Blood spots in chicken meat after slaughter - a humane alternative.
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Letter↗
Biomedical subjects
N G Gregory
Publications and source records attributed to N G Gregory.
Effects of a local anaesthetic and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesic on the behavioural responses of calves to dehorning.
AIMS: To evaluate the use of local anaesthesia and systemic analgesia for alleviating the distress associated with dehorning by monitoring stimulated behaviours in calves. METHODS: Eight behaviours were monitored in 3-4 month-old calves dehorned with and without local anaesthesia and/or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, from 2 hours after treatment. RESULTS: Four of the behaviours, lying, grazing or ruminating, tail shaking and ear flicking, were significantly different during the first 4-6 hours of observation in control calves, which were not dehorned, compared to calves dehorned without anaesthesia or analgesia, which suggests that these behaviours are useful indices of the acute pain experienced by calves after dehorning. The behaviour of calves dehorned after both a local anaesthetic and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent had been administered was similar to control calves. The behaviour of calves given only local anaesthesia or systemic analgesia prior to dehorning was similar to that of calves dehorned without any pain relief. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that calves should be given both a local anaesthetic and a systemic analgesic before dehorning to alleviate the pain associated with this procedure.
Journal Article↗
Acute cortisol responses of lambs to ring castration and docking after the injection of lignocaine into the scrotal neck or testes at the time of ring application.
OBJECTIVE: To test whether injecting lignocaine into the scrotal neck 5 to 10 s before or into both testes immediately after ring castration and docking wound significantly reduce the plasma cortisol response to castration and docking. DESIGN: A physiological study with controls. PROCEDURE: Lambs were given one of six treatments: control handling, injection of lignocaine into scrotal neck, injection of lignocaine into both testes, ring castration and docking, ring castration and docking after lignocaine was injected into the scrotal neck, and ring castration and docking before lignocaine was injected into both testes. Blood samples were taken before and regularly after treatment and analysed for plasma cortisol concentrations. RESULTS: The plasma cortisol concentrations of lambs castrated and docked after lignocaine had been injected into the scrotal neck were significantly lower between 20 and 60 min after treatment than in lambs castrated and docked without local anaesthesia. Injecting lignocaine into the testes after ring application did not significantly reduce the cortisol response to ring castration and docking. CONCLUSIONS: Lignocaine injected into the scrotal neck 5 to 10 s before ring castration will reduce the cortisol response and by inference the pain associated with ring castration.
Anesthesia, Local↗
Effectiveness of electrical stunning applied using a variety of waveform-frequency combinations and consequences for carcase quality in broiler chickens.
1. The effectiveness of electrical stunning of poultry was assessed where the recommended current of 105 mA per bird was applied using a range of waveform-frequency combinations. In addition the effect of the treatments on subsequent carcase quality was investigated. 2. The use of frequencies greater than 50 Hz was associated with a failure to induce ventricular fibrillation. 3. All waveform-frequency combinations were equally effective in producing a stunned state; the time to recovery was not affected by stunning treatment but was significantly longer in heavier birds. 4. The use of high frequency (500 Hz and 1500 Hz) stunning currents resulted in a decrease in carcase downgrading and a marked reduction in the occurrence of breast muscle haemorrhages, which represent significant commercial benefits to be gained by their use.
Animal Welfare↗
Effect of potassium cyanide on behaviour and time to death in possums.
AIM: To assess the sickness behaviours of possums after eating a lethal dose of potassium cyanide. METHOD: Spontaneous behaviour and the time to loss of physical responses were examined. RESULTS: Cyanide ingestion caused a short-lasting period of mild respiratory stimulation. There was no salivation, retching or vomiting. Convulsions occurred in 73% of the possums. After the ingestion of cyanide, the average time to onset of ataxia was 3 minutes, the average time to overall loss of consciousness was 6.5 minutes, and the time to cessation of breathing was 18 minutes. CONCLUSION: Cyanide is a rapid-acting toxin with few undesirable signs from the welfare perspective.
Journal Article↗
A comparison of the effectiveness of three neck-hold killing traps in occluding carotid arteries in the neck of the brushtail possum.
AIMS: To compare the potential humaneness of three types of neck-hold killing traps in terms of the blood vessels that are occluded, and to examine the anatomy of the blood vessels that supply blood to the possum's brain. METHOD: The prevalence of occlusion of the common carotid arteries and the trachea was examined in 33 possums which were caught with Timms, LDL and Conibear 160 traps. The anatomy of the blood supply to the brain was examined in six possums using a resin casting technique. RESULTS: The prevalence of complete bilateral common carotid artery occlusion was 77% for the Timms trap, 45% for the LDL trap and 22% for the Conibear 160 trap. The major route for blood supply to the brain was via the common carotid arteries. CONCLUSION: Where the aim is to kill possums quickly by ischaemia of the brain, the Timms trap is to be preferred over the LDL and Conibear 160 traps.
Journal Article↗
Effects of local anaesthesia of 4 to 8 hours' duration on the acute cortisol response to scoop dehorning in calves.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of a long-acting local anaesthetic on the plasma cortisol response in calves dehorned using a scoop. DESIGN: A physiological study with controls. PROCEDURE: Seventy female calves, 3 to 4 months old, were divided into seven groups and dehorned by scoop with or without a long acting local anaesthetic (bupivacaine) which provides local anaesthesia for 3 to 4 h. In some treatment groups the local anaesthetic was given a second time, after 4 h, to give 8 h of anaesthesia. Blood samples were taken before and for 9 h after treatment and plasma cortisol concentrations were measured. RESULTS: Scoop dehorning caused a marked rise in plasma cortisol concentration, which returned to pre-dehorning values after 7 h. The cortisol concentrations of calves given bupivacaine were similar to those of control animals for 4 h after dehorning, but then a significant and protracted rise occurred, with concentrations returning to pretreatment values at about 9 h after dehorning. In calves given a second treatment of bupivacaine 4 h after dehorning, the plasma cortisol concentration remained similar to control values for 8 h after dehorning but then increased sharply. CONCLUSIONS: During its period of activity long-acting local anaesthetic prevented the rise usually seen after scoop dehorning in plasma cortisol concentrations; by inference it also alleviated the pain-induced distress caused by this procedure. However, when its effects had worn off the plasma cortisol values rose sharply indicating that animals still experienced pain-induced distress despite local anaesthetic being administered.
Anesthesia, Local↗
Effects of shallow scoop and deep scoop dehorning on plasma cortisol concentrations in calves.
Scoop dehorning is one method of horn amputation. Plasma cortisol concentrations were used to investigate the effects of wound depth caused by shallow scoop and deep scoop dehorning on the acute pain-induced distress experienced by 15 week-old calves during the first 9 hours following horn amputation. Shallow scoop and deep scoop dehorning caused a prolonged cortisol elevation which returned to control values within 8 hours and 6 hours, respectively. There were no significant differences between shallow and deep dehorning with regard to mean plasma cortisol concentrations and integrated cortisol responses during the 9 hours after dehorning. Linear regression analysis revealed no significant correlation between wound depth and integrated cortisol response. Hence, at the investigated scoop wound depths, there was no detectable benefit in implementing a shallow scoop strategy in order to reduce acute pain-induced distress caused by scoop dehorning in 15 week-old calves.
Journal Article↗
Hyperthermia in dogs left in cars.
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Animals↗
Prevalence and duration of insensibility following electrical stunning in calves.
Sixty-one calves were electrically stunned with 100-250 V currents (103-1806 mA) and the prevalence and duration of insensibility was assessed from their physical behaviour, the presence of epileptiform activity in their electrocorticograms, and the absence of visual evoked responses in their electrocorticograms. A current applied at 100 V across the head for 3 s failed to induce insensibility in all cases. Currents at 150-250 V induced insensibility in all calves and the shortest duration of insensibility was 44 s. It is recommended that a 150-200 V current would be appropriate for commercial use.
Journal Article↗
Effect of age on bone strength and the prevalence of broken bones in perchery laying hens.
This study examined the effect of age on bone breaking strength and the prevalence of broken bones in hens kept in a perchery egg laying system. During the first 6 weeks of lay, bone strength increased by about 25%. The prevalence of broken bones which had repaired increased from 0% at 19 weeks of age to 23% at 72 weeks. Most of this increase occurred during the last half of lay and during this period the humerus became slightly more brittle. The exact reason for the increase in broken bones was not revealed, but because they occurred largely in the keel and furculum they were thought to be due to flight and landing accidents.
Journal Article↗
Effects of current and waveform on the incidence of breast meat haemorrhages in electrically stunned broiler chicken carcases.
The effects of the current and its waveform on the prevalence of broken bones and breast meat haemorrhages in electrically stunned broiler chickens were examined at two poultry processing plants. Increasing the current over the range from 68 to 115 mA per bird had very little effect on the carcase quality, but increased the incidence of broken furculum and coracoid bones in birds stunned with a sinusoidal alternating current (AC). Clipping a sinusoidal AC with a thyristor had a pronounced effect on the carcase quality, and resulted in more broken bones and breast meat haemorrhages.
Animals↗
Effect of the method of stunning and the interval between stunning and neck cutting on blood loss in turkeys.
Turkey hens were stunned by inducing anoxia with either argon (with approximately 2 per cent residual oxygen) or 30 per cent carbon dioxide in argon with 2 per cent residual oxygen, and the carcases were bled either immediately or five or 10 minutes after they had been stunned. A control group of turkeys was stunned electrically (250 mA for about four seconds) and had their necks cut immediately after stunning. The amount of blood lost was measured and expressed as a percentage of liveweight. The results showed that the necks of gas-stunned turkeys can be cut up to 10 minutes after they have been stunned without reducing the total blood loss significantly.
Abattoirs↗
An evaluation of humane gas stunning methods for turkeys.
Spontaneous electroencephalograms (EEG) and somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPS) were recorded in turkeys while they were kept in an atmosphere of either 49 or 86 per cent carbon dioxide in air. The time to the loss of SEPS was not related to the concentration of carbon dioxide, but the time to the onset of an isoelectric EEG was shorter at the higher concentration of carbon dioxide. In comparison with other gas stunning methods it was considered that stunning with these high concentrations of carbon dioxide would not have any welfare advantages over stunning in argon with 2 per cent residual oxygen or in a mixture of 30 per cent carbon dioxide and 60 per cent argon in air.
Animal Welfare↗
Effect of electrical stunning current on the duration of insensibility in hens.
1. Hens were subjected to electrical stunning at 85, 105 or 125 mA per bird. The time to recovery of physical behaviour was measured in those birds which did not experience a cardiac arrest at stunning. 2. On average the duration of apparent insensibility lasted between 53 and 59 s, and at 105 mA per bird it was as short as 22 s in the bird which showed the quickest recovery. 3. Increasing the stunning current had no effect on the duration of insensibility.
Abattoirs↗
Bone structure and breaking strength in laying hens housed in different husbandry systems.
1. Bone structure and breaking strength were measured in hens that had been housed throughout a laying year in battery cages or in Perchery, Naturel or Litter and Wire husbandry systems. 2. Battery caged hens had the poorest bones, as assessed by measurements of cancellous bone volume, radiographic density, cortical thickness and three-point breaking strength. 3. Humeri from birds in the Litter and Wire system were less dense radiographically and weaker than those from Perchery or Naturel birds but leg bone characteristics were similar with these three systems. 4. There were no differences in bone characteristics between birds in Perchery and Naturel systems. 5. There were strong correlations between radiographic densities and strengths of contralateral humeri and tibiae over all husbandry systems. Humerus structural and strength characteristics may be the best criteria of osteoporosis in hens. 6. It is concluded that the extent of movement allowed by different husbandry systems affects structural bone loss and bone strength in laying hens. 7. It is further concluded that the breaking strength of a hen's bone is closely related to morphometric measures and radiographic density of its structural components.
Analysis of Variance↗
Time to loss of somatosensory evoked potentials and onset of changes in the spontaneous electroencephalogram of turkeys during gas stunning.
The times to the loss of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) and the onset of suppressed and isoelectric electroencephalogram (EEG) were investigated in turkeys as they were stunned with gas mixtures consisting of one of three mixtures: (A) 30 per cent carbon dioxide and 60 per cent argon in air (2 per cent residual oxygen and 8 per cent residual nitrogen); (B) 90 per cent argon in air (2 per cent residual oxygen and 8 per cent residual nitrogen); (C) 65 per cent carbon dioxide in air (7 per cent residual oxygen and 28 per cent residual nitrogen). The time to the loss of SEPs, EEG suppression and the onset of an isoelectric EEG, respectively, were 22, 16 and 35 seconds in mixture A, 44, 41 and 101 seconds in mixture B, and 15, 15 and 67 seconds in mixture C. Stunning turkeys with mixture A or B would be suitable under commercial conditions. Mixture C, containing 65 per cent carbon dioxide in air, is considered on humanitarian grounds to be unacceptable for stunning turkeys owing to the pungency of the carbon dioxide at this concentration.
Abattoirs↗
Effect of catching method and lighting intensity on the prevalence of broken bones and on the ease of handling of end-of-lay hens.
Five catching methods were compared in terms of their effect on the proportion of battery hens which had bones broken when they were removed from battery cages. In addition the effect of tier, lighting intensity during lay and lighting intensity during handling on the prevalence of fractures at catching and on old fractures which occurred during lay was evaluated. Catching and removing hens by one leg from the cages resulted in 11 to 14 per cent of the birds acquiring a broken bone, whereas catching and removing each bird by two legs resulted in 5 per cent of the birds acquiring a freshly broken bone. Removing more than one bird at a time from the cage tended to cause more skeletal damage than removing them individually, and incorporating a wooden breast support slide over the feed trough had no effect on the prevalence of broken bones. Catching birds in the top tier of a three-tiered battery unit was more difficult than for the middle or bottom tiers. When the light intensity at catching was the same as that during lay birds were more difficult to catch than when the light intensity was changed, but the effects were insufficient to affect the prevalence of damage to the skeleton.
Animal Husbandry↗