ZFCR.htm

NR ZFCR

AU Troeger,K.; Meiler,D.

TI Killing of slaughter pigs by exsanguination - Development of a method for use under practical conditions to examine the killing ? feasibility study

QU Fleischwirtschaft 2006; 86: 115-118

PT article

AB According to the German TierSchlV (1997) slaughter animals have to be stunned in such a way, that they rest unconscious till they are dead (caused by exsanguination). When animals are not stuck (by mistake) or are bleeded only imperfectly, they regain consciousness after 30 to 40 sec or later. Therefore the risk exists, that animals with (regained) sensorium are conveyed into the scalding tank. An evaluation of slaughterhouses with CO2-stunning equipment all over Germany revealed, that on an average 1% of the slaughter pigs (14% as an exception) showed reactions (eye movements, rhythmic breathing, vocalisation) immediately before entering the scalding tank. Therefore it was the aim of these examinations, to develop a practical method to test the lack of reactions (as a sign of death) of the pigs before they are entering further processing machines after bleeding. A pressure hot water jet was installed below the bleeding conveyor in three slaughterhouses (plants A, B: CO2-stunning, plant C: Electrical stunning) in such a way, that the water jet was directed towards the snouts of the stuck pigs, which were conveyed on the bleeding rail. So, the sensitivity of 4127 pigs at all was tested. Additionally the corneal- and eyelid-reflex, breathing and, of a part of the animals, mydriasis were recorded. 3 % of the animals showed reflexes and reactions on the bleeding conveyor (plant A: 0,7%; B: 5%; C: 33%). The hot water jet induced reactions of 1% of all animals tested and of 26% of the reflex-positive pigs. The other 74% of the pigs with positive corneal-/eyelid reflex and/or interrupted breathing showed no reactions because of the hot water irritation. This makes it evident, that these reflexes alone are not a reliable sign for sensitivity. At all pigs, which showed neither brain steam reflexes nor hot water stimulans reactions, an optimum of mydriasis could be seen (as sign for brain death). That avoidance reactions could be induced by a hot water irritation of sensitive, central nervous pathways of 1% of all pigs tested, independent of the stunning method, shows the necessity of the development and installation of a method to control the death of the animals before entering a further processing machine/scalding tank. The used method is in principle suitable. For a practical use, automation of the method seems, necessary

SP deutsch

PO Deutschland

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