ZCCE.htm

NR ZCCE

AU Hoenderken,R.

TI Electrical and carbon dioxide stunning of pigs for slaughter

QU CEC-Seminar "Stunning of Animals for Slaughter", 13.-15. Oktober 1982, ZEIST / Niederlande, Martinus Nijhoff Publ., 1983

PT Proceedings

AB The effectiveness of several electrical stunning methods have been investigated using electro-encephalography to monitor the effects. In addition, several factors which play a role in the stunning process such as voltage, current, time span of the stunning and the location of the electrodes during the stunning act, were examined. An effective electrical current level of at least 1.07 ampere (50 Hz) through the head of pigs was found to guarantee effective stunning in 90% of the cases tested. For purposes of these studies effective electrical stunning was defined as : to generate an epileptic insult within one second of the start. The length of the period of unconsciousness caused by stunning and the effect of bleeding on brain activity were also determined. Recommendations are given for the actual improvement of electrical stunning equipment in pig slaughter-houses, which will result in effective electrical stunning, and still guarantee the safety of the stunning equipment operator. Finally three years of application of high voltage (240-600 Volt) stunning in all Dutch slaughter-houses are discussed. The results of these investigations were used for the development of a fully automatic electric stunning equipment for pigs. The consequence of this equipment is a standardised and optimal location of the electrodes on the head of each animal during the stunning process. Finally the effectiveness of carbondioxide stunning methods have been investigated using electro-encephalography to monitor the effects under practical conditions. The experiments showed that before the pigs lose consciousness, which is about 40 seconds after the start of the procedure, they experience a phase of excitement caused by the CO2-gas and/of the lack of oxygen. The pigs are killed if the stunning time lasts for more than 90 seconds and the CO2-concentration is greater than 70%. This means that immobilization by means of CO2-gas cannot be compared with a usual anaesthesia. Carbondioxide stunning of pigs has been forbidden in the Netherlands since 1980 in the knowledge that immobilization by means of CO2-gas leads to unconsciousness under very inquiet and stressful conditions for the animal.

SP englisch

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