In accordance with example embodiments, a system may include a supply unit, a first transfer unit, a second transfer unit, and a gas chamber. In example embodiments, the supply unit may include a plurality of compartments and each compartment may have a moving device configured to move contents of the compartment from a first end of the compartment to a second end of the compartment. In example embodiments the first transfer unit may include a second moving device. In example embodiments, the second transfer unit may include a third moving device. In example embodiments the first transfer unit may be configured to receive contents from each compartment of the supply unit and move the contents to the second transfer unit, and the third moving device may be configured to move the contents to the gas chamber.

A system for recovery of animal byproducts and providing water reuse from an animal processing plant waste stream. In one embodiment of the invention there is an equalization tank forming part of an animal processing plant that is mechanically filtered to recover animal byproducts from a water mixture in the equalization tank. In another aspect of the invention there is a skimmer tank that contains a skimmer mixture with water and animal byproducts. The system mechanically separates the animal byproducts from the skimmer mixture in a manner that is suitable for human consumption. The system also allows the separated water to be reused in the animal processing plant.

When stunning animals e.g. by CO.sub.2-stunning aversive reactions may be seen among the animals as a reaction to the high concentration of CO.sub.2. To avoid the aversive reactions animals can be pre-stunned before being final-stunned and perhaps killed or slaughtered when stunned. Pre-stunning of animals may be performed with a combination of gas for pre-stunning comprising at least air and/or O.sub.2 together with CO.sub.2 e.g. in a concentration below 40%, at least air and/or O2 together with N2O, or at least air and/or O.sub.2 together with N.sub.2O and CO.sub.2, where CO.sub.2 may bi in a concentration below 40%. For larger animals such as pigs pre-stunning is performed for less than 60 seconds. A stunning system may comprise means for pre-stunning of animals before performing a final-stunning and may include gas storage for re-use of the pre-stunning gas.

Processing apparatus for poultry that may include one or more transfer units placed intermediate and conveying poultry from a first line to a subsequent second line. The transfer means may include at least one magnet for inducing eddy currents in a circulating support that counteracts relative motion between the transfer means and the circulating support. The at least one magnet may be embodied with a series of alternating north-poles (+) and south-poles () facing the circulating support.

A clamping device for a bone-in limb meat according to an embodiment includes a pair of clamp pieces including a first clamp piece and a second clamp piece, and being openable/closable so as to hold a bone-in limb meat, and rotation suppressing portions for suppressing a rotation of the bone-in limb meat, the rotation suppressing portions being disposed at positions deviated with respect to the pair of clamp pieces in a direction perpendicular to a plane including an opening/closing direction of the pair of clamp pieces. The rotation suppressing portions include a projection portion disposed so as to protrude from the first clamp piece into a space between the pair of clamp pieces and configured to contact the bone-in limb meat when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the plane.

In accordance with example embodiments, a system may include a supply unit, a first transfer unit, a second transfer unit, and a gas chamber. In example embodiments, the supply unit may include a plurality of compartments and each compartment may have a moving device configured to move contents of the compartment from a first end of the compartment to a second end of the compartment. In example embodiments the first transfer unit may include a second moving device. In example embodiments, the second transfer unit may include a third moving device. In example embodiments the first transfer unit may be configured to receive contents from each compartment of the supply unit and move the contents to the second transfer unit, and the third moving device may be configured to move the contents to the gas chamber.

A system for recovery of animal byproducts and providing water reuse from an animal processing plant waste stream. In one embodiment of the invention there is an equalization tank forming part of an animal processing plant that is mechanically filtered to recover animal byproducts from a water mixture in the equalization tank. In another aspect of the invention there is a skimmer tank that contains a skimmer mixture with water and animal byproducts. The system mechanically separates the animal byproducts from the skimmer mixture in a manner that is suitable for human consumption. The system also allows the separated water to be reused in the animal processing plant.

Fish slaughter device includes fish positioning device with fish head abutment, against which the fish head abuts temporary stop position by controllable fish slaughter tool. Fish head abutment element is a trigger releasable by a trigger sensor of a controllable trigger controllable to move the fish head abutment into different trigger positions. device includes a first control actuator with a first actuator, a coupling device, connecting the fish head abutment to the first actuator for adjusting movement into the trigger positions, and an additional second control actuator with a second actuator controllably placeable in at least two fixed trigger adjustment positions. The two actuators are coupled so an adjusting movement of the first actuator is stopped by a coupling impact against the second actuator in a fixed trigger adjustment positions, which brings about an associated trigger position of the fish head abutment.

A loading system for bone-in limb meat according to an embodiment is a loading system for loading a bone-in limb meat to a processing portion, the loading system includes: an image capturing portion for capturing an image of the bone-in limb meat before being loaded to the processing portion; an image processing portion capable of acquiring orientation information of the bone-in thigh meat from the image of the bone-in limb meat captured by the image capturing portion; an openable/closable pair of clamp pieces for holding the bone-in limb meat; an arm supporting the pair of clamp pieces, and capable of controlling a position and orientation of the pair of clamp pieces; and a control portion controlling, based on the orientation information acquired by the image processing portion, an operation of the arm and thereby holding the bone-in limb meat, and loading the bone-in limb meat to the processing portion.

A system for vacuum chilling poultry product includes: a vacuum chamber configured to be evacuated to chill poultry product in the vacuum chamber; at least one inclined or vertical conduit coupled to the vacuum chamber, with the at least one conduit configured to hold at least one water seal when the vacuum chamber is evacuated; and a conveying mechanism that is configured to continuously convey the poultry product upwardly through the at least one conduit, then into and through the vacuum chamber, and then downwardly through the at least one conduit.