New Mexico Horse Slaughter Plant to Open Jan. 1 A New Mexico horse slaughter plant plans to open Jan. 1 after a federal appeals court rolled back a court order that had kept the Roswell facility from beginning operations. According to KOB-TV (http://bit.ly/1eqMdg1), Valley Meat Co. owner Rick De Los Santos says the plant will start off slow, but already has multiple meat contracts lined up. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Dec. 13 lifted an emergency order that blocked the opening of the Roswell plant, another in Gallatin, Mo., and one in Sigourney, Iowa, that has converted to beef. Animal protection groups have been trying to block the slaughtering of horses. De Los Santos says Valley Meat has employees ready to work and 20 horses from Nevada for slaughter.