NR ZBJD

AU Schütt-Abraham,I.

TI Stunning methods for poultry: influence on birds' welfare and prospects for future EC regulations

QU In: Ricardo Cepero Briz: Poultry Products Microbiology / European Regulations and Quality Assurance Systems, WPSA-meeting, Zaragoza (Spain), 25 - 29 September, 1995

PT Proceedings article

AB Stunning shall cause immediate unconsciousness until death from bleeding. Most EC-licensed plants use electrical water bath stunners for poultry. To guarantee irrevoked unconsciousness this method must cause an epileptic fit and additionally ventricular fibrillation in at least 90% of the birds. This requires currents (rms) of 0,12 A (chickens), 0.13 A (ducks, geese) or 0.15 A (turkeys) per bird. As electrical stunning necessitates prior shackling of poultry and may promote certain bruises alternative stunning methods using carbon dioxide or argon-induced hypoxia are being developed. With them, however, loss of consciousness is not instantaneous. As the birds are stunned in their transport crates and must be killed by exposure to prevent return of consiousness problems arise with separating dead-on-arrivals. Gas stunning is not yet routinely applicable. Concussion and microwave stunning are not suited for routine use in commercial plants. Directive 93/113/EC outlines the general requirements for poultry slaughter but gives few specifications, all of which concern water bath stunners. Minimum stunning currents and times of current flow as well as decisions on the use of gas stunning have to be proposed by the Commission until December 31st, 1995. However, the Member States remain entitled to implement more stringent provisions nationally.

AD Bundesinstitut für gesundheitlichen Verbraucherschutz und Veterinärmedizin (BgVV), Diedersdorfer Weg 1, 12277 Berlin

SP englisch

PO Spanien

Autorenindex - authors index
Startseite Betäubung - home page Stunning

Copyright Ingrid Schütt-Abraham