An animal carcass apparatus includes a support structure, a butchering platform and a carcass holding device. The butchering platform is moveably connected with the support structure and is constructed to support the mass of a person, and the carcass holding device includes a base and a securement mechanism. The carcass holding device is arranged in proximity with the butchering platform such that when a person is on the platform and a carcass is on the carcass holding device, the person contacts the carcass to butcher the carcass and moves the butchering platform to adjust the position of the person relative to the carcass holding device. Preferably, the butchering platform includes a linear actuator for vertical movement of the butchering platform. A method for processing beef includes processing beef with the animal carcass apparatus.

Systems and methods for rotating a product during processing including a shackle system including a trolley, a rotator, and a rotating shackle and a track. The trolley is coupled to the track and configured to undergo translational motion along the track causing the shackle system to move along the track. The rotator is configured to undergo rotational kinematics causing rotation of the rotating shackle.

An automated immersive chilling system wherein the system may comprise a shackle and a track. The shackle may be configured to cooperatively attach to a product to be cooled. The track may be configured to move the shackle along a processing line wherein the processing line may comprise one or more curved channels retaining a reservoir of a cooling medium. The shackle may be configured to move the product within the reservoir to agitate the cooling medium. The shackle can be a rotating shackle that can be configured to move the product within the reservoir to agitate the cooling medium by rotating the shackle in the reservoir of the cooling medium. The shackle may be further configured to move the product within the reservoir to agitate the cooling medium by vibrating the shackle in the reservoir.

A method and apparatus are provided for thermal treatment of poultry appendages, such as chicken feet or paws. In this regard, the apparatus may include a thermal transport assembly that may be structured and dimensioned to be filled with a thermal treatment liquid (e.g., water, or the like) that is regulated at a designated target temperature. The poultry appendages may be pumped from a picker assembly to the thermal transport assembly such that the appendages are at least partially submerged in the thermal treatment liquid while being transported through the thermal transport assembly. The thermal treatment liquid may be maintained at a specified temperature, and the thermal transport assembly may be operated such that the poultry appendages are at least partially submerged in the thermal treatment liquid for a specified amount of time.