[header] How to properly slaughter a cow under the kosher method shechitah [title] Select a knife (called a chalif) of the appropriate size. [step] The length of the blade is twice the width of the animal's neck. [title] Thoroughly examine the animal prior to slaughter. 
[title] Restrain the animal so that the slaughtering can be done correctly and painlessly. [step] If the animal is injured during the restraining, it is no longer considered kosher.