Module 8 Flashcards
killing of animals for food or when large numbers of animals are killed to control an outbreak of disease
Slaughther
Two methods for slaughtering smaller animals such as lamb and poultry
- Exsanguination
- Decapitation
is typically achieved with hobbles, ropes and rings in the floor, or by tying the animal to posts or trees
Restraint
Enumerate sensory input that animals receive during the chain of events leading to slaughter
- handling and increased human contact
- unfamiliar environments
- lack of food and water
- varying climatic conditions
- changes in social structure
affect the acidity and water-holding capacity of the muscle, and therefore the value of it as a meat product
stress
A result of pre-slaughter stress in beef, lamb, and poultry meat that depletes the muscle glycogen stores leading to little lactic acid in the muscle at slaughter so the pH of the meat is higher than normal
dark firm dry (DFD) meat
Higher pH in meat means? (4)
- normal post-mortem setting of meat does not occur and the meat looks DARK, FIRM, and DRY. Also, the meat is generally TOUGH and UNPALATABLE
- meat is more susceptible to bacterial spoilage
- DFD meat indicates that the animals experienced stress, injury, disease or fatigue before slaughter
- Reduced profit for the abattoir because the meat may be unusable
Also results from stress on meat quality pork where glycogen is not depleted in the pig during pre-slaughter stress leading to rapid drop in pH
Pale Soft Exudative (PSE)
Describe PSE or Pale Soft Exudative pork
Pork is pale and exudes fluids. Unpalatable, and it is also unsuitable for processing.
Enumerate during transport factors that may reduce or increase welfare
- whether the animals are fit for transport
- environmental conditions including driving style, road conditions, vehicle design and operation, space allowance, etc.
- long transport times
these are in pens close to the slaughterhouse where animals after transport are rested before slaughtering
lairage
Lairage offers the possibility of resting the animals after sometimes long journeys. However, lairage itself may be very stressful because animals may?
- be mixed with other unfamiliar animals, resulting in fighting
- be washed to remove feces and dirt; high pressure spraying with water can be stressful have food withheld
- be hit or goaded with electric prods to move them within the lairage
- not be provided with water or shade
- not have the opportunity to carry out ‘coping’ behaviours such as escape, hiding
much preferred to ropes and casting
mechanical restraint
Characteristics of good mechanical restraint
- allow for a comfortable, upright position
- use non-slip flooring
- ensure that if there is any pressure on the animal’s sides, back or belly it is evenly distributed
4.try to ensure there are no pressure points - minimise the animal’s view of shadows or sudden movements
- block any vision from the restraining box using solid walls
restraint of poultry being suspended upside down by the legs and moved along an automated line prior to stunning
Shackling
According to OIE guidelines, how many seconds should the interval between shackling and stunning not exceed?
60 seconds
commonly used to severe the spinal cord disabling the animal prior to cutting their throat
puntilla
Give the four most common methods of stunning.
- electrical stunning
- captive bolt stunning
- percussive stunning
- gas stunning
These 3 methods of stunning can achieve instantaneous insensibility in almost all animals (i.e. within 200 milliseconds)
- electrical stunning
- captive bolt stunning
- percussive stunning
The process of carotid arteries and jugular veins severed by a cut or ‘stick’ into the upper chest area of the unconscious animal just above the heart
chest sticking
In ruminants and pigs, exsanguination of killing is sometimes called
sticking/bleeding
This method is used for killing pigs, small ruminants and birds but rarely for cattle.
electrocution
This method is used for killing pigs and birds only and is always followed by bleeding
killing by gas
Killing of animal by gas results to
anoxia
Electrical stunning renders animal unconscious by delivering electrical energy to the brain and causing?
‘grand mal’ seizure
3 disadvantages of automated ‘water bath’ electrical stunning
- Pre-stun shocks
- Ineffective and inadequate stunning
- Poor bleed-out
Preferred method than electrical stunning in some species
captive bolt stunning
In this method, a bolt is released when the pistol is fired at the skull
captive bolt stunning
Another method of stunning that is non-penetrating, stunning pistol transfers energy through the bones of the skull causing depolarisation of the nerves without penetrating the bone
concussive stunning
This method has been used in religious slaughter, where stunning with penetration is perceived as being contrary to the requirement for the animal to be ‘intact’ at the time of exsanguination
concussive stunning/stunner
animals best stunned with the weapon (captive bolt) against the front of the face
cattle
In these species, optimum shooting position is along the midline of the skull, approximately 2.5 cm above the imaginary line connecting the eyes
pigs
these animals’ skull is thick at the front and stunning is more effective if they are stunned at the back of the head
water buffalo
stunned on the top of the head, at the highest point of the skull
sheep and goats without horns
stunning gun is positioned just behind the ridge connecting the horns while the gun is aimed towards the angle of the jaw
horned sheep and goats
used for poultry and pigs where animals are placed in chambers with high concentrations of CO2 (carbon dioxide) or argon gas
gas stunning
an inert gas that displaces oxygennot sensed by the animal
argon
acts as an anesthetic gas at high concentrations
CO2
Signs that stunning has been effective
- lack of corneal reflexes and blinking
- head hangs straight down
- tongue may hang out
- body hangs straight down – no arching of the back or struggling
- gasping and gagging reflexes, but no rhythmic breathing or vocalisations
- no peripheral body reflexes
achieved by cutting the major blood vessels in the neck (carotid arteries and jugular veins)
exsanguination
Jewish method of slaughter
schechita
Jewish method of slaughter is called schechita and it produces?
kosher meat
Muslim method of stunning that produces halal meat
dhabh or zabiha
most comfortable way to restrain animals for slaughter
upright
simple way to raise awareness amongst slaughter personnel and to help them improve standards of care
audits
based on the OIE standards of transport and slaughter
numerical scoring method of auditing welfare
In numerical scoring method of auditing welfare, how many percentage of animals must be effectively stunned at the first attempt
95%
In numerical scoring method of auditing welfare, how many percentage of animals should vocalise during handling and stunning
less than 5%
Factors that influence effectiveness of legislation
- Limited resources
- Limited training of slaughterhouse personnel
- Lack of willingness
- Local or regional differences in accepted practices
- Enforcement body may share interests with those policed, or the industry is policed internally
