Choosing the most efficient chicken processing equipment and meat processing equipment is a must for your business. New equipment can cost into the thousands. Broilers alone range from $1,899 to $,. Have equipment that is efficient yet cost effective. Provide your customers with the most hygienic and quality meats there is. Whether it's through your restaurant that you require a meat processing machine or you run a chicken processing plant, plan your budget to access meat equipment that is a financially sound investment.

There is a vast variety of meat processing machinery to choose from. From chicken processing equipment such as thermal care cooling equipment and plant circulating systems to meat grinders and vacuum fillers for meat processing. Utilize your budget to its fullest by shopping for used and wholesale equipment. Consider leasing or used equipment and always check specials when searching for meat processing machines.

1. Purchase used equipment to save on your budget

2. Utilize specials and deals on meat processing equipment

3. Repair existing equipment with parts and service companies

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Consider purchasing used poultry equipment to save money

Purchase used equipment to have more expenditures for other necessary items. Savings run approximately $1,000 to $3,000 for used equipment and can be even higher depending on the meat processing equipment you choose. Demo units can help on costs substantially. A used accumulation table can run $10,000 but the same table that was a demo unit is under $2,000 and is a larger table.

I recommend: Right Stuff Equipment has a variety of used processing equipment with a handy menu in order to pick which particular machine you are looking for. Kamco has used and refurbished equipment as part of their vast amount of stock.

Check out sales and specials when considering pricing and costs of meat and poultry equipment

When choosing meat market equipment and poultry machines, inquire about sales and special price offers to save on your meat processing equipment budget. Sales can save thousands of dollars when purchasing new equipment.

I recommend: Hollymatic offers specials on different types of meat and poultry processing equipment. New equipment can be almost $8,000 but Big Tray has specials on refrigerated trays that will meat at a safe temperature while preparing it. Their seasonal specials can save you over $2,000 with the new price being under $5,500.

Consider repairing your existing meat processing machines to save on large purchase prices

Save on the prices and costs of meat and poultry equipment when you repair your existing equipment. Save thousands when repairing your expensive meat processing equipment. When purchasing new equipment, figure repair costs and part prices into your long-term budget.

I recommend: Marlen offers parts and service for a variety of meat processing equipment. They even offer an emergency number for parts needed on the weekend. Townsend has custom made parts for their equipment so that the consumer gets specifically made parts and equipment. Contact these provides for repair estimates and parts orders and pricing.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Compare regional and national companies to get the lowest priced option on new meat processing equipment.

Meat and poultry equipment has to be sanitary to process any animal product, and finding a quality store to provide that meat equipment should come easily. Meat market equipment should be thoroughly tested and approved before making its way to you, but being knowledgeable about the industry never hurts either.

Poultry processing equipment and meat processing machinery comes in many shapes and sizes. What you are planning to do with your meat will determine which one you choose.

To find out more about meat market equipment:

1. Search online for meat equipment and poultry machines.

2. Determine what sort of testing your chosen facility has undergone.

3. Purchase with caution, and only use reputable sellers.

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Start your search for poultry machines and meat equipment

Use an industry specific directory to start your search for meat processing machines.

I recommend: MeatEquip.com not only has a supplier directory, but trade show information as well. NSF International gives a list of companies that have met the certification necessary for equipment used in the processing of meat and poultry, and has met the USDA NSF/ANSI/3-A Standards 14159-1, -2 and -3. MacRAE's Blue Book also has a comprehensive listing of meat equipment providers.

Stick with high quality meat and poultry equipment providers

Choose sellers backed by years of experience and strong reputations.

I recommend: Check out the commercial grinders sold by Heinsohn's Country Store. Beacon, Inc. has been offering high quality, stainless steel products since 1947. Their offerings include bacon hangers, screens, trucks, racks, cages, baskets and more.

Be knowledgeable about meat processing equipment testing

Know the ins and outs of what testing is done to meat processing equipment, so that you can be better prepared to ask questions when discussing or meeting with potential meat processing equipment vendors.

I recommend: Underwriters Laboratories offers a Meat & Poultry Plant Equipment Certification Program. Check out the standard operating procedures sanitation ChemStation. They offer information on sanitizing everything from the cooler, to the slaughtering area, to the vehicles.

Stay updated on the meat and poultry equipment industry

Keep current on industry online information, or do additional background reading on the industry.

I recommend: Sign up for the free MeatProcess.com newsletter. MeatProcess.com is an industry information leader as far as topics in financial, industry & markets, meat equipment products, and meat and poultry equipment safety & legislation.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Heading to an meat and poultry equipment industry tradeshow is a great way to meet your potential suppliers in person and build a person-to-person connection.

Making the most of meat and poultry equipment requires buying meat equipment designed for efficiency. Meat and poultry equipment that performs multiple tasks simplifies the processing time. Whether it's a meat grinder or sausage stuffer to make health conscious turkey and chicken sausages, choose well-built meat equipment that’s able to deliver results.

Search for meat equipment that offers your customers sanitary and properly processed or cooked meat. Poultry machinery with refrigeration units and cooling fans help maintain freshness while meat tenderizers, scales and slicing machines help get the meat ready for your customers. Meat processing machinery such as vacuum packagers ensures superior quality meat and poultry ready for sale to vendors or customers. Look for meat equipment with interchangeable parts that produce fresh and hygienic processed meat and poultry. Equipment and meat processing machinery are key to the success of the business. Here are a few ideas to consider:

1. Locate meat market equipment that best suits your individual business.

2. Find poultry machines with time and money saving functions such as cooling fans and chillers.

3. Inquire about multiple purpose machinery to cut expenses on unnecessary purchases.

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Find the perfect meat market equipment to use in your business

Making the most out of your equipment means processing meat at a high rate of speed to make quality meats for your customers. By choosing meat market equipment that has a proven guarantee you are more certain that your equipment won't fail when you need it most. Use accessories and attachments to add benefits to your meat processing equipment.

I recommend: Pleasant Hill Grain has meat grinders with easy cleanup and cast iron mechanisms to ensure hygiene. Atlantic Shores Equipment offers a variety of meat processing attachments.

Locaate poultry processing equipment that saves time and reduces costs

Find ways of speeding up production by utilizing equipment that creates a faster work rate. Coolers remove the heat from industrial processes that can slow you down otherwise. Reverse osmosis maintains high quality water so you don't have to slow down production.

I recommend: Thermal Care offers chillers, cooling towers and circulating systems that can speed up the process in your poultry processing plant. Ampac USA has commercial reverse osmosis equipment that is perfect when handling meat and poultry. You need clean, healthy water to ensure your poultry has a head start on hygiene.

Consider meat processing machines that perform multiple functions

Seek out meat processing machinery that can perform many functions. This allows for meat processing that makes the most out of a single piece of equipment.

I recommend: Bettcher has trimmer tools that perform a variety of functions when processing meat. Berkel Food Equipment has a variety of meat processing equipment with multiple functions such as weighing and wrapping.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Properly train employees to operate meat and poultry equipment to cut costs of unneccesary repairs and avoid accidents.

There are various types of meat and poultry equipment throughout the preparation process. From a lung vacuum to meat grinders, each piece of equipment has a specific function that must be used in accordance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards as well as Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations. Understanding meat and poultry equipment key terms is necessary for everyone in the industry.

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Stunning knife

A stunning knife is used to introduce an electric current into the neck of the bird. Once this is done for about 10 seconds, the blade is used to slice the bird's neck.

I recommend: The Food and Agriculture Organization website offers information about the entire process of poultry processing, including the use of stunning knives.

Lung vacuum

A lung vacuum is a piece of equipment that is used to remove the lungs and kidneys from a bird once it has been slaughtered.

I recommend: The Occupational Safety & Health Administration provides information about lung vacuums.

Conveyor oven

A conveyor oven, also called an impingement oven, is an oven that cooks foods that move through the oven on a conveyor belt. This type of oven is used primarily in food processing centers and pizza or sandwich restaurants.

I recommend: You can find information about conveyor ovens on BigTray. This website provides information to help you choose the best conveyor oven for your needs.

Pressing truck

A pressing truck presses the meat or poultry cuts until they are the same thickness all the way across. This process helps get rid of air pockets, extending the shelf life of the meat or poultry.

I recommend: Beacon explains how a pressing truck works.

Portioner

A portioner separates the meat or poultry into portion sizes and sorts is based on the cut of meat. It helps improve the efficiency of the packaging process.

I recommend: A portioner is explained on the Marlen website.

Meat grinders

A meat grinder is a piece of meat and poultry equipment that is used to make ground meat. This piece of equipment can be used to grind up just about any food, including meat, eggs, sausage filling and nuts.

I recommend: Fantes provides information about meat grinders, including various uses for the grinders.