Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-tn8tq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-22T21:13:11.110Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Behavioural and clinical responses of turkeys stunned in a V-shaped, carbon dioxide tunnel

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

F Hänsch ,
B Nowak  and
J Hartung
F Hänsch*
Affiliation:
Institute of Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Behaviour of Farm Animals, Bünteweg 17p, D-30559 Hannover, Germany
B Nowak
Affiliation:
Institute of Food Quality and Food Safety, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bischofsholer Damm 15, D-30173 Hannover, Germany
J Hartung
Affiliation:
Institute of Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Behaviour of Farm Animals, Bünteweg 17p, D-30559 Hannover, Germany
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: Friederike.Haensch@tiho-hannover.de
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Stunning with carbon dioxide gas (CO2) is used in turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo var domesticus) as an alternative to electrical water bath stunning. Investigations were carried out to assess the behavioural and clinical responses of turkeys stunned in a V-shaped CO2 tunnel while sitting in their transport crates as part of the usual slaughter routine in a commercial abattoir. The CO2 concentration in the tunnel rose from 27% at the first observation point (A) to 74% at point D and the transport time was 180 s. At window 1, 37.1% of the birds showed head shaking, 3.7% deep breaths and 2.9% intensive wing-flapping and at window 2 the respective figures were 2.2, 18.4 and 6.2%. All birds appeared to have lost consciousness at the point of leaving the tunnel. Prior to shackling, 15 s after leaving the tunnel, 230 animals were tested for both interphalangeal reflex and eyelid closure; 20.4% had an incomplete eyelid closure but none displayed an interphalangeal reflex. It would appear that the tunnel system we investigated stuns turkeys effectively within 180 s. However, the initial stunning phase of 40-105 s appears to cause the animals distress, which is demonstrated by head shaking, deep breaths and wing flapping.

Keywords

animal welfarebehaviourCO2 stunningreflexesslaughterturkeys
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 18 , Issue 1 , February 2009 , pp. 81 - 86
Copyright
© 2009 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abeyesinghe, SM, McKeegan, DEF, McLeman, MA, Lowe, JC, Demmers, TGM, White, RP, Kranen, RW, van Bemmel, H, Lankhaar, JAC and Wathes, CM 2007 Controlled atmosphere stunning of broiler chickens I: Effects on behaviour, physiology and meat quality in a pilot scale system at a processing plant. British Poultry Science 48: 406–423CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anonymous 2006a Marktbilanz Eier & Geflügel. Zentrale Markt und Preisberichtsstelle: Bonn, Germany. [Title translation: Market balance of eggs and poultry]Google Scholar
Anonymous 2006b Verordnung zum Schutz von Tieren im Zusammenhang mit der Schlachtung oder Tötung (TierschutzSchlachtverordnung - TierSchlV) vom 3rd März 1997 (BGBl. I S. 405). Lastly amended by: Artikel 19 des Gesetzes vom 13th April 2006 (BGBl. I 855, 859). [Title translation: Ordinance for animal welfare referring to slaughter or killing]Google Scholar
Barton Gade, P, von Holleben, K and von Wenzlawowicz, M 2001a Fakten sprechen für Gasbetäubung. Fleischwirtschaft 11: 22–26. [Title translation: Facts argue for gas stunning]Google Scholar
Barton Gade, P, von Holleben, K and von Wenzlawowicz, M 2001b Fakten sprechen für Gasbetäubung. Fleischwirtschaft 12: 26–29. [Title translation: Facts argue for gas stunning]Google Scholar
Cantieni, J 1977 Beitrag zur CO2-Betäubung von Schlachtschweinen. Schweizer Archiv für Tierheilkunde 119: 355–375. [Title translation: Contribution to CO2 stunning of slaughter pigs]Google Scholar
Coenen, A, Lankhaar, J, Lowe, J and McKeegan, D 2005 Animal consciousness and euthanasia: chicken euthanasia in the two-phase stunning system. Seventeenth European Symposium on the Quality of Poultry Meat. 23-26th May 2005, Doorwerth, The NetherlandsGoogle Scholar
Drawer, K 2007 Putenschlachthof Ampfing. Gasbetäubung: Fortschritt für Mensch und Tier. Rundschau für Fleischhygiene und Lebensmittelüberwachung 10: 370–375. [Title translation: Turkey slaughterhouse in Ampfing. Gas stunning: improvement for human and animal]Google Scholar
Eisele, JH, Eger, EJ and Muallem, M 1976 Narcotic properties of CO2 in the dog. Anaesthesiology 28: 856–865CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Korbel, R 1998 Vergleichende Untersuchungen zur Inhalationsanästhesie mit Isofluran (Forene®) und Sevofluran (SEVOrane®) bei Haustauben (Columba livia Gmel. 1789, var. domestica) und Vorstellung eines Referenz - Narkoseprotokolls für Vögel. Tierärztliche Praxis 26: 211–223. [Title translation: Comparative investigations of inhaled anaesthesia with Isoflurane and Sevoflurane in domestic pigeons and presentation of reference protocol for anaesthesia in birds]Google Scholar
Lawton, MPC 1996 Anaesthesia. In: Beynon, PH, Forbes, NA and Harcourt-Brown, NH (eds) BSAVA Manual of Raptors, Pigeons and Waterfowl pp 79–88. British Small Animal Veterinary Association Limited: Shurdington, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UKGoogle Scholar
McKeegan, DEF, Abeyesinghe, SM, McLeman, MA, Lowe, JC, Demmers, TGM, White, RP, Kranen, RW, van Bemmel, H, Lankhaar, JAC and Wathes, CM 2007a Controlled atmosphere stunning of broiler chickens II: Effects on behaviour, physiology and meat quality in a commercial processing plant. British Poultry Science 48(4): 430–442CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McKeegan, DEF, McIntyre, JA, Demmers, TGM, Lowe, JC, Wathes, CM, van den Broek, PLC, Coenen, AML and Gentle, MJ 2007b Physiological and behavioural responses of broilers to controlled atmosphere stunning: implications for welfare. Animal Welfare 16: 409–426Google Scholar
Mullenax, CH and Dougherty, RW 1963 Physiological responses of swine to high concentrations of inhaled carbon dioxide. American Journal of Veterinary Research 24: 329–332Google Scholar
Office Internationale des Epizooties (OIE) 2007 Terrestrial Animal Health Code. Part 3, Section 3.7, Appendix 3.7.5. http://www.oie.int/eng/normes/mcode/en_chapitre_3.7.5.htmGoogle Scholar
Raj, ABM 1994 An investigation into the batch killing of turkeys in their transport containers using mixtures of gases. Research in Veterinary Science 56: 325–331CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raj, ABM 1996 Aversive reactions of turkeys to argon, carbon dioxide and a mixture of carbon dioxide and argon. Veterinary Record 138: 592–593CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raj, ABM and Gregory, NG 1990 Effect of rate of induction of carbon dioxide anaesthesia on the time to onset of unconsciousness and convulsions. Research in Veterinary Science 49: 360–363Google Scholar
Raj, ABM 2006 Recent developments in stunning and slaughter of poultry. World's Poultry Science Journal 62: 467–484CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schäfer, M 1995 Zur CO2 Betäubung von Puten vor der Schlachtung. PhD Thesis, Institut für Tierhygiene, Verhaltenskunde und Tierschutz, Tierärztliche Fakultät, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, Germany. [Title translation: CO2 stunning of turkeys prior to slaughter]Google Scholar
Simmonds, N 2004 Gas stunning within the poultry industry. Workshop on Controlled Atmosphere Stunning of Poultry: An Integrated Approach. 2-3rd June 2004, Silsoe Research Institute, Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedford, UKGoogle Scholar
Sinn, LC 1994 Anesthesiology. In: Ritchie, BW, Harrison, GJ and Harrison, LR (eds) Avian Medicine: Principles and Application pp 1067–80. Wingers Publishing Inc: Lake Worth, Florida, USAGoogle Scholar
von Wenzlawowicz, M, von Holleben, K and Bostelmann, N 2000 CO2-Betäubung von Broilern und Puten. Deutsche tierärztliche Wochenschrift 107: 81–132. [Title translation: CO2 stunning of broilers and turkeys]Google Scholar
Windhorst, H-W 2005 Die globale Eier und Putenwirtschaft im Wandel. ISPA-Mitteilungen, Heft 59: Vechta, Germany. [Title translation: Changes in global egg and turkey economy]Google Scholar