Assessing Susceptibility to Carbon Dioxide Gas in Three Rat Strains Using the Loss of Righting Reflex.

Overdose of carbon dioxide gas (CO2) is a common euthanasia method for rodents; however, CO2 exposure activates nociceptors in rats at concentrations equal to or greater than 37% and is reported to be painful in humans at concentrations equal to or greater than 32.5%. Exposure of rats to CO2 could cause pain before loss of consciousness. We used 2 standardized loss of righting reflex (LORR) methods to identify CO2 concentrations associated with unconsciousness in Wistar, Long???Evans, and Sprague???Dawley rats (n = 28 animals per strain). A rotating, motorized cylinder was used to test LORR while the rat was being exposed to increasing concentrations of CO2. LORR was defined based on a 15-second observation period. The 2 methods were 1) a 1-Paw assessment (the righting reflex was considered to be present if one or more paws contacted the cylinder after the rat was positioned in dorsal recumbency), and 2) a 4-Paw assessment (the righting reflex was considered to be present if all 4 paws contacted the cylinder after the rat was positioned in dorsal recumbency). Data were analyzed with Probit regression, and dose-response curves were plotted. 1-Paw EC95 values (CO2 concentration at which LORR occurred for 95% of the population) were Wistar, 27.2%; Long???Evans, 29.2%; and Sprague???Dawley, 35.0%. 4-Paw EC95 values were Wistar, 26.2%; Long???Evans, 25.9%, and Sprague???Dawley, 31.1%. Sprague???Dawley EC95 values were significantly higher in both 1- and 4-Paw tests as compared with Wistar and Long???Evans rats. No differences were detected between sexes for any strain. The 1-Paw EC95 was significantly higher than the 4-Paw EC95 only for Sprague-Dawley rats. These results suggest that a low number of individual rats from the strains studied may experience pain during CO2 euthanasia.

Evaluation of Oral Transmucosal Administration of Pentobarbital for Euthanasia of Conscious Wild Birds.

This prospective study evaluated oral transmucosal pentobarbital sodium at three doses in 110 wild-caught wild birds requiring euthanasia. Birds received transmucosal pentobarbital at five (430 mg/kg), six (516 mg/kg), and seven times (602 mg/kg) the intravenous dose for mammals. Time to first effects and loss of consciousness, presence of pupillary light and corneal reflexes, apnea, and asystole were recorded each minute. When asystole was not achieved at 5 minutes, IV pentobarbital was administered. Combining data for all doses, loss of consciousness occurred at a median (range) of 2 minutes (0-4.75 min), apnea at 3 minutes (0-6 min), and asystole at 4 minutes (0.5-5 min). Loss of consciousness and apnea occurred significantly faster in the 602 mg/kg dose group than in the 430 mg/kg group (p = 0.009, difference of 0.6 ± 0.2 min; p = 0.024, difference of 0.7 ± 0.3 min), respectively. Apnea and asystole were achieved in 80/110 birds within 5 minutes. Oral transmucosal pentobarbital results in rapid loss of consciousness and respiratory arrest and provides a reliable alternative euthanasia method compared to intravenous administration.

Assessment of a newly designed double-barreled bullet-shooting stunner for adequate stunning of water buffaloes.

To ensure animal welfare at slaughter, rapid stunning is required to render the animal deeply unconscious. In cattle, captive-bolt stunners are typically used for this purpose. However, with regard to their impact force and maximum length of approximately 120 mm, such captive-bolt stunners are not suitable for stunning water buffaloes due to anatomical characteristics of the skull. In water buffaloes the bone layer is thicker and the distance from the point of attachment of the captive-bolt stunner to the relevant brain region is longer. For this reason, a special bullet-shooting stunner was developed, which is similar in size and handling to a standard captive-bolt stunner, but instead of a bolt, it fires a bullet. Actually, even two bullets can be loaded so that a follow-up shot can be fired immediately if necessary. In this study, the bullet-shooting stunner was tested using two different types of hunting ammunition for stunning water buffaloes during regular slaughter.

Reliability of water-based medium-expansion foam as a depopulation method for nursery pigs and cull sows.

Animal disease preparedness plans including depopulation guidelines are paramount to prevent the spread of emerging infectious diseases but difficult to implement for swine under field conditions. However, water-based foam (WBF) is currently an approved and successfully deployed depopulation methodology in poultry. Therefore, the reliability of WBF as a depopulation method and the effectiveness and irreversibility of consciousness and consequential mortality in pigs of different ages was assessed across two trials. Trial 1 investigated the time to loss of consciousness and cessation of cardiac activity in nursery pigs (n = 72) at six different foam immersion time points (2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 and 15 min) when placed in a 1.47 m3 (1.2 × 1.2 × 1.02 m, length × width × height) plastic bulk container. One pig per replicate was implanted with an ECG bio-logger. Irreversible loss of consciousness was observed after a 5-min immersion. The average (SD) time to development of a fatal arrhythmia from the initiation of the foam application was 7.3 min (1.82 s). Trial 2 aimed to validate the findings from Trial 1 in 75 larger cull sows across three replicates (n = 25). Sows were loaded into a 41-m3 sealed trailer (12.2 × 1.5 × 2.24 m), immersed in WBF and left undisturbed for 5 min post foam-filling completion. Six pigs in each replicate were implanted with an ECG bio-logger. A 5-min dwell time resulted in irreversible loss of consciousness and subsequent mortality in all cull sows. The average time (SD) to cessation of movement and fatal arrhythmia post foam-filling completion was 2.2 min (34.8 s) and 8.7 min (138.0 s), respectively. While a 5-min immersion in WBF induced irreversible loss of consciousness and death in both trials, a 7.5-min dwell time followed by observation for confirmation of death post WBF removal would be advisable for pigs of all sizes.

Simple Field Anesthesia for Free-Ranging Microtines.

Although physical restraint without anesthesia is a common way to immobilize microtines in field settings, tagging can cause pain and stress, and escape-response movements may reduce marking quality. To evaluate if inhaled isoflurane may be a tool to minimize these issues, we anesthetized free-ranging voles (Microtus and Myodes spp.) undergoing subcutaneous injection of a passive integrated transponder tag and dorsal fur clipping. We anesthetized 24 voles for short-duration anesthesia using two 0.2-mL isoflurane doses in a simple drop-chamber system. We used the first dose to induce unconsciousness and the second dose to immediately restore unconsciousness after the vole regained consciousness from the first dose. Median induction times were 54 s for the first dose (interquartile range [IQR], 47-61) and 50 s for the second dose (IQR, 38-55). Median recovery times were 33 s for the first dose (IQR, 26-60) and 62 s for the second dose (IQR, 35-104). No mortalities occurred during the holding period. The technique was simple, inexpensive, and effective. We therefore recommend using isoflurane delivered in a drop chamber when tagging or marking microtines in the field to improve handling.

Reduction of the occurrence of incorrect stunning and the occurrence of reflexes and reactions in cattle after pneumatically powered captive-bolt stunning in comparison with cartridge-fired captive-bolt stunning.

In this study, the occurrence of repeat stunning, deviations in placement and direction of stun shots, and the occurrence of reflexes/reactions following stunning with a pneumatically powered captive-bolt stunner in comparison with a cartridge-fired captive-bolt stunner in cattle were assessed. Repeat stunning and deviations in placement and direction of the stun shots were less frequent (p < 0.01) with the use of a pneumatic stunner in all cattle. The rate of repeat stunning and deviation from the ideal place and direction of stun shots were lower (5.81%, 24.75%, and 9.60% of all animals, respectively) when a pneumatic stunner was used in comparison with cartridge-fired captive bolt (18.32%, 34.03%, and 47.38% of all animals, respectively). The stunning quality was assessed on the basis of evaluation of signs observed following the stun shot. A pneumatic stunning resulted in a significant reduction of occurrence of signs particularly in bulls in comparison to cows, for which a cartridge-fired stunner already provides an adequate stunning. Our study provides evidence that pneumatic stunning has the potential to be a more effective method than cartridge-fired stunning from the viewpoint of the welfare of slaughtered animals. Pneumatic stunning ensures a high quality of stunning in both bulls and cows.

The efficacy of three on-farm euthanasia methods for broiler chickens throughout the production cycle.

1. There is a need to humanely kill moribund or injured broiler birds on-farm with no reasonable chance of recovery. Two experiments evaluated the efficacy of three commercially applicable killing methods; manual cervical dislocation (CD), mechanical cervical dislocation with the Koechner Euthanising Device (KED) and a non-penetrative captive bolt device (Zephyr-EXL; ZEXL), at 7, 21 or 35 d of age, on their ability to induce insensibility (unconsciousness and loss of brain stem reflexes) and death.2. Experiment one assessed the damage to the cranial-cervical region resulting from the methods applied to cadavers of cull birds (n = 180) by radiography and gross pathology observation.3. Experiment two evaluated the latency to insensibility and death when cull broiler birds (n = 240) were killed by CD, KED or ZEXL, using behavioural and reflexive indicators. Insensibility and death were measured by the absence of pupillary light, palpebral blink and nictitating membrane reflexes and cessation of rhythmic breathing, cloacal winking and convulsions. Analysis of variance for the main effect of the method was performed to determine the differences.4. In experiment one, only the Zephyr resulted in skull fractures. A higher number of vertebral fractures occurred with KED application compared to CD, at 21 and 35 d.5. In experiment two, indicators of sensibility were absent earliest with the ZEXL (µ < 2 s); then,CD (µ = 28 s) and were longest with KED (µ = 47 s), at 21 and 35 d. Cloacal winking and convulsions ceased earlier after CD (88 s), compared to either KED (124 s) or Zephyr (118 s). Death after a single application occurred 100%, 100% and 98% of time for CD, KED and ZEXL, respectively.6. Overall, all methods were efficacious at inducing insensibility and death. Insensibility occurred earliest with ZEXL, whilst death occurred earliest with CD. KED resulted in the longest time to insensibility and death.

Correlation between bispectral index value and modified Glasgow Coma Scale score in dogs with altered level of consciousness.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to identify the correlation between bispectral index (BIS) value and modified Glasgow Coma Scale (MGCS) score in dogs with altered level of consciousness (ALOC). DESIGN: This prospective, observational, clinical study was conducted from February 2016 to March 2017, and follow-up was conducted until the death of dogs or their discharge from the hospital. SETTING: This study was performed at the Small Animal Teaching Hospital. ANIMALS: A total of 31 client-owned dogs (males, 20; females, 11) with ALOC and MGCS score <18 with no restrictions for age, breed, sex, and body weight were included. Dogs that received neuromuscular blocking agents before MGCS score evaluation were excluded. INTERVENTIONS: BIS values were measured using the Covidien BIS Loc 2 Channel OEM module and a pediatric 4 sensor with a bifrontal application pattern. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Minimal databases of initial neurological assessment, blood profiles, and chest and skull radiographs were developed. In addition, MGCS scores and BIS values were recorded. The mean BIS values for mild, moderate, and severe brain injuries were 89.14 ± 6.52, 77.21 ± 9.82, and 50.58 ± 27.04, respectively. Correlation analysis revealed a significantly positive relationship between BIS values and MGCS scores (r = 0.75; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The significant correlation observed between MGCS scores and BIS values in dogs with ALOC demonstrated the usefulness of BIS as an alternative to MGCS for monitoring consciousness in patients with ALOC caused by traumatic brain injury, encephalitis, etc.

Animal welfare evaluation at slaughterhouses for pigs at the "Eje Cafetero" region in Colombia.

Within the insensitization by electronarcosis and the bleeding processes performed at the pig's slaughterhouses, there are some factors that hinder the achievement of an adequate slaughter of these animals, being this a critical phase in which animal welfare must be guaranteed; the objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the efficiency of insensitization by electronarcosis and two types of bleeding direction (horizontal and vertical). Dependent variables were measured as indicators of animal welfare (absence of the corneal reflex, absence of reflex of sensitivity to painful stimuli, attempts to reinstatement or posture recovery and vocalization), after the stunning and bleeding process, in four slaughterhouses of national category in "Eje Cafetero", Colombia. The methodological approach included the binomial distribution, descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing and statistical significance. The results show that the efficiency of the insensitization procedures and type of bleeding direction depends on multiple aspects, including the tranquility of the animals during their handling, the correct position of the insensitization clamps, the amperage used and the time between insensitization and bleeding. In this way, the analysis of possible preventive and/or corrective measures includes: Continuous training and supervision of the personnel in charge of carrying out the procedures, the need to immobilize pigs prior to their insensitization process, the continuous monitoring of process variables and the appropriate vascular cutting that ensures animal's death prior to their entrance into the scalding machine.

Heart rhythm characterisation during unexplained transient loss of consciousness in dogs.

The identification of the heart rhythm during an episode of transient loss of consciousness (TLOC) is considered the reference standard method to elucidate the underlying aetiology. This study aimed to characterise heart rhythm in dogs during TLOC using Holter and external loop recorder monitoring. We retrospectively reviewed 24-h Holter monitoring and external loop recorder tracings from 8084 dogs. Heart rhythms from dogs that experienced TLOC during the recording was analysed to identify rhythm disturbances that occurred during episodes of TLOC. Electrocardiograms (ECGs) were subsequently categorised into Type 1 (ventricular arrest), Type 2 (sinus bradycardia), Type 3 (no/slight rhythm variations), and Type 4 (tachycardia). Transient LOC was documented in 92 dogs over 230 episodes of TLOC. Percentage of cases with ECGs compatible with each classification were as follows: 72.1%, Type 1; 6.1%, Type 2; 20.9%, Type 3; and 0.9%, Type 4. Cardiac rhythm during the TLOC could have been a consequence of a neurocardiogenic mechanism in 46.7% cases, while intrinsic rhythm disturbances of the sinus node or of the atrioventricular node were diagnosed in 31.5% cases. In two cases, tachycardia was the possible cause of the TLOC. ECG patterns in dogs presenting with multiple TLOC episodes were completely reproducible during each episode. TLOC in dogs was primarily caused by ventricular arrest. Most dogs with TLOC had electrocardiographic finding suggestive of a reflex or neurally-mediated syncope, but one third had an ECG more suggestive of a conduction disorder. Distinguishing these two entities could help inform diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic plans.

Is humane slaughtering of rainbow trout achieved in conventional production chains in Germany? Results of a pilot field and laboratory study.

BACKGROUND: Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, is an important fish in European freshwater aquaculture. This industry sector is dominated by small family-owned enterprises located in rural areas. A large percentage of rainbow trout produced by these small enterprises is marketed directly and killed on demand and not processed in commercial processing plants. EU and national regulations stipulate that fish shall be stunned prior to killing and slaughter. The overall objective of this study was to monitor how stunning interventions were integrated into the production chains of German conventional trout aquaculture in order to safeguard animal welfare during stunning and killing. For this, the stunning and slaughtering processes were monitored on 18 rainbow trout farms in various German federal states. During the on-farm research, (i) the stunning success, (ii) injuries related to the stunning procedure, (iii) duration between stunning and killing, and (iv) visible responses at the time of slaughtering were assessed as welfare indicators. In addition, haematological and biochemical blood parameters were measured as indicators for physiological stress. Due to the fact that stunning interventions should induce a loss of consciousness in fish, in a laboratory study, it was examined whether the absence of the brainstem/ behavioural responses, opercular movements (OM) or eye-rolling reflex (vestibulo-ocular reflex, VOR) was correlated with the stage of insensibility. RESULTS: The majority of rainbow trout farms applied manual percussion (38%) or electrical stunning (48%), while on 14% of the farms, the fish were stunned by electrical stunning which was immediately followed by manual percussion. After percussive stunning, about 92.3% of the rainbow trout displayed no OM or VOR as brainstem/ behavioural indicators of consciousness. This percentage varied on farms which applied electrical stunning. While on the majority of farms, 95 to 100% of the fish were unconscious according to the observation of brainstem/ behavioural indicators, the stunning intervention was less effective on farms where rainbow trout were stunned at current densities below 0.1 A dm2 or for a few seconds only. The laboratory study confirmed that the absence of brainstem/ behavioural indicators correlated with the absence of visually evoked responses (VER) of the brain to light stimuli as a neuronal indicator of insensibility. Therefore, the brainstem/ behavioural signs can be used to interpret the stage of insensibility in rainbow trout. A stage of insensibility could safely be induced by exposing portion-sized rainbow trout to an electric current density above 0.1 A dm2. This was not influenced by the orientation of the electric field. CONCLUSIONS: In conventional aquaculture, rainbow trout can effectively be stunned by manual percussion or electrical stunning. Consciousness can be monitored by the absence of opercular movements or the eye-rolling reflex, which are lost approximately at the same time as neurological responses like VER. For safeguarding animal welfare during stunning and killing of rainbow trout in conventional production processes, the stunning process requires careful attention and the operating personnel need to be trained in using the stunning devices and recognising indicators of consciousness.

Animal-Based Welfare Assessment of Cattle and Water Buffalo in Bangladeshi Slaughterhouses.

This study quantified the welfare of 423 cattle and water buffalo in four Bangladeshi slaughterhouses to identify facility and species-specific factors that influence welfare. The majority of animals arrived at the slaughterhouse with injuries, signs of dehydration and oculo-nasal discharge. During slaughter, buffalo experienced more stabbing at the throat (21%), compared to local cattle (10%, P = 0.011), and significantly more cuts to the neck during slaughter (5.1 ± 1) than Hariana (3.9 ± 1) or local cattle (3.6 ± 1.1; P < 0.001). These results indicated that welfare compromise is common to all species, but that the risk to buffalo was greater. Partial severing of carotid arteries was common and affected time to unconsciousness. There was a statistical interaction between facility and species on the time taken for animals to reach unconsciousness, suggesting that welfare within a location could be improved; however, animal welfare was compromised at all facilities. Immediate welfare improvements could be made by training for effective halal slaughter, and future welfare improvements could be gained by improved facility infrastructure for restraint and halal approved pre-slaughter stunning.

Pathological consequences of low atmospheric pressure stunning in broiler chickens.

Low atmospheric pressure stunning (LAPS) is a novel approach to pre-slaughter stunning of chickens using progressive hypobaric hypoxia by the application of gradual decompression (280s cycle) according to a set of prescribed pressure curves. Low atmospheric pressure stunning produces a non-recovery state. Concerns have been raised relating to the possible pathological and welfare consequences of expansion of air in the body during LAPS. In a randomised trial, we compared the gross pathology of broilers exposed to LAPS with a control group euthanised by intravenous injection of pentobarbital sodium (60 mixed sex broilers per treatment). The birds were exposed to each treatment in triplets and all birds were subject to necropsy examination to detect and score (1 to 5, minimal to severe) haemorrhagic lesions or congestion for all major organs and cavities (e.g. air sacs, joints, ears and heart) as well as external assessment for product quality (e.g. wing tips). Behavioural data (latency to loss of posture and motionless) and chamber cycle data (temperature, humidity, pressure and oxygen availability) confirmed that LAPS had been applied in a manner representative of the commercial process. All of the organs observed were structurally intact for both treatment groups. No lesions were observed in the external ears, oral cavity, tracheal lumen, crop and air sacs of birds from either treatment group. There was no difference between treatments in the wingtips, nasal turbinates, thymus, biceps femoralis and colon. Haemorrhagic lesions were observed in the calvaria, brains, hearts and lungs of both treatment groups, but lesions in these areas were more severe in the LAPS treatment group. It was not possible to distinguish between pathological changes induced by decompression or recompression. In the barbiturate group, more severe haemorrhagic lesions were observed in the superficial pectoral muscles as well as greater congestion of the infraorbital sinuses, liver, spleens, duodenum, kidneys and gonads. These findings provide evidence that LAPS did not result in distension of the intestines and air sacs sufficient to cause changes, which were grossly visible on postmortem examination. There was also no evidence of barotrauma in the ears and sinuses. The pathological changes observed in the barbiturate treatment were as expected based on barbiturate toxicity. Low atmospheric pressure stunning appears to produce pathological changes by a variety of well-established mechanisms, and while these pathological data have limited value as welfare indicators, the results confirm that organ integrity was not compromised by the process.

Effect of captive bolt gun length on brain trauma and post-stunning hind limb activity in finished cattle Bos taurus.

Hind limb post stunning kicking in properly stunned unconscious cattle is a safety hazard for employees. Three different captive bolt lengths of 15.2 cm (STRD), 16.5 cm (MED), and 17.8 cm (LON) were evaluated for amount of tissue damage and hind limb kicking in a Jarvis USSS-1 pneumatic stunner. The air pressure setting was 1378.95 to 1447.90 pKa for all captive bolts. All 45 test cattle were rendered unconscious with a single shot. There was a trend (P = .06) for less kicking to occur when the 16.5 cm length bolt was used in the stunner. Visual appraisal of the brains on the split heads indicated that the shortest bolt caused the least amount of brain damage. The brainstems were intact for all cattle regardless of captive bolt treatment. Young fed English, Continental European, and Holstein steers and heifers can be effectively stunned without visible brainstem disruption.

Electroencephalographic assessment of pneumatically powered penetrating and non-penetrating captive-bolt stunning of bulls.

The electroencephalographic (EEG) responses of 31 bulls (zebu crossbred cattle) stunned with either pneumatically powered Jarvis penetrating (PCB) or non-penetrating captive bolt (NPCB) was examined. Animals were organized into two treatment groups: PCB (n = 20); and NPCB (n = 11) stunning, both using airline pressures of 220 psi (1517 kPa). All bulls shot with PCB (n = 20/20) had patterns of EEG activity that were inconsistent with consciousness. Of the cattle shot with NPCB 82% (n = 9/11) showed waveforms suggesting complete unconsciousness. After stunning two NPCB bulls had periods of normal EEG activity and maintenance (Ptot, delta, theta, beta) or increased (alpha) spectral power compared to pre-treatment values, indicating incomplete concussion. The study showed that pneumatic PCB stunning was effective in rendering all bulls unconscious, while NPCB was less effective. This highlights the potential animal welfare risks associated with NPCB compared to PCB stunning of mature bulls in commercial abattoirs.

Cattle stunning with a penetrative captive bolt device: A review.

The captive bolt device has been used for stunning cattle at abattoirs for more than 100 years and is now one of the stunning devices used most widely. The aim of this review article was to assess the effects that are decisive during cattle slaughter on the quality of stunning with the use of a captive bolt stunning device. The basis of effective stunning is the use of a suitable type of device, with the speed of the bolt and the kinetic energy corresponding to the anatomical parameters of the slaughtered animal. The importance of the regular cleaning and maintenance of stunning devices and monitoring of the effectiveness of stunning goes without saying. The immediate loss of sensibility in the animal must occur after the first shot. The effectiveness of the stunning process can be quantified by regular monitoring of the behavior of animals after stunning with an emphasis on the loss of reflexes (corneal reflex, regular breathing, attempts to regain physiological posture) and checks on the shot location on the skulls of slaughtered animals.

Development of a microwave stunning system for cattle 2: Preliminary observations on behavioural responses and EEG.

DTS: Diathermic Syncope® (DTS) is a novel system for rendering animals insensible prior to slaughter, utilizing microwave energy to induce a rise in temperature in the brain to a point at which the animal is expected to lose consciousness. During development and optimisation of the system, two trials were carried out utilizing non-anaesthetized adult cattle, to gather data on behavioural outcomes and EEG changes following energy application. In trial1, ten cattle received DTS treatments (high energy >290 kJ, n = 3; low energy <200 kJ, n = 4; and intermediate 200 < 290 kJ, n = 3), and seven received captive bolt stunning, prior to exsanguination. In trial 2, following improvements to the efficiency of energy delivery, 20 cattle received DTS (200-360 kJ). Post treatment EEG was characterized by seizure-like activity and reductions in 95% spectral edge and median frequencies; with EEG suppression persisting for at least 80 s up to over 4 min post treatment application. Animals showed: Loss of posture, Loss of corneal responses; Loss of withdrawal response (pinprick); Eye staring, not following movement. The animals remained unresponsive to stimuli for up to 4 min post DTS, and behavioural expression of distress was not observed. Seventeen of the 30 animals showed indications of returning reflex responses after 100 s post treatment, suggesting that animals receiving lower energy applications may recover from the stun.

Stunning of common carp: Results from a field and a laboratory study.

BACKGROUND: Common carp Cyprinus carpio is an important food fish in Central Europe, which in some regions is consumed as part of local tradition. The majority of carp are sold by small retailers and not processed in commercial processing plants. The overall objective of this study was to monitor how animal welfare is safeguarded during the stunning and slaughtering of carp for retail sale. For this, the stunning and slaughtering process was monitored on 12 carp farms. Four welfare-related parameters were assessed: (i) stunning success, (ii) injuries related to the applied stunning method, (iii) time between stunning and slaughter, and (iv) visible responses of carp during slaughtering. In addition, indicators of physiological stress were measured. In order to analyse whether the absence of behavioural indicators of consciousness after electrical stunning was correlated with unconsciousness a complementary laboratory study was performed. Here, carp were exposed to electrical current densities between 0.09 and 0.41 A/dm2. The presence of behavioural responses and visually-evoked responses (VER) in the electro-encephalogram in response to light flashes as indicators for an absence of consciousness was recorded. RESULTS: The carp farms applied manual percussive (18%) or electrical (23%) stunning methods, while the majority of farms used a combination of electrical stunning immediately followed by manual percussive stunning (59%). In the latter condition, 92.6% of stunned carp displayed no behavioural indicators of consciousness and significantly fewer injuries related to mishits compared to sole percussive stunning. In the laboratory study, behavioural indicators of consciousness recovered in carp between 1 and 9 min following removal of the electrical current. However, VER could be recorded already at 30 ± 8 s post stunning. This indicates a fast recovery of carp from electrical stunning when exposed to current densities in the range of those generated by commercially available stunning instruments for fish. CONCLUSIONS: Under field conditions, percussion (applied manually) and electrical stunning might be poor inducers of unconsciousness before slaughter, while a combination was most effective. In order to undertake improvements in electrical stunning, further investigations into the current density, required for inducing prolonged insensibility in carp during electrical stunning, are needed.

Electroencephalographic assessment of concussive non-penetrative captive bolt stunning of turkeys.

1. The aim of this study was to evaluate the electroencephalographic (EEG) and behavioural responses of turkeys stunned with three different concussive non-penetrative captive-bolt guns prior to slaughter. 2. A total of 31 slaughter weight ex-breeding female turkeys (29 weeks of age; mean body weight 13.32 ± SD 0.65 kg) were stunned with the Cash Poultry Killer (CPK) (n = 10), Turkey Euthanasia Device (TED) (n = 10) and Zephyr EXL (n = 11). 3. Mean peak kinetic energy was highest for the CPK compared to the TED and Zephyr EXL (75.9 ± 4.5, 28.4 ± 0.4 and 24.4 ± 0.7 J, respectively). 4. A total of 29 (94%) of the turkeys were rendered unconscious following captive bolt stunning, with total power of the EEG (Ptot) significantly reduced from baseline values (reductions of 67% CPK, 84% TED and 76% Zephyr EXL, p < 0.01) and waveforms becoming isoelectric after periods of transitional EEG. However, two birds shot with the CPK and Zephyr EXL had periods of behavioural/reflexes (rhythmic respiration, nictitating membrane reflex, neck tension) and EEG activity (43-47 and 36-60 + s after the shot, respectively) indicating incomplete concussion and return of consciousness. In one bird, the shot was incorrectly positioned (Zephyr EXL), while the other appeared to be related to a defective cartridge (CPK). 5. In conclusion, all three captive bolt gun models were effective in producing unconsciousness in turkeys, provided they were positioned correctly and power loads performed according to their specifications.

Cultured Meat in Islamic Perspective.

Cultured meat is a promising product that is derived through biotechnology that partially circumvents animal physiology, thereby being potentially more sustainable, environmentally friendly and animal friendly than traditional livestock meat. Such a novel technology that can impact many consumers evokes ethical, philosophical and religious discussions. For the Islamic community, the crucial question is whether cultured meat is halal, meaning compliant with Islamic laws. Since the culturing of meat is a new discovery, invention and innovation by scientists that has never been discussed by classical jurists (fuqaha'), an ijtihad by contemporary jurists must look for and provide answers for every technology introduced, whether it comply the requirements of Islamic law or not. So, this article will discuss an Islamic perspective on cultured meat based on the original scripture in the Qur'an and interpretations by authoritative Islamic jurists. The halal status of cultured meat can be resolve through identifying the source cell and culture medium used in culturing the meat. The halal cultured meat can be obtained if the stem cell is extracted from a (Halal) slaughtered animal, and no blood or serum is used in the process. The impact of this innovation will give positive results in the environmental and sustain the livestock industry.