The Jarvis Beef Stunner: Effects of a prototype chest electrode

The Jarvis Beef Stunner electrically induces a stun, cardiac arrest and spinal discharge in adult cattle by three consecutive cycles. Concerns over varying incidences of cardiac arrest and some meat quality problems prompted this study to investigate the effect of replacing the conventional brisket electrode (T1) with a prototype chest electrode, with (T2), and without (T3) spinal discharge in 287 animals in a commercial abattoir. Repositioning the electrode did not significantly affect electrical parameters in any of the cycles. All animals received a cardiac arrest as assessed by electrocardiogram. Most post-stun/kill responses were unaffected. No difference was found in the incidence of a broken femur between treatments, but haemorrhages in the sirloin were significantly reduced by the prototype electrode (left: 51.1% (T1) vs. 30.3% (T3); right: 57.6% (T1) vs. 36.4% (T3)). The chest electrode was therefore efficient at causing cardiac arrest, did not significantly affect post-stun/kill responses and reduced haemorrhaging in the high-value sirloin.