Sever the carotid artery or stab through the heart of an animal to kill it. Allow all the blood to drain from the animal. Collect blood for food, feed or other industrial purposes.
• Maintain cutting equipment: Maintenance of the cutting equipment (knives, cutters, and other elements).
• Tolerate strong smells: Tolerate strong smells expelled by the goods being processed during the production of goods.
• Ensure sanitation: Keep workspaces and equipment free from dirt, infection, and disease by removing waste, trash and providing for appropriate cleaning.
• Monitor the identification of animals: Monitor the identification of animals that come in the slaughterhouse. Assure the correct procedures for legal, quality, and administrative procedures in order to maintain identification and traceability during the manufacturing process.
• Mark differences in colours: Identify differences between colours, such as shades of colour.
• Ensure animal welfare in slaughtering practices: Respect the needs of livestock and apply the regulations regarding animal welfare in the meat and meat products manufacturing sector. Respond correctly to animal issues from unloading until stunning of the animals.
• Clean carcasses: Remove organs, fats sticking hole, spinal cord, and diaphragm from carcasses. Perform cleaning of the carcass following established procedures in order to obtain a final carcass presentation.
• Apply HACCP: Apply regulations regarding manufacture of food and food safety compliance. Employ food safety procedures based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).
• Deal with killing animals processes: Cope with the process of slaughtering and handling carcasses without distress.
• Process livestock organs: Process livestock organs and other byproducts for meat manufacturing processes. Remove organs from carcasses and perform activities such as cutting or dividing parts, washing organs, execute specific treatments, packaging, and labelling.
• Skin animals: Skin animals in an appropriate manner considering the end purpose of the skin. Strip off the hide of an animal to prepare for processing the carcass, or to use the skin or fur. Use case skinning for smaller animals, where an incision is made around the feet and the skin stripped off like a sock. If a non-invasive slaughter method like gassing or beating was used on a fur animal, take care to ensure that the animal is dead prior to skinning. Use open skinning for large animals, where an incision is made along the abdomen. Use the required equipment for skinning.
• Cope with blood: Cope with blood, organs, and other internal parts without feeling distressed.
• Prepare meat products for shipping: Prepare carcasses, edible meat products, and non edible offal by weighing, packaging, labelling and loading on meat wagons for shipping.
• Control animals in distress: Control distressed or panicked animals safely and without harm to the animal to be slaughtered.
• Weigh animals for food manufacturing: Weigh and classify bodies of animals and assign the carcass to a slaughterhouse customer.
• Apply requirements concerning manufacturing of food and beverages: Apply and follow national, international, and internal requirements quoted in standards, regulations and other specifications related with manufacturing of food and beverages.
• Apply GMP: Apply regulations regarding manufacture of food and food safety compliance. Employ food safety procedures based on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
• Cope with excrements: Cope with excrements, strong smells, and animal waste without feeling overwhelmed.
• Monitor temperature in manufacturing process of food and beverages: Monitor and control required temperatures in the different phases of production until the product reaches suitable properties according to specifications.
• Handle meat processing equipment in cooling rooms: Push and put carcasses in and out the cooling room as specified. Use equipment specific to this room to handle meat and meat products.
• Handle knives used in slaughtering processes: Use various types of knives and cutters for slaughtering processes. Use techniques for the usage of the knives. Select the right knives for the job at hand. Care for the knives.
• Inspect animal carcasses: Inspect the animal carcasses for non conformities such abscesses or contamination, and correct them if possible. Takes samples for laboratory inspection. Makes registrations of non-conformities and/or findings.
• Split animal carcasses: Separate animal carcasses and organs into larger subsections such as head and limbs, debone and cut them.
• Operate in slaughterhouse installations: Operate in slaughterhouse installations where skinning, opening, removing organs, splitting, and carcass processing are performed.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of kosher slaughterer. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Food storage: The proper conditions and methods to store food to keep it from spoiling, taking into account humidity, light, temperature and other environmental factors.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of kosher slaughterer. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Maintain personal hygiene standards: Preserve impeccable personal hygiene standards and have a tidy appearance.
• Keep inventory of goods in production: Keep inventory of goods whether they are goods in the front end (i.e. raw materials), intermediate, or back end (i.e. finished products). Count goods and store them for the following production and distribution activities.
• Follow an environmental friendly policy while processing food: Assure an environmental-friendly policy when working with natural resources like meat, fruits and vegetables. This means handling resources in the most efficient and nature-friendly way while trying to minimalise pressure on the ecosystem.
• Liaise with colleagues: Liaise with fellow colleagues to ensure common understanding on work related affairs and agree on the necessary compromises the parties might need to face. Negotiate compromises between parties as to ensure that work in general run efficiently towards the achievement of the objectives.
• Follow hygienic procedures during food processing: Ensure a clean working space according to hygienic standards in the food processing industry.
• Work as a team: To recognize the importance of team work, building and maintaining effective working relationships with all colleagues and within the business.
• Consider economic criteria in decision making: Develop proposals and take appropriate decisions taking into account economic criteria.
• Work in cold environments: Work in cold storage and deep freeze facilities. Cooling rooms are around 0°C. Resist temperatures of -18°C in meat processing freezer facilities as required by law, except for the slaughterhouse, where room working temperatures are below 12°C by law.
• Dispose food waste: Dispose or collect food waste with the purpose of recycling or throwing away from the production process. Follow established procedures for their disposal taking care of the environment and the safety matters according to legislations.
• Ensure compliance with environmental legislation in food production: Make sure to comply with environmental legislation in food production. Understand the legislation related to environmental matters in food manufacturing and apply it in practice.
• Label samples: Label raw material/ product samples for laboratory checks, according to implemented quality system.

7511 – Butchers, fishmongers and related food preparers

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References

1. Kosher slaughterer – ESCO