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Comparison of Halal slaughter with captive bolt stunning and neck cutting in cattle: exsanguination and quality parameters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

MH Anil ,
T Yesildere ,
H Aksu ,
E Matur ,
JL McKinstry ,
HR Weaver ,
O Erdogan ,
S Hughes  and
C Mason
MH Anil*
Affiliation:
University of Bristol, Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, Langford, Bristol BS40 7DU, UK
T Yesildere
Affiliation:
Chamber of Veterinary Surgeons of Istanbul, Sofyali Sokak, Hamson Apt 26/3, Asmali Mescit, Tunel, Istanbul, Turkey
H Aksu
Affiliation:
Chamber of Veterinary Surgeons of Istanbul, Sofyali Sokak, Hamson Apt 26/3, Asmali Mescit, Tunel, Istanbul, Turkey
E Matur
Affiliation:
Chamber of Veterinary Surgeons of Istanbul, Sofyali Sokak, Hamson Apt 26/3, Asmali Mescit, Tunel, Istanbul, Turkey
JL McKinstry
Affiliation:
University of Bristol, Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, Langford, Bristol BS40 7DU, UK
HR Weaver
Affiliation:
University of Bristol, Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, Langford, Bristol BS40 7DU, UK
O Erdogan
Affiliation:
Chamber of Veterinary Surgeons of Istanbul, Sofyali Sokak, Hamson Apt 26/3, Asmali Mescit, Tunel, Istanbul, Turkey
S Hughes
Affiliation:
University of Bristol, Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, Langford, Bristol BS40 7DU, UK
C Mason
Affiliation:
Humane Slaughter Association, The Old School, Brewhouse Hill, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire AL4 8AN, UK
*
* Contact for correspondence and request for reprints: [email protected]
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Abstract

Some supporters of religious slaughter methods claim that efficiency of bleed-out is adversely affected by stunning. Our previous study carried out in sheep at an abattoir comparing the Muslim method of slaughter without stunning with pre-slaughter stunning using a captive bolt or by electrical methods concluded that bleed-out is not adversely affected by stunning, nor improved by a neck cut without stunning. In this paper, a similar study carried out in cattle is reported. In this study, captive bolt stunning followed by neck cutting was compared with the Muslim slaughter method without stunning. The total blood loss, percentage blood loss expressed as a percentage of live weight and percentage loss of estimated total blood were calculated and compared between each group. In addition, the time periods taken to reach 25, 50, 75 and 90% of total blood loss were also calculated. There was no significant difference between the two stunning groups for any of these blood loss variables. The results, subjected to statistical analyses, also showed no apparent difference in the PCV levels and meat quality parameters between treatments. These results confirm the findings with sheep and show that the bleed-out is not adversely affected by captive bolt stunning, nor improved by a neck cut without stunning in cattle. It is anticipated that these findings may help promote the use of stunning methods during Halal slaughter.

Keywords

animal welfareblood lossHalal slaughterstunning
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 15 , Issue 4 , November 2006 , pp. 325 - 330
Copyright
© 2006 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

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