Comparison of EEG and ECoG for detecting cerebrocortical activity during slaughter of calves

Parallel electrocorticograms (ECoG) and electroencephalograms (EEG) were recorded during stun-recovery and stun-slaughter of eight calves 4-6 weeks old. Epochs of 8·2 s duration, derived from the ECoG and EEG signals pre-stun, during recovery and during exsanguination, were compared for differences in power content and frequency distribution using Fast Fourier Transform analysis. ECoG signals recorded during the quiescent phase post-stun had a markedly lower power content compared with pre-stun, whereas the EEG signal showed no such reduction in power content. During exsanguination, the mean rate of decline in the ECoG power content was 0·025 log units/s, three times faster than the mean rate of decline of the EEG at 0·008 log units/s. The duration of the electroplectic fit post-stun was detected equally well by the two techniques. The differences between EEG and ECoG traces in this study are thought to arise from differences in the signal-noise ratio of the two techniques and by artefacts in the EEG signal, caused by microscopic movement between EEG electrodes and the surrounding tissue. The slower rate of decline in the power content of the EEG during slaughter means that the time to onset of isoelectric cortical electrical activity will be longer if determined by EEG measurements than by ECoG recording.