Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T16:28:53.488Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Assessment of stun quality at commercial slaughter in cattle shot with captive bolt

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

S Atkinson ,
A Velarde  and
B Algers
S Atkinson*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Environment and Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 234, 532 23 Skara, Sweden
A Velarde
Affiliation:
Animal Welfare Subprogram, IRTA, Finca Camps i Armet, 17121 Monells (Girona), Spain
B Algers
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Environment and Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 234, 532 23 Skara, Sweden
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Cattle may suffer pain and distress if incorrectly stunned. Regular monitoring of stun quality in abattoirs is now required by EU law. This study aimed to assess stun quality in cattle slaughtered under commercial conditions. A stun protocol was developed to evaluate when inadequate stunning occurred. This included rating of identified symptoms into three levels from highest to lowest risk for inferior animal welfare. Stun to stick interval times, shot accuracy, repeat shots, and stun quality variations between different cattle classes and by different shooters was also investigated. A total of 585 bulls and 413 other cattle classes (306 cows, 58 steers and 49 calves) were studied. Inadequate stunning occurred in 12.5% (16.7% of bulls, compared with 6.5% other cattle). Bulls displayed symptoms rated the highest level for inferior stun quality three times more frequently than other cattle. Despite being shot accurately, 13.6% bulls were inadequately stunned compared with 3.8% other cattle. Twelve percent of cattle were reshot, and 8% were inaccurately shot. Calves were shot inaccurately more frequently (14%) than other cattle. Percentage of cattle shot inaccurately ranged from 19% for the least experienced shooter to 5% for the most experienced. Stun to stick times averaged 105 (± 17) s posing questions for animal welfare, considering the number of cattle inadequately stunned. Stun quality could be improved by using more powerful stunners for shooting bulls, regular servicing of weapons, and use of neck restraints to improve shot accuracy. This study highlights the importance of external monitoring of stun quality at slaughter.

Keywords

animal welfareauditscaptive-bolt stunningcattle welfarecommercial slaughterstun quality assessment
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 22 , Issue 4 , November 2013 , pp. 473 - 481
Copyright
© 2013 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

References

Adams, DB and Sheridan, AD 2008 Specifying the risks to animal welfare associated with livestock slaughter without induced insensibility. Report for the Animal Welfare Working Group, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Primary Industries Standing Committee of Australia. http://www.daff.gov.au/____data/assets/pdf_file/0019/1370332/animal-welfare-livestock-slaughter.pdfGoogle Scholar
Agresti, A 2007 An Introduction to Categorical Data Analysis. Wiley, Hoboken: New Jersey, USA. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/0470114754CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Appelt, M and Sperry, J 2007 Stunning and killing cattle humanely and reliably in emergency situations: a comparison between a stunning-only and a stunning and pithing protocol. The Canadian Veterinary Journal 48: 529–534Google Scholar
Atkinson, S, Velarde, A, Llonch, P and Algers, B 2012 Assessing pig welfare at stunning in Swedish commercial abattoirs using CO2 group-stun methods. Animal Welfare 21: 487–495. http://dx.doi.org/10.7120/09627286.214.487CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blackmore, DK, Newhook, JC and Grandin, T 1983 Time of onset of insensibility in four-to six week old calves. Meat Science 9: 145–149. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0309-1740(83)90024-4CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bourguet, C, Deiss, V, Tannugi, C and Terlouw, EMC 2011 Behavioural and physiological reactions in a commercial abattoir: relationships with organisational aspects of the abattoir and animal characteristics. Meat Science 88: 156–168CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Copper, C and Pearson, ES 1934 The use of confidence or fiducial limits illustrated in the case of the binomial. Biometrika 26: 404–413. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/biomet/26.4.404CrossRefGoogle Scholar
EC (European Community) 1993 Council Directive No 93/119/EC. The Protection of Animals at the Time of Slaughter or Killing. EC: Brussels, BelgiumGoogle Scholar
EC (European Community) 2009 Council Regulation No 1099/2009 on the Protection of Animals at the Time of Killing. Official Journal of the European Union L303: 1–30Google Scholar
EFSA 2004 Welfare aspects of animal stunning and killing methods. Scientific Report on the Scientific Panel for Animal Health and Welfare on a request from the Commission. http://efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/45.htmGoogle Scholar
Fries, R, Schrohe, K, Lotz, F and Arndt, G 2012 Application of captive bolt to cattle stunning: a survey of stunner placement under practical conditions. Animal 6: 1124–1128. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1751731111002667CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gallo, C, Teuber, C, Cartes, M, Uribe, H and Grandin, T 2003 Improvements in stunning of cattle with a pneumatic stunner after changes in equipment and employee training. Archivos de Medicina Veterinaria 35: 159–170Google Scholar
Gasquoine, PG 1997 Post concussion symptoms. Neuropsychological Review 7: 77–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/B:NERV.0000005945.58251.c0CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilliam, JN, Shearer, JK, Woods, J, Hill, J, Reynolds, J, Taylor, JD, Bahr, RJ, Crochik, S and Snider, TA 2012 Captive-bolt euthanasia of cattle: determination of optimal-shot placement and evaluation of the Cash Special Euthanizer Kit® for euthanasia of cattle. Animal Welfare 21: 99–102. http://dx.doi.org/10.7120/096272812X13353700593806CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gouveia, KG, Ferreira, PG, Roque de Costa, JC, Vaz-Pires, P and Martins da Costa, P 2009 Assessment of the efficiency captive-bolt stunning in cattle and feasibility of associated behavioural signs. Animal Welfare 18: 171–175Google Scholar
Grandin, T 1998 Objective scoring of animal handling and stunning practices at slaughter plants. Journal of the American Veterinary Association 212: 36–39Google ScholarPubMed
Gregory, N 1998 Animal Welfare and Meat Science. CABI International: Oxon, UKGoogle Scholar
Gregory, N and Shaw, F 2000 Penetrating captive bolt stunning and exsanguination of cattle in abattoirs. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 3: 215–230. http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/S15327604 JAWS0303_3CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gregory, NG, Lee, C, and Widdecomb, JP 2007 Depth of concussion in cattle shot by penetrating captive bolt. Meat Science 77: 499–503. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2007.04.026Google ScholarPubMed
Gregory, NG, Spence, JY, Mason, CW, Tinarwo, A and Heasman, L 2009 Effectiveness of poll stunning water buffalo with captive bolt guns. Meat Science 81: 178–182. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2008.07.016CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Newhook, JC and Blackmore, DK 1982 Electroencephalographic studies of stunning and slaughter of sheep and calves: part 2, the onset of permanent insensibility in calves during slaughter. Meat Science 6: 295–300. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0309-1740(82)90040-7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Official Statistics Sweden 2011 07JO 48SM 1109. http://www.scb.se/Pages/PublishingCalendarViewInfo259923.aspx?PublObjId=15811Google Scholar
SJVFS 2008 69: L22: Chapter 7:2. Swedish Board of Agriculture: Jönköping, SwedenGoogle Scholar
Von Holleben, K, von Wenzlawowic, M, Gregory, N, Anil, H, Velarde, A, Rodríguez, P, Cenci Goga, B, Catanese, B and Lambooij, B 2010 Animal welfare concerns in relation to slaughter practices from the viewpoint of veterinary sciences. Dialrel Report. http://www.dialrel.eu/images/veterinary-concerns.pdfGoogle Scholar
Von Wenzlawowicz, M, von Holleben, K and Eser, E 2012 Identifying reasons for stun failures in slaughterhouses for cattle and pigs: a field study. Animal Welfare 21: 51–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.7120/096272812X13353700593527CrossRefGoogle Scholar