Effect of electrical stun/kill method, interval between killing and neck cutting and blood vessels cut on blood loss...

1. Broiler chickens were killed using either an electrical waterbath (WB system) delivering 120 mA per bird (50 Hz, alternating current, AC) for 4 s or an alternative stun/kill method (ASK system); where head-only stunning for 1 s was immediately followed by head-to-body (vent) application for 1 s (150 mA, 50 Hz sine wave AC). Within each stun/kill system, the neck was cut ventrally or unilaterally 20, 60, or 180 s after killing. In addition, a control group of broilers was stunned with 100 mA per bird in a waterbath using 1500 Hz AC for 4 s and were bled by a ventral neck cut within 20 s. 2. Blood leaving the neck cut was collected for 90 s in a bin placed on an electronic balance and blood loss (g/kg body weight) calculated. 3. Individually identified, unplucked and uneviscerated carcases were held at ambient temperature until the end of the experimental day and then stored overnight in an air chiller (5 degrees C). The carcases were dissected and the incidence of broken furculum and coracoid bones, haemorrhaging in P. minor and P. major muscles, and discolouration of P. major muscles were determined. 4. When neck cutting was performed in broilers 20 s after the stun or kill, the ASK and WB systems, in comparison with high frequency stunning, produced on average about 10 g per kg less bleed out. Within the stun/kill systems, broilers killed by ASK had a greater bleed out than in the WB system. Neck cutting at 20 s or 60 s post-kill resulted in a greater bleed out than when performed after a delay of 180 s. Ventral or unilateral neck cutting resulted in a similar bleed out. 5. Stunning broilers with 1500 Hz AC resulted in lower incidences of broken bones, haemorrhaging in breast muscles and muscle discolouration post mortem than the stun/kill systems. These defects were significantly lower in the ASK than in the WB system. Delayed neck cutting increased the severity of discolouration occurring Post mortem in the breast muscles. 6. It is suggested that broilers killed by ASK can be neck cut with a delay of up to 180 s without compromising bleed out. The incidence of broken bones and haemorrhaging in breast muscles are significantly less with ASK than WB. 7. Owing to the commercial benefits and potential for improved welfare at slaughter, ASK would appear to be a better method than WB.