Patent ID: 6899613

Claim:
A method for mechanically opening at least one blood vessel in the neck of a slaughter animal, wherein the neck comprises a trachea and an esophagus, in particular a fowl, comprising: positioning the neck of the slaughter animal, wherein the neck comprises a longitudinal axis; and opening the at least one blood vessel by moving at least one cutting device along a cutting path substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the neck and into the neck from one side of the neck towards an opposite side of the neck, the at least one blood vessel to be opened being located in the path of the cutting device, wherein before the at least one blood vessel is opened, the distance between the trachea and the at least one blood vessel is increased and wherein the body of the slaughter animal is repositioned from a position below the neck to a position above the neck either before or after opening of the at least one blood vessel in the neck.