Welfare at Stunning and Slaughter

Lecture 1 and 2

What does regulation 1099/2009 require in regards to animal welfare?

FBO and any person involved in killing animals should take the necessary measures to avoid pain and minimize the distress and suffering of animals during the slaughtering or killing process.

Pain, distress and suffering should be considered avoidable

Why do we care about the welfare in stunning and slaughter process?

Duty of care, public demands, retailer demands, meat quality, and financial incentives

What training and licensing must a slaughterman possess?

Certificate of Competence

What activities require a certificate of competence?

Proper handling and care of animals before they are restrained, restraing of animals for stunning and killing, stunning of animals, assessment of effective stunning, shackling of live animals, bleeding of live animals, slaughter according to religious rites, and pithing of stunned animals

What is the training and licensing required for a slaughterman?

Required by EC 1099/2009, works for the FBO, holds a CoC for every process in the facility, ensure compliance with legislation, keep records of actions taken to improve welfare in the slaughterhouse, undetake specific training and pass an independent final exam

What is the first step when an animal arrives at the abbatoir?

Unloading

When unloading animals, the main goal is to

get the animals into the abbatoir with minimal/no slipping, escaping, and minimal distress

Ramps should not be steeper than

__ for sheep

__ for cattle and

__ for pigs

26.5, 26.5, 20

When the slope is steeper than 10 degrees, ramps should

be fitted with battens or simialr system to allow animals to climb up or down without difficulties

What important questions should be asked about the transporting process and unloading process/technique used at an abbatoir?

Is the vehicle fit to transport the animal?

Any welfare issues always arising from that faulier/farmer?

Any issues with carcass quality from that haulier/farmer?

What features of a lairaging shluld be regulated/controlled for good animal welfare?

Stocking density, avoid mixing of animals, temperature control, floor materials, water availability, non-injurious environment, limit obstructions, and limit noise

In tha lairage, what is the space requirement for cattle (~700kg)?

<3hr, 1.7m² , >3hr, 3.6m²

In tha lairage, what is the space requirement for sheep/lambs(~1 year old)?

<3hr, 0.56 m² , >3hr, 0.8-1m²

In tha lairage, what is the space requirement for pigs (90-100kg)?

<3hr, 0.42 m² , >3hr, 0.66 m²

What is the most important feature of animal movement in the lairiage?

Good stockmanship, usage of point of balance, and avoiding slipping and falling circumstances

What is the definition of killing in animal processing/processes?

Any intentionally induced process which causes the death of an animal

What is the definition of slaughter in animal processing?

Killing of animals intended for human consumption

What is the definition of stunning in animal processing?

Any intentionally induced process which casues loss of consiousness and sensibility without pain, including any process resulting in instantaneous death

How can stunning by achieved via induced dysfunction?

The cerebral hemispheres on a large scale, the reticualr formation, or the ascending reticular activating system (or median thalmus bilaterally)

What is the definition of presumed unconciousness in EC 1099/2009 PATOK?

When an animal loses its natural standing position, is not awake, and does not show signs of positive or negative emotions such as fear or excitement

What are the different classes of acceptable stunning methods?

Mechanical, electrical, and gas methods

How long do we have to stun, and ensure a nonpainful stun in our animals?

Less than 100 milliseconds

What is the definition of electronarcosis?

Stunning with electricity, simple stun, fully reversible

What is the definition of electrocution?

Stun-kill, resulting from cardiac arrest

In electrical stunning, what actually results in the stun?

The current passing through the neural tissue that produces brian dysfunction —>

What is the legal minimum current to stun cattle?

1.28A

What is the legal minimum current to kill cattle?

>1.51A

What is the legal minimum current to stun calves?

1.25A

What is the legal minimum current to kill calves?

1.25A

What is the legal minimum current to stun sheep/goats?

1.0A

What is the legal minimum current to kill sheep/goats?

1.0A

What is the legal minimum current to stun lambs/kids?

1.0A

What is the legal minimum current to kill lambs/kids?

1.0A

What is the legal minimum current to stun pigs?

1.3A

What is the legal minimum current to kill pigs?

1.3A

How does electrical stunning work on a physiological level?

Electrical stunning is tonic/clonic epilepsy, which in humans and animals is associated with unconsciousness

What is the voltage/Resistance/current equation?

Voltage = Current x Resistance (V= I * R)

What are features of tonic phase of epilepsy/electrical stunning?

Stiff muscled, front legs extended, hind legs flexed into the body

What are features of clonic phase of epilepsy/electrical stunning?

Uncontrolled physical activity

If using electrical stunning to kill, you must

use electrodes covering head to back/body. electrodes must span the brain

If using electrical stunning to only stun, electrodes need to be

on the head only

What is the most common stunning technique used in the abbatoir?

Contact fired mechanical stun gun

In guns, the higher the grain,

The more energy is dispersed from the muzzle

In guns, the caliber refers to

the diameter of the bullet/blank to be used

How does a stun gun/captive bolt gun work physiologically?

Energy of the bolt accelerates the skill, the brian accesslerates a fraction of a second after the skull, the effects of concussion will cause increases and decreases in pressure in the skull, ‘shearing’ forces within the gelatinous mass of the brain cause massive disruption to brain activity

What generally is the goal of a stun gun to the animal?

Impact produces concussion, penetration can destroy the midbrain to prevent recovery

If you need to restun, NEVER

reshoot through the same hole

Where do you shoot cattle?

Horn eye, horn eye, x marks the spot

Where do you shoot horses?

Ear eye, ear eye, slighlty above where cross is

Where do you shoot pigs?

In between the “eyebrows” (20 mm above eye level), midline and aim towards the tail

Where do you shoot hornless sheep?

Highest point of the head, towards the angle of the jaw

Where do you shoot horned sheep?

Just behind the horns, towards the angle of the jaw

Why is the timing of horned sheep and goat bleeding so fast? What is the time limit?

They are bred to tolerate head trauma, <15 seconds to bleeding

What is the most important sign to assess an effective stun?

No rhythmic breathing

What methods can we use to assess consciousness after an attempted stun?

Rhythmic breathing, fixed/glazed expression, no corneal reflex, a relaxed jaw, tongue hanging out, tonic/clonic phase

Gas stunning utilizes

a Heavy colorless anesthetic gas that dissolves in water to forma weak acid

Gas stunning, when it enters animals, physiologically results in

pH lowering from 7.4→7.1 (resulting in loss of consciousness) → 6.8 and lower (resulting in deep anesthesia then death)

What is the minimum concentration of CO2 to kill pigs with gas?

80%

What is bleeding in abbatoir facilities?

Severing of major blood vessels to promote quick blood loss

When should sticking of cattle occur?

Within 1 min

When should sticking of horned sheep and goats occur?

Within 15 seconds

When should sticking occur with pigs?

As fast as you can!

Allow __ for bovine species and __ for sheep, goats, pigs, and deer before starting dressing and/or electrical stimulation

30 seconds, 20 seconds

Why can we not use Low Atmospheric Pressure stunning in pigs?

It leads to bursted eardrums