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Animal Welfare and Food Safety When Slaughtering Cattle Using the Gunshot Method.

Jan Hultgren1, Katrin J Schiffer1, Jakub Babol2

  • 1Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 234, 53223 Skara, Sweden.

Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI
|February 25, 2022
PubMed
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The gunshot stunning method for cattle, performed on-farm, offers a viable alternative to traditional transport, maintaining good animal welfare and meat safety. This approach minimizes stress for beef steers before slaughter.

Area of Science:

  • Animal Science
  • Veterinary Medicine
  • Food Safety

Background:

  • Transportation of cattle to slaughterhouses causes significant stress, negatively impacting meat quality.
  • On-farm stunning methods aim to mitigate pre-slaughter stress and improve animal welfare.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the animal welfare and food safety implications of the gunshot stunning method for large beef steers on-farm.
  • To assess the effectiveness of .22 Magnum ammunition for stunning cattle in a herd environment.

Main Methods:

  • Twenty Hereford steers were stunned using a .22 Magnum rifle in their home corrals.
  • Behavioral observations and blood analysis (cortisol, glucose, lactate) were used to assess stress levels.
  • Post-stunning assessment included stun depth, bleed-out, and carcass contamination.
Keywords:
brain haemorrhageon-farm slaughterrifleslaughter hygienesteerstun quality

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Main Results:

  • Pre-stunning stress levels were low, indicated by animal behavior and blood parameters.
  • Effective stunning was achieved in 11 animals; 7 had ambiguous stunning, and 2 required re-shooting.
  • Satisfactory bleed-out and minimal fecal contamination were observed on carcasses.

Conclusions:

  • The on-farm gunshot stunning method is applicable for large beef steers.
  • This method can maintain satisfactory animal welfare and food safety standards when implemented correctly.
  • Careful execution and appropriate conditions are crucial for the success of this on-farm slaughter technique.