2,580. Broken Ribs

Hilchos Shechita 9:21

If the greater part of the trachea and the esophagus hang limp, the animal’s a treifa, even if it’s for reasons other than a fall. Similarly, if they’re folded, the animal’s a treifa because they’re unfit for slaughter. Conversely, if the greater part of the throat is separated from the jaw, the animal remains permitted because the throat is not the place for shechitah, as was discussed halacha 1:6.

Hilchos Shechita 10:1

“Broken” means that most of an animal’s ribs are broken. An animal has 11 ribs on each side; if six are broken on each side, or 11 are broken on one side and one is broken on the other, then the animal’s a treifa. This is only the case when the rib is broken on the half that’s near the spine and not on the half that faces the animal’s chest.