The invention relates to a transporting station (10), designed and configured for transporting fish transverse to their longitudinal extent in a transport direction T, comprising a conveying device (11) for transporting individual, separated fish in a lying position along a transport path T.sub.L from an entry region E of the conveying device (11) to an exit region A of the conveying device (11), wherein the conveying device (11) comprises a rotationally driven transport element (12) which is characterised in that the conveying device (11) is assigned a change-over device (13) which is designed and configured and is in operative connection with the conveying device (11), in such a manner that the fish can be transferred automatically from the lying position on the transport path T.sub.L of the conveying device (11) into a suspended position on a transport path T.sub.H of the change-over device (13). The invention is also concerned with a fish processing machine (47) having such a transporting station (10), and with a corresponding method.

An arrangement for processing poultry has at least one overhead conveying device which is designed for conveying the poultry with a predefined conveying speed, which forms a conveyor line and is configured for transporting the poultry suspended by the legs. A plurality of processing stations are arranged along the conveyor line. The conveyor line has processing conveyor portions at each of the processing stations for processing poultry, and at least two of the processing portion lengths of each of the processing conveyor portions are configured to be controlledly variable. A method for processing poultry is also provided.

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.

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.

A method for monitoring live poultry intended for slaughter includes checking managing parameters and process parameters of poultry flocks from breeding farms, and monitoring transportation of the flocks to a slaughterhouse and handling thereof at the slaughterhouse. Gas stunning parameters of the poultry are checked prior to throat-cutting thereof. Video shooting of the poultry's reactions during the stunning step is done to visually verify a degree of well-being thereof. Computer records are made available wherein a single video file corresponds to each poultry flock or group of flocks in which images of the visible reactions of the poultry are combined and synchronized with said managing and process parameters.

A carcass cutting system including a belt positioned below a conveyor such as to stabilise a carcass during imaging and/or cutting operations. An offset section of conveyor track in the region of the belt may be utilized to urge the carcass against the belt. Imagining may use an optical imaging system, an X-ray imaging system, a laser scanning camera, a time of flight camera or a Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry system. Imaging information may be used to calculate cutting paths and/or weight distribution of carcass portions. Cutting may be performed by a robotic cutter using a circular saw or a circular knife.

A carcass cutting system including a belt positioned below a conveyor such as to stabilise a carcass during imaging and/or cutting operations. An offset section of conveyor track in the region of the belt may be utilized to urge the carcass against the belt. Imagining may use an optical imaging system, an X-ray imaging system, a laser scanning camera, a time of flight camera or a Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry system. Imaging information may be used to calculate cutting paths and/or weight distribution of carcass portions. Cutting may be performed by a robotic cutter using a circular saw or a circular knife.

A clamping device for a bone-in limb meat according to an embodiment includes a base portion, a pair of clamp pieces mounted to the base portion and configured to hold a bone-in limb meat, and an orientation adjusting member for adjusting an orientation of the bone-in limb meat, the orientation adjusting member being mounted to the base portion independently of the pair of clamp pieces and having an inclined surface inclined at an acute angle with respect to a center line between the pair of clamp pieces. When the pair of clamp pieces are in an opened state, in a planar view, at least a part of the inclined surface of the orientation adjusting member is disposed so as to overlap a space formed between the pair of clamp pieces.

Slaughter installation including a conveyor line with carriers for suspending poultry by the legs and conveying the poultry in a conveying track. Head positioning means arranged for forcing the bill of the poultry in a direction opposite to the transport direction of the suspended poultry. Killing device having at least a first rotary knife positioned alongside of the conveying track for cutting into the neck of the suspended poultry while avoiding to cut a certain parts. A first guide wheel upstream and proximate to the first rotary knife, which first guide wheel is positioned alongside the conveying track. A passageway between the first rotary knife and the first guide wheel through which the poultry neck is able to pass.

A method and system of imaging carcasses involves acquiring a first set of multi-view images from respective multiple positions at a first side of a passageway, and a second set of multi-view images from respective multiple positions at a second side of the passageway. The multi-view images are acquired at a first time point upon detection of a carcass at a predetermined position at the passageway. A 3D carcass model is computed from the first and the second set of multi-view images, and is based on a 3D point cloud and/or a polygon surface. An occluded or spatially sparsely represented region locates a first region of the 3D model. The 3D model is manipulated at least at the first region to change the volume or distribution of volume of the 3D model in accordance with a weight registered by a load cell and/or a representation of a carcass suspension position.