[Physiologic reactions during the slaughter of cattle and sheep with and without stunning]. / Physiologische Reaktionen bei der Schlachtung von Rindern und Schafen mit und ohne Betäubung.

In a first trial the cortical activity of cattle and sheep was tested using only an electrocorticogram (ECoG). The results showed a shorter phase after sticking or the ritual slaughter cut respectively, until the ECoG disappears in stunned animals. However, considering the time between stunning and the cervical state, the interval until disappearance of the ECoG was prolonged in the stunned animals. The observed time differences, however, are only a tendency and not statistically confirmed. Insofar, concerning animal protection, the different slaughter methods could be regarded equivalent. A second trial was designed in a manner to allow a more exact interpretation of the ECoGs and was completed by measuring visually and somatosensorically evoked potentials. Additionally, in contrast to the first trial, only adult cattle were used here. The results revealed shorter intervals until disappearance of cortical activities when using captive-bolt stunning. Also the variance was much lower in this trial than after ritual slaughter. The mean of the time differences was relatively low (5.5 seconds). It was especially remarkable that after captivebolt stunning absolutely no evoked potentials could be registrated, whereas these potentials lasted for 77 seconds (somatosensorically evoked potentials) and 55 seconds respectively (visually evoked potentials) after the ritual slaughter cut. Thus, after ritual slaughter a nervous conduction was measured up to 126 seconds in the extreme cases. However, from the results obtained it can not be concluded whether or not pain sensitivity occurred in the animals.

Cortical function in cattle during slaughter: conventional captive bolt stunning followed by exsanguination compared with shechita slaughter.

Brain function was examined in adult cattle after conventional captive bolt stunning or shechita slaughter, using eight animals in each treatment. The times to loss of evoked responses (visual and somatosensory) and spontaneous activity in the electro-corticogram were used to determine the onset of brain failure. Captive bolt stunning followed by sticking one minute later resulted in immediate and irreversible loss of evoked responses after the stun. Spontaneous cortical activity was lost before sticking in three animals, and in an average of 10 seconds after sticking in the remaining five animals. The duration of brain function after shechita was very variable, and particularly contrasted with captive bolt stunning with respect to the effects on evoked responses. These were lost between 20 and 126 seconds (means of 77 seconds for somatosensory and 55 seconds for visual evoked responses) and spontaneous activity was lost between 19 and 113 seconds (mean 75 seconds) after slaughter.

Ontogeny of hypothalamus-pituitary function in the fetal pig: gonadotropin release in response to electrical and electrochemical stimulation of the hypothalamus.

The ontogeny of hypothalamic control of anterior pituitary gonadotropin secretion was studied in anesthetized fetal pigs at different gestational ages (60, 80, and 105 days gestation; term, 114 days). Three or four fetuses from one mother simultaneously received either no treatment (control), sham operation, electrical stimulation (EL), or electrochemical stimulation (EC). Electrodes were implanted unilaterally into the hypothalamus. Fetuses remained in utero during surgery. A distinct difference in the development of basal LH and FSH secretion was observed. Basal plasma LH concentrations almost doubled (P less than or equal to 0.001) between days 60 and 80, with no further significant increase between 80 and 105. Plasma FSH concentrations did not change significantly between days 60 and 80, but increased more than 5-fold (P less than or equal to 0.001) between days 80 and 105. EL or EC did not affect LH secretion at 60 days. At 80 days, EL and EC significantly (P less than or equal to 0.05) elevated plasma LH concentrations 30 and 50 min after the onset of stimulation. At 105 days, EL and EC caused a rise in plasma LH levels within 10 min; the maximum level, reached 30 min after the onset of stimulation, was double that in 80-day-old fetuses. Plasma FSH values were not significantly affected by EL or EC in any age group. The results indicate that the fetal pig hypothalamus is able to influence pituitary LH secretion by day 80 (70% of gestation). Further, maturation of hypothalamic control of LH secretion becomes demonstrable between days 80 and 105. The development of hypothalamic control of FSH secretion is delayed relative to LH.