Slaughter methods: electroencephalographic (EEG) studies on spinal cord section, decapitation and gross trauma of the brain in lambs

Authors: Blackmore DK, Newhook JC, Tidswell SJ
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 35, Issue 4, pp 46-49, Apr 1987
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant, Sheep
Subject Terms: Animal welfare, Animal handling, Nervous system/neurology, Slaughter
Article class: Scientific Article

---

Abstract: By means of electroencephalograms (EEG), attempts were made to determine when insensibility could be presumed in five lambs, two subjected to immobilisation by the punctilla method, two decapitated and one shot by a captive bolt in the poll region. Section of approximately 80% of the spinal cord by the punctilla method had no apparent effect on sensibility and the technique was considered to be inhumane. The EEG obtained from a decapilated bead showed no obvious change in pattern for eight seconds and subsequent changes were similar to those associated with exsanguination only. Thus no evidence was obtained to indicate that decapitatiion causes immediate insensibility, neither was the belief substantiated that severance of the spinal cord, during the slaughter of sheep, hastens the onset of insensibility. These results also provide additional evidence on the inhumane nature of punctilla slaughter of cattle. The animal shot with a captive bolt in the poll region, as opposed to the frontal region, showed EEG activity for 78 seconds.

---