Improving Animal Welfare: A Practical Approach (2nd Edition) Edited by Dr. Temple Grandin Colorado State University, USA ISBN: 978-1-78064-467-7 c. 368 pages 131 figures/illustrations Subject Classifcation: KNAC, PSVP, TVH, TW Territorial Market Rights: World Published by CABI Links for ordering: Amazon.Com CABI.org

This chapter contains practical instructions for correct stunning procedures and outlines an objective numerical scoring system for evaluating animal welfare in slaughter plants. The species that are covered are cattle, pigs, sheep, fish, and poultry. The following critical control points should be numerically scored:

• Percentage of animals stunned correctly on the first attempt
• Percentage rendered insensible (must be 100%)
• Percentage falling down before stunning and during handling
• Percentage vocalizing during handling, restraint, and stunning. Must be 5% or less in the stun box and restrainer.
• Percentage moved with an electric goad. Must be 5% or less for an excellent score

There are 8 diagrams and photos to assist the reader in determining insensibility, showing the correct electric stunner placement , and using the right equipment for moving non-ambulatory animals.

Chapter 10 has diagrams for correct captive bolt or gunshot placement.

Below is an excerpt from Chapter 9...

There are four basic types of problems that cause poor animal welfare in a slaughter plant, and to be effective in solving problems that cause animal suffering one must correctly determine the cause of the problem. The four basic types of problems are:

1. Poorly maintained equipment or facilities. Examples would be a broken stunner or a slippery floor that causes falling in the stun box or unloading ramp.
2. Untrained employees or unsupervised employees who mistreat animals. Examples would be, poking a stick in an animal’s rectum or slamming an animal down on to the floor with a heavy guillotine gate.
3. Minor design faults that can be easily fixed. Examples would be welding steel rods on a poorly designed slippery stun box floor to provide a non-slip surface or eliminating a reflection on shiny metal that makes animals baulk and stop moving.
4. Major design faults where a plant will need to purchase a major piece of equipment or rebuild the facility. Examples would be replacing shackling and hoisting of live animals for religious slaughter with a restraining box that holds them in an upright position, or replacing old, undersized equipment with new, larger capacity equipment that can handle a plant’s increased line speed. Plants handling wild, extensively raised animals that lack basic equipment such as races will need to build them (see Chapters 5 and 14 for information on design).

Quick Access information 9.6. Signs of insensibility (unconsciousness) in animals shot with properly applied captive bolt or gunshot that cause physical brain concussion

1. Rhythmic breathing - must be absent. Occurs if ribs move in and out at least twice.
2. All eye movements — must be absent - including corneal reflex, palperal reflex, natural blinking, and nystagmus. Eyes fully open in a blank stare, with a fixed dilated pupil.
3. Vocaiization — must be absent — bellow, moo, or squeal. It is permissible to have a small grunt due to chest compression when the animal falls.
4. Fighting reflex — must be absent — when hung on the rail (Fig. 9.5), this can be observed as an arching of the back and sustained backward lifting of the head. This should not be confused with a momentary flop of the head, which occurs when the back legs exhibit reflexive kicking. If the animal is on the floor, complete loss of posture (LOP) and loss of the ability to raise its head or stand. After the shot, a properly stunned animal will fall instantly and lose the ability to stand.

Quick Access information 9.7. Signs of insensibility (unconsciousness) in animals stunned with electricity, CO2, or other gases and LAPS, for methods that do not cause physical brain concussion

1. Rhythmic breathing - must be absent — occurs if ribs move in and out at least twice. Do not confuse with gasping (like a fish out of water), which may occur in properly stunned animals.
2. Natural blinking - must be absent — eye makes a fully open and close cycle like live animals in the lairage. Test by waving a hand in front of the eye (menace reflex). Do not touch the eyes. Nystagus (vibrating eye) or weak corneal reflex may be present in properly stunned animals.
3. Vocalization — must be absent- bellow, moo, squeal. It is permissible to have a small grunt due to chest compression when the animal falls.
4. Righting reflex - must be absent- when hung on the rail (Fig. 9.5). This can be observed as an arching of the back and sustained backward lifting of the head. This should not be confused with a momentary flop of the head, which occurs when the back legs exhibit reflexive kicking. If the animal is on the floor, complete loss of posture (LOP) and loss of the ability to raise its head or stand.

Quick Access information 9.8. Signs of insensible (unconscious) properly stunned chickens

• No eye blinking (nictitating membrane reflex).
• Loss of muscle tone in jaw and neck (floppy).
• No rhythmic breathing — some gasping like a fish out of water is permissible.
• No response to comb pinch.

Recommendations based on EEG (brainwave) studies that were used to validate reflexes that could be observed at slaughter with signs of unconsciousness in chickens (Sandercock et al., 2014).

Some of the most serious animal welfare problems exist in parts of the world where modern equipment for handling and restraining large animals such as cattle or water buffalos is not available. Welfare problems become worse if the animal is wild and untamed and not accustomed to being handled by people. Tame animals that are trained to lead are much easier to handle without modern equipment.

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