ZAFA.htm

NR ZAFA

AU Buhr,R.J.; Cason,J.A.; Rowland,G.N.

TI Feather retention force in broilers ante-, peri-, and post-mortem as influenced by electrical and carbon dioxide stunning

QU Poultry Science 1997 Nov; 76(11): 1602-6

PT journal article

AB Stunning and slaughter trials were conducted to evaluate the influence of stunning method (electrical 50 V alternating current, CO2 gas: 0 to 40% for 90 s or 40 to 60% for 30 s) on feather retention force (FRF) in commercial broilers. Feathers from the pectoral, sternal, and femoral feather tracts were sampled with a force gauge before stunning (ante-mortem) and contralaterally either after stunning (peri-mortem from 0.5 to 4 min) or after stunning and bleeding (post-mortem from 2 to 6 min). Prior to stunning, ante-mortem FRF values varied among assigned stunning methods only for the pectoral (7%) feather tract. After stunning, peri-mortem FRF values were higher only for the sternal tract (11% for 40 to 60% CO2 for 30 s); whereas after stunning and bleeding, post-mortem FRF values were lower than ante- or peri-mortem only for the sternal tract (10% lower for 40 to 60% CO2 for 30 s). Peri- and post-mortem FRF values did not differ among stunning methods for the pectoral and femoral feather tracts. Small changes in FRF values occurred from ante-mortem to peri-mortem (-1 to +12%), and from ante-mortem to post-mortem (-2 to +8%) across stunning methods. A significant increase was determined for only the pectoral tract (7%) from ante- to peri-mortem across stunning methods. Electrically stunned broilers that were not bled gained weight in excess of the 36 feathers removed (0.16%), apparently due to body surface water pickup during the brine-stunning process, whereas CO2-stunned broilers lost weight due to excretion of cloacal contents (-0.31 to -0.98%). The change in body weight among stunning methods was significant (P < 0.0233). Peri- and post-mortem FRF, in addition to bleed-out body weight loss, were not substantially influenced by electrical or CO2 stunning methods, and, therefore, carcass defeathering efficiency may not differ after scalding.

AD Department of Avian Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens 30602-4875, USA.

SP englisch

PO USA

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