Immobilisation and Bleeding of Cattle to be Slaughtered

Incision for Bleeding Cattle

Malpractice in immobilisation of livestock

The aim of rendering slaughter animals unconscious prior to bleeding is in good slaughterhouse practice achieved by using captive bolt pistols, electrical tongs or CO2-gas. For the immobilisation of bovines and pigs a blow to the skull with a large-sized hammer used to be a wide-spread method and is still being practised, in particular in developing countries. The method requires only manual force, no maintenance of equipment or spares as cartridges, and is therefore cheap.

A blow with the hammer is certainly preferable to no pre-stunning, but it requires a skilled operator. Very often additional blows are needed, if the animal was not hit properly. The hammer method is prone to a high failure rate and should be replaced wherever possible by one of the above-mentioned stunning methods. Because they move around, many animals are not hit efficiently; they need additional blows or arrive fully conscious at bleeding.

In many places in the developing world, immobilization of large ruminants (cattle, buffalo) is still carried out through the use of a sharp, pointed knife sometimes called a puntilla or Spanish pike ). The knife is used to sever the spinal cord through the space (Foramen magnum) between the skull and neck position of the backbone. Upon inserting the knife and severing the spinal cord, the animal will collapse. It remains immobilized and the operators have easy access; however, the animals remain conscious until bleeding is complete. This practice should be discontinued, as it is not humane.

An equally inhumane method of immobilization of large animals involves severing the Achilles’ tendons, which lead to the collapse of the animal. This practice can in particular be observed in camel slaughterhouses. In camel slaughtering it can also be observed that the animals are immobilised by bending the joints of the fore- and hind legs through tying thin wires around. This forces the animals into a painful sitting position. They may be kept like this for many hours before they are slaughtered.

Malpractice can also be observed in the use of electricity for stunning purposes. Electrical tongs can certainly be fabricated through local engineering work in developing countries, but it is essential that the electrical parameters required for efficient and humane stunning be achieved. Stunning tongs without transformers, using the voltage of the mains not only cause a great deal of suffering but also produce inferior meat quality.

Absolutely unacceptable are practices using electrical wires attached to the limbs and necks of the animals and inflicting an electrical shock on the animal through connecting to the mains current. Similarly, devices resembling mains-current operated prodders but using high voltage, which are utilised for “stunning” of cattle, are inhumane. Moreover, they spoil the meat and damage the skins.

Bleeding

Bleeding is the part of the slaughter process where the main blood vessels of the neck are severed in order to allow blood to drain from the carcass, resulting in the death of the animal from cerebral anoxia. The bleeding knife should continuously be sharpened. A blunt knife will prolong the incision and the cut ends of the blood vessels will be damaged. This may cause premature clotting and blockage of the vessels, delaying bleeding out and prolonging the onset of unconsciousness and insensitivity. Incisions should be swift and precise.

The standard method for the bleeding of cattle is to open the skin at the neck between brisket and jaw through a 30-cm longitudinal cut. Then, for hygienic reasons, a clean knife should be used and inserted at a 45° angle in order to sever the jugular and carotid vessels.

For all cuts, the jugular and carotid vessels should be completely severed. If all vessels are not cut, bleeding may be incomplete, causing excessive retention of blood in the tissue, which can result in early spoilage of meat.

A minimum of delay is required between stunning and bleeding for two reasons:

a. A prolonged delay in bleeding may result in a level of consciousness being regained particularly where animals have been stunned electrically. For example, poultry stunned electrically may regain consciousness within 1-3 minutes. Generally, bleeding of poultry should commence within 15 seconds of stunning. For other livestock, the interval between stunning and sticking/bleeding should also be kept very short. Periods of less than one minute are desirable.

b. Delayed bleeding will result in an increase of blood pressure, and blood vessels will rupture, causing muscle haemorrhage. This extra blood in the tissue will cause the meat to decompose more quickly, resulting in waste of meat.