Subdivision 1.Scope.

For the purposes of sections 31.59 to 31.591, the following terms have the meanings given them.

Subd. 2.Slaughterer.

Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes 31.59

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • Person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44

“Slaughterer” means any person, partnership, corporation, or association regularly engaged in the commercial slaughtering of livestock.

Subd. 3.Livestock.

“Livestock” means cattle, horses, swine, sheep and goats.

Subd. 4.Humane methods.

“Humane methods” means:

(1) Any method of slaughtering livestock which normally causes animals to be rendered insensible to pain by a single blow of a mechanical instrument or shot of a firearm or by chemical, or other means that are rapid and effective, before being shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast, or cut; or

(2) The methods of preparation necessary to safe handling of the animals for Halal ritual slaughter, Jewish ritual slaughter and of slaughtering required by the ritual of the Islamic or Jewish faith, whereby the animal suffers loss of consciousness by anemia of the brain caused by the simultaneous and instantaneous severance of the carotid arteries with a sharp instrument.

Subd. 5.Inhumane method.

The use of a manually operated hammer or sledge is declared an inhumane method of slaughter.