Welfare At Slaughter Flashcards
How has meat consumption generally changed?
What influences it?
Reduction
Increased ready meal consumption
Follows GDP
What is slaughter?
Killing of animals for food, causing the death of the animal by bleeding
Where are the different areas that welfare for slaughter can be affected?
- On the farm
- transport
- Ante-moretem evaluation
- Stunning and bleeding
- PM evaluation
What are the 5 freedoms that slaughter system welfare is based on?
Freedom from:
- Hunger
- Discomfort
- Pain
- Express normal behaviour
- Fear
- Distress
What should be allowed for animal in transport to the slaughter house?
Enough space to lie down
Ad lib water
Temp control
If over 12h food
What is lariage?
Who is responsbile for lairage reporting?
Lairage- a place where the cattle/sheep may be rested on the way to slaughter/market
Reporting- depends on who is responsible
APHA- farm
Trading standards- Farm, transport and markets
FSA- slaugher house
What is the purpose of stunning
What are the phases?
Stunning- to render the animal immediately insensitive to pain
Phases
Tonic phase
Clonic phase- involuntary kicking
What are the different methods of stunning?
What are the pysical signs of an effective mechanical stun?
Mehcanical- bolt
Electrical
Chemical
Effective mechanical stun-
Animal collapses, no rythmic breathing, fixed glazed expression, no corneal reflex, relaxed jaw
How are cattle, sheep, pigs and horses stunned with captive bolt?
Cattle- cross from base of horns and eyes
Sheep- polled at high point of the head
Pig- midline of the forehead
Horses- rarely used- middle of the forehead
What is the equation for volts?
When stunning what are the different parts of the equation?
Where is the electrode placed in sheep and pigs?
What is used to increase conductivity?
Volts = current x resistance
Volts- electrode, resistance- animals head
Specific amps depending on size of animal
Sheep- behind the cheeks
Pigs- lower down (at the cheeks)
Can be made wet to increase conductivity
What gasses are used for stunning?
Normally a mixture- CO2, heavier then air, cheap
Inert gasses- mor expensive, no physiological effect
Vaccum or nitrogen- poultry
Why is bleeding necessary?
What is the advantage of a thorax stick in a sheep?
Bleeding- death is the result of exsanguination
necessary for welfare and food safety
Thorax stick- prevents oesophagus being cut and contamination
What is looked for in PM?
Bad handling- excessive use of sticks, wool pull
Fighting pigs and cattle
Welfare on farm
Why is maintaining low stress important?
Stress (cortisol) affects metabolism of glycogen in muscles
Affected meat doesn’t keep as well, glycogen is energy source for muscle activity, following slaughter glycogen is converted to lactic acid
If glycogen is low the pH cannot drop to denature proteins
What it legally required to audit slaughter welfare?
Regulations on mandatory use of CCTV in slaughterhouses-
all business operators must- install CCTV, keep for 90 days and make availble for FSA inspectors
What is the most common stunning for poultry?
What is the difference between high and low frequnecy stunning?
What are the signs of a effective electrical stun?
What are the Adv and Dis of electrical stunning?
Electrical- water bath stunning
Low frequency- stun to kill- less likely to regain consciouss (not halal)
High frequency- improves quality, bleeding must be accurate
Signs of effective- neck is arches, eyes open, no rhytmic breathing, extended legs, constant rapid body tremors, wings held tight against the body
Adv- rapid, cheap
Dis- high frequency doesnt kill
What are the advantages and disadvantages of gas killing?
What are the different relgious slaughters and how do they differ?
What are the rules for slaughter?
Gas killing adv- minimal handling, improved health and safety, no possibility of preshocks, improved carcus quality
Gas killing dis- expensive initial outlay, possible danger of leaks, initial discomfort
Kosher- no stunning
Halal- stunning allowed not death- death needs to be done by slaughterman
Rules
Religuous- Animals must be upright, head restraint, support is required
Handling- not allowed in restaining pen unless ready
Not hoisted for 20 seconds for sheep, 30 for bovine
Sharp knife, 1 movement- carotid and jugular in 1
