The use of Diathermic Syncope® for stunning cattle

The EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the use of Diathermic Syncope® (DTS) for stunning cattle. A dossier was provided by the applicant as the basis for an assessment of the extent to which the method is able to provide a level of animal welfare at least equivalent to that ensured by the currently allowed methods for stunning cattle. This scientific opinion followed the EFSA Guidance (2018) on the assessment criteria for applications for new or modified stunning methods regarding animal protection at time of killing. Under Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009, approval of novel stunning methods requires demonstration of (1) the absence of pain, distress or suffering until the onset of unconsciousness and (2) that the animal remains unconscious until death. An ad hoc Working Group (WG) by EFSA performed the assessment as follows: (1) check of provided data against the criteria laid down in the EFSA Guidance; (2) extensive literature search; (3) data extraction and quantitative assessment; (4) exercise based on non-formal expert elicitation and qualitative assessment. Although the data and studies provided in the dossier only partially fulfilled the necessary criteria, they were sufficient to proceed with the animal welfare risk assessment. According to the data and the use of DTS parameterised by the applicant (delivering 160-200 kJ of energy and an incident power of 16-20 kW for 10 s), DTS does not ensure a level of welfare at least equivalent to one or more of the currently allowed methods listed in Annex I of Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009.