How to Properly Slaughter a Cow Under the Kosher Method Shechitah

Co-authored by Avrohom Rapoport

Last Updated: December 6, 2024 References

Shechitah (sheh-HEE-tah) is the Jewish ritual of slaughtering permissible land animals and fowl so that they are considered Kosher and are able to be eaten by Jews. Keeping Kosher is a very important aspect of Judaism because it benefits the mind, body, and soul; however non-Jews often consume Kosher meat because of the special process involved. Shechitah ensures the animal is slaughtered so that it feels no pain, and also ensures the meat is of the best quality.^{[1]
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Research source} It is a very difficult process, however, and it requires years of experience, a vast knowledge of biblical laws, and experience with the anatomy of the animal being slaughtered.^{[2]
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Research source} While you will not be able to do this yourself, because of the training involved, you might want to know the processes so you can understand why the price is considerably higher.

1

Select a knife (chalif) of the appropriate size.

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The length of the blade should be twice the width of the animal’s neck.^{[3]
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Research source} Make sure that there are absolutely no nicks or unevenness. Any blemish on the blade at all, even one big enough for a human hair to fall into, renders the knife unacceptable for kosher slaughter. The knife must be sharpened to such a sharp point that if the Shochet were to slice off their finger, they would feel no pain.^{[4]
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2

Thoroughly examine the animal prior to slaughter.

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This has two purposes. First, it ensures the quality of the meat because an ill or injured animal should not be eaten anyway. Second, it provides a disincentive for Kosher farms to partake in the methods of other farms, because if the cow is hurt in any way, it cannot be slaughtered.^{[5]
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3

Slaughter the animal correctly and painlessly.

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Restrain the animal, then cut the esophagus. If the animal is injured during the restraining, it is no longer considered kosher.^{[6]
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Go to source} Cut the esophagus, trachea, carotid arteries, and jugular veins in one quick incision. The incision must not at all pull or tear, and must be performed in one motion free of any pause. If done correctly, the animal will die within 2 seconds.^{[7]
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- Drain the blood of the animal completely. Eating blood is not Kosher, because the blood contains the soul of the animal.^{[8]
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4

Examine the essential organs of the animal.

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This is especially important for mammals (cows, sheep, goats, etc.). The lungs must be inflated to check for unwanted holes and for signs of lung disease. If there are holes or signs of active lung disease, the cow is not considered kosher.^{[10]
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5

Remove non-Kosher parts from the hind quarters.

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These include blood vessels and the sciatic nerve. If you are Ashkenazi and have no tradition of removing the sciatic nerve, you do not have to do so. As with the lungs, removing these parts only applies to mammals.
- Remove all fat surrounding the vital organs, as well. Internal fat, known in Hebrew as “cheilev” is not considered Kosher.^{[11]
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Should a cow be stunned before it is slaughtered?

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No, performing an action that could in any way affect the health of an animal is prohibited, and if performed, renders said animal trefah.

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Will a stun knife work, I don't want it to wiggle?

Community Answer

No. You need a stun gun that will use enough force to penetrate the cow's brain. Anything you kill will always wiggle or twitch violently because the nervous system is trying to stay alive for about 2-5 minutes. That's just the way it is.

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Are there any modern variations to kosher slaughtering?

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Yes, you can slit the throat at the same time the animal is stunned by a stun gun. There is a device for this in most slaughterhouse equipment catalogues.

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A person must be trained and certified by special rabbinic authorities to become a Shochet.^{[12]
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By law, a Kosher slaughterer must be an honest, kind and upright man. A cruel person person cannot be a shochet.^{[13]
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Stunning is against the laws of Kashrut.^{[14]
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Warnings

There is no way you could actually shecht a cow according to the standards of kashrut by just reading this article.

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You must receive certification to become a Shochet.

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It is extremely important to thoroughly examine if the cow is kosher before, during, and after the slaughtering.

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