Cargill is planning to install robots to move cattle at its Canadian plants, including Better Beef at Guelph.
The robots take over work considered dangerous for workers and are designed to improve animal welfare, the company told Meatingplace Magazine.
Cargill is expected to order two robots for each of its eight beef plants across the United States and Canada and hopes to expand use of the $40,000 machines in situations involving other animals, a Cargill spokesman confirmed in an e-mail to Meatingplace.
Plant employees operate the robots from a catwalk above the animal pens, reducing the risk to workers from closer physical interaction with cattle that weigh up to 1,300 pounds.
They will also be used at turkey slaughter plants.
Cargill spent two years working with animal welfare experts, its workers and Lakewood, N.J.-based manufacturer Flock Free to develop prototype robots, which move cattle using automated arms that wave the animals in the desired direction at the plant.
The latest version is made of steel and weighs 450 pounds, which prevents cattle from tipping over the robots along the line.
