This experiment was conducted under commercial conditions to establish the response of various blood parameters to handling in the period immediately prior to slaughter under a variety of conditions.

Pigs from four farms were slaughtered at two abattoirs, each with two slaughter handling systems. Pigs at abattoir one were electrically stunned (low voltage, 110v) either in a floor pen (FPl) holding five pigs or in a single pig conveyor restrainer (RR). Pigs were driven in groups of 25 thrQugh a straight race 1.5m wide to FPl. The race system leading to RR consisted of a collection pen holding 25 pigs. This pen was stepped in two places and led to a 10m single file race which fed the restrainer. Abattoir two also had a floor pen system (FP2) with low voltage (11Ov) stunning, and a CO2 dip-lift system (CO2). FP2 was fed by a single file race 7m long with a 90° curve within the first 2m. The CO2 stunner was fed by a circular collection pen 3m in diameter, with a rotating gate moving pigs into a double race 3m long which supplied the dip-lift unit.