An establishment where livestock are slaughtered for their edible products (meat and offal) and their by-products (leather, bristles, horsehair, horns). Until 1950, slaughtering was often carried out in France by
butchers themselves on their own premises. But since 1972, for reasons of hygiene, it has had to be done in a public abattoir. EU regulations have further reduced the number of abattoirs through out Europe and imposed strict controls. From the gastronomic point of view it is rather less desirable: less than a century ago, beef cattle from Normandy, Limousin or the Nevers region would make their way slowly on foot for a distance of 200 to 400 km (125 to 250 miles) before being slaugbtered in the big towns, and this made their meat firmer and more tasty.
Rules govern the intake of live animals, and also the inspections of the viscera (internal organs) and the carcass. If all the inspections are satisfactory the carcass is branded as conforming to legal requirements, either national or for exchanges between EU countries. Present-day abattoirs are becoming increasingly better equipped, incorporating cutting and sometimes packing departments, deep freeze units or workshops for processing and cooking the meat particularly pork. Scientific research is Constantly leading to improvements in this field, notably in matters of hygiene and preservation by rapid refrigeration.
