How are cattle slaughtered in the usa?

How are cattle slaughtered in usa?

Most cattle are stunned with a captive bolt pistol where a bolt strikes the head of the animal and renders it unconscious. The unconscious animal is then hung by one leg then arteries are cut causing the animal to quickly bleed to death. Next the animal is skinned, inspected, and then processed.

Kosher meat plants do not stun with a captive bolt system. In these plants either other methods are used to stun the animal or the animal is killed without being rendered unconscious first.

Capitive bolt stunning has been recently criticized because some feel that the head injury makes it more likely prions from BSE (Mad Cow Dissease) end up in the muscles of the cow to be eaten by consumers.

Animal rights groups have criticised Kosher slaughter methods as well as other forms of ritualised slaughter and animal sacrifices.