Before dispatching

 There are things to consider before butchering your livestock. First and foremost is the animal healthy or ill? Have they been treated with any medicine and if so what is the withdrawal period for the medication? You want to be sure that your meat is not tainted when you do butcher.
Secondly, if the animal is ill you need to make sure its not exhibiting signs of neurological or nervous system disorders. Does it seem dizzy, head pressing, leaning and walking along walls, walking in circles, overly aggressive or can not get up? If there are any of these symptoms you should call a veterinarian.
Ok, so you have determined that your animal isn't exhibiting any signs of mad cow or scrapies! Time to move to the next step!



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Zoological diseases and butchering

Welcome to the butchering series! Now I know there are many books and videos available to show you step by step how to slaughter and butcher your animal, but I have yet to see much from the everyday prepper/homesteader/self sufficient live style about disease.
Zoological diseases are pretty self explanatory. That is disease carried by animals. Believe it or not but many of those diseases can pass to people. A friend of mine was ill for a very long time before any doctor would listen to her and believe that she had caught a disease from cattle. It turns out after many months and nagging she tested positive to bovine tuberculosis, which is supposed to be nearly extinct in the US.
As a livestock producer and being around farm animals all my life I have seen a number of diseases. I am not a veterinarian, but I have unquie experience to qualify me to discuss zoological diseases and what to look for in the guts, carcass, and meat. So lets get started with the next post! Check back to read about jaundice and how to identify it!

You're on the right path because you found yourself Way Out Here!